Annie & The Make Believe - Let's Get Together Again.
Background promo - London folk-pop band Annie & The Make Believe have announced the release of brand new single 'Let's Get Together Again' taken from their upcoming debut EP of the same title, due for release on October 31st. Fronted by Australian Annie, the debut EP 'Lets Get Together Again' from the five-piece is a collection of sweet songs, with foot tapping catchy melodies and heartfelt lyrics.
Annie left the Aussie surf for the big smoke armed with only her ukulele, song writing book and her imaginary 'make believe' journey. This dreamlike quality is reflected throughout the EP, with her endearing vocal weaving in and out of the light playful music. Annie's songwriting is influenced by real life events and title track 'Let's Get Together Again' was written for a marriage proposal for two friends who met at her Halloween party (p.s. it was a Yes!!)
The band have been out on the festival circuit this year and gigging at established London venues including Proud (Camden), 93ft East and The Bedroom Bar where they supported Swiss pop rockers 'Pegasus'. Website here. Catch them live in London at the gig dates below: 23rd October - Paper Dress In-store - Hackney, London 3rd November - *EP launch party* - The Finsbury, London.
'Let's Get Together Again' is one enchanting song. It has a story, bright pleasing vocals, matched in style by the very good musicianship. Not bad for a debut (and some!).
Background - FYR (Martin Grådal) is a Swedish musician, composer and producer based in Gothenburg. FYR creates electronic music with suggestive melodies and a touch of Scandinavian melancholy.
FYR’s first release, Submissia, explores the balance between control and total surrender. Inspiration for the song came from reading the article ‘Breathless’, by Chris Jones for ESPN the Magazine. A portrait of the free diving record holder Herbert Nitsch and how he defies the limits of the human body.
The featured artist, Linnea Sundemo, may be found in many different musical contexts, including in collaborations with her sister Frida Sundemo. Linnea has a crystalline voice that will draw you in deeper and deeper. Facebook here.
I have to say the vocals of Linnea Sundemo are something quite special. However it takes a fine composition and quality soundtrack to bring everything together and FYA certainly achieves that with 'Submissia'. As electronic music goes, this is one of the best I've received in a while.
Background - In 2014, four long time Minneapolis musicians joined forces to form The Favorite Things, playing original garage pop with a bit of alt country influence thrown in. Their name is taken from one of their biggest song writing and musical influences - The Replacements and their song, “Favorite Thing” (from their album, Let it Be).
The band formed from their common interest in making original music – after a few line-up changes, practice spot changes, and band name changes, they found a formula and a combination that worked – straight ahead songs, catchy hooks, and heart-felt lyrics.
The combination was working at the their live shows, so the band decided to team up with engineer/producer extraordinaire Jacques Wait at Terrarium studio to record their first album, called Coming Clean. The band is very excited to share these studio recordings, to continue writing songs and play high energy live shows. Website here.
Title track and the first of nine really fine songs 'Coming Clean' typifies the mixture of energised and upbeat straight rock, and well written songs. The band are totally unpretentious, and clearly enjoy their music, something the listener can easily join in with.
Background - Australian duo The Septembers and Amsterdam based producer Saux teamed up to produce woozy single Work, last year. The product of a spontaneous jam session on a rainy day in Amsterdam, they recently performed the sultry track for Berlin based, multi-genre platform Colors, who have hosted the likes of Sevdaliza, Wafia & Ta-Ku, Honne, Dillon Cooper and more over the past year.
With a prominent beat, the multi-layered, warm soulful vocals weave in and out of the sparse instrumentation, played live in one take.
The Septembers: The Septembers are a uniquely soulful duo from Australia. Having just relocated to Berlin, the duo have been honing their sound, and creating music with both local Australian, and international acts. The Septembers is produced by James Chatburn, who has had a slew of impressive releases over the past year.
Saux: Fully devoted to soulful sounds and sultry voices, producer Saux has a flair for swift transitions from warm electronic music to underground pop to tropical melodies. He combines soulful sounds with electronic precision and warmth, and has received recognition from BBC,Majestic Casual, Fact Mag and more. The Septembers Facebook here, Saux here.
This live take of 'Work' is just so good! Watch the video by all means, however I recommend just shutting your eyes and drifting away with this soulful and blissful song.
Background promo - James Edge is already a studious musical maestro and a top drawer composer. The Kent-raised musician studied composition to master’s degree level under Joe Duddell - arranger for the likes of Elbow and New Order. After moving to London and starting to gig in 2006, he formed James Edge and the Mindstep to record 2010 debut album ‘In The Hills, The Cities’. The working relationships he built around this time would provide him with some dependable collaborators, including regular engineer and occasional co-producer Tom Aitkenhead, best known for his work with Laura Marling and Bloc Party. A core jazz-folk trio of Edge, double bassist Andy Waterworth and drummer Avvon Chambers materialised. Together the trio started recording second album ‘Machines He Made’ over a five day period tracking everything live and only overdubbing the backing vocals. The songs were largely unrehearsed, with band members and additional session players mostly having not heard the pieces before. This spontaneous hodgepodge has resulted in some of the most whimsical and deeply experimental music to come out of the capital in a while. The eerie acoustics of Nick Drake inform the atmospherics of much of James’s songwriting, but his sheer compositional nous - which draws on aspects of jazz, modern classical music and punk rock and roll - elevates songs like ‘On A Red Horse’ and 'Four Two Four' to a place far above any glib and generic categorisation.
This year has seen the praise surrounding Edge get more fervent. ‘Where We’re Going To’, released by Folkstock in February, has been played by Alex Lester on Radio 2 and Tom Robinson on 6Music., while ‘Becoming’, the flipside on that AA single release, was premiered and made song of the day on Folk Radio UK. The ‘On A Red Horse’ EP also received glowing reviews from R2 and Fresh On The Net amongst others. Any praise Edge gets is well given. He is a modern day Zappa, channelling his eccentric art through folk arrangements to create something deeply surprising, raw, and unnerving. Website here.
From the forthcoming December 9th album release ‘Machines He Made’ the song 'Widdershins' exudes a mixture of acoustic energy and lively vocals that interplay with each other seemingly spontaneously. This is an exceptional folk based album, which mixes in hints of jazz, chamber and more modern styles. It's no surprise that we have featured two songs already this year from James Edge And The Mindstep, and with a date now set for the album, I would recommend checking out the other features, ahead of the release.
Background - An electrifying bond of authenticity links modern chanteuse Holly Elle’s radiant voice to lyrics, melodies and beats. With soul infused pop as a point of reference – and the mantra “No labels, no rules, no limits” – Holly arrives with verve, vision and vibe.
While the press might portray Holly as a “Pop Powerhouse” there are far more complex dimensions to her ever-evolving artistry. Whether fronting a full throttle band, commanding a concert stage with electronic tracks or in an intimate venue accompanied by only an acoustic guitarist, she is equally enthralling. “The whole point of making music is for me to connect,” she confirms.
