Jillette Johnson releases 'Annie' and announces her new album due in a few months time, the new song is a gorgeous slice of modern folk pop with hints of timeless country. === We have featured the first two singles from their upcoming new album 'Day Ripper' and now we have the title track from Bee Bee Sea namely (of course) 'Day Ripper' where the bands nod towards The Beatles is notable. === Sandtimer are another band who have appeared here a couple of times already in 2020 and are back with 'You Never Had Control' a stripped back track that exudes plenty of personal feeling. === Deepfake Moneybomb has released his self titled album and it's streaming in full below. Always on the lookout for different, creative yet accessible music we are delighted that all those boxes have been ticked with this talented and crafted release.
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Jillette Johnson - Annie.
Jillette Johnson has announced the February 12 release of It’s a Beautiful Day and I Love You, her first new album in four years. Returning with a newfound creative confidence, the Nashville-based singer/songwriter delivers a fully-realized collection of ten new songs featuring candid lyricism and a bolder, bigger sound. Along with the announcement, Johnson shares the rollicking new single “Annie” with a self-directed, DIY video shot during quarantine. An ode to her other half’s ex-girlfriend, “Annie” offers a different take on songs about “the other woman” as Johnson expresses genuine appreciation for the positive impact her role played in his life.
“Annie is a thank-you letter, and a tribute to all the past relationships that make us who we are,” explains Johnson. “The ones that prepare us to find fulfilling partnerships. My partner has shared his heart with some badass women and I'm super grateful for it. May we be in an era finally, where women can see each other as allies, and not threats.”
Jillette Johnson has established a reputation for her ruminative pop/folk, piano-driven songs and powerful vocals, releasing her 2013 debut Water in a Whale and 2017 Dave Cobb-produced follow-up All I Ever See In You Is Me to widespread acclaim ranging from Billboard and Paste to Marie Claire and ELLE. She began writing songs at the age of eight, becoming fully immersed in music by high school and quickly learning first-hand about the prevalence of predators in this volatile, ever-changing industry. Now on the other side of a journey through pain and struggle to gratitude, forgiveness, and, ultimately, acceptance, It’s a Beautiful Day and I Love You sees Johnson taking full control of her career for the first time. She recently spoke about the process with American Songwriter and shared her debut single “I Shouldn’t Go Anywhere,” which Rolling Stone describes as “a spaced-out trip that recalls Harry Nilsson or Elton John at his most decadent.”
“The lessons I learned from those early industry experiences are why I’ve held so tightly to making this album on my own with people I trust,” Johnson explains. “It would have been easy to lean into the melancholy. It was an act of rebellion to not indulge in the pain, to look beyond it and not wallow.”
Produced by Joe Pisapia, It’s a Beautiful Day and I Love You injects Johnson’s intimate, piano-written songs with buoyant pop melodies and a shot of guitar-driven, alt-rock muscle. From the lilting, self-destructiveness of “I Shouldn’t Go Anywhere” and the somber reflection on “Angelo” to the irreverent humor in “What Would Jesus Do?” and the impulsively romantic title track, It’s a Beautiful Day and I Love You showcases Johnson’s hard-won optimism.
Following the release of first two singles 'Daily Jobs' and 'Gonna Get Me', Bee Bee Sea have now released the title track for their upcoming new album 'Day Ripper', out on 9th October on Wild Honey Records.
One of the few heavy psych-garage songs on the record, the track is based on a riff progression alternated with Beatlesque choruses. Similarly to previous single 'Daily Jobs', the song further elaborates on the idea of living a suffocating and claustrophobic existence. Aside from the title, another nod to the Fab Four is on the artwork, designed by Yuri Pierini at Slack Studio: an illustration of legendary footballer George Best, occasionally known as The Fifth Beatle.
Bee Bee Sea – Wilson Wilson on guitar and vocals, Giacomo Parisio on bass, and Andrea Onofrio on drums – met fresh out of high school and immediately bonded over music. “When there’s no good shit around you better form a band” runs their motto – and so they did. Sixties classics like the Beatles, The Who, and The Stones formed the bulk of their repertoire as a covers band, and they played in any bar that would have them. “We were into bands,” explains Wilson, “and over time we became more rock, and started to get into punk.”
And now they stand ready to unleash 'Day Ripper' on the world, ten incendiary tracks full of edge, tension, and fuelled by frustration – “ripper” is very much the right word. From the catchy, effervescent chug of single ‘Be Bop Palooza’, to the filthy garage punk of ‘Drags Me Down’ and ‘Telephone’, it’s a record that throws you around the room before pinning you up against the wall and screaming in your face. Songs barrel along like a whirling dervish, all galloping drums and frantic power chords, occasionally teetering on the brink of collapse. Yet such chaos is precisely what makes 'Day Ripper 'so compelling, and so fun.
