Background - Indie surf rock outfit Dentist have announced they will release their third album 'Night Swimming' via Cleopatra Records on July 20. Dentist centers around the songwriting partnership of Emily Bornemann (vocals and bass guitar) and Justin Bornemann (guitar), who had been writing songs and performing together in various ways since first meeting in 2008. The band is rounded out by Matt Hockenjos on drums.
Rightfully earning their place as one of New Jersey's buzziest bands, Dentist was named one of the top 10 bands at this year's SXSW by Mercury News and a darling of critics at NPR, Stereogum, Flood Magazine and more.
The new 'Night Swimming' album juxtaposes catchy indie surf pop with lyrical themes about social anxiety and heartache. ' Night Swimming' showcases an aggressive approach to their beach inspired pop with lyrics covering the spectrum of human emotions. Produced by Andy Bova and Justin Bornemann, this album was mastered by Jürgen Engler (Die Krupps, Nico, Iggy and The Stooges, Queensryche).
"This album was an attempt to capture all the different aspects of ourselves and create something that we would want to listen to," says Justin Bornemann. "Musically we are attracted to rawness and simplicity, but melodically we lean towards a pop aesthetic. The lyrics tend to be focused on social anxiety, heartache and loss, but sometimes reveal love and optimism," adds Emily Bornemann. WEBSITE.
One of eleven tracks on the new 'Night Swimming' album 'Corked' provides something of an idea of what is in store. Described as indie surf rock, the emphasis for a good number of the songs is rock, often with a driving beat and some vibrant energy. Hooks and melodic arrangements are almost always present, and when the band ease of the gas, they do create some beautiful indie surf vibes.
Background - "I See Sadness" is the new single from English musical visionary, producer and songwriter Paul Steel, taken from his forthcoming concept album Carousel Kites. One of the most poppy and accessible tracks on the album, Paul describes it as basically a rewrite of Pixar's Inside Out. We see our protagonist "I" coming to the end of his kaleidoscopic journey of redemption with a new lease of life. As he explains; "I went about living my days positively. When I observe the people around me I see sadness in all of them. It's not all I see but it felt good not to be alone. Sadness is a crucial part of happiness, only before I wallowed in it rather than using it as a springboard to get what I want in life."
Carousel Kites is the second album from musical visionary and songwriter Paul Steel. A mere ten years since his extraordinarily ambitious debut as a nineteen-year-old April & I, the new album sees a triumphant return with an irreverent and excessive assault of psychedelic pop - a loose concept album reflecting his rocky trajectory through the quagmires of the music industry, finding salvation through a Mr Ben-inspired shop portal. The intervening years saw him hailed as the second coming of Brian Wilson, endorsed by luminaries such as Andy Partridge from XTC, Van Dyke Parks, Stephen Kalinich and Sean Lennon, he was signed to and then unceremoniously dropped by a major label for not being commercial enough, and then finding regular work as a jobbing songwriter for the likes of Mika and Empire Of The Sun and numerous battery farmed pop sensations. His music also features in the Oscar winning film The Shape Of Water by Guillermo Del Toro.
Carousel Kites had a working title of April & II (only works written down) with a fleshed-out narrative that starts with the very same 'I' from his debut record of ten years ago, now grown up and miserable in April's absence, standing on the edge of Beachy Head about to end it all. He’d not only lost his sole source of inspiration but also his will to carry on. Pulled from the precipice Carousel Kites proceeds to tell the story of his salvation through a Mr Ben inspired fantasy shop door where he enters a kaleidoscopic Faustian nightmare encountering grotesque characters of his own making before eventually stumbling upon his own take on happiness, living forever in his dreams. FACEBOOK.
Paul Steel's musical creativity and determination to go with his heart rather than the musical industries "big boys" may have held him back commercially which is a little ironic considering the catchy and easily assessable nature of 'I See Sadness.' A gorgeous psychedelic pop song with the occasional hint of Beach Boys magic along the way, as a foretaste of 'Carousel Kites' this is one huge suggestion to check out everything past and future from this artist.
Backdrop - The darkly sophisticated London duo Swoone, result of the unique combination of seductive vocals from Siobhan De Maré (Mono, Violet Indiana) and captivating music by Gary Bruce, is set to release debut album Handcuffed Heart via Saint Marie Records.