Originally from Chestermere, a small community just outside of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Holly’s earliest musical influences were nurtured by her parents’ house parties as a community of European immigrants shared the sounds of their respective musical heritages. Extended car trips with the family introduced her to a soundtrack of Sixties and Seventies classics and the Brit-pop brought back from England by her brothers who were studying abroad provided a modern melodic counterpoint. Classically trained with a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and with inclusion on two Canadian albums: Things You Never Thought I’d Say by Freddy and Around the Universe in 80 Minutes – A Tribute to Klaatu, Holly was ready to launch a career in the U.S. – home to her favourite pop divas.
Holly appreciates both her career as an independent artist and her adopted city. “I love the feel of Nashville,” she says. “It helps me to take a breath and to slow down.” From song to stage to video and beyond, Holly celebrates all of the elements in her escalating career. As a complex Gemini with a treasure of talents and corresponding business acumen, her goals remain simple and sincere. “Loving music, continuing to make it, and finding an outlet,” she concludes. Website here.
Holly Elle's melodic and powerful vocals drive 'I'm Scared' along, with a complementing piano based soundtrack. It's a classic and contemporary pop song, with passionate vocals standing out.
Background - The billowing curtains of sound on Just Crazy Enough, the second full length album from virtuoso indie-folk band SHEL, will be both familiar and far-out to fans of the exciting sister quartet. The classically inspired mandolin, violin and piano are there, along with the band's glowing vocal harmonies. But we also hear dense, ethereal textures that hover between the digital and the analog. Grooves are deeper, emboldened with electronic ambiance and beat-boxing. The overall effect sheds light on their broad collection of influences, from the daring rock bands of the 60s to the contemplative composers of the 18th Century, and even the waves of modern electronica. Because or in spite of this effervescent mashup, Just Crazy Enough is a masterful move for SHEL. It's the integral, front-to-back album statement the band has been preparing to make since they began making music.
Dynamic change and self-searching was inevitably going to be a big part of SHEL's story in these early career years. Sisters Eva, Hannah, Sarah and Liza Holbrook are, after all, twenty-something women, born in a five-year span and raised in a bohemian, art-loving family in Fort Collins, CO. Each found an instrument to master early on, studying classical music while composing and arranging unique works for their anomalous instrumentation, violin, mandolin, piano and drums. They gained performing experience working with their songwriter father, and soon had festival promoters and media figures championing their fresh, intricately drawn sound.
SHEL is now touring and creating relentlessly in the hothouse environment of the 21st century music business. "We've always made our living playing music,' says Sarah Holbrook, "I dropped out of two different colleges, before it finally sank in that I was supposed to be playing music with my sisters full time. We signed with Republic Records early on, but escaped the 'artist protection program' and we're prouder than ever to be waving our indie banner." Website here.
The video for 'You Could Be My Baby' stands out in a crowded world, with something a little unsettling in the emotionless faces, that really works with the song. Indie folk is perhaps the roots of the song, it's hooks dig deep, leaving me now needing to check the album out.
Background - Clem Snide's debut album "You Were A Diamond" issued on vinyl for first time with bonus digital download tracks. (HHBTM Records), Release Date: November 18th, 2016.
Excerpt from interview conducted a few years back w/ HHBTM founder & CEO Mike Turner for article about the label called HHBTM Records: 10 Years Of Angst & Regret.
Q: So given that you were already hanging out in Athens a lot, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea must have been a big deal for you when it came out. A: Not really. At the time, I was just completely obsessed with this record by Clem Snide called You Were a Diamond that to me just did everything Neutral Milk did, but did it so much better. More heartfelt, more raw. In fact I actually kind of slammed the Neutral Milk record in my zine because there seemed to be all this hype behind it while this other record that I loved so much was just getting brushed aside. But of course I kept hearing Aeroplane everywhere I went and eventually yeah it clicked with me and I realised it was brilliant and everything people say it is. So yeah, I guess I felt a little embarrassed about that.
Q: Embarrassed because you’d said Clem Snide’s record was better? A: No. I’ve never been embarrassed about that. That record’s amazing. It still kills me that nobody seems to know about it. Some records you put out because you like them, some records because you love them, and some records you put out because it’s an obsession and you want the whole world to hear this thing that has so much to offer.
You Were A Diamond is a record that is both haunting and haunted (that cello, the way it mimics the scraping of fragmented skull against fragmented brain). Like paintings done on glass instead of canvas, fragile and yet somehow more luminous. Clem Snide’s music is impossible to reduce to a literal description—can’t call it alt-country when there’s a cello, call it lo-fi even though you’re able to hear every note, call it folk, even though there is a predominant electric guitar. All of this adds up to the most unlikely of sonics. Call it Clem Snide. USA Vinyl pre-order here.
From what is for me a fabulous album 'Better' gives but a flavour of what's in store on the reissued 'You Were A Diamond' album. Mixing alt rock with Americana and even indie folk styling, it really is a fine collection of songs and the six accompanying bonus tracks just add to the story. Definitely one for vinyl fans to consider, or for those of us who missed out on the album first time around, then come and feast your ears on this.
Background - The duo of songwriters Alexis Marceaux and Sam Craft, the group brings to life a bold, Folk-Pop sound for the masses. The group creates a diverse spectrum of sounds, in which the duo learned how to multi-task and play several instruments for the release.
Performing everything as a duo has pushed Marceaux and Craft in new directions as songwriters. Both are classically trained musicians (voice for her; composition and violin for him) who have channelled their training into a catchy indie-pop sound. They build songs from scratch in the studio, each bringing in ideas that they work on together. The songs are born of the musicians’ own experiences.
Exiled after having lost everything in hurricane Katrina, Alexis Marceaux has spent the last decade returning home and building up a career from scratch. The meantime has been hard-fought but fruitful, with appearances at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Voodoo Music Experience, SXSW, and several tours of the US and Europe. Alexis and bandmate Sam Craft met in 2009 and initially teamed up for Alexis' sophomore effort Orange Moon (2011). Under the tutelage and engineering of The Polyphonic Spree’s Rick Nelson, the duo drew an all-star cast, 25 of NOLA’s finest musicians of every genre for a big, lush, indie-pop opus with a distinct Louisiana flavor.
Marceaux put out her solo release Dandelion in '09, and its songs were picked up by various television shows (MTV's The Real World, E!'s Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and others), but with Orange Moon, she’s elevated herself into a "songwriting force to be reckoned with" (No Depression), securing more media placements, as well as rotation in Starbucks cafés and other stores. The duo latest LP is Move Into View. Bandcamp here.
'Dogs' is delightful. The same can be said of the latest album (Move Into View). Folk pop with energised moments, competing with beautiful vocals and harmonies, the duo deserve to be noticed.
Background - Dia is the stunning project of composer and performer, Danielle Birrittella. Her debut EP, Tiny Ocean, released with Manimal Records, features songs produced by Joey Waronker (Beck, REM, Atoms for Peace), Tim Carr (The Americans, HAIM) and Frankie Siragusa (theLAB).
