Background - Candace (formerly known as Is/Is) can be traced back to the summer of 2009 when Sarah Rose (guitar/bass/vocals), Sarah Nienaber (guitar/bass/vocals), and Mara Appel DesLauriers (drums/vocals) came up with the great idea to make music together. The band released the This Happening EP (2010), the “Vowel Movements/Blackest Beat” 7” (2011), their full-length debut, III, in 2012, Is/Is (2014), and a number of single before announcing their name change to Candace in 2016. New Future, the band’s first official release under the new name, was produced, recorded, and mixed by Neil Weir and Candace at Jackpot! Recording Studio in Portland, Oregon, where the band all lives. Writing momentum stayed steady following the release of New Future so the band took a trip to Iowa just a few days after Trump was elected to work on some new material. Working with long-time collaborator Neil Weir, at Flat Black Studios, built in an old barn in the middle of nowhere outside of Iowa City, surrounded by corn fields and nothing else, they ate frozen pizza, track for 12-hours a day, and then pass out in a loft sleeping area above the studio. Once the songs were done, the band handed the finished material off to Larry Crane at Jackpot! for mixing. On November 24, 2017 Candace will release a new 7″ called “Horizons b/w Greys” followed by their highly awaited full-length, New Ruins, in early 2018. Both collections of new material will highlight a sound that is introspective, dreamy, and expansive. Reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine, Warpaint, and Beach House, Candace adds an element all their own that can only be described as “hopefully crisp.” Listening to these new songs is akin to waking up on a sweltering day and plunging your face into a bowl of ice water. Wakes you up, gets the blood moving, and adds a little thrill to your day. Facebook here.
Rich and expansive dream pop with a musical arrangement that hints towards shoegaze 'Greys' is a beautiful song where the distant melodic vocals draw the listener in. As a foretaste of the 2018 album that's scheduled, it suggests something pretty special is on it's way.
Background - London based 4-piece Tempesst are announcing the release of their much-anticipated debut EP Adult Wonderland, by sharing new single ‘Waiheke’. Speaking on the lyrical inspiration behind the track, Toma Banjanin of the band said: "My girlfriend Summer and I were travelling around New Zealand in a van last summer and ended up staying at her Auntie's 'Bach' (beach cabin) in Waiheke, an island off Auckland. Summer's Dad stayed with us too and gave me my first Tarot reading and I wrote this song about that conversation”. A new chapter in the Tempesst story, the Adult Wonderland EP marks a confident stride forward for the band, with ‘Waiheke’ standing tall as an apt first taster. Guitars lilt delicately amidst the swaying rhythm section, as Toma sings of the… “first light in the morning” and “sugar coated later days". The push and pull of the expansive vocal harmonies and soothing instrumentals give the track an extremely pleasing dreamy, psychedelic quality; clearly a songwriting process carefully prepared and planned by the quartet. It’s been a big 12 months or so for Tempesst – led by brothers Toma (vocals, guitars) and Andy Banjanin (drums), and joined by Eric Weber (guitars) and Kane Reynolds (keys) – the band’s back-to-back showcases (The Great Escape, NME Awards, Live At Leeds), festivals (Bushstock, Southsea Fest, Hackney Wonderland) and live dates alongside Mystery Jets, The Veils, Albert Hammond Jr and GUM (Jay Watson, Tame Impala) have propelled them into the spotlight. Fresh from their biggest London headline to date at The Moth Club, Tempesst saw out 2016 with a UK Tour in support of The Temper Trap. Now the band are preparing to release their much-anticipated debut EP ‘Adult Wonderland’, set for self-release on October 27th, along with a string of UK dates in December. Facebook here.
London alt rockers Tempesst have given us a splendid new single with 'Waiheke'. Atmospheric vocals & harmonies glide above a wonderfully constructed rock soundtrack where all elements intertwine with melodic combinations. The song sets expectations high for the EP!
Background - Following the release of album Outside My Mind earlier in the year on Aveline Records, hotly tipped, London-based musician Ned Roberts has announced new single Angel Station for release on October 20th with a single launch to be held at London’s Green Note on Tuesday 19th September. Having drawn comparisons with the likes of James Taylor and Bob Dylan (Mojo); Ned has a timeless quality to his sound, a poetic turn of phrase, excellent musicianship and a perfectly judged vocal sensibility. His songs sit comfortably amongst the classics of the Laurel Canyon era. First single Lights On The River video premiered with the Independent, whilst Gideon Coe championed the album on his BBC 6 Music show. New single Angel Station had its first spin on BBC Radio Scotland’s Roddy Hart show, who subsequently invited Ned in for a session. "A wry song about standing in the rain waiting for a girl. She arrives and tells the singer to pull himself together.” Ned Roberts on Angel Station. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.
With the above James Taylor and Bob Dylan comparisons noted 'Angel Station' rises to the occasion and Ned Roberts deserves full credit in his own right. Many years back London's Angel Station was a daily part of my travels so the video resonates personally, it's the song however that really stands out.
New Sincerity Works - Just Like Vapor / Love To Love The Love.
Background - New Sincerity Works was formed in the summer of 2014 by creative powerhouse Mike Tittel (ex-Loud Family, current drummer for Roger Klug Power Trio, photographer, artist, and music producer). The band was created in the image of what all bands should look like, themselves. The songs combine modest, heart on your sleeve themes with indie-pop, Americana, and 1980's guitar/synth driven new wave. A decidedly familiar, yet fresh presentation. The band has invited comparisons to a second distant cousin of Alex Chilton as well as Guided By Voices, Paul Westerberg, Phoenix, and The Postal Service. Perhaps best summarized by a fan from North Carolina "The music is like hearing your best friend sing. And who wouldn't want to hear that?" "I always wanted to be in this kind of band, playing guitar and singing, but nobody ever asked me because I'm a drummer. I've played drums since I was eight years old and I've been at the back of the stage all my life. So I made the band happen. Actually, I made a record first, then decided to play it live with a band. The music won't shock anyone to the core. But it might make people who never sing, sing. And it is just fun to be in bands. Everyone knows that." Mike explains. Tittel's pensive songs stick with you like all good melodies should. "I wrote many songs in my life. None of which I thought were very good. I think in the end I hadn't experienced enough emotionally to have anything worth writing about. But as life progressed, I started to really depend on songwriting as an emotional outlet." Everything or nothing, depending on who you ask. Mike adds, "New sincerity is a legit post-modern aversion to cynicism and skepticism. It's a movement of sorts. I thought this described my creative compass really well. I think the best songs are universal and descriptive of genuine emotion, so the name fit my idea of this project. It is also a reference to Austin bands I loved in the nineties, like The Reivers." Facebook here.