‘You Never Had Control’ is the latest single from Sandtimer’s upcoming second album, ‘Running In Sunlight’. The song charts the feeling of waking up, seeing terrible things happening in the world and feeling partly responsible, no matter how irrational this feeling might be.
‘You Never Had Control’ is an expression of coming to terms with one’s own powerlessness when faced with huge, unpredictable events, and an encouragement to carry on the struggle for progress regardless.
The album Running in Sunlight, which will be released this October, sees the band take a loose and immediate approach to the creative process, with the songs being written and recorded over a short time frame, with sparser instrumentation than their previous music.
“This album isn’t about anthems,” says Simon Thomas, vocalist and guitarist. “It’s our attempt at exploring the raw edges of the climate we live in- the uncomfortable parts as well as the beauty. We wanted to give ourselves space to do this intimately and honestly.”
This is not your typical singer-songwriter music - it's accessible but off-kilter and veers off into surprising directions. The "folk" feel of these songs is anchored by acoustic guitar and dulcimer, while embracing instrument combinations that include clarinet, vibraphone as well as some electronic sound. The songs on this record are strange little works of art that are drawn from the search for something of substance and meaning amid all the chaos we see everywhere.
First, why put out an album at all during a pandemic, when there are limited opportunities to perform the songs? "The World Won't Let Me Believe" is why - it's an unabashedly sincere, perhaps even corny, anthem for our times.
You might think the song "Existential Dread" would be a depressing slog in neurotic self-indulgence, but instead it's a sparking, sprightly, dulcimer-driven waltz. And when was the last time you heard a song about quantum mechanics? Look no further than "Super Colliders" which gives a shout-out to physicist Erik Verlinde while tossing in some William Blake for good measure.
Deepfake Moneybomb is singer-songwriter from New York (USA). He could be considered a “bedroom” artist because of his creative process, though he does perform live as well.
Jess Locke has shared 'Fool' and it's a hook filled indie pop song with some grittier rock attitude alongside. === Sandtimer return just a month after we featured 'Different Seas' with another new track entitled 'Three Cars' a stunning indie folk piece. === Certain Animals make their seventh appearance here in less than a year such is the calibre of the music and the newest alt rock song 'Too Long' keeps the momentum going. === Eleni Drake has released 'Melbourne Blues' ahead of her E.P ‘Vanilla Sky’ and it's a beautiful example of what to expect. === Crawford Mack shares 'Depends On Where You Stand' which is a striking singer songwriter track with refined vocals and a fabulous musical arrangement. === Godcaster cut to the chase with 'All the Feral Girls In The Universe' a feisty track and if the video and title doesn't grab your attention the song is just as amazing.
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Jess Locke - Fool.
Melbourne artist Jess Locke is known for penning indie pop tracks that are at times subtle and full of melancholy, at times delivered with an acerbic tongue, but always steeped heavily in narrative. As premiered by triple j's Home & Hosed, new offering in ‘Fool’ is simple and raw, seeking to partner dirty grunge guitars, a fuzzy lead, gritty vocals and a punchy rhythm section. With the new track comes the announcement that Locke has inked a deal with cherished Melbourne label Dot Dash, of which artists such as Gena Rose Bruce, Methyl Ethel and Donny Benét call home.
Revealed by The Music, Jess Locke shares "I'm so excited to be signing with Dot Dash. I'm a big fan of the artists on the label and I couldn't be happier about becoming part of the family.'"
Dot Dash Recordings & Remote Control Records' Head of Label & Promotions, Sweetie Zamora adds "It’s an absolute joy to officially welcome Jess to the Dot Dash Recordings family. She’s been part of the extended Remote Control family since 2017 and we’ve long admired her dedication to songwriting, art and gluten-free vegan baked goods. The forthcoming music from Jess, Chris and Jim floored us and we’re immensely proud that they’ve trusted us to share it with the world."
“Is this the best you can do? You look like a fool” by Locke’s own admission this is as acid as her tongue gets. Delivered with irony, ‘Fool’, gives voice to real feelings of disappointment in people and in the way they treat each other, the way some set about to divide and exploit when threatened.
Of the track Locke asserts: “I originally imagined the chorus being sung by the Earth, or some other omniscient entity, to humans, like a loving parent to a wayward teenager - not angry, just disappointed. Although I wrote the song more than a year ago, I feel like it could have been written as a soundtrack to 2020”.
‘Did he sell his soul so he could buy it back somewhere down the track?’