Raised on a Hindu ashram, she sang ceremonial ragas as a child, which led to training and performing as an opera singer throughout the U.S. and Europe. Along these travels, she began experimenting with music and writing song fragments on a ukulele, which was gifted to her by her brother. Dia reminisces how she "would literally sit on the floor of my bathroom and come up with melodies". Encouraging reactions from those close to her, reinforced her musical path. Tiny Ocean showcases Dia's lush baroque-pop sound, which incorporates etherial vocal textures abstracted by organic percussion, electric guitars, ukulele, tiple, cellos, and drones. Her breathtaking debut is inspired by a 12th century poem in which Kafiristan confesses "since you love me and I love you the rest matters not”. This message is so awakening to Dia, she admits "the idea of just total surrender to love, martyrdom for love is power". Tiny Ocean is Dia’s version of that, "tie a knot around my tiny ocean, hammer me to every wall you build... burn me with your brightness…"
Dia’s practise as a classically trained opera singer induced an incredibly critical ear. Her influences of classical music, such as Baroque and French Romantics are beautifully infused with modern experimental cinematic folk on her debut EP. She imagines the ideal time and place to listen to Tiny Ocean is on a long drive in the car, "The grandness and the movement of being on the road supports the grandness and the movement of the songs".
A native of New England, and graduate of New York University (BA) and California Institute of the Arts (MFA), she has lived and worked as an artist in New York, France, and Italy. Highlighted performances have included Disney Hall's REDCAT - Los Angeles, La Musica Lirica - Italy, The Chautauqua Institute - New York, La Main d'Or - Paris, and The Ludwig Foundation - Cuba. Tiny Ocean is currently available worldwide. Facebook here.
First of three songs on the Tiny Ocean EP 'Covered In Light' is aptly described as experimental indie folk/Baroque pop. The theme continues throughout the EP, which has a distinct and quite unique and pleasing feel, love it!
Background promo - The duo known for their genre-bending curiosity and surprising sonic detours, that explore experimental soundscapes as well as club-friendly beats, legendary and celebrated ambient kingpins, The Orb, premiere their 16th album, "COW / Chill Out, World!" this week via The Vinyl Factory, and on Kompakt from Friday, October 14.
In support of the LP release, The Orb kick off the first leg of their North American tour on October 19, which sees them bringing their critically aclaimed live shows to both the east and west coasts. A performance The Times gives a four star review saying, "Less a 'gig', more of a happening with a sense of vast sonic irreverence."
The duo comprised of accomplished soundsmiths Alex Paterson and Thomas Fehlmann are also celebrating the 25th Anniversary of their seiminal debut album 'Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld." US audiences are in for a rare treat as they'll perform their greatest hits and select songs from the forthcoming "Chill Out, World!'
Featuring only the occasional presence of buoyant, gently rhythmic pulses and loops, Alex Paterson describes COW as “Our most ambient album yet”. Sounds bubble, flutter and float through various atmospheres and moods, from bucolic and picturesque, childlike wonderment, the texture of bygone memories, to the universe’s infinite depth. Facebook here.
The Orb North American Tour Dates (More Dates TBA): Dates State Venue 10/19 ALLSTON, MA BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL 10/20 NEW YORK, NY WEBSTER HALL 10/21 CARRBORO, NC CAT'S CRADLE 10/22 ATLANTA, GA VARIETY PLAYHOUSE 10/23 ASHEVILLE, NC MOUNTAIN THEATRE 10/26 SEATTLE, WA NEUMOS 10/27 PORTLAND, OR STAR THEATER 10/28 DENVER, CO CERVANTES' OTHER SIDE
Our second featured track from the brand new album (and what an album it is!). 'First, Consider The Lillys' is a lush ambient piece of gorgeous musical textures. Orb fans are in for a massive treat, everyone else should check it out, and maybe join the party..
Background - blondfire is pure emotion. blondfire is confidence. Truth. Fantasy. It’s a sense of coming into one’s own, a freedom to explore, to break free from the constraints of the day-to-day world.
blondfire is Erica Driscoll. Her ethereal yet confident vocals and ineffable style brought the band great acclaim and a worldwide fan base with the 2014 breakout album “Young Heart” (featuring the alternative hit “Where the Kids Are”). blondfire’s more recent music bursts forth with a potent sense of purpose, more guitars, and more bite, both sonically and lyrically. The single “Pleasure” was “inspired by the crazy Manchester drug scene aftermath and how seeking that ultimate euphoria and pleasure can come with a dark side,” Erica says. “It was fun while it lasted.”
The lyrics – “Set fire to the house, burning through the pleasure with you. Get up, get up, get out of your head. Get up, get up, get up, feel alive” – reflect that hedonistic duality. Plus, it’s just relentlessly catchy. “Pleasure” – produced and co-written by Wally Gagel (Best Coast, Zella Day, Family of the Year, Escondido). Expect more brand new material anytime now. Facebook here.
It was good to hear from Erica who simply asked, I’d love for you to check out my dark, dreamy cover of the Twenty One Pilot's song 'Heathens'. So I did, and if anything her description understates what a fine song this is, add, atmospheric and gorgeous to dark and dreamy.
Background - About 'Silence’ Lyrically it’s about the familiar pockets of silence that build in modern relationships when someone stares unflinchingly into a phone screen. By employing a wall of sound and some noise rock dynamics, the group shatter the very thing they write about and assert themselves and their desire to connect with people with stunning audacity. ‘Silence’ sees the group move away from the jagged dance rock sound of before and into something closer to adult contemporary music. With a unique ear for texture Escapists employ tinkling piano lines and searing synths before concluding with a mesmerising psych wig-out.
About Escapists When Escapists’ vocalist Simon Glancy moved to London to concentrate on his songwriting, he asked the only musical friend he knew to help record his ideas. Enter Oli Court, future Escapists guitarist. Oli drafted in his friend, composer Max Perryment, to play bass and the trio spent a week of intensive sessions finalising Glancy’s ideas before deciding their musical camaraderie was worth pursuing. Oli’s former schoolmate Andy Walsh was enlisted to round off the lineup on drums and before long they were recording indie rock inspired by Simon and Oli’s university listening habits: Arcade Fire, The National and Broken Social Scene.
Escapists’ debut single was picked up and broadcast by XFM’s John Kennedy and within the year they toured with Imagine Dragons and made their festival debut at Reading and Leeds. Their debut album ‘Only Bodies’ was written in the first half of 2013 and released in 2014 to general appraisal from the blogosphere. Towards the end of last year they followed it up with the standalone single ‘Faraday Cage’, packaged with a striking update of the Talking Heads classic ‘This Must Be The Place’ – it was a fitting homage to a band who, like Escapists, were bent on pushing the parameters of new wave. After releasing the all-killer five track EP ‘Eat You Alive’ last year, Escapists shed their jagged post punk skins, went back to the drawing board and re-emerged with their new AA single ‘Silence/Animals’. Ostensibly it’s Escapists at their most pop: the melodies are immediate and the structures are exhilarating. The truth is, like the bands that brought them together, they’re now making pop music for the thinking person. This year sees Escapists arrive at their most thought-provoking work yet: ‘Silence/Animals’ is the sound of bigger things still to come. Website here.