Taken from the recently released 'Wonder Lust' album we have two music videos 'Just Like Vapor' and 'Love To Love The Love'. The two songs are representative of the sheer quality and creativity that is channelled throughout the album. Melodic hooks are everywhere, the band slip between different rock genres with ease, the one constant is the catchy nature of the material and it's beautiful delivery.
Background - Power-pop trio The Persian Leaps dropped a new music video for their single "Even Less", off their recently released EP Bicycle Face. The video takes a deep dive into the single's lyrics; showcasing a world of bizarre and comical surrealism, all housed in the (very real) Center for Lost Objects (located in Saint Paul, MN). Vocalist and frontman Drew Forsberg shares, "The music video for "Even Less" is a departure for us. I've always wanted to shoot a video in an antique store or similar environment with shelves of interesting objects in the background. Coincidentally, my friend Amy Buchanan, who has a background in film, recently opened a vintage store in Saint Paul, MN called Center for Lost Objects. The store was the perfect location for shooting the video, and even the name fit the theme I had in mind for the video. We collaborated on the story and filming of the video." The video takes the theme of the song to an absurd extreme. In the chorus of "Even Less" Forsberg delivers the heartbreaking line, "If I was nothing when I was with you, I'm even less than that right now" and the bridge provides a sombering reflection of emptiness and abandon, "Now, come see the empty man, laid out wide open." Forsberg shares that this line served as the direct inspiration for the video. "I play a character who's lost everything and sunk so low that he's living in purgatory in a place called the Center for Lost Objects. Every night, he's awakened and fed a meal before baring himself to artists who have come to see and sketch the "empty man." This is as low as he can fall, and he's appearing nightly... for eternity." Surreal and dreamlike in many ways, the video's simple style provides an ironic balance; the chaos of the dark humored scenario and lyrics, countered by the bright, upbeat melodies of the song. As the band would agree, it's a perfect example of a Persian Leaps specialty, and will have you listening closer to all of their tracks. "Even Less" comes off the band's fifth EP Bicycle Face, which was released last month via Land Ski Records. Bandcamp here, website here, Facebook here.
We featured The Persian Lip back in August 2016 and the song 'Even Less' is a welcome feature from a very fine EP. We were impressed with the band last time around & the new material is in the same power pop/rock vein with slick musicianship and passion fuelled vocals.
Background This week neo-psychedelic outfit Blue Sails dropped the brand new single, "Beloved", from their upcoming self-titled debut record. Blue Sails is the product of brothers Mitchel and Max Bell. After leaving their hometown in Wisconsin to attend college in Chicago and Milwaukee respectively, the bustle of the city began to wear down on them. The brothers both found themselves growing increasingly anxious and desperate for a certain type of peace that they only found when back in rural Wisconsin. The wilderness won them over. Mitchel and Max built a home studio to fit their needs, and they began recording songs that channeled the thematic juxtaposition of the tension they felt from living frantic, anxious urban lives, and the short relief they'd receive when working on songs in their newly found oasis. The result is an 8-track epic that weaves a sonic blend harkening back to the likes of Pink Floyd, Spiritualized, and MGMT. After hearing the record, a friend and poet convinced the duo to release the music to the world, and Blue Sails was born. The self-titled full-length from Blue Sails will be made available worldwide on October 20th, 2017. Website here, Facebook here.
A guitar intro that has echoes of another musician & band of high standing (Echoes - get it?) is soon overtaken by a feisty rhythm and 'Beloved' becomes Blue Sails own sound. Seriously, if you are going to throw in a few Dave Gilmour licks and you can do it this well, then why not.
Background - There's something about the sweetly melancholic indie rock of Fragile Animals that just tingles the spine. From their blissfully catchy-but-sombre melodies, to the exquisite daydreamy voice of singer Victoria Jenkins, the Sunshine Coast three-piece create music that moves with an effortless glide. Capturing this essence, Fragile Animals introduce themselves impressively on their debut EP, Light That Fades. Start to finish, Fragile Animals' debut is a joyous listen. Each new song affirms the band's signature sound yet reveals a slightly different side – from the simmering, beat-driven Smaller Circles, to the radio-friendly hooks of single Light That Fades, all the way through to the haunting finale of Home. For a band at the very beginning of their career, their first offering feels so detailed and finely crafted... a testament both to the skill of the individuals in the band and their chemistry together. Evolving from one person's bedroom-written songs, Fragile Animals consists of Victoria Jenkins (vocals/bass), Daniel Parkinson (guitar) and Kyle Shipton (drums); an ensemble capable of creating an incredibly detailed sound using just a few core elements. Rather than being instantly transparent of their influences, Fragile Animals merely imply. The aim is more to just try and be themselves, which is exactly what the EP catches them doing. The end result is music that is rich but subtle, where each song is detailed and coloured but allowed enough room to soar. With a handful of irresistible songs, and a sound that is comfortably familiar yet wonderfully original, Fragile Animals have appeared seemingly out of nowhere as one of Australia's must-see new bands. First and foremost at home on stage, Fragile Animals are now ready to head out on tour and find their fans. The release of Light That Fades gives them all the cause they need.Facebook here.
An indie rock song with the emphasis on rock 'Light That Fades' mixes melody, riffs and gentler vocals together and comes up sounding extremely good.