Three Cars is the next single from indie-folk group Sandtimer. Featuring on their upcoming album, Running In Sunlight, it is a stripped back reflection on materialism and the illusions it can create. With warm three part harmonies, intricately woven guitars and an ambient brass accompaniment, this song draws on classic and contemporary folk elements.
Regarding Three Cars, vocalist and guitarist Rob Sword said: “Some time ago I saw three sports cars in someone’s drive. They had personalised number plates and were parked in ascending numerical order. Seeing this made me think about what the owner might have sacrificed of their own freedom and happiness to acquire these status symbols.”
The album Running in Sunlight, which will be released this October, sees the band take a loose and immediate approach to the creative process, with the songs being written and recorded over a short timeframe, with sparser instrumentation than their previous music.
“This album isn’t about anthems,” says Simon Thomas, vocalist and guitarist. “It’s our attempt at exploring the raw edges of the climate we live in- the uncomfortable parts as well as the beauty. We wanted to give ourselves space to do this intimately and honestly.”
Without warning, new Certain Animals single Too Long takes you along a torrent of scraps of memories. Carried on a Chicago shuffle, the song roars past topics such as politics, religion, alienation and domestic disputes at the speed of a steam train. With abrasive vocal cords and an expanding lung capacity you will be swept away on an inner adventure, with Dylan-esque poetry as a backdrop. When the distorted guitar parts seem to glow like coal in that steam train, it suddenly stops. And whispering and almost vulnerable the band muses about the freedom that life as a musician brings, only to stoke the fire even more to end the journey with three-part vocals!
Dutch band Certain Animals serves you melodic rock filled with vocal harmonies. The members aren't afraid to show which records they've been listening to. Musical titans from the '60s and '70s are spinning on their turntable on a daily basis. The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Electric Light Orchestra are regular companions in their musical life, but also the fuzzy and phasey sounds of contemporary bands like Tame Impala influence the music of Certain Animals.
Without being stuck in the past and with a critical view on the present, the band brings you their intriguing sound which makes for an energetic live show filled with intimate moments and explosive bursts of energy.
In less then three years, the band managed to build a strong live reputation by playing shows on major Dutch festivals in famous venues all over the country, and they also performed across the border in Belgium and Germany.
Eleni recently signed to Ninja Tune and is set to make her latest release with her delicately crafted new EP ‘Vanilla Sky’. The first single ‘Melbourne Blues’ is out today 24th July.
Written by Eleni and produced by Frank Colucci (Tom Grennan, Rose Gray, Dan Caplen), 'Melbourne Blues' is the first single from the rising Eleni Drake's upcoming EP (due this Sept).
Coming on like The War on Drugs played by Crazy Horse, with music direction by Yo La Tengo and fronted by Lana Del Rey, 'Melbourne Blues' is a raw and empowered ballad, influenced as much by Laurel Canyon as it is Lauren Hill. Previous support from Spotify UK, US and JP (Soultronic, Fresh Finds, Monday Spin, Cintra.net).
"I never really know whether I want to gravitate more towards melancholy jazz ballads, or stick to that "demo-esque" rock influenced indie music... so i thought, fuck it, why not completely offend both genres”.
Crawford Mack is not your average new artist. His fellow Glaswegians would argue that he is not particularly new for starters, given his regular live performances across the city. With his debut solo album set to drop in the fall, the singer-songwriter teases listeners with new offering ‘Depends On Where You Stand.'
Crawford’s music and lyrics are drawn from a voracious appetite for reading as wide a variety of literature - from pulp to classics. Intimately involved in all aspects of his art; Crawford is not just a composer and lyricist, but a video and art director, the whole focused on the perfect expression of his musical vision.
Upcoming single ‘Depends On Where You Stand’ was recorded during sessions for his debut album in Antwerp. An exercise in powerful subtlety, the gracious track weaves a string led melody of guitars and violins around the tale of two former lovers struggling to find a middle ground of communication. It is simple, effective and affecting.
Elaborating on his interpretation of the track, Crawford tells us: “Two former lovers meet together in an art gallery and they’re out of awkward pleasantries to exchange. No amount of hastily formed opinions on the artwork displayed can drown out what they are neglecting to discuss. They play-out a Hollywood-esq sequence of trying not to be caught sneaking a glance, whilst attempting to give each other enough space by dancing around each other at a pace that is as excruciating as it is conspicuous.”
Rising from the underground river of primordial goo that runs between New York City and Philadelphia and ascending toward some unknown ethereal plane beyond our comprehension, comes to us the revelatory debut of music and mythos from Godcaster, Long Haired Locusts.