'Silence' is an expansive and extremely well produced song. The power is there, however it's so well layered that everything has it's place in the mix, without dominating or crowding out the rest, its melodic, rocky and bristling with hooks.
Background - Muuy Biien is a band from Athens Georgia. Originally an ambient project of singer Joshua Evans, the inclusion of a full band has allowed the project to evolve into an intense and raucous live act. In four years, they have released 2 albums and 3 EPs containing punk, post-punk, darkwave, ambient and krautrock influences. On October 28th 2016, the band will release their first true studio album (and third album overall) on Autumn Tone. The new full length, recorded by David Barbe at Chase Park Transduction, finds the band continuing to experiment with new sounds and territories. Muuy Biien are poised to spend most of 2016 and 2017 on the road supporting the record.
Tour Dates: 10/13 – New York, NY – Rough Trade (Aquarium Drunkard Party) 10/19 – Augusta, GA – Soul Bar 10/20 – Asheville, NC – House Show 11/02 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre (album release show) 11/03 – Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn (album release show) 11/30 – Jackson, MS – Martin’s 12/01 – Houston, TX – The Nightingale Room 12/02 – San Antonio, TX – The Mix 12/03 – Austin, TX – The Sidewinder 12/04 – Fort Worth, TX – Lola’s 12/06 – Tucson, AZ – The Flycatcher 12/07 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar 12/08 – Los Angeles, CA – Satellite 12/09 – San Francisco, CA – Hemlock Tavern 12/11 – Portland, OR – Bunk Bar 12/12 – Seattle, WA – The Vera Project 12/13 – Boise, ID – Neurolux 12/15 – Denver, CO – Lost Lake Lounge 12/17 – St. Louis, MO – Firebird
Forth track out of twelve on the new album and 'Bitter Blessings' gives a flavour of whats in store, on this uncompromising collection. Sometimes the experimentation is at the fore, the edgy rock'n'roll is never far off, and overall the bands individual identity keeps the whole thing together.
Background promo - Brooklyn-based synth-pop duo Saint Marilyn released their track "Frustrate Me". The single marries hazy psych-pop synths, dub scattered drumbeats and spine-chilling vocals.
Vocalist/drummer Che Houston opened up to them about the track: “We wanted there to be an indecisive aspect to the way the synthesizers bend and move, to emulate the fluctuations of emotion in a personal conflict."
After releasing their EP 'Shoshone' last year, the band flourished with a dancy high-energy live-show, integrating live drums and bass into their sound, and making rounds at popular New York venues. "Frustate Me" comes ahead of a full-length release, set to come out in 2017, which will see them experimenting with elements of house and psych-pop.
They'll play two New York dates this month, at C'mon Everybody on October 18th, and at Bowery Electric on October 25th. Facebook here.
'Frustrate Me' is a synth pop song with expansive and delightful vocals, and a sensitive synthy soundtrack. Put together you have a smooth gliding and melodic song that's foundations are solid quality musical vibes.
Background from Lori - Having two of my favourite people who also happen to be my favourite songwriters write an album of material for ME to sing is beyond exciting.
Like so many songs on this record Ron Sexsmith has written lyrics so personal but also so universal. Making babies is nothing new or original but when you have your own the world is forever changed. The joy and love is infinite and you'll never sleep the same again.
This song, as well as the upcoming album, was recorded at Canterbury Sound by veteran engineer Jeremy Darby (FOG, Pixies, Lou Reed) and produced by Maury Lafoy, who also played bass along with the core band of drummer Mark Mariash, keyboardist Robbie Grunwald, and guitarist Swinghammer.
I'm set to release "Sexsmith Swinghammer Songs" on October 28, 2016 via True North Records, Oct 29 - Toronto, ON - Hugh’s Room (Album Launch). Pre-order here.
With the background above I was expecting quality and 'Then There Were Three' is that, and a whole lot more. It's one of those songs where I almost feel the need to plead, that you give it a listen. I cannot wait for the album!
Background - Navy Gangs is a pop quintet currently residing in the washed out and overly demanding area of New York City. Singer/Guitarist Matthew Tillwick, Guitarist Noah Kohll, and Drummer Gavin Cordaro began orchestrating music together in 2012 at Central High School in the red light district of Omaha where they failed their junior years miserably.
For 2 months they took jobs working in the desert dome at the Henry Doorly zoo until they saved enough of their dismal wages for one way bus passes to New York City, where they moved in temporarily with Kohll's grandmother Estelle.
After making some new friends in Washington Square park, the 3 boys found themselves in a basement scene in little Italy. It was there that they met their bassist, Wilson Keithline from Providence, Rhode Island. Together they became Navy Gangs, a troupe who's songs grab influence from dark rooms, hopeless romanticism, table wine, and back page humor.
The EP was recorded in Noah Kohll’s grandmother Estelle’s home by Joey Kimono straight to 2 inch tape and was mixed and mastered by Steve Marion of Delicate Steve. It features vocals and percussion from long-time friend Coley Gold, a nomadic vixen who plays shows with the band often but never rings ahead of time (just shows up).
Derived from heartbreak, endless internet streaming, and the pain that is being social, Navy Gangs debut EP is a pop miracle. EP released this Friday October 14th via No Roads. The boys will take the stage every week of October for a month-long residency at Berlin NYC. They'll share the stage with Beth Israel, Jennifer Vanilla, and Rubber this Friday October 14th. Jonny Couch will celebrate his own EP release on October 20th, with Navy Gangs, Plain Dog, and Bodega. The final date will include Hotline, Grooms, and Vivienne Eastwood, on October 29th. Facebook here.
The video has a curiously surreal and engaging start to it, the song 'Mondays' follows and lives up to expectations set. It's a confident indie rock anthem of sorts, that hooks into me, and insists on another listen (and another).
Background - The boycotter of the metaphorical shoe, poet, protester, grower of veggies and facial hair, Matt Stillert, says he's just getting warmed up. In the Adelaide winter just gone, after a three year musical journey spent on the road, the solo barefoot wanderer reunited with his band ‘Madclassic’ (Tim Foster, Dave Phillips) and recorded his most refined studio work to date in the form of new single ‘K.I. Honey’.
The hypnotic rhythm and seamless guitar play in ‘K.I. Honey’ provides a platform for a subtle yet powerful message that carries an air of protest and activism. Stillert says of the track, "K.I. Honey is about unity, power in numbers and sticking it to the man. “The bitch took my money" is not about an ex-girlfriend, the bitch represents ‘the man’ and the oppressive powers that be who are keeping us all financially enslaved in order to maintain their positions of power."
Though at its heart, ‘K.I. Honey’ is a celebration of the tribal love and healing power of musical harmony. It's named after the Ligurian Honey Bees residing on Kangaroo Island that make some of the best honey in the world and that are known for their friendly nature.
Matt explains,“I draw the analogy of the hive and the human tribe; we could take some wisdom from the co-operation of many lives for a higher purpose. Considering the bees on K.I. are possibly the last of their kind, the message extends to illuminate the precariousness of our global human situation, adding an air of desperation to save what's left and to maintain an inhabitable earth with a peaceful future for life on the planet." Matt is kicking off the ‘K.I.Honey’ tour in Victoria this October and heading north, making his way up to Queensland by the new year, playing over 40 shows along the way with even broader touring plans set for 2017.
