Showing posts with label The Legal Matters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Legal Matters. Show all posts

Saturday, 28 February 2026

Kathryn Grimm - Primula - M. John Henry - Beached Out - The Legal Matters - Marcello Di Luna - The Veils

Kathryn Grimm - Treat Me Like Gold.

The new visualizer and single "Treat Me Like Gold" from award-winning Portland based singer/songwriter and musician Kathryn Grimm has just been released. The blues rock track "is a playful song about someone who knows their worth advising a less than appreciative partner to hurry up and realize what they’ve got," shares the artist. 

Kathryn Grimm has collaborated with the likes of Jeff Buckley (backed her up in her original band “Group Therapy”), Michael Bolton and more. LA Times praised Kathryn stating that she "pummels crowds into a blissful heap”. 

Kathryn stays busy with her many projects including “The Kathryn Grimm Band” (KGB), “The Jazz Rockets”, “Hippie Love Slave”, “Babes In Portland”; and hosts a quarterly Blues/Jazz Jam. She also offers her skills as a player backing up select artists on guitar, bass, piano, vocals (“Mekong River Band”) and as a writer (several of her songs are featured in playwright Alan Alexander III’s award winning “Homeless, The Musical”). Academically she holds degrees at The Guitar Institute (Hollywood CA) and Cal State, L.A. (BA / MA - Jazz Studies / Commercial Music).


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Primula - Cobblestone.

Swedish band Primula steps into a new chapter ahead of their upcoming EP ‘Nothing New’. Recorded live and guided by a willingness to go against the grain, the track showcases the matured sound the band have grown into. Rather than following conventional three-minute structures and predictable choruses, Primula embraces tension and space that many musicians shy away from. The result is far from run-of-the-mill indie as their tracks shift seamlessly between fragility and power, driven by Ella’s striking and unconventional vocals.

‘Cobblestone’ is about the uncomfortable yet reassuring realization that you are not the center of the world, but rather one small part of something much larger. It reflects the inner shift that often comes during periods of change and growing up. Times like this make identity feel less certain and allow new
perspectives to begin to take shape. The title itself acts as a metaphor: a single cobblestone may appear ordinary, but without each stone, the road would not exist.

“‘Cobblestone’ is about the difficult yet comforting realization that you’re just a small piece in a much bigger world. There’s a freedom in not having to be so significant on your own. Even if you feel insignificant by yourself, you’re still an essential part of making something whole.”


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M. John Henry - Evelyn.

M. John Henry, Scottish songwriter and singer in the bands De Rosa (Chemikal Underground, Rock Action Records) and Whin (duo with Robert Dallas Gray of Life Without Buildings) has released the single 'Evelyn' from his new solo album, M. John Henry - 'Early Songs, Of Late' (out now). The single is out now on Gargleblast Records. The new LP is a collection of stripped back recordings made in 2025 which revisit music from the time of my debut album with De Rosa in the mid 2000s. It includes reworked and reimagined versions of songs from 'Mend' (2006), as well as some contemporaneous unreleased songs, recorded here for the first time. 

Ex-De Rosa frontman and Bellshill's shadier pop songsmith M. John Henry turns to his back catalogue with new album -‘Early Songs, Of Late’ (out now) - a beautiful collection of reworked and newly performed versions of classic songs and unreleased material. 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of 'Mend' – De Rosa's 2006 debut - which put Henry's songwriting on the map for its deep connection to his post-industrial homeland.

A three decade career later and we find Henry seeking alternative paths through what were once jagged, indie-folk cuts and arriving in darkly pastoral territory. “The kind of parochial majesty you might encounter if Pixies reworked The Go-Betweens' 'Before Hollywood' for a documentary about the social history of Lanarkshire...”, MOJO magazine wrote of 'Mend'. Swap in Bert Jansch and Mark Eitzel and you might be heading in Henry's direction on 'Early Songs, Of Late'.


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Beached Out - Variable Rate.

Beached Out is a Peterborough, Ontario–based indie rock duo made up of Anne and Jeff Parker. Formed through a long-running creative partnership, the band blends fuzzed-out, ’90s-leaning indie rock with concise, narrative-driven songwriting. Their work explores memory, relationships, and the tension between ambition and everyday life. Their first full-length album, Average Weekends, spans eleven tracks that move between hook-driven guitar songs, reflective moments, and character-focused storytelling. Written and recorded over eight months, the album is fully collaborative, with Jeff and Anne sharing vocals and songwriting equally.

Their third single Variable Rate has been released this weekend and is yet another beautiful example of what to anticipate when the album is released. We are also told regarding the album: The record opens with the deceptively bright “Variable Rate,” followed by the moody churn of “Falling for Sure,” which explores miscommunication and emotional distance. “Hands in Reverse” shifts toward connection, while “1000 Trees” draws on the eerie calm of an ice storm. The surf-tinged title track (a nod to Canadian icons Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet) reflects a search for balance in a hectic world.