The venerated and shining troupe of David McFaul (keys), Von Lee (flute, vox), Lindsay Dobbs (trombone, vox), Bruce Ebersole (bass guitar), Sam Pickard (drums), and Judson Kolk (vox, guitar) transmit a brand of devout, sassy rock and pop that thrashes through stages of blissful, comforting highs and devastating lows, preaching the convergence of the holy and the heretical.
Songs like “All the Feral Girls in the Universe” naturally builds upon an undeniably danceable composition until it reaches, like the album as a whole reaches, a phenomenally euphoric peak.
Andy Cook new album 'I'll Be Fine' is streaming in full below. This is a highly original album, musically it sits somewhere between indie and alt rock but drifts beyond there, the production is stunning and the musicianship on a par, Andy's vocals add even more distinction and character, this is class to say the very least. === We have another album in full below, this time from Jenny Reynolds and her new collection entitled 'Any Kind Of Angel', where the singer songwriter delivers some beautifully refined Folk and Americana songs. The storytelling lyrics are notable and the genuine nature of the album enticing. === We featured Sandtimer a couple of times last year and they return with 'Different Seas' which is a reinterpretation of an old song of theirs and it's absolutely stunning (why say more). === Having already shared two songs from her new album we now have the full collection as Jess Knight releases 'Best Kind Of Light'. Mixing blues, roots rock and timeless soul, this is everything the two singles promised and a healthy dose of more. === Sun Cutter debut single is 'Daylight Star' and it's a refreshing singer songwriter piece from an artist who has been through something of a personal storm over the last year or so. === If you like dreamy psychedelic pop then Cold Beaches have something special for you in the form of 'Problems and Heartache (I Got Them)'. === Fans of out there song titles should already be pleased with New Fries brand new song 'Arendt / Adler / Pulley Pulley Pulley Pulley', lovers of genre spanning and originality should be equally delighted, this is strangely addictive.
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Andy Cook - I'll Be Fine (Album).
As a child, Andy Cook was afraid to sing. After years dodging performances in school music classes, he decided it was time to face his fears. Yet 2017 EP In Space and 2018 follow-up Modern Man still bore traces of that childhood anxiety: vocals surrounded by reverb and delay, melting into swelling banks of guitar. This time around, Cook is determined to recognize his voice for the instrument it really is; putting it front and center on new record I’ll Be Fine.
A former hockey player from the Midwest, Cook found new worlds opening up to him as he toured his first records across the country. It was a stop in New York, folded into a tiny Brooklyn bedroom, that helped to crystallize his voice into something he was finally ready to share. This city of dreams—and of harsh realities—was the catalyst Cook needed to push forward with his own dreams in the midst of seemingly unending uncertainty. Recorded live to tape at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, I’ll Be Fine bristles with a closeness not heard in Cook’s earlier work. With co- production by Matthew Molnar (Sunflower Bean, Friends, Kissing is a Crime) and Jeremy Ylvisaker (Bon Iver, Alpha Consumer, Andrew Bird), Cook is able to anchor a tighter sound with firmer, bolder foundations.
This revamped sound bolsters appropriately direct lyricism, as befitting an artist finding a long-awaited confidence in the stories he chooses to tell. Even the album title I’ll Be Fine faces down the consumerist narratives that bombard us, challenging these ideas of what we should buy, how we should look, who we should like, and how we should talk—instead encouraging us to find a way to be more and more okay with ourselves, however that is.
“Life doesn’t have to be about how many people like your Instagram photo, but it’s hard not to feel devalued when we always feel behind, not good enough,” Cook acknowledges. It’s exactly this pragmatism that makes Cook an artist of note in 2019. His singular narratives have been refined with a close-knit team and released in the self-effacing knowledge that they have to compete for attention with the entire contents of Netflix... and yet Cook still chooses to put them out there. Cook summarizes I’ll Be Fine this way: “These songs are for everyone who’s trying to take our voice from inside and bring it out. It’s scary, but we’ve got to say what we want if we’re going to be heard.”
Native New Englander, Jenny Reynolds, based in Austin, TX, since 2003, is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and storyteller. She performs Americana and folk music finger style on the guitar, and when strumming goes for percussive guitar patterns that make people feel like moving. Jenny grew up in a family that loved music and experienced it together, by listening to albums and going to shows.
At five years old she fell in love with the guitar, and her first one came from Sears. Some of the songs she learned, in the beginning, were “Blossom,” and “St James Infirmary.” Her songs are stories that evoke feelings; and her lyrics expose questions and issues about the human experience. Jenny is releasing her new album, Any Kind of Angel, on Friday, June 19, 2020. As the album unfolds, it is equally tender and powerful. She describes her music, “As a love child from a three-way with James Taylor, John Mayer, and Gillian Welch.”