Background - The Desert is a collaboration between singer-songwriter Gina Leonard and guitarist & producer Tom Fryer. Tom’s atmospheric production style which plays with big spaces and other worldly sounds, lives in the space between Gina’s honest and poetic lyrics, allowing her songs to shine that little bit brighter. The pair first met at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2014 where Gina played a set for The People’s Front Room, a collective that Tom is a part of. Tom went on to record and produce a few of Gina’s tracks, however it wasn’t until late 2016 that The Desert officially came together to write and record their first collection of songs. ‘I find it difficult working with other people, it has always just been me and my guitar behind closed doors.’ Gina explains. ‘It was so exciting to find someone I could trust to develop my songs with. We’re pretty different but we work well together’ Facebook here.
We first featured The Desert back in early July & since then they have shared a video for 'Playing Dead' & this week have delivered 'Soulmates'. Three consistently good songs, where the atmosphere and natural feelings are in abundance, The Desert have something very special going on here.
Background - Brooklyn-based rock duo hunter & wolfe released "All The Vultures" this week. This is the first offering from the duo since the release of hunter & wolfe's 2014 full length LP Days And Works. Late Then Never incorporates their signature singer-songwriter feel with an indie rock flare and a heavy dose of wordplay; it's about struggling to find meaning amidst the noise of modernity. Late Then Never features Doug Schadt (producer/engineer), Harper James (engineer), and Joe Lambert (mastering). The record will be available and will be distributed digitally by Spotify, Bandcamp, iTunes, and Google Play. hunter & wolfe is comprised of Michael Maffei (vocals, guitar, piano), and Sundeep Kapur (guitar). Kapur and Maffei formed hunter & wolfe when visiting Chicago in 2011. In a (misguided) attempt to impress people, they jokingly introduced themselves as attorneys working at a law firm called "hunter & wolfe." Somehow, the pair ended up performing at a house party that night and decided to keep the name. hunter & wolfe draw inspiration from Radiohead, Elliott Smith, and Arcade Fire. Brooklyn-based duo hunter & wolfe often wrap their vulnerable lyrical content in sarcasm and loud indie-rock stylings. In this, vocalist Michael Maffei and guitarist Sundeep Kapur ensure that their messages about complacency, lost love, and the paradox of choice in the modern era reflect both a seriousness and self-awareness to not take themselves too seriously. Website here, Facebook here.
'All The Vultures' is fresh, melodic and full of hooks. The duo create a rich & full rock sound, without over doing it and they leave plenty of room for some very fine vocals.
Background - New York City based gritty rock and rollers, A Shadow Of Jaguar, announce their debut LP RAW, due out October 2017. Speaking on "Don't Want To Die Here," the duo states, "Take your uppers and stomp on the gas because this loud, fast, near death experience will leave you needing a stiff drink and a happy ending." The video was filmed in one continuous shot with no cuts. This unique concept could not have been executed without the dance expertise of Cara Diaz Certosimo, who was recently featured in hip hop legends De La Soul’s latest music video, “Drawn” featuring Little Dragon. The filming of the video included the use of multiple cameras, three TV screens, a handheld projector, and a lot of rehearsing. The music video was recorded live with no edits. It is just as the album title suggests; RAW. A Shadow Of Jaguar is a duo made up of Brian Hubbert (lead vocals, slide guitar, bass) and Andrew Oakley (drums, vocals). The duo found it's origins in their hometown of Boulder, CO, in 2015, where they sought to make music they weren't yet hearing on the rock scene. Debut singles "Mama Needs The Bottle" and "Keep On Knocking" were released to raves from AXS and Live For Live Music. Achieving their goal to add more grit into the rock scene, Live For Live Music writes, "In the modern musical environment where so much of our music is programmed to perfection, 'Keep on Knocking' is a much needed reminder that rock and roll is here to stay." The forthcoming album RAW was made "to stick a big middle finger up at all the fears and doubts that plague us. The goal was to force upon people the uncontrollable urge to scrunch their faces and nod their heads" says the duo. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered in Denver, CO, by Todd Divel and Justin Peacock at Silo Sound (Borahm Lee of Break Science and Pretty Lights Live Band). A Shadow Of Jaguar also credits John Demitro, Vincent Ellwood, Emma Fields, Maggie Miller, Robbie Steifel for their efforts in making this album come to fruition. It will be released late October, 2017 on all digital platforms. Website here, Facebook here.
'Don't Want To Die Here' explodes into life with some full on riffs and rock'n'roll vocals to match. Potent, bold and spirited, just buckle up & enjoy the ride!
Background from Oh Geronimo - We just released our new single/video from our upcoming album The Sled. “No More Stones” is now available. The song itself is about interpersonal strain. A relationship, whether it’s romantic or platonic, is an ongoing compromise that can get pretty messy when you toss both parties’ aspirations, promises and expectations into the mix.
We tried to bring this idea to life with the video. Relationships are like ropes - they become taut when people drift apart. Companionship is an emotional tug-of-war with unpredictable waves of tension and release. You constantly contemplate holding on or letting go. Facebook here.
'No More Stones' is an energised indie/alt rocker with powerful choruses and a real catchy vibe going on. The lyrics tell a story & the video is a clever interpretation of this.
Background - Indie folk artist Ella Grace has announced the release of her brand new single Here We Are Again, telling of a love lost to depression and the journey onward from that space. Using music to sooth and heal, Ella writes as if the future of this lost love were the present. A story of love in her twenties and the attempt to cope with mental health struggles, heartache, and personal growth at such a young age.
Discussing the inspiration for her music, Ella states: “I think sometimes we have to let go of love, and not always because the love is lost, sometimes it’s because the people in it have lost themselves”. The bass that underpins the hypnotic soundscape of natural elements takes us on a journey through this relationship; past, present and future. Ella discusses why she believes there is importance to building a unique soundscape around her music.
“It’s really important to me that when we go into the studio to build the track, we build it in-keeping with the energy that the song was written in. In Here We Are Again we used the sounds of birds that we recorded from the wall of the cottage I grew up in, a place I spent a lot of time during this period of my life. There are so many subtle elements in all of my songs that make them meaningful to me, and I have a feeling that people, maybe without even realizing it, are left feeling my music pretty deeply because of this”.