With the ‘K.I. Honey’ video capturing the grass roots essence that is integral to everything Matt Stillert, the clip was filmed in the heart of Adelaide during the middle of a bitingly cold winter and is testimony to the struggling, yet surviving and passionate local music scenes across Australia. Stillert hopes ‘K.I. Honey’ will be a source of imagination, empowerment and positivity for all who hear it. More here.
The music is refined and skillfully delivered, whilst the vocals have character and resonate wonderfully. 'K.I. Honey' has a message, the song delivers that, and some smooth feeling vibes.
Background - LA-based (by way of Brazil) dream-pop band Winter shares their latest single "Dreaming." Originally written in 2013, the song was almost lost when the band's laptop was stolen on tour. This summer a version of the song was miraculously recovered on a backup hard drive, and a music video for the single will be released soon.
Winter is a dreamy indie rock band whose sound was conceived in Boston. Beginning as a collaborative effort between Samira Winter and Nolan Eley, their first recordings culminated into the 2012 EP entitled Daydreaming. Following the release, Samira’s relocation to Los Angeles brought on the recruit of additional members Matt Hogan (guitar), Justine Brown (bass), and Garren Orr (drums) to create a band that would manifest her ultimate dreams.
The quartet released their first full-length album, Supreme Blue Dream, via Lolipop Records in 2015. The aptly titled album floats on with a youthful sense of nostalgia and romanticized segues into adulthood. Touching on not one, but two languages (English and Portuguese), this bi-lingual group of dreamers do their part to lay us down softly while keeping listeners eager for each tune. Winter aspires to connect others with their inner child by making blissful, beautiful and ethereal pop music.
Winter is now working on their upcoming record Ethereality. The band supported Broncho on their 2016 North America Tour and recently performed at Animal Collective’s Camping Weekend in Big Sur in September. Facebook here.
Tour Dates: October 18 Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Theater w/ Ducktails, Ablebody (Record Release), Wyatt Blair October 21 San Francisco, CA - Slims w/ Picture Atlantic November 5 San Diego, CA - Blonde Bar w/ So Many Wizards November 6 Fullerton, CA - Continental Room w/ So Many Wizards.
'Dreaming' is dream pop with a little indie rock slant. Even the guitars have something of a hazy distant feel, whilst the vocals glide smoothly above, it's a breath of fresh air, on a warm sunny day.
Background promo - Synths and sass. Pomp and circumstance. Two simple phrases. Two small glimpses into the minds of singer Vladimir Valette and producer Benedetto Socci. Together, the two combine to form the nucleus of indie electronic pop outfit The Mystic Underground. With inspiration found in the sounds of machines with the warmth and immediacy of the hummable melody, the New York band are primed to inscribe their mark on the pop landscape with their forthcoming LP entitled simply 'Protagonist' due out on the 18th of November on the band's Stereosonic label.
Ten songs. Ten tales of experience, lament and redemption. The Mystic Underground present an opus that beckons the heart, teases the mind, and tickles the feet. 'Protagonist' features the new single 'Here In My House' currently being serviced to radio and notable digital media outlets. A sultry mid-tempo ode to unrequited love, 'House' is a perfect primer for those yet to fall in love with TMU's brand of romantic, twinkle-eyed pop. Website here.
'Here In My House' is track number eight from the ten that make up Protagonist'. As a whole the album is a vibrant synth festival of sounds and oh so crafted vocals. Often energised and upbeat, the featured song is a little understated and gentler than the rest, but typifies the intense quality found throughout.
Background - Fresh from supporting Dan Michaelson and The Coastguards and performing at Reeperbahn festival, Albert af Ekenstam is pleased to share the video for current single 'Made Of Gold' taken from the forthcoming album 'Ashes' (out October 14th). Nine months have passed – have fallen like red autumn leaves to the ground –since I first heard Albert af Ekenstam’s melancholic solo material.
During this time Albert has, amongst other things, released two singles on Kning Disk (”Walking” and ”Angel Liz”), acted as a warm up act for The Posies and Bear’s Den, moved from Gothenburg to Stockholm and appeared in prestigious Swedish music magazines such as Sonic and HYMN. Naming his influences as Explosions in the Sky, Bon Iver and Mogwai, it is more than easy to lose yourself over and over in his mournful guitars, grandiose arrangements, heartfelt voice and poignant lyricism.
On the 14th of October Albert of Ekenstam’s debut album ‘Ashes’ will meet its expectant audience. Singer/guitarist Sumie Nagano (whose self-titled album on Bella Union is a must for all who love unique voices), drummer/ keyboardist/producer Filip Leyman (who, together with Albert, make up the post-rock constellation Tempel) and trumpeter Max Lindahl (known from a number of jazz bands) have all helped Albert bring it to fruition. Website here.
We featured Albert af Ekenstam's 'The Devil Bird' a month ago saying at the time "First of all there are the vocals of Albert af Ekenstam. Genuine, intense, powerful and so good for the ears". 'Made of Gold' our second feature from tomorrows album release is more than equal to those thoughts.
Background - Yael Borger is a 24 year old singer, songwriter, and producer from Tel-Aviv, Israel. She began playing piano at the age of 3 and studied Jazz at the Thelma Yellin High School of Art. Since completing her military service in the IDF, Yael released her hit debut album Yael and performed alongside her brother and international DJ/producer Borgore at major festivals like Tomorrowland, Ultra, EDC, and more.
Yael was released in May 2015 to much acclaim. The album hit #10 on the iTunes Israel album charts, landed her as the The Hottest Thing In Music from TimeOut Israel, and AT Magazine selected her as “one of the 10 best young female musicians in Israel.” DJ Mag also featured Yael and her brother as one of the top EDM families.
With Electro Soul, Yael wanted to do everything on her own. Unlike her debut album, which was produced by multiple producers, the EP is completely produced by Yael. In fact, the first single from the EP, “Lost Without You,” was released only nine months after she first opened Abelton! Heavily influenced by her jazz background, Electro Soul features soulful, jazz leaning vocals on top of spacey, dubstep influenced production. Electro Soul is a promising offering from the budding Israeli singer-songwriter, producer. Website here.
The final song of five on the EP 'Let Me Go' is a fine example of the overall quality of the EP. Yael takes a variety of styles and builds totally likable songs, mixing melody and energy with hooks galore.
Yes Sir Noceur - Turn To Fire (feat. Aquila Young).
Background promo - Yes Sir Noceur are chuffed as chips to release the first taster of their sophomore EP. Striking while the iron is hot following on from previous singles, 'Luna' and 'Dreamin', the group's new single, 'Turn To Fire' is out now via GD Frnds.
Noceur (pronounced no-sir), one who sleeps late or not all; one who stays out late to revel or party. With a charismatic tendency to refute genres and definitions, Gold Coast's Yes Sir Noceur have developed a cult-like following of music lovers enamoured by the band's Zeppelin-esque riffs and surf-infused, psychedelic rock.