Any Kind of Angel Jenny’s fourth album was produced by Mark Hallman and André Moran at Congress House Studio, in the heart of Austin. “Mark and André don’t just record what a person can do. They helped me discover what I can do as a guitar player, then they helped me develop that sound, then we recorded it. Hockey great Wayne Gretsky said, “I don’t skate to where the puck is. I skate to where it will be.” Mark and André help me discover where my music will be. This is why I don’t want to record anywhere else. I like what Mark did with Ani DiFranco’s record Dilate (her first studio record), and all of Eliza Gilkyson’s recordings.”
The musicians playing on Any Kind of Angel include Jaimee Harris (harmonies), Scrappy Jud Newcomb (electric and nylon-string guitar), Warren Hood (fiddle), BettySoo (harmonies, mandolin), Oliver Steck (cornet), Jenifer Jackson (harmonies), and Nate Rowe (bass). “Generally the people I like to play and record with are people who listen to others as much as they listen to themselves, much like jazz musicians do. We may not be playing jazz, but we are responding to each other with that kind of attentiveness and creativity.”
Sandtimer have a new single. It’s called ‘Different Seas’ and is a solo piano-led new version of one of their oldest songs, featuring a more reflective and contemplative accompaniment than the upbeat shuffle of the original.
Crafting their arrangements with intricate, interwoven guitars and captivating vocal harmonies, composer Rob Sword and oceanography student Simon Thomas began performing as Sandtimer in 2014, building a small but passionate following on the UK acoustic circuit.
Soon expanding their ensemble to include Rachel Thomas on bass and vocals and Alex Jackson on percussion, as well as embarking on tours to northern Europe and Canada, Sandtimer have found an international audience for their music in the tens of thousands.
After a steady stream of EPs and singles over a period of several years, Sandtimer released their debut full length album, everything is on hold, in 2019. With eleven songs that walk the fine line between hope and despair, and inspired by a wide span of artists and musical styles, everything is on hold reflects the world in its current state- full of chaos, often full of sadness but also, perhaps, full of hope.
Calgary soul-roots singer-songwriter Jess Knights debut full-length record, "Best Kind of Light" is released today.
Commenting on the recently released title track Co-written with Donovan Woods in a Toronto diner over slices of pie, the ballad about a graceful end to a relationship presents Knights’ luminous voice in its rawest form. “I know you’re lonely/I’m lonely, too/But I won’t dare call you/Even though I want to,” she sings, channeling that yearning tug-of-war to go back. It’s a relatable sentiment to anyone that’s left a relationship and chosen instead to move on.
“It’s a choice to move on from any relationship with grace and integrity,” Knights says. “‘Best Kind of Light’ traces a reflection on what was with a recognition of what is, and a choice to remember the good and hopefully learn from the not-so-good.”
Best Kind of Light weaves together Knights’ influences in blues, roots and revivalist soul, and features an array of songsmiths and sidemen, including award-winning producer Joshua Van Tassel, Joey Landreth, R. Grunwald, and others. The lineup adds dimension to Knights’ songs while bringing into focus the moody, dimly lit spectrum of her classically-trained voice. Able to traverse sultry ballads and raise-the-roof-off-the-church soul with ease, this dynamo performer is bound to leave an impression.
Daylight Star is the debut single by Sun Cutter (aka Kevin Pearce), out June 19th on all digital platforms. Taken from the forthcoming eponymous debut, released later in 2020 on Bronzerat Records.
Two years ago Sun Cutter (who is from Colchester, England) suffered a heart attack (on a golf course!), whilst still in his early 30's. As well as having to redress his excessive living, his rehabilitation involved writing and recording the Sun Cutter project.
It is a reflective album of contradistinction; a timeless classic whose vocals, lyrics and craft bring to mind the warmth of Richie Havens, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison and Tim Buckley while displaying - on songs like 'Hold Out’ and ‘Don’t Fail Me Now’ - a more contemporary sound that nonetheless refuses to bow to the whims of fashion.
Co-produced with pal Dean Honer (The Moonlandingz, I Monster, Keeley Forsyth, Eccentronic Research Council). Kevin spent the tail end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 on tour with Turin Brakes before the pandemic cut it short, with cancelled festival appearances such as Bearded Theory and Glastonbury. Touring will resume when... you know....
Cold Beaches - Problems and Heartache (I Got Them).
"Problems and Heartache (I Got Them)" is a dreamy psychedelic pop feel-good music video created and produced by Sophia Nadia (Cold Beaches). The song features dream pop synth chords, reverberated guitars and gentle, crooning vocals. Nadia shows her vulnerability in this track by transporting to a place where the music is intricate, but to the point, as are her feelings.