With impressive streaming figures, a large social media following and tour plans in the works, Ella’s prowess in song writing is sure to attract further acclaim in the coming months. Ella Grace’s new single Here We Are Again is released 6th October and will be available on all platforms. Facebook here.
A stripped back & gently rhythmic musical arrangement works so well with Ella Graces vocals on 'Here We Are Again'. Even when the music peaks towards the end, her tender and tranquil voice remains the focal point of this beautiful track.
Background - The new single “Dirt” has just been released along with a visual accompaniment. The music video highlights the inner workings of a procrastinator’s mind. It’s the lack of motivation that strikes us when we find ourselves sitting in front of late night tv infomercials. The reality of insomnia and restlessness result in a confounding trip into a television infused dream.
The lyrics for the song "Dirt" helped to inform some of the imagery and themes in the video. The lyrics were written via a stream of consciousness and were intended to emphasize the variability and unpredictability of the unconscious mind; the part of the mind that we tend to inhabit when we're tuned out (or even tuned in). Facebook here.
The music is a mixture of beats & some unpretentious electronica. For me it's the somewhat haunting vocals that make 'Dirt' stand out. The video adds a psychedelic & quirky dimension, but it's always the vocals that capture my imagination the most.
Background - Ottawa's Bonnie Doon wants you to enjoy their first full-length release Dooner Nooner as much as they enjoy sharing a poutine and chocolate shake 4 ways. The sludgy surf rock tunes captured on wax for the first time were inspired by actual events, such as the struggle of making it to brunch for noon and how it feels to brave a waterslide in a bikini. The album was recorded in the basement of Shoe Horn Audio and was largely fuelled by free coffee from the local McDix. Dooner Nooner opens with “Haunted Life”, a doom-laced bass-driven throwdown that is guaranteed to cause a serious bang-over. “Pants and a Face” and “Panty Twister” give a fast and furious nod to punk goddesses Kleenex/Liliput and X-Ray Spex while “Sandy’s Song” is a tribute to Sandra the Car (AKA the Doon Buggy) that’s dipped in Bleue Dry and deep-fried in a psychedelic haze. The beach party continues with “Now or Neverish” a wavvvy spaghetti surf groove with lyrics that only a mother could love. “Ghost Story” gets weird as it weaves a tale of murder and eulogizes haunted taverns everywhere. The album closes with two long-time fan favorites, “Messy//Clean” and “B Hole”. Dooner Nooner will rip your face off and put it back together albeit a bit messed up but totally best enjoyed with a hot pizza and a cool breeze. Facebook here.
'Now Or Neverish' is fabulously retro & vitally relevant. The video adds to the whole vibe & I arrive with yet another album that must be heard asap.
Background - Ahead of the release of her debut album 'Nothing Like It' and following the release for the track by the same name, singer-songwriter Courtney Farren has revealed the new video for 'Hard To Tell'. This first collection of tracks she has released features guitar and piano songs recorded earlier in spring of this year.
"Out of all the songs on this record, Hard to Tell is my favorite for a few reasons. The main reason being that I so vividly remember the time and place I wrote it. I was in my friend's apartment in Woodside, Queens, and it was around 4 in the morning. And the imagery in the song is so literally what I was feeling and doing. So maybe I didn't actually put a tape of snoring on to wake up to (maybe I did), but the sentiment of all of the scenarios I describe in the song rang so true to how I was feeling that night," says Courtney Farren.
"I really love this song, and it means a lot to me. I hope people are able to relate to the stark, literal nature of the lyrics, and know I'm telling the truth from start to finish."
Born and primarily raised in the San Francisco Bay area, Farren has made New York City her current home base. Having moved 12 times in childhood to various northern California locations created restless settlement patterns, which followed her into adulthood, having lived in four very different cities in 2017 alone - San Francisco, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, and now New York. Website here, Facebook here.
'Hard To Tell' gives a good feel for the forthcoming album 'Nothing Like It'. The music is gentle and yet has some real depth, Courtney Farren's vocals are intimate, simmering with emotion and work so well with the overall arrangement. Ideas and creativity are also abundant, giving this collection of songs some positive edge in the often crowded singer/songwriter market place.
Background - Some people let adages and axioms slide off their shoulders. Others recognize their essential wisdom and run with them. A sterling example of the latter is the Commotions, for whom the sage chestnut, “Go big or go home” acts as a kind of roadmap for navigating the way forward.
It’s not just that the dapper Ottawa-based combo— 11 regular members plus a touring vocalist — has two lead singers, three songwriters, and a five-piece horn section featuring tenor and baritone sax, a pair of trumpets, and a trombone. Or that the guest line-up on their vibrant new album Volume II includes another 15 souls, among them some of the best musicians on the planet.
The Commotions write epic, sparkling, uncommonly skilled jazzy, funky soul/pop that, depending where you are on Volume II, conjure everything from Motown to Stax to Jake and Elwood. If this was the 1970s, The Sonny & Cher Show would be duking it out with Lola Falana to book the band for a marquee spot.
That’s not to say the Commotions are retro, exactly, though their forebears are well served by the band’s unparalleled musicianship and palpable enthusiasm. Rather, as musical director, producer, songwriter, and tenor sax ace Brian Asselin explains, the Commotions are more about reclaiming the spirit of soul that the beforementioned imprints — and the legendary artists on their rosters — championed. Except, of course, the Commotions do it bigger.
“I feel like soul music is the music of the people,” Asselin says. “If you look at all the iconic soul performers like Marvin Gaye or even the Temptations or the Supremes, they were documenting what was happening in the world. Soul music spoke to that. We are trying to do that today. Website here, Facebook here.
Taken from the new 'Volume II' album we have the opening track 'Good Enough' for your listening pleasure. Timeless, soulful and vibrant, the music is feel good and highly danceable, the production takes on eleven band members with ease, ensuring there is also a modern fresh feel to the material.