Siobhan De Maré (daughter of Tony Meehan, drummer of the Shadows) with her former band Mono entered the UK charts reaching the Top 20, while track 'Life In Mono' was used for the soundtrack of the film Great Expectations featuring Robert De Niro and Gwyneth Paltrow. Siobhan went on to form Violet Indiana with the likes of Robin Guthrie, former guitarist of Cocteau Twins.
Gary is a self-taught composer and producer; he has no musical training or knowledge, his keyboard has the notes written on them pencil and he slowly develops guitar chords from scratch! Instead of using musical theory Gary painstakingly creates a musical landscape navigated by feelings alone. It is this probing of the heart that produces music that is refreshingly genuine and instantly arresting.
This is an album brimming with genuine emotions, depth and heartbreaking beauty. Every song is a film in miniature, from a classic thriller, to David Lynch to European cinema. Think Portishead's homage to John Barry with touch of 60's soul and Enoesque colour. Diverse influences include 90's trip hop, The Carpenters, Billy Holiday, dub, The Ronettes, shoegaze, Nina Simone, Dusty Springfield, Chris Isaac, Donny Hathaway, Al Green and Pink Floyd! There is no following fashion here, just the love offeeling music deeply. Cavernous guitars, swelling strings and super cool beats; on top of it, stunning melodies and poignant lyrics delivered by Siobhan's beautiful voice populate a gorgeously rich and cinematic aural landscape. FACEBOOK.
The first of eleven tracks on 'Handcuffed Heart' the debut album from Swoone is 'This Bullet Never Kills'. It makes for a good indicator of the consistent quality and imagination the collection of songs brings, however as the duo tackle different musical directions and moods, expect much more, in terms of exploration and creativity, always with the emphasis on quality & passion.
Background - Pioneers of a genre called ‘Trip Jam’, which fuses elements of Latin, funk, psychedelia, soul and hip hop music, Peluché are a troupe of intrepid troubadours whose freewheeling artistry already has them pegged them as a standout force in London’s rapidly diversifying sound.
The trio have shared brand new single ‘To Be A Bird’ and announced their debut album ‘Unforgettable’, to be released on One Little Indian on September 21st. The album is already shaping to be one of the most distinct and vital British sounds of 2018.
Speaking about ‘To Be A Bird’, the band said: “This track started as a trip jam in Syd’s studio (Wilton Way in Hackney), where we came up with a guitar, bass and drum groove and the song developed from there. The melodies in the clarinet and chorus vocals soar over the beat to represent the liberated bird flying away from societies pressures to conform. The video is an abstract piece of art representing the distraction of advertising and consumerism, floating in the black emptiness whilst the world passes you by.”
All self-taught musicians, they formed in 2014 through a beautiful stranger in a customer service encounter and quickly formed a strong musical bond through their love of jamming. Peluché jam in their self-built studio space in a garden shed, and always record the foundations of tracks live. Their live shows are partially improvised, drawing the audience into their unusual world. Their live video series, The Shed Sessions, shows an insight into this musical realm and have allowed the band to share new music and visuals directly to their fans. FACEBOOK.
OK lets keep this simple, Trip Jam is the genre and 'To Be A Bird' is the song. All you need to do now, is dive in and immerse yourself within this melting pot of musical styles and absolutely gorgeous music.
Background - On March 2, 2018 RIP Records released a new single, “Mustard Tears” as part of their RIP Introduces series. The track is the first to be heard from Guts Club’s fully electric album, Trench Foot, which will be self-released on July 6, 2018. Trench Foot marks a thoughtful deviation from the characteristically shaky Guts Club to one more deliberate in composition and voice.
Upon going electric, Baker developed a new command and agency over her songwriting unheard in previous recordings. The album maintains Baker’s violent and dark undertones, this time with increasingly pointed observations on regret, privilege, and retribution. WEBSITE.
Tour Dates: June 22 New Orleans, LA at Howling Wolf July 6 New Orleans, LA at Banks St. Bar (Album release show!) August 9 Memphis, TN at The Lamplighter Lounge August 10 Nashville, TN at Little Harpeth Brewing (With India Ramey) August 11 Columbus, OH at The Tree Bar August 12 Pittsburgh, PA at TBA August 13 Philadelphia, PA at TBA August 14 Brooklyn, NY at Wonders of Nature (With Clint Michigan and Jennifer O’Connor) August 15 Baltimore, MD at The Crown August 16 Charlottesville, VA at The Southern August 17 Asheville, NC at The Burger Bar August 18 Athens, GA at Flicker Bar
At the beginning of March this year we shared 'Mustard Tears' from Guts Club making note of the "emotional and definitive vocals" as key to the song. If anything the singing on 'Metal Arms' takes things even further in a passionate and very personal manner. With the subtle, delicate and sensitive musical backdrop, this is a beautiful and moving song.