Cold Beaches is the psychedelic rock n roll brainchild of Sophia Nadia. The project began in 2015 when Nadia moved from the suburbs of Washington DC to Richmond, Virginia. There she met Connor Wood, the late frontman of local Richmond band 3 Legged Dog, and was convinced to start a solo project. Since releasing her debut DIY lo-fi album, Aching, in 2016, Cold Beaches has toured around the continent, with the lineup changing to whatever could work for the band to tour. Consistently described as an “unapologetic do-er”, Nadia’s career dedication has shown more than most. From incessant touring around North America starting at 16 years old to moving to Chicago only a few years later in the fall of 2017, it was evident Nadia did not want to waste any time. When not on the road, you can find Sophia in her home or at the studio, writing and recording her next release; each one further in both garage rock and orchestral composition and heartbreaking honesty than the last.
Drifter is the first energetic, live recorded and thoroughly orchestrated album Cold Beaches has released yet. With honest lyrics ranging from the heartstring-pulling losses of friends and relationships to the optimism of independence and liberation from depression and anxiety, Sophia Nadia sings these 10 tracks with a newly founded voice of empowerment and fervent energy. Capturing the infamous vivacious reputation Cold Beaches has deservedly earned through years of live performances around North America, Drifter forges new ground. It combines the influences of the plain-spoken lyrical integrity of 90’s Pavement and fluctuating modern composition and arrangement. Equipped with an orchestra of instruments and talented local musicians, Drifter’s instrumentals transition effortlessly between hard garage rock (Ty Segal) to indie surf pop (La Femme). With these newly discovered weapons in hand, Nadia steps away from the lofi sound she’s known for and starts her move towards a new era of songwriting and album construction.
It is essential to listen to Drifter right now in the midst of this tidal wave of isolation that the world is feeling, which is right where Cold Beaches’ consistent expression of loneliness has always thrived. It is an album that people from all walks of life can openly interpret and apply their feelings individually, and find that they are in good company. Cold Beaches especially wants to create a space where marginalized people in the music industry can feel understood and important. Feel important, feel confident, and feel understood when you listen to Drifter. Cold Beaches understands what it is like to gain and lose, love and fall out, and lastly, just to be alone.
New Fries are sharing their latest single, the mind-bending, genre-defying, tongue-twisting "Arendt / Adler / Pulley Pulley Pulley Pulley", the second single from their new album Is The Idea Of Us. Out on August 7th through Telephone Explosion, it is the band's first new material since 2016's More.
On the new track, the band offered, "Something about the women obscuring their gender and traditional roles (intentionally or otherwise) to do their work without interruption or expectation. Being contrarians, shrill. Seeking truth without taking care of emotions. Often their work is forensic, razor-sharp, and bright with clarity.".
The Toronto-based experimental No-Wave inspired band are one of the best kept secrets in the city, and with their new album they delve deeper into their unconventional, ever-changing sound. They worked closely with Carl Didur (Zacht Automaat, formerly U.S. Girls), resulting in a new direction, focusing more on space and repetition, finding the in-between and reflecting on it, examining that transition. Is The Idea Of Us is anxious in its repetitions and unsure of genre, a reflection of musicians and non-musicians making music together; New Fries insist on doing it differently.
ROCH is a London based artist and her new song 'All Time Favourite Girl' is accompanied by an intriguing video, the song itself is a gorgeous and creative piece that put simply, is stunning.
And I quote "Atlanta, Georgia's 90's alt-rock pioneers Magnapop return and debut new single and first music in a decade for "Need to Change." The alt rockers jump start into a magnificent two and a bit minutes of full on music, the album will be eagerly anticipated by a good number of people I suspect.
Make Friends have just released a video for their latest song 'Ellie'. It's a smooth indie pop track with more than a hint of rock to it, and it's totally engaging.
Following on from our first feature for Sandtimer (we shared 'Dormant' back in April) we now have 'Whats On Your Mind' which is another striking Indie Folk song, where the duo once again demonstrate their notable talent.
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ROCH - All Time Favourite Girl.
ROCH is 24 year old Kate Miller. Based in London, her spiralling R&B-tinged pop creations are something completely unique. She is now sharing new single 'All Time Favourite Girl' (produced with Ben Christophers – Bat For Lashes, Nakhane, etc), alongside a stunning, painstakingly animated accompanying video.
ROCH's music is like nothing else. Otherworldly, romantic, challenging - 'All Time Favourite Girl' is an apt taste of what's to come. Lucid synths, reverb-laden drums, and enchanting guitar passages - ROCH's vocal delivery is superb throughout, paired with intriguing electronics and glitching production motifs.