Background - Matt Hawkins’ debut solo single ‘Steel Ya Blues’ is courage under fire. A unique and exciting brand of steel slide guitar with layered guitar rhythms, warm vocals and natural percussion. Matt is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. An innovative and imaginative composer, he creates songs and soundscapes whilst performing on acoustic and electric instruments both live and in the studio.
‘Steel Ya Blues’ opens with a ballsy, mysterious didgeridoo, the sting of steel guitar and lingering, haunting percussion. Driven by a cool, swampy bass riff and a bullfrog rasp, the song moves forward into our minds and plays out a story of life. Dramatic slide guitar features impressively throughout this piece of music with a complex solo of duelling slide guitars that once heard, just won’t leave you. The moniker for the title track of Matt’s first solo single takes the listener on a voyage of no surrender. As Matt says “walk through trouble in our lives with steel defiance”.
All the song lines are played by Matt, a modern day, one-man band of roots n blues fusion, masterfully produced with Boss cutting edge digital Loop Pedal technology. The track was recorded at Red Brick Studios and produced and mixed by Anthony Stewart.
Matt’s dynamic talent in performance and composition stems from a family background rich in Spanish and English musical culture. His own musical history is a catalogue of brilliant songs. He has written Afro-Latin, World Music and Roots and Blues songs, forged from years of travel through Africa, Southern Europe and Asia. He has created two world music and blues bands, and covered as lead guitarist for bands in Australia and Tokyo where he lived for 8 years. Facebook here.
Top quality musicianship alongside some earthy and gritty vocals give the song 'Steel Ya Blues' a measure of energised potency that only a natural blues performer could deliver.
Background - Fanny and the Atta Boys touches on Western Swing, Depression era Jazz, Ragtime and Folk on the upcoming album ‘First Time Out’. This collection of songs recorded in the early days of the band in 2015 and 2016 before their recent release ‘A Peck of Dirt’ is coming out in remaster form October 20th on Nocturna Sol (a HeyDay Media label).
“Cukoo Bird”, the second single from the upcoming album, is an old traditional English folk song that’s been a fan favorite for years. In the words of Fanny, “I was drawn to it because of the beautiful banjo and also the kind of haunting way Clarence Ashley voiced it. I really connected with the sound of it on an emotional level.”
Simplicity is the defining factor of Fanny and the Atta Boys’ music. However, this group based out of San Diego, California, is also a band of eclectic sound, amalgamating a variety of genres into their music. Their sound is largely centered on American roots, country swing, and depression era jazz, with classic blues styling thrown in for good measure.
With driving vocals from Fanny and Natt Wise, the band is known to put on a show that engages the audience with its energy, soul, and sense of humor. At any given Fanny and the Atta Boys show, you are likely to experience a generally lighthearted, funny, and lively set. While the band does add a few soul-stirring songs into the mix to keep things well rounded during their performances, their shows always promise the audiences a heck of a good time. Fanny and the Atta Boys have shared the stage with or opened for The Blasters, Big Sandy And His Flyrite Boys, Jake La Boltz, and Wayne ‘The Train’ Hancock.
'Cukoo Bird' is a joyous slice of old time American roots music, performed by artists who clearly have considerable passion and love for the musical styles they perform. What's more they do so in a fabulously talented way!
Background - London-based all-female trio Beatrix Players have been announced as winners of the Prog Magazine Limelight Award for 2017 at the ceremony last week. The band are celebrating the win with the release of their new, double A side single All That Thinking / Hurt, plus a single launch being held at London's St Pancras Old Church on Thursday 5th October where they will be joined for the evening by the SOUND choir.
The Limelight Award highlights the "emerging talent that's risen to the top of the prog ocean over the past 12 months".
All That Thinking is taken from their 2017 debut album Magnified, and is a song about the difficulty of having a child and the blame that goes on between partners, and the band are delighted to have joined forces with leading national charity Fertility Network UK to help raise awareness of National Fertility Awareness Week which takes place on 30th October - 5th November. This years they are celebrating 40 years since the first successful IVF treatment.
This is a campaign that especially resonates with Beatrix Players' vocalist Amy Birks: “I was told today that 1 in 6 couples experience difficulties with fertility. A fact that took me right back to the NHS waiting room, a very beige room filled with pensive faces; couples and individuals of all ages from all walks of life and all with one thing in common, fertility difficulties”
All That Thinking begins with these lines 'Sometimes I’m scared, at the end of another wait. All that thinking for nothing because nothing ever came, and I don’t mind if it’s you but I’ll weep if it’s me…'
and those sentiments clearly resonated with the charity - ‘Fertility Network UK are very much looking forward to working with Beatrix Players during this year's National Fertility Awareness Week. Their single, All That Thinking is incredibly emotive and is something we believe will connect with anyone who is struggling, or has, struggled to have a family.' Susan Seenan, CEO, Fertility Network UK. Beatrix Players website here, Facebook here.
Our fourth feature in under a year for Beatrix Players & that is not a coincidence, they simply & consistently write & perform fabulous songs. Celebrating their winning of the Prog Magazine Limelight Award for 2017 they have now released 'All That Thinking / Hurt'. As long as they keep on producing music of this calibre and we can share them, we will!
Franks & Deans (Feat Frank Voodoo) - Splish Splash.
Background - SquidHat Records is proud to announce the highly anticipated sophomore release from the legendary Franks & Deans! Available digitally, on CD and on limited edition pink vinyl nationally and internationally through MVD Entertainment.
On their second release “The Best You’re Gonna Feel All Day” Franks & Deans keep doing what they do best; f*@king up your grandmother’s music! The Sinatra and Sammy standards are there, from “Fly Me To The Moon” to “Candy Man” but they also extend their unique sound with fresh new takes on The Drifters, Louis Prima, Bobby Darin and Ricky Nelson. A fast paced audio party that is sure to please.