Background - Former Fat White Family, Phobophobes & Misty Miller drummer Dan Lyons returns with new single Gargoyle. Described as “Quintessential surrealist Anglo-pop”, the self-produced Gargoyle is co-written with Sean Lennon during a trip to New York. Previous single Big Moon featured on Spotify’s Fresh Finds: Six Strings and received support from BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq & Tom Ravenscroft, Radio X’s John Kennedy, Clash Magazine and more. Dan has previously supported the likes of The Libertines, Boy Azooga, Childhood, Goat Girl and performed at this year’s SXSW & Great Escape festivals. INSTAGRAM.
Dan Lyons is an individual that musically speaking is worthy of more than just some passing attention. It's not just who he has performed with, or even the notion that he destroys the Spinal Tap image of your average rock and roll drummer, it's more because of songs like 'Gargoyle' and 'Ribbons. Both exude creativity, alongside some timeless cornerstones of all that is right with pop and rock music. That might be a bold statement, but I reckon it has some mileage.
Background - Tomberlin, the rising Louisville, KY-based artist, has released a video for "Seventeen," the latest from her deeply moving Saddle Creek debut album, At Weddings. On her deeply moving debut album At Weddings, Sarah Beth Tomberlin writes with the clarity and wisdom of an artist well beyond her years. Immeasurable space circulates within the album's ten songs, which set Tomberlin's searching voice against lush backdrops of piano and guitar. Like Julien Baker and Sufjan Stevens, she has a knack for transforming the personal into parable. Like Grouper, she has a feel for the transcendent within the ordinary. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, and now based in Louisville, Kentucky, Tomberlin wrote most of At Weddings while living with her family in southern Illinois during her late teens and early twenties. At 16, she finished her homeschooling curriculum and went to college at a private Christian school she describes, only half-jokingly, as a "cult." By 17, she had dropped out of school, returned home, and begun to face a period of difficult transition in her life. The daughter of a Baptist pastor, Tomberlin found herself questioning not only her faith, but her identity, her purpose, and her place in the world. "I was working, going to school, and experiencing heavy isolation," Tomberlin says of the time when she first began writing the songs on At Weddings. "It felt monotonous, like endless nothingness. It was a means to get through to the next step of life." In songwriting, Tomberlin found relief and lucidity she had trouble articulating otherwise. When she was 19, she wrote "Tornado" on her parents' piano, and began to develop confidence in her music. A year later, she had written enough songs to fill an album. WEBSITE.
'Seventeen' is a seriously good singer, songwriter track, with gorgeous vocals and a beautifully crafted musical arrangement that adds even more emotion. Very impressive, as is the whole album.
Background - After living the visions of other artists as the lead singer of numerous rock, metal and electronica bands, the well-traveled, long gigging L.A. based singer-songwriter who became Reina Mora chose the perfect moniker to capture her multi-cultural background and Latin-tinged vibe she brings to her fresh brand of alternative pop. The exotic national bird of Puerto Rico – where her parents were born and she lived for several years growing up – the Reina Mora is colored blue, yellow, orange and black and is known to sing all night long.
Reina offers a powerful and compelling introduction to her developing artistry with the release of “Trouble,” the sultry and sensual, yet eminently rockin’ lead single from her upcoming full length debut album Birds Eye View. “Trouble’ is about taking control over your sexuality,” Reina says. “I wanted to write a song about being seductive and empowered as a woman with that sexuality and not be ashamed of it. I was a tomboy growing up and previously never spoke about sex in my songs, so in the spirit of the authenticity that drives the entire album, that was one of my inspirations. The others were the classic ‘Criminal’ by Fiona Apple and ‘Do I want to Know?’ by Arctic Monkeys. ‘Trouble’ reflects my influences, from the singer/songwriters I love to the Latin music I grew up listening to. Thematically, the trouble can go either way – either I am trouble or the guy is…I wanted to leave the interpretation open as far as who is seducing who.”