Refusing to be pigeonholed, Yes Sir Noceur casually flirt with genres to transcend the prevailing psychedelic sound of the moment. If Jim Morrison, Tame Impala and the Beach boys had a one night stand, Yes Sir Noceur would be their lovechild.
Featuring the enchanting, light vocal licks of fellow Gold Coast songstress, Aquila Young, 'Turn To Fire' is a revelating spark in pace for the band. As the rolling drums and whirring guitars take flight, a journey of epic proportions takes form. Both Aquila Young's and lead singer Marc Cowie's vocals shine through and crescendos for an all-out psych explosion.
Presented as the first teaser from the yet-to-be-named sophomore EP, coming later this year, Yes Sir Noceur have pertinently recaptured their core psychedelic trends for what's to be a whirlwind future release. Website here.
With dreamy vocals and a smooth rhythm 'Turn To Fire' slowly unfolds into a melodic song, that then bursts into life for the choruses. There is something of a natural psychedelic feel to the track, and Aquila Young's contribution is most welcome.
Background - Often compared to new wave bands New Order or The Human League, Scam Avenue has just officially launched the debut single, "Sailor" this week, The song and video is from the upcoming EP.
Scam Avenue exists in a world where New Wave is not a relic of the 80s but the contemporary mode of song. They strip down to the building blocks of electronic pop music and complement them with the occasional surprise: crashing or atmospheric guitars, a drum break out of left field ... What was once retro is new and now and forever. With Scam Avenue you can hear the timeless New Order appeal of drum machines and Britpop guitars, Human League synths, and female vocals alternately icy and dramatic. A sound that brings to mind Saint Etienne, Goldfrapp, Ladytron, or the pop side of the electroclash years. Facebook here.
NYC Tour Dates: Oct 15 at Sunnyvale, Brooklyn, NY w/ Emily Jane White and Foxtails Brigade Oct 26 at Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY - EP Release show.
'Sailor' is a beautifully layered song, with melodic synths and guitars giving support to the wonderful dual vocals that really make this piece stand out. More please and soon!
Background - Lara Yuko is a singer-songwriter, artist, and multi-instrumentalist based in Brooklyn, NY. With sharp, biting, and often humorous lyrics, Lara’s songs resonate someplace between the ribcage and stomach. She has often been compared to Angel Olsen, AJJ, the Magnetic Fields, and Arcade Fire. Lara released her first album, Now We Can Live Forever, shortly after graduating from college. While living at home and working a bakery job, Lara recorded nights in her mom’s garage to complete the lo-fi work.
On the first track Drive, the singer states, “I thought I would be a star/ The first of my kind/ If I only played guitar/ What a waste of time”. This sentiment begins a cycle of songs that simmer in heartbreak, loss, and remorse. Lara deals with an abusive partner in Knuckle Scars,an absent parent in Technicolor Fakes, and the inevitability of losing a loved one in Be Fine.Catharsis through music is Lara’s speciality, and she wields her skill with grace and confidence.
Following Now We Can Live Forever,Lara moved to New York and released Juvenile EP. These five songs were inspired by her experiences in a post collegiate landscape and capture this ennui fittingly. Her next album, I Don’t Mind, was released in September. Bandcamp (album) here.
Ninth of eleven tracks on the new album 'I Don't Mind' I chose to feature 'Cherry Chapstick' as I love the slight echo on the powerful vocals, against the background piano and understated music. The emotional feel and passion that can be found across the album also shines through on this song. It's an original and delightfully left-field collection of music, the more the merrier I say.
Background - Gothenburg band Pale Honey emerge again from their studio this October to release a brand new single Real Thing, the first new material to be taken from the follow-up to 2015’s acclaimed self-titled debut. Praised for their sparse, direct and distortion-heavy rock, Real Thing sees the band continue to plough these furrows, but also experiment more with percussion and elecronics, while lead singer Tuva Lodmark laces a commanding and intense vocal into the mix.
"Real Thing is what happened when we blew our minds. It's all about knowing what you want and that you’re going to get it. For us it’s courage and confidence packed and pressed into one song. We finished it up in the studio during the Swedish summer with clear visions what it was going to end up in - The Real Thing." – Pale Honey
Pale Honey were nominated as Newcomer of the Year at the P3 Gold-gala in Sweden, and also nominated in no less than three categories for Sweden’s coveted Gaffa Prize. Real Thing was recorded in Nacksving Studios in Gothenburg together with producer Anders Lagerfors. Pale Honey follow a sold-out show at The Islington with a slot The Lexington, London, on October 27. The as yet untitled second album is expected to arrive in spring 2017. Pale Honey is: Tuva Lodmark – Guitar, Vocals and Nelly Daltrey – Drums. Website here.
When rock duo's get it right the music can be awesome. 'Real Thing' oozes strength without being over powering. Vocals are refined and the guitar and drum combination potent without being a wall of noise. The result is a distinct, stripped back timeless rock'n'roll piece.
Background - Hippo Campus return with the infectious ‘Boyish’, their brand new single and first studio recording in over a year. The song marks a true statement of intent from the young Minnesotans. Since forming, their ascent has seen them become an undeniable breakthrough act - performing packed shows around the world, and picking up champions in Zane Lowe, Conan O’Brien, Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, Rolling Stone, NME, and many more.
Produced by BJ Burton (Bon Iver, Low) ‘Boyish’ follows the success of previous singles ‘Suicide Saturday’ and ‘South’ - both of which have racked up over 2,5million plays on Spotify - and continues to highlight the band’s prodigious talent.
Discussing the song, Hippo Campus offered the following; "There’s a moment in growing up when it becomes clear that the road you walk is your own to cultivate. The melody was one of the oldest we had. The words deal with ghosts of our past selves. A glance in the rear view at children dealing with the fallout of divorce. The production however looks forward to new horizons. New paths to travel and landmarks to establish."
The band have also announced a fresh run of US tour dates - following runs throughout 2015/16 with Real Estate, Walk The Moon and Modest Mouse, as well as festival appearances at Reading & Leeds and Lollapalooza - with UK shows coming soon.
'Boyish' has charm, energy, melody and enough hooks to explain the bands success so far. It's simply not fair!
Background promo - London-based rock trio Lowly Hounds have announced the release of debut single What Fools Will Do (produced by Mike Quinn of Supergrass) on October 31st. The debut single encapsulates energetic rock at its very best with pounding drums, melodic keys and a forward driving guitar section. Lead singer Nick's lively and nostalgic rock vocals oozes charisma and he even hits some falsetto notes to top it all off!
The trio are proud of their roots, a mix of Milton Keynes and Brazil! Which gives the band an interesting dynamic but they all share the same love of American blues, funk and soul, which in turn inspires their vintage edged music making together.
Lowly Hounds live show is an energetic and enrapturing experience that takes you on a journey through a massive dynamic spectrum. However the band can also strip it back too after being asked to play an intimate show for the prestigious Sofar Sounds (London).