SquidHat Records is an artist friendly, independent record label and multi-media company created to help talented, interesting, creative and passionate artists record and promote their music or performances, develop their brand and image, and increase their exposure to a larger audience. Our focus includes, but is not limited to, the Punk Rock, Aggressive Indie and Subculture scenes. Franks & Deans website here, Facebook here.
Franks & Deans take a classic track, in the case of our featured song 'Splish Splash' the rework is almost respectful to the original. It's the tip of the iceberg as far as this new collection of material is concerned, their manic, tight & occasionally border line insane punk version are an absolute delight. Don't get me wrong, I am old enough to remember my parents playing some of the originals (honest it was my parents) & those tunes have grown on me over time. However I can't but help feel a warm glow inside with these new versions.
Background - Palace have released a new single; 'Live Well', taken from their acclaimed debut album 'So Long Forever', which dropped earlier this year on Fiction Records. A fan favourite, the track has been streamed over two million times on Spotify and showcases the band at their delicate, intricate best. The track is written about a relationship ending but ultimately finding positivity in its wake. In the words of front man Leo Wyndham, "It's a hopeful song - about feeling blessed by someone else's love even though it's over and ended."
Palace are very excited to be touring as main support to Public Service Broadcasting this month, taking them to twelve venues across the UK, including London Eventim Apollo for the finale on 26th October. Venues of this size are no stranger to the band, who made their debut at Shepherd's Bush Empire this year in support of the album release, having previously sold out London shows at Brixton Electric, Scala and ICA.
It wasn't just UK tours that Palace sold out last year; they sold out their European tour and a number of shows in New York. They also played rapturously received sets at festivals across Europe, including Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds. Closer to home they started their own night called 'Palace Presents' at The George Tavern, London where they played their first ever show and now curate their own monthly line-up. The night is always rammed, which helps support the 600-year-old venue which, like many other independent venues, is constantly threatened with closure.
On the forthcoming shows with Public Service Broadcasting, Leo says "They're a truly amazing and eccentric band and we're pumped to be playing to huge crowds and getting to watch their incredible live show every night." Facebook here.
Our second feature for Palace also taken from the 'So Long Forever' album is the new single 'Live Well'. Subtle melodies and a beautiful arrangement where both vocals and music share centre stage, this is a gentle nudge to check out a really fine album.
Background - The Rural Alberta Advantage, Nils Edenloff, Paul Banwatt and Robin Hatch, will release their new studio album The Wild on October 13th on Paper Bag Records in Canada, United Kingdom and Europe. This week the band is sharing their brilliant new single "Toughen Up". Listen here. Pre-order The Wild on limited-edition yellow vinyl here.
The Rural Alberta Advantage have also announced North American tour dates which will see the band joined by Vancouver's Yukon Blonde for two months beginning October 20th. Canadian dates include stops in Halifax, Ottawa, Vancouver with additional shows now added after quick sell outs in Edmonton and Toronto. Tickets are on sale now. Watch a trailer for the tour here.
Change is constant. Certainly that’s always been the case with the Rural Alberta Advantage. Through three albums, Juno and Polaris nominations, the steady hum of critical praise and the relentless miles of constant touring, the trio have not just been confronted with change, they have been wailing, pounding and sighing their way through it. Change hung over them in the melancholy nostalgia of Hometowns, shook them during the finding-your-feet urgency of Departing and found its way through their cracks in the turmoil of Mended with Gold.
Though it’s always left a mark on the band, as they journey into The Wild, their fourth album, this perpetual change seemed to be casting a darker shadow. Maybe it’s the fact that singer and songwriter Edenloff almost watched his childhood home of Fort McMurray burn to the ground. Maybe it’s just that everyone in the band is getting older. Maybe it’s just that we’ve all had a rough year. But never before has the band felt quite so surrounded by the heaviness of being — nor quite so determined to pull through. Facebook here.
We featured the track 'Brother' from the forthcoming 'The Wild' album last month and the new share 'Toughen Up' confirms for me, that our initial excitement for the album was well founded. This is a band that for reasons I cannot explain, should have received far more exposure & recognition by now.
Background - Hartlepool (UK) based 5-piece The Jar Family have just released their new single ‘Debt’ (via Jar Records). One to check out if you get the chance. It’s a song born from the growing financial concerns seen in their hometown. In the bands words “it's a song about life in modern Britain and the pressures of the soaring cost of things. It's a big step forward for us stylistically to something more raw and reflective of the times."
Taking their name from the donations jar they passed around at early gigs, the band are a tight knit group who realised that they were stronger collectively than they were individually. Although on paper the idea of five very different and charismatic personalities with a wide range of musical styles working together harmoniously seems unlikely, the fruits of their labor speaks for itself.
The bands distinctive, rootsy sound was created in the remote Cambridgeshire countryside. It’s there that the band built themselves a basic rehearsal studio, and there where they spent over a year living in a ramshackle collection of old caravans, developing and refining what was to become the Jar Family sound.
A relentless touring schedule, alongside supporting the likes of Jake Bugg, Babyshambles, and Alabama 3, has brought their raucous and engaging live show to all corners of the country. Picking up an ever-growing army of admirers as a result of this live activity the band has now established a major fan base of fanatical supporters throughout the UK. Facebook here.
'Debt' is a gritty, earnest rocker from a band that have a very poignant message to share. It is also a dynamic, hot blooded, passion fuelled song that suggests guitar rock has yet another band to keep the genre fresh and relevant.
Background - Amanda Mair is a Stockholm native who gained attention as a teenager with her debut single, “House”. The Washington Post praised her grown up Kate Bush sounds, while Swedish national newspaper Aftonbladet described her album as one of the best Swedish debut albums of all time. Amanda has evolved since her debut – both as an artist and as a songwriter, but also as a person. She spent time focusing on herself and growing up. Her maturity shines through her best work yet on Despotz Records.
“Rush” is a dark and contemplative song about longing to feel the rush of a physical and emotional connection. An eternity has passed since the relationship crumbled. One familiar touch can bring those feelings rushing back. Introduced as a piano ballad, the song turns cold with chilling Trentemøller synths.