Elsewhere, the album leans into character studies and memory-driven vignettes, from the washed-up wrestler tale of “Half Nelson” to the bittersweet nostalgia of “Supervillain.” The record ultimately balances regret and contentment, landing on intimacy and hope.


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The Legal Matters - Lost At Sea (Album).

The new album from Michigan indie pop all-stars The Legal Matters. The band's fourth full-length record (and their first for BSR) Lost At Sea has seen worldwide release on Vinyl, CD and Streaming from yesterday February 27. Already previewed by the indie hit single “Everybody Knows” with “The Message” soon to follow, the album is a triumph of sharp hooks, songwriting and performances even by the high standards set by the band on their acclaimed previous albums.

It's become traditional to refer to The Legal Matters as a “midwestern power pop supergroup,” but they've long since transcended that label. It's true that when the band formed in 2013, Keith Klingensmith, Andy Reed and Chris Richards were already key players on the Michigan scene, with a combined pedigree encompassing beloved bands like The Phenomenal Cats, An American Underdog, and Richards' ongoing solo career with The Subtractions. 

But they've undeniably become a force of their own, and more than the sum of their parts, over the course of releasing three of the most celebrated indie pop albums of recent decades: their self-titled 2014 debut, 2016's Conrad (one of the few albums by emerging artists to be backed by reissue powerhouse Omnivore Recordings) and 2021's Chapter Three. All three garnered critical praise and berths on Year's Best Albums list across the indie pop world from Popdose and MusicTAP to the UK's I Don't Hear A Single and beyond, and the list of classic artists artists referenced in those glowing notices – Big Star, Badfinger, Teenage Fanclub, Fountains Of Wayne, Crowded House – does provide some idea of what to expect. What sets The Legal Matters apart, though, is the magic of their chemistry as songwriters, harmonizing vocalists and players.


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Marcello Di Luna -  Hanalei Bay.

When he’s not on stage with the band Wintershome or working as a ski instructor (and until October 2025 serving fresh trout at the “Gault&Millau” awarded “Chalet Alm”), Martial Chanton dedicates himself to his own music. Under the name Marcello di Luna, he creates enchanting, atmospheric indie folk infused with the spirit of lo-fi and driven by grand melodies. Equally expansive are the sonic landscapes that unfold in his new single “Hanalei Bay.”

Marcello di Luna’s most important instrument is the acoustic guitar — and, of course, his voice. He sings about closeness, about doubt, and about what it means to be human. “Hanalei Bay” (released yesterday February 27) also reflects the striking contrast and the unexpected similarities between the mountains of Valais, where he grew up, and the ocean.

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The Veils - Lungs.

Following the critically acclaimed release of ‘Asphodels’ in 2025, The Veils quickly return with a bold and invigorated new album titled ‘Fragile World’, out 19 June on V2 Records. The first single ‘Lungs’ is released this weekend. Arriving just over a year after their last release, ‘Fragile World’ marks a striking shift in tone and energy for the band. Recorded live to tape in New Zealand by Paddy Hill, with production by Tom Healy (Tiny Ruins, The Chills, Folk Bitch Trio), ‘Fragile World’, captures The Veils in an urgent and instinctive mode.

As can be heard on the first single ‘Lungs’ of which frontman Finn Andrews says: “I make each album, generally, as a kind of atonement for the last. Asphodels was so quiet and introspective, I think I just wanted to make something strident and full of life for a goddamn change. I wrote the lyric for this years ago, while I still lived in London and I still smoked fags.”

The album’s title is both a reflection of the present moment - a time in which many institutions appear to be crumbling before our eyes - and a metaphor for the act of creation itself. The process of making music, Andrews notes, is a delicate and fragile undertaking where thousands of small decisions gradually coalesce into a finished whole.


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Monday, 2 February 2026

The Legal Matters - Victoria Staff - The Slow Day - Prophets Of Addiction

The Legal Matters - The Message.

With a new album from beloved Michigan indie pop heroes The Legal Matter announced we now have the second single from the record. “The Message,” the follow up to last month's surprise indie hit “Everybody Knows,” is out now, with a month to go before the release of the band's fourth album Lost At Sea.

Describing the process behind the writing and recording of their music we are told “We all chipped in on lyrics. Chris has a stronger voice than I do, so I wanted him to sing the chorus lead. It has a bit more punch that way. We're all super happy with the end result.” 

That sense of collaboration has defined The Legal Matters from the beginning, and while it's always given the band a power that places them among the most thrilling and original practitioners of the power pop sound, now or throughout the genre's history, it's never been more apparent than on the new album. Get “The Message,” and pack your bags for a journey that will find you Lost At Sea with The Legal Matters on what's sure to be one of the most-lauded (and loved) albums of 2026. 