With hard howling riffs, boundless energy and high octane songs the band conjure a sound akin to White Denim, Alabama Shakes and Catfish & The Bottlemen. 27th Oct - Single launch party @ The Bohemia, London. Website here.
My introduction to the band and 'What Fools Will Do' really does have some edge to it. Full on powerful riffs combat with simmering rock'n'roll vocals and enough underlying melody to make this one good song.
Background - Sydney based alternative rock band Pepperhead released their debut single ‘See Through You’ on October 7 2016. Pepperhead got together in 2015 quickly writing and recording their debut EP The Housefox Sessions and making their live debut in 2016, rocking the legendary Annandale Hotel.
‘See Through You’ is no-nonsense alternative modern rock at its finest. A pop, punk, grunge masterpiece, each listen highlights a new muse making it hard to pin to a specific genre or comparison ‘sounds like’. Close your eyes and you could imagine a Debbie Harry-fronted Ramones at CBGB’s in the 70s, at the same -me, the EP evokes a “Foo Fighters meets the Strokes” sound and style, making it modern, different yet familiar and instantly catchy.
Louisa Thomas (vocals) says, “‘See Through You’ is one of the first songs we wrote and therefore a straightforward choice for our debut single. Its also a pretty good benchmark for our live sound which we really wanted to capture in recording, and a massive thanks goes to Ryan at Housefox Studios for getting it down.” ‘See Through You’ and the upcoming EP were recorded at Housefox Studios on Sydney's Northern Beaches by Ryan Miller, mixed by Shane Edwards at Karma Sound Studios in Thailand and mastered by Rick O’Neil at Turtlerock in Sydney.
Pepperhead is Mark Trevena (drums), Dan Walker (bass), Kieron Haycock (guitar) and Louisa Thomas (vocals). Pepperhead’s The Housefox Sessions EP will be released 28th of October.Website here.
'See Through You 'is a driven alt rock song, with plenty of energy and attitude, and is a vibrant, hook laden rocker!
Background - Before she was opening shows for The Clash and The English Beat as the founder/ frontwoman of long-running Chicago ska trailblazers Heavy Manners, Kate Fagan released the cult new wave single I Don’t Wanna Be Too Cool on the tiny local imprint Disturbing Records.
Upon its early-1980 release the pogo-ready “Too Cool” single was immediately embraced by local club DJs and radio stations and tastemaking record stores like Chicago’s legendary Wax Trax, where it became the best-selling release by a local artist ever. The flipside, “Waiting for the Crisis,” also gained notice for its raw musical style and politically charged Reagan-era lyrics, which still resonate today.
Kate wrote the title track after moving to Chicago from New York in the late 70’s. “I pretty much came to visit Chicago and fell in love with the scene and never left,” remembers Fagan. “At the time I’d been working at New York magazine and was getting dismayed watching the CBGB scene give way to the whole Studio 54/velvet rope thing. So I spontaneously moved to Chicago, which was much more inclusive and everyone wasn’t standing around peering at each other from behind their shades. But eventually I saw that same kind of divisive hipster culture start to creep in. ‘Too Cool’ was my reaction to that.”
Fagan bought a cheap bass guitar and started writing songs intuitively, recording them at Chicago’s Acme Studios. There, she’d meet the fellow artists with whom she’d form the Disturbing Records label, which released the “I Don’t Wanna Be Too Cool” single as well as early singles by Heavy Manners.
Manufactured Recordings is excited to present this seminal U.S. new wave/post punk single, reissued here with two unreleased bonus tracks Kate recorded in the early 1980’s with members of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and Scarlet Architect. “I thought the reissue was a prank,” says Fagan. “I didn’t fully believe it until I flew to New York to meet them in person. It’s particularly gratifying because after the original single sold out in 1980, I did a second run of 1,000 copies out of my own pocket, and they were all lost in a house fire that destroyed literally everything that I owned at the time. So this is like unfinished business, and I think the songs are as relevant today as they were then.” Bandcamp here.
It's useful to remember that before all things Internet, songs like 'I Don't Wanna Be Too Cool' could garner considerable local success, however if the radio networks didn't pick up on them, that was so often, about as far as the music travelled. That a few decades on we all have the chance to discover these songs can't be bad, to say the least. Musically this has aged well, and remains a fresh and feisty piece.
Background - Liverpool Indie four-piece Venus Demilo are back with their outstanding new single, ‘Bite My Tongue’.
Lead singer Tom Anderson states: “We’ve all been a little bit too honest after a few drinks and obsessed about it the next day. We like to write songs about real life situations that dig a bit deeper into what makes people tick”. The instrumental perfectly compliments this sentiment with up-tempo guitar melodies and a frantic rhythm section. The track also introduces new member Fran Fitzpatrick.
The depth and feel of the band’s previous singles have drawn comparisons to Bombay Bicycle Club, Foals and Friendly Fires. However, with ‘Bite My Tongue’, Venus Demilo prove that their influences have expanded with synth experimentation inspired by ‘80s icons Michael Jackson and Prince. Venus Demi lo have built a reputation as an energetic live band from their performances at venues all around the country. The new single has captured this vitality but has kept the quirkiness of ‘Sinking Ships’, which has currently racked up over 180,000 plays on Spotify. Venus Demilo is made up Tom Anderson (vocals/guitar), Chrissy Connor (bass/vocals), Ryan Williams (drums) and new member Fran Fitzpatrick (keys/vocals). Website here.
The first thing that came to mind when I read the bands name was Televisions Venus on their Marquee Moon album, and that's where the similarity ends. 'Bite My Tongue' is a precious indie pop song, with bags of feeling, superb three part vocals, and a catchy fine feeling, running right through it.
Background - London Ska/Balkan outfit, Sam And The Womp create their own unique style of uptempo, trumpet-driven tunes – appropriately dubbed ‘Brass and Bass’. With a desire to break away from the traditional genres of music, Sam And The Womp’s work has been used in a number of ad campaigns, including the Vodaphone UK advert this September.
The latest offering from this party-loving, energy-fuelled band is ‘East Meets West’, a track which perfectly sums up what Sam And The Womp are all about. Filled with upbeat ska rhythms, joyous brass melodies and a wonderfully vibrant energy, the song celebrates the band’s ethos of mixing up different genres and cultures, and simply creating music that’ll have you up and dancing in no time! The track was written and recorded with Joe Leech at the legendary Cowshed Studio in North London. Facebook here.
This is one lovable song and equally pleasing music video. 'East Meets West' is a clever ska based song and the Brass and Bass description is spot on. If you can't dance and party to this, you need a good long holiday!
Background - After a solid year of writing and recording, Australian band San Cisco were set to release a new single from their upcoming album later this month. Turns out Jordi, Josh, Scarlett and Nick couldn’t wait until then, having JUST posted a video to their Facebook and YouTube pages with a short and sweet B Side, titled, wait for it… “B Side”.
The track is accompanied by am endearing video filmed by Jordi’s younger sister, Peppa and her boyfriend Matt whilst on holiday in Japan. The A side to this “B Side”, “SloMo” will be available for your listening pleasure in the coming weeks.