Smattered with spoken-word, Miller examines relationships with women on 'All Time Favourite Girl'; with mothers, daughters, and specifically with her all-women coworkers. She ruminates on the sacrifices made to work, and how those sacrifices affect her fellow labourers. “When I sit and listen to you / I know exactly what you mean,” Miller croons. “I wish I could say it myself / We’d be a team / My mind is warped / And yours is full of hope and good things.”
In the video for the song, which Miller helped produce, animated by YONK Studios – a group of headless pregnant mannequins cavort and unite in an endless dystopian office space. “The office space determines how they interact with each other,” she explains. “Throughout the video they come together as a big team, and rely on each other to prop themselves up.”
It’s about support networks, and social tendencies within groups of women. How being physically close leads to solidarity and community, to survival through adaptation, to reclamation of objects and space.
Atlanta, Georgia's 90's alt-rock pioneers Magnapop return and debut new single and first music in a decade for "Need to Change" from their upcoming album The Circle is Round on HHBTM Records .
Magnapop’s new album, The Circle Is Round, is the Atlanta-based group’s debut release for HHBTM Records, and is their sixth album, coming nearly a decade after their previous record, 2009’s Chase Park. Prior to this, the group had a fruitful run during the Alternative Rock heyday of the mid-90s, finding critical acclaim with 1994’s Hotboxing (with single “Slowly, Slowly”) and 1996’s Rubbing Doesn’t Help, which featured their most beloved song, “Open The Door.” And although the phrase was an endearing joke courtesy of slacker film Singles, Magnapop were indeed “big in Belgium,” finding enduring success that has led them to visit the Benelux region numerous times over their three decade career. (They have a tour slated for the area this September.)
Yet let’s not think of it as a “comeback,” shall we? Magnapop never really went away, appearing on the live circuit in Europe sporadically since their last release. The seeds that would blossom into The Circle Is Round were planted in 2011. “We reunited in 2011 when bassist Shannon Mulvaney contacted us about playing a benefit for Criminal Records, a local record store,” says guitarist and songwriter Ruthie Morris. “Playing together was easy, but we knew we needed time together to play our old songs again. The more we played together, the more we realized we wanted to work on new material.”
The Circle Is Round was recorded at Furies Studios in Marietta, Georgia, and produced by the band and studio owner Ed Burdell—he worked with the band on one of their first recording sessions—the album came together quickly this past February. Furthermore, there’s a sense of the circular nature of existence at play, as a few of the songs are some of the band’s earliest. “’Change Your Hair’ was the very first song Linda and I ever wrote together, before there was a band,” says Morris. “Our drummer, David McNair, was the one who came up with the idea of recording it. At first it seemed like a crazy idea, but the more I listened to it, the more I thought it would be fun!” The album also includes two demos from a 1992 recording session, previously unheard until now. Longtime fans of the band will find much to love with The Circle Is Round, while new listeners will get a taste of what converted listeners way back when to become lifetime fans.
“During one of our recent tours of Benelux we were interviewed on a Belgian radio program,” says Morris. “We were talking about the four of us reuniting and coming back together as a band. The interviewer said something in Flemish and he translated it as "The circle is round" to describe our situation. At first it sounded kind of funny, but the more we thought about it, the more poignant and appropriate it seemed.”
Playlist-ed by Spotify on their Lo-Fi Indie, Hot New Bands & Surf Pop 2019 playlists, and played on BBC Radio 6 Music, Radio X, Amazing Radio, and BBC Introducing, Bristol’s Make Friends have just released a video to go with their gorgeous new indie single ‘Ellie.’
Speaking of the latest single, lead singer Tom Andrew says "Ellie is the most personal track on the EP. It's a retrospective account of the frustration and emptiness felt from a lack of connection in your relationship. It's also about coming to terms with the fact that maybe it coming to an end was for the best and accepting that they might be happier with someone else."
Dispensing hook-laden, infectious indie-pop, the band have already earned favourable comparisons to the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club and Bloc Party. Their debut release Drop Naked found its way onto the Amazing Radio Playlist by winning the Audition Poll and got plays on BBC Radio 6 Music, Radio X, Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing.
From the band - This one is called ‘What’s On Your Mind’. It is about technology addiction and how we, as a society, have become collectively hooked on social media and technology, letting it become part of our identity.
The song explores a feeling of complicity and of being part of the machine we’re trapped in, while also pointing at the hard labour that still goes on around the world to keep this technology running.