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Victoria Staff - Sweet Blue Moon.

Toronto's Victoria Staff returns with "Sweet Blue Moon," a reflective, romantic single that traces a relationship from its first spark through its unraveling, and finally into the quiet space of looking back. Rather than framing love as something purely good or bad, the track lingers in the in-between and honours the rare moments that mattered, even when everything else fell apart.

The name came late in the process. "This song didn't have a title for a long time," Staff explains. "It was just 'that song without a name' that my producer Will Crann and I were making." While listening back, the phrase "Sweet Blue Moon" surfaced as a subtle twist on the familiar idiom. "This song isn't just about rare moments," she says. "It's about rare moments you enjoyed, and being happy you have them to hold onto.”

Structurally, the song mirrors the emotional arc it explores. "There really isn't any part of this song that repeats, because it's not about any one thing," Staff notes. The track unfolds in three distinct choruses, each reflecting a different phase of the same relationship. The first is rooted in confidence and possibility, written with straightforward major chords. The second shifts into collapse, moving through relative minors that intentionally create tension and unease. By the final chorus, the song returns to major chords but with variations that introduce uncertainty, echoing the unresolved nature of memory and reflection.

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The Slow Day - Antidote.

Formed in Manchester, UK, The Slow Day blends raw emotional energy with a gritty alt-rock edge, fusing soulful Americana, blues, and indie rock into a sound that’s both familiar and fiercely original.

Their debut single “The Poet” introduced a band with heart and howl, while “I Can’t Sleep” earned praise for its smoky, psychedelic intensity — described by A&R Factory as “beautifully raw.” Known for dynamic vocals, anthemic choruses, and atmospheric grit, The Slow Day quickly carved out a cult following before having to step away in 2020.

Returning in 2025, the band reconnected with the stage, starting with their sell-out comeback show at Gullivers in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, and are now poised to release new music  - starting with their new single "Antidote", set to land on 2 February 2026. 

They’ve been described and hailed by one acclaimed music journalist: “If there’s any Manchester band worth getting excited about… it’s The Slow Day with their anthemically charged sound. Their name is criminally deceptive.”


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Prophets Of Addiction - Slippin’ Away.

West Coast based glam, punk 'n' rollers Prophets Of Addiction have released the new music video for the track "Slippin’ Away" from their latest album "Face the Music" through BraveWords Records.

Speaking about the new single “Slippin’ Away” lead singer Lesli Sanders said, "This is one of the most important songs that I have ever written lyrically. This is a tribute to my dad, as I was by his side for the last year of his life every day as he battled cancer."

As for 2026 the vinyl  of “Face the Music” has just been released on German Label Night of the Vinyl Dead. (Here).


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Thursday, 4 December 2025

Celestial Bums - The Brook & The Bluff - KiKi Holli & The Remedy - Cut Flowers - The Legal Matters

Celestial Bums - The Letters.

Shoegaze warmth and dream pop elegance converge in Celestial Bums’ “The Letters” Barcelona’s Celestial Bums unveil The Letters, the second single from their forthcoming album Minutes From Heaven, out February 2026 via the Italo-American label We Were Never Being Boring (WWNBB) — home to some of today’s finest dream pop and neo-psychedelic acts.

This second chapter reveals the band’s most seductive pop side, carried by lush synth textures and shimmering guitars drenched in delay and reverb. Its catchy vocals and expressive leads showcase the group’s signature melodic flair, before giving way to a fuzz-soaked finale — a wall of distortion as hypnotic as it is cathartic, tailor-made for lovers of shoegaze and modern psychedelia

Celestial Bums return in 2026 with Minutes From Heaven (WWNBB, USA/IT), their long-awaited fourth album. Formed in 2010 as a cult collective in constant evolution, the band has carved out a reputation across the European psych scene, touring extensively and performing at both festivals and underground clubs. Along the way, they’ve shared stages with acts such as The Black Angels, A Place To Bury Strangers, Holydrug Couple, and The Warlocks.

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Photo - Luke Rogers
The Brook & The Bluff - Baby Blue.

Nashville-based indie/rock group The Brook & The Bluff have shared their new single “Baby Blue.” The track is the latest to release off their upcoming fourth studio album Werewolf, due out March 6th through Dualtone Records. With delicate arrangement and gentle grooves over a bed of fingerpicked guitars, “Baby Blue” features tight three-part harmonies woven throughout every verse and chorus, a technique the band had never used before.

“‘Baby Blue’ is mostly about devotion, maybe almost to a delusional level,” stated the band. “It’s a bunch of ways to say I'm not interested in going anywhere, that I’ve been on all the roads and they have the same destination. It's the feeling of certainty you can stay tethered to when you feel like you may start drifting.”