“B Side” and the first official single “SloMo” will be available on a limited edition 2 track 7 inch vinyl available to order later this year. “B Side” is available now globally on iTunes and Spotify.
Following up their 2015 hit album Gracetown, the band have been back in the studio with long time friend and collaborator Steve Schram. The yet to be titled 3rd studio album is planned for release in the first quarter of 2017. Website here.
Until now my favourite San Cisco song has remained 'Wild Things' despite the darker theme within the song. 'B Side' is a very different affair. It's pop sensibilities and lively beat, mix with dual vocals and clever lyrics, and it's just so catchy. The third album can't come soon enough!
Roy Harper - Flat Baroque and Berserk, Stormcock, and Lifemask.
Biography - Few surviving songer-songwriters from the counterculture of the 60s have kept their reputations intact. Of the generation of troubadours who came of age in the London folk clubs of that era, some have passed away, while others have surrendered to the regurgitation of the blandest form of acoustic folk music. But among the survivors, there is one figure whose body of work, comprising 23 studio LPs and almost as many live and compilation releases, has come to stand for a particularly single-minded form of integrity. That man is Roy Harper.
Now officially ‘retired’, and living in a secluded corner of Ireland, Harper has recently been hailed as a key influence by a much younger generation of devoted starsailors who instinctively recognise his innovations, his refusal to compromise and his visionary world view. It is rumoured that Joanna Newsom insisted she’d only play her recent UK shows if he would support her. The likes of Fleet Foxes and Jim O’Rourke are avowed fans; and in previous decades he has enjoyed public endorsements and tributes from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Kate Bush, Pink Floyd’s Dave Gilmour and many more.
A former participant in the skiffle revolution in the mid-50s, around 1964 Harper found himself joining the stream of bohemian rambler-buskers hitching and singing their way around Europe and North Africa. On his return to Britain he pitched in to the London coffee-house folk scene and secured a residence at legendary folk club Les Cousins, where he was spotted by the obscure Strike label.
Beginning with 1966’s Sophisticated Beggar, Harper’s music has consistently rattled the cage of received ideas. His versatile, poetic sensibility was employed in a wide range of song styles from romantic love songs to late-night mantras to blackly comedic throwaway numbers. A brilliant, percussive guitar stylist in his own right, he extended the form of folk music over the next few years, allowing himself the space to stretch out in long, lyrically dense and mantrically repetitive odysseys of poetic thought. “I was writing long poems in the 50s,” says Harper, “none of which unfortunately made it past the first few moves of living quarters. My first inspiration was John Keats’s Endymion.”
The first inklings of his expansive approach on record came on the ten minute “Circle” on 1967’s Come Out Fighting Genghis Smith – produced by Shel Talmy – and was vastly ramped up on the following year’s Folkjokeopus, which contained an 18 minute “McGoohan’s Blues”, named after the lead actor of TV’s The Prisoner and whose enigmatic verses were laced with anti-establishment rants.
By this time Harper was a favourite at the outdoor Hyde Park Festivals, where he was exposed to the wider attention of the underground scene. Now produced and managed by Peter Jenner, and signed to EMI’s progressive label Harvest, his 1969 LP Flat Baroque And Berserk reflected his reputation as a bloody minded, truculent troubadour, reflecting turbulent times with anger, wrath and sardonic humour, singing – like the mistle thrush after which his next opus would be named – into the eye of the storm.
Stormcock (1971) is generally regarded as a masterpiece: a sprawling but focused suite of four lengthy tracks which explored the inner space of Abbey Road Studio to rhapsodic effect. Like Astral Weeks refracted through the pages of OZ magazine, the songs span an enormous spectrum of experience, from the frontline of social unrest to the secluded, birdsong-infested lanes of the English countryside. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page added guitar, disguised as ‘S Flavius Mercurius’, highlighting a relationship with the group that had begun at the 1970 Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music. “Hats Off To (Roy) Harper”, an incoherent, gutsy blues workout on Led Zeppelin III, paid tribute to the singer’s status as a beacon of integrity for the underground scene.
Harper enjoyed a special relationship with Led Zeppelin, and his subsequent albums began to move into harder rock territory with the addition of various key collaborators including, as well as Page, orchestral arranger/keyboardist David Bedford, David Gilmour, Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford and John Paul Jones. Lifemask (1972) contained several songs written for the film Made, directed by John Mackenzie, which starred Harper as an edgy, high-maintenance rock star. Valentine (1974) was launched with a gig featuring Page and Bedford plus Ronnie Lane and Keith Moon. He was invited to sing lead on the single “Have A Cigar” from Pink Floyd’s classic album Wish You Were Here (1975). In the same year Harper released HQ, a rock based album notable for the closing track, “When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease”, an elegiac hymn to unchanging ways and mortality which BBC DJ John Peel insisted should be played in the event of his death.
With the dawn of the 1980s Harper took part in a musical exchange with Kate Bush, who guested on The Unknown Soldier (1980), while Harper returned the favour by appearing on Bush’s hit single “Breathing”. Harper rode the unsteady waves of the music industry during the early 1980s but kept up a productive output that saw his music taking on a prophetic role, expressing more explicit concerns with environmental disaster, religious fundamentalism, urban poverty and the first Gulf War, on releases like Once (1990), The Dream Society (1998) and The Green Man (2000). In 1994, exhibiting typical desire for autonomy and self-sufficiency, he set up his own record label, Science Friction, to curate and re release his entire back catalogue, along with a clutch of CDs of live and unreleased material covering his entire career. 2011 saw Roy Harper’s incredible, visionary catalogue of work enter the digital domain in time for his music to take on a new, urgent and timely appeal, in an age in which the hypocrisies and injustices he railed against are more present than ever before. Roy featured heavily in all of the major music magazines, UK broadsheets, on radio and made appearances on prime time television including the BBC Breakfast show and Later with Jools Holland. To end the rush he performed a special show at the Royal Festival Hall in celebration of his 70th, joined on stage by his son Nick Harper, Joanna Newsom, Jonathan Wilson and a surprise appearance by Jimmy Page. It was an amazing show, selling out in just a few days. The response was extraordinary.
It’s been a damned good innings and he’s still not out. In January 2013 Harper received the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. In September 2013 Roy Harper: Man & Myth - The Documentary, directed by George Scott, was broadcast on Sky Arts and his first album in thirteen years, ‘Man & Myth’, was released on Bella Union followed by three special concerts. Website here.
Roy Harper celebrated his 75th by reissuing much of his catalogue on limited vinyl editions (from September 30th). The first three titles to be released are 'Flat Baroque and Berserk', ‘Stormcock', and ‘Lifemask’. All remastering was done by Roy Harper and long-term collaborator and sound engineer John Fitzgerald, with new sleeves reproduced and enhanced by cult designer Harry Pearce at Pentagram in London. These re-issues are limited editions and are being released independently on Roy’s label, Science Friction and distributed by PIAS. As a reminder of the sheer quality and timeless nature of Roy's work, here's a taster.
Annie & The Make Believe - Let's Get Together Again.
The Favorite Things - Coming Clean.
Saux and The Septembers - Work.