We have some splendid and totally natural roots music from Zoe and Cloyd, the musicianship is just right and the dual vocals and live feel to the song adds even more character. Sandtimer have just shared 'Dormant' along with a fine video, their indie folk is outstanding and the vocals are wonderful on this addictive song. 'Death In A Field' from Thin Lear (songwriter/producer Matt Longo) is a beautiful piece, where his vocals are just so engaging and the musical arrangement is seemingly pristine.
Zoe and Cloyd - Looking Out For You And Me.
Roots duo Zoe & Cloyd have released a video for their latest single, “Looking Out For You And Me,” a song that illustrates today's issues of change and how it affects us. It warns against allowing self-interest and short-term gain to take precedence over the well-being of future generations.
Husband and wife artists Zoe (Natalya Weinstein) and Cloyd (John Miller) blend their long-crafted folk harmonies with fellow bandmates Kevin Kehrberg on bass and Bennett Sullivan on banjo. The tight musicianship, great flatpicking and impassioned message shows Zoe & Cloyd's ability to play hard-driving, traditional Bluegrass with a message modernized for the times.
The song was written by Miller, who says, "'Looking Out For You And Me' asks us to look critically at the ones making decisions related to our collective well-being and that of future generations."
Zoe & Cloyd spring from deep roots in American music. Founding members of the acclaimed Americana trio, Red June, and long-time veterans of the Asheville, NC music scene, Natalya Zoe Weinstein and John Cloyd Miller released their second full-length album, Eyes Brand New, in spring of 2017. Highlighting their emotive songwriting and signature harmonies, this album showcased the breadth of their collective musical spirit, seamlessly combining original folk, country, old-time and bluegrass with sincerity and zeal. Zoe & Cloyd’s debut recording, Equinox (2015), was met with high acclaim and the pair has continued to gain momentum with a 1st place win at the prestigious FreshGrass Festival Duo Contest along with performances at MerleFest, Music City Roots and more.
Dormant follows on from a string of laid-back indie folk singles that Sandtimer have published over the last year, but moves into deeper, darker territory with dense percussion, haunting vocals and spiky acoustic guitar.
An indie folk band might be considered an unlikely outfit for Robert Sword, a classically trained pianist, and Simon Thomas, an Oceanography graduate, to end up in. However, these things can happen in unusual ways. Sandtimer create music that often centres around the passage of time, including themes of reflection, escapism and hope.
Their recordings have been featured on a number of national radio shows in the UK, as well as several prominent blogs and playlists. Now operating as a full band, with Rachel Thomas on bass and vocals, and Alex Jackson on percussion, they have performed on the UK acoustic circuit frequently, as well as touring western Canada and northern continental Europe.
Inspired by the passing of a loved one, Thin Lear’s latest single Death In A Field is a complex story about death and rebirth. As per artist’s words: Initially, I just had the opening line of the song: “I’ll survive as a child/All hungry and wild/Life overwhelming is life at the start.” I just really liked the concept of someone nearing the end of their life, and thinking about being reborn, being a baby again, and looking forward to the tremendousness of experiencing life for the first time. Someone at the end of existence feeling the tug of something new, and terrifying, and potentially beautiful. And then the choruses came out of that. Waking in the morning, or “drowning in an evening of lovely black sky,” indicate a kind of serenity in being swallowed up by eternity, and finding some sort of comfort in that.
When I started writing the song, I had recently watched someone I love pass away in a brief, but organic way, and there were moments in their process of dying that seemed to bring revelations to them. The character in the song is of my own invention though. This character isn’t perfect, and is well aware of that, and is simply being honest about what they’ll miss the most, and what they’re looking forward to. And it isn’t always flattering, but it’s true to the character.
The song aims to connect the listener to a feeling or a memory of something sad or wonderful from years ago, maybe something they haven’t thought about in a while…a person or a moment. Songs I love really do that for me. Sometimes it’s hard for me to know how I’m actually feeling, so music allows me to dig past any confusion, and really uncover pieces of who I am and what brings me emotion. So, yeah, I hope the song opens a heavy door in someone’s mind - Thin Lear.
Thin Lear, the project of Queens-based songwriter/producer Matt Longo, evokes the restless expansiveness of 70’s-era studio obsessives. Pulling influence from the insular worlds of Astral Weeks, Tim Buckley, and Shuggie Otis, Thin Lear finds the middle ground between the spontaneous electricity of a live room and the pristine meticulousness of careful, deliberate production. With sweetly plaintive vocals, often compared to Harry Nilsson and Cat Power, melodies hover over orchestral flourishes, gleamingly processed guitars, and ethereal organs and pedal steel, all backed by the kinetic sway and thump of a jazz combo. Songs careen from ornately warm ballads, to psychedelically-tinged folk, to propulsive grooves, with rushes of color and lush walls of sound.