“Baby Blue” follows the release of the lead single “Super Bowl Sunday,” an anthemic, amphitheater-worthy banger with crashing guitars and earworm hooks anchored by reflective lyrics about masculinity, ego, and the ties that bind. Upon its release, Atwood Magazine called it “Fun, radiant, and irresistibly spirited” while Melodic Magazine raved “True to form, the bright, driving energy of the music contrasts sharply with the bittersweet ache of the lyrics.”


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KiKi  Holli & The Remedy - WISH.

Los Angeles indie-pop vocalist and songwriter KiKi Holli returns with her latest single “WISH,” the first release under her expanded artist title KiKi  Holli & The Remedy. This evolution marks a new creative chapter for Holli— one that captures the dynamic energy of her live performances while staying  true to the emotive storytelling and lush, cinematic sound she’s known  for. The addition of “& The Remedy” reflects Holli’s growing focus on live  performance and collaboration, capturing the vibrant, soulful energy of her  band on stage and working with her 2x Grammy nominated Producer, Ethan  Allen in the studio. 

“WISH” is an atmospheric, soulful anthem that explores longing,  transformation, and the beauty of vulnerability. Driven by sweeping  melodies and Holli’s radiant, emotionally charged vocals, the track evokes a  sense of yearning and renewal, channeling the timeless influences of artists like Stevie Nicks, Bowie, Prince & The Cure through a modern indie-pop lens.  It’s both intimate and anthemic—a reflection of Holli’s continued growth as  an artist and the powerful synergy of The Remedy. 

The new single follows the success of Holli’s electrifying Nu Disco track “WIN U OVER,” which earned critical praise from Billboard for its infectious groove  and fearless energy. With “WIN U OVER,” Holli invited listeners to embrace  joy, connection, and movement—a vibrant contrast to the introspective tone  of “WISH,” yet both driven by her signature authenticity. 

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Cut Flowers - Until It's Time.

From the heart of Toronto's indie-rock scene, Cut Flowers emerge with "Until It's Time" – a rollicking and heartfelt meditation on impermanence, regret, and making amends. Rooted in pastoral harmonies and driven by vibrant, live-off-the-floor energy, the song blends the ache of folk storytelling with the grit of vintage rock and soul.

"It's a song about regretting not being there for people you love when they need you," says vocalist Kevan Byrne. "And sort of trying to make amends before we die — saying this time I'll be there for you, and will stay there until it's time for me to go."

Inspired by the timeless melancholy of 60s and 70s British folk and the raw earthiness of contemporary American folk-blues artists like Jake Xerxes Fussell, "Until It's Time" finds its own space between promise and resignation.

The song was written in an unusual tuning — a discovery that unlocked its distinctly open, ringing sound. "I read about something called a black key tuning that Curtis Mayfield used for a lot of his songs," Byrne recalls. "I put my guitar into that tuning and right away I was struck that I had no idea how CM was getting chords and voicings out of it for songs like 'Move On Up.' But it was great for chiming, droning stuff in the key of G. That's the tuning I used to write 'Until It's Time.' In the end you can play the song in standard tuning with basic cowboy chords. But sometimes you have to get outside your habits to hear a tune differently."


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The Legal Matters - Everybody Knows.

Acclaimed Michigan indie pop heroes The Legal Matters are about to release “Everybody Knows,” the band's latest single and their first new music in over four years. Out December 5, it's an early preview of their forthcoming fourth album (and their first for BSR), due out in early 2026. 

“Imagine if a sound could take you back to the place where you came from,” goes the aching, harmony-laden chorus to “Everybody Knows,” and it's an instant signature moment for The Legal Matters. Over a decade after the band Keith Klingensmith, Andy Reed and Chris Richards coalesced from the lineups of three already-esteemed Michigan indie pop outfits, their mutual love for the music that shaped them still resounds throughout their material, never more so than on this track. 

The band may be named in tribute to an early track by The Who, but it's big early '7os rock that informs “Everybody Knows,” so it's no surprise when Chris Richards names a key power pop progenitor band when discussing the writing and recording of the tune.“I had this verse/chorus bit for quite awhile, dating back to sessions for out last album in 2021, but couldn’t land on a lyrical hook and always just moved on,” says Chris. 

“When I brought this one to the guys, we went down a Badfinger route, and the result became the lead of track on the new record. I wrote the melody to the bridge the day before the session, as I’d been trying to ft a middle eight in there for some time but always hit a very thick brick wall. It all came together right then and there, as is so often the case with The Legal Matters.”

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Trippers & Askers - KiKi Holli & The Remedy - Asara - Simone White - Kimon Kirk feat. Robbie Fulks - Sarah & Collin

Photo - Charlie Boss Trippers & Askers - Kin. Tried To Do’s is the second full length album from Trippers & Askers the songwriting ...