“Wednesday” is a beautiful and atmospheric swan song. The cinematic quality of the song reveals aching emotions as one might imagine a vast landscape devastated by war, or the inevitability of love. This song hits you right in the feels.
In Amanda’s words, “’Rush’ is about when passionate attraction and destructive addiction allows you to repeat the same hurtful mistake over and over again. While ’Rush’ paints a picture of the continual restless searcher, ’Wednesday’ allows you to take a step back and realize the tedious truth of one reality you’ve fallen in love with." Facebook here.
Two tracks from Amanda Mair came our way the other day. They contrast very well & show different ideas & styles from the artist, so lets share them both. 'Rush' and 'Wednesday' are both creative modern pop songs with that hard to express "extra something" that suggest a musical maturity many aspire to, and only a few actually deliver on.
Background - Jon Tessier is a Brazilian-French singer-songwriter who was born in São José Do Rio Preto (Brazil). Equally passionate about music production and songwriting, he began his musical elopement at the age of 14.
Jon spent childhood and most of his teenage years in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), a time during which he played in several independent rock bands. However over the last 3 years, he’s been working on his music from Ibiza (Spain).
His musical heroes include: Mötley Crüe, Depeche Mode, The Doors, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers as well as the Brazilian “Bossa Nova” artist João Gilberto, amongst many others.
Jon Tessier is a solo artist, who’s musical style can be described as guitar driven pop music with an alternative-rock edge. A new artist with a fresh sound, his music is available on all music streaming platforms including: Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes. Website here, Facebook here.
There's some fine production on 'A Minute or Two' which gives clarity to each musical element. The soundtrack is rhythmic with a subtle melody, the vocals are beautifully matched to the arrangement, on what is a catchy alt rock leaning pop song.
Background - Tenderhooks set to release their 5th album North Star. Tenderhooks are a banging in your face 6 piece alt rock pop blues everything but the kitchen sink originals band from the sunny south coast of England. A place called Brighton. They craft unbearably catchy, singalong, toe tapping, hand clapping uplifting, joyous tunes. Infectious and memorable all in a tasty current bun!
Since the beginning of 2017 Tenderhooks have been in the studio recording songs for their latest release called North Star. Yolena the first single from the album has already received excellent reviews. They expect 2018 will be a very busy year.
Ben Yung of The Revue writes, "If you’re looking for a laugh, you’ve come to the right place and the perfect song. Channeling Blur in their heyday with a touch of the Talking Heads, Brighton veteran rockers Tenderhooks share the whimsical and outrageously fun “Yolena”. The album will be available for purchase/stream on iTunes, Spotify etc from October 6th. Facebook here.
'Yolena' is a blast of fun delivered in style. The band are extremely capable & provide a refined musical arrangement for the fabulous vocals. Catchy, funny and beautifully crafted, I am really looking forward to hearing more.
Background - ‘Skins’, the fresh new single from Melbourne based artist, SELKI, is about letting go of old layers and having the courage to change, move forward and celebrate your authentic individuality. "I was in Paris, waiting for the ambulance to arrive."
In the first few moments after being hit by a bus, SELKI decided to make a commitment to live authentically and cultivate her passions. A few weeks after being released from hospital, she began to work with Paris based producer, Loici Devat. Unable to play any instruments due to broken bones, the musical direction went to electronic.
"Each of these songs is a mirror for the three months that followed and changed forever my creative direction. Once you have been surrounded by monitors and the possibilities of production, it's hard to go back." It has just taken over a year to find her home back in Melbourne and come full circle.
"I have changed so much and tried and taken off so many skins. It feels good to let these songs make their way into the bigger world. They have been my little orbs of light during an explosive sixteen months." Since 2014 and the beginning of the project, SELKI was voted in the top 4 of the first Melbourne Music Bank Competition, has had her songs played on radio on multiple stations in Australia and Europe, with gigs over the last few years throughout Melbourne, along the east coast of Australia and in Paris, London and Rome. Facebook here.
Distinct and gorgeous vocals and a clever indie pop soundtrack ensures 'Skins' is full of hooks & more. If Top Forty radio was full of songs this good, even an oldie like me, might be enticed back.
Background - ‘Edge of Cool’ is on Anna’s ‘One Big Fire’ EP, released by espirit de corps on 13 October. ‘Edge of Cool’ A roaming rocker’s composite of CBGB-era new wave, West Coast anthemics and slick garage riffery, ‘Edge of Cool’ is comfortably the sum of its rousing parts. As Anna and her band dexterously play with the song’s rich ingredients, a segue into darker tones reflects the sense of unease and confusion inherent in its subject matter. “This is an elegy to a relationship that was over before it began,” says Anna. “Afterwards, the guy’s car followed me all around town for a long time, I would see it everywhere and I could not shake it. It’s about being haunted by an illusion.”
London born and bred, Anna Tosh has been lending her considerable six-string skills to a varied roster of bands since she was a teenager, among them Wildhood, Love Nor Money, Hey Gravity and Shotgun Venus. But with her own collection of striking self-penned songs demanding attention, and the assistance of a red-hot rhythm section in waiting – Herman Stephens (bass) and Jeremy JayJay (drums) – Anna decided it was high time to make her mark as a solo artist.
“My intention for my solo project was simply to write some songs for myself, with no boundaries or expectations,” she says. “I was deliberately trying not to think of what anyone else might expect me to do, and chucked the idea of seeming cool out of the window.”
As a musician who has turned her hand to a whole host of styles when performing with others, it was inevitable that disparate influences would shape her songwriting. “My roots are in punk, rock and blues,” says Anna, “but I have been playing and listening to hip hop, drum and bass, funk, psychedelia, dream pop, experimental electronica…” Facebook here.
We featured Anna Tosh back in July with the song 'Weightless' stating that it "has a rhythmic and bluesy feel that is both catchy and a little hypnotic". The newly shared track ‘Edge of Cool’ is another cool rocker with a seventies new wave feel (early Blondie comes to mind), whatever it's catchy and Anna Tosh's vocal delivery is top dollar.
Background - “Sign N’ Drive” is the frenetic and addictive second single that The Fluids have shared from their forthcoming debut album No Kidding! (out October 27th via Axis Mundi Records. Self-proclaimed as America’s Newest Band™, The Fluids were introduced to the world earlier this month with their undeniable, critically-acclaimed debut single “Creatures”, which the New York Times said "...vibrates with the giddy energy of the city’s early-2000s rock scene — the sound is tight, the vibe is loose, the singer’s accent is adopted.” With their debut full-length, No Kidding! flying high as their banner, The Fluids are storming the front lines of cultural trendsetting with ripping guitar solos and saddlebags filled with tequila sodas, calamari, and what they claim to be the best pot in the city (based on how great this album is, I’m inclined to believe them?!). The band has drawn apt comparisons to everyone from the Talking Heads and Berlin-era Bowie, to The Modern Lovers and Echo & The Bunnymen. No Kidding! was produced by Matthew "Pickles" Iwanusa of Caveman, and sounds like it could've come out in the late 70's and become an instant no-wave/post-punk classic, but here we are in 2017 with one of the best albums of the year that we can call our own. Facebook here.
Loud upbeat guitar driven rock music is juxtaposed by some beautifully frenetic vocals on 'Sign N' Drive', a powerful slice of alt rock, with the emphasis very much on ALT.
Background - Kasie Shahbaz (Coyote Run) is a multi-instrumentalist from Southern California who by middle school, obsessed with heavy prog rock, and by adult life spent all her nights roaming the hills listening to folk singers under full moonlight.
Her music is some culmination of those experiences. Inspired mainly by religious experience in nature and in relationships, her music wanes between punk angst and psychedelic ecstasy. She currently resides in Los Angeles, Berlin, and New York where she hides from the city and records herself.
This record was recorded at Shabaz's home in Los Angeles, on porch steps at her parents house in Oceanside, and mostly at a home studio on Catalina Island. It is a sonic elegy of heartbreak, desperation, relief, surrender, and transcendent, sometimes personal, love. In folk jaunts, it lightens and celebrates the simple weight of longing. In driving breakdowns, it tries to break through entrapment. And in psychedelic plateaus, it may find periods of rest. Look out for Coyote Run's upcoming album, "Infinite Disappearance of Fear" dropping this fall. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.
'Love From Far Away' mixes dreamy & melodic vocals plus imaginative harmonies, alongside a laid back soundtrack that leans towards psychedelic rock music. Collectively the layers of sound are gorgeous.
Background - Alternative singer-singwriter Jenn Vix has announced she will release her new EP ‘Unlocked’ on October 20, preceded by the first single ‘Complicated Man’ released last Friday.
Based in Rhode Island, Vix is an American solo electronic-rock recording artist, songwriter, producer and recording engineer, who has, over the years, ventured into other genres including alternative rock, trip hop, darkwave, modern new wave and electro-industrial.
This five-track release sees Vix at her best. With weighty lyrics surrounding personally challenging experiences, her vocal delivery on ‘Complicated Man’ has earned her comparisons to Shirley Manson of Garbage.
“Complicated Man is about covert and or destructive relationships. This EP is inspired by feelings I had when I became ill, and I almost died due to a misdiagnosis, then surgery, and how I made it through it. It also deals with thoughts and feelings I had about people who were in my life at the time of this experience,” explains Jenn Vix.
“I wanted to explore different sounds, and it felt good to do so. After my illness, it took me a year and a half to be able to even listen to music again. Change is scary, but it can also be refreshing. I recently had to burn a few bridges, but they say that the brightest light can come from the bridges you burn. I agree.”
This album involves John Ashton, original guitarist of The Psychedelic Furs, who appears on the track ‘Unlocked’. He previously collaborated with Jenn Vix on two tracks (‘The Woman with No Fear’ and ‘Weirdo’) on her five-track EP ‘Strange Buildings’. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.
The second of five tracks on the 'Unlocked' EP is the new single 'Complicated Man'. There is a remix of the featured single and the title track really is something that fans of The Psychedelic Furs ought to check out. That said this is very much Jenn Vix's show & it's an imaginative, creative collection of material.
The Limiñanas - Istanbul is Sleepy (feat. Anton Newcombe).
Background - French psych duo The Limiñanas have released their new single ‘Istanbul Is Sleepy’ through Because Music. Featuring Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) and produced at his Berlin studio, the single is taken from their ‘Istanbul Is Sleepy’ EP out 17th November.
Reflecting on the single and their collaboration with Newcombe, Lionel explained, “’Istanbul Is Sleepy’ is like the classic dream where you become the hero, the Captain Blood or Midnight Sultan(??). The one who rescues and seduces Maureen O’Hara or Ava Gardner. Anton is singing and playing guitar on the track. He was inspired, in particular, by The Cult during their ‘Rain’ period. Last year, Mojo magazine asked us to record a cover for a special Kinks tribute.
We chose ‘Two Sisters’. Marie and I were thinking for the vocal part it would be great to approach Anton Newcombe, having opened for The Brian Jonestown Massacre at Le Trianon in Paris. The work began like that. We had an album to record and we decided to finish it with him. During the Christmas week we took our demos, flew to Berlin and recorded at Anton’s studio. Six days later we had a finished album”.
One of France’s most beloved treasures, The Limiñanas are Marie (drums/vocals) and Lionel (guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals). Hailing from Perpignan, the duo straddles the boundary between psych, shoegaze, and yé-yé. With hazy, reverb-laden hooks, combined at times with noisy distortion, and fronted by effortlessly cool vocals, reminiscent of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot, the band is at once timeless and quintessentially French. Website here, Facebook here.
Psych music through & through, the music video just adds to the feeling and mood that 'Istanbul is Sleepy' creates. Dark and hypnotic waves of sound are taken even deeper with the vocals, it's a song that could well appeal to Goth music fans of times gone by.
Candace - Greys.
Ned Roberts - Angel Station.