As a songwriter and performer, Reina is no longer afraid to be authentic and reveal the dark challenges she and her family went through – including having all their possessions washed away when Hurricane Georges hit Puerto Rico in 1998 and being homeless and moving from shelter to shelter with her mom when they first moved to Los Angeles. Produced by Omer Avni (Mary J. Blige, Jason Derulo, Alien Ant Farm), Birds Eye View is a rich, stylistically diverse collection of personal material that traverses the struggles and successes she’s experienced throughout her life. She dissects her tumultuous relationship with her family in the tribal flavored “War Dance” and conveys her love in “Brighter Sky” and in both English and Spanish with “Cielo Azul”. Reina’s favorite song is also her most personal: “Winter in June,” a raw, heartfelt tribute to her biggest inspiration, her grandfather. With its delicate percussion, swelling cello, and acoustic guitar, her tender vocals convey the pain she felt from his loss and the strength she gained from him. WEBSITE.
'Winter In June' is a folk tinged and heartfelt song. The music adds an element of traditional roots music vibes, the vocals just glide melodically above, and collectively they draw us into Reina Mora's world.
Background - Mayflower Madame have just shared their new video for "Before I Fall". Mayflower Madame was formed in Oslo in 2010. They started rehearsing in a desolate industrial building where they had to share the space with a carwash company. Amidst the gritty surroundings, their hazy, smoke-laden sound seemed to be conceived naturally and the band soon recorded a four-track demo. Just months later, they won the award "Unsigned Band of the Week" on one of Norway’s biggest radio channels.
After nearly five years of playing a bunch of live shows across Scandinavia and carefully crafting their sound along the way, Mayflower Madame's debut album Observed in a Dream finally arrived in 2016. The album proved to be well worth the wait and it's dazzling display of darkly inflected post-punk swathed in shimmering psychedelia earned them rave reviews. Since then the band has toured both in Europe and North America. They have shared the stage with bands like Crystal Stilts, Night Beats, La Femme, Psychic Ills and Moon Duo, which further gives you an idea of their sonic landscape.
The 'Premonition' EP is Mayflower Madame’s first release since their debut and is also a forewarning for the upcoming second album - expected to be launched in late 2018. The band consists of Trond Fagernes (vocals/guitars/bass), Haavard Haga (guitars), Ola Kyrkjeeide (drums) and Petter Marberg (bass). FACEBOOK.
We featured the song 'Premonition' last month and 'Before I Fall' makes for a welcome follow up. The bands brooding atmospheric feel is all apparent again, with perhaps just a little more melody this time, the stark post punk style is becoming increasingly addictive.
Background - San Francisco's The She's have shared the second video, "Ashes", off their first album in 6 years, "all female rock and roll quartet". About The Video: Directed and Edited by Max Freeland, Cameras by Robbie Julian, Trey Flanigan Assisting. Shot in San Francisco at The Chapel Special thanks to Stephanie Escoto. Starring: 20 artists/musicians including The She's, Megan Dabkowski, Colin Burris, Katiana Mashikian, Maya Bakaley, Marty Gray, Elle Carroll, Dylan Lockey, Trey Flanigan, Zachary Vito, Meg Webb, Chris Dunsmore, Molly Bolten, Sara Gibbs, Marisela Guizar, Kelley Coyne, Halley Lamberson. Members of Pardoner, World Smasher, Sirena Victima, dot Vom, Women's Audio Mission, Pllush, and many more!
"This video is very close to our hearts! First of all, we wanted our friends to direct, shoot, and star in the video. We knew we just wanted to get as many people we loved into one video as possible. That was how the concept started. As a band we joke around about the "sassy" delivery of the words Sami gives, so we thought it would be really funny to see a bunch of our friends pretend to lip-sync the song.
With the help of the director Max we all agreed to take a "picture day" angle with the video, kind of copying the intro of the TV series Freaks and Geeks, and asked everyone to sort of dress up like they would have in middle school (which we all know is not the best time for anyone's sense of style). In the end, we are just so happy to have a video highlighting friends of ours who are all talented in their own ways, and were nice enough to partake in all kinds of silly choreography and other shenanigans the day of the shoot. We hope watching the video people can tell just how much of a good time we all had making the video." - Hannah Valente (of The She's). FACEBOOK.
It was back in September last year that we featured 'Heartache' from The She's and 'Ashes' is another fine rocker which has some garage and punk feel to it. The video is an additional plus point to enjoy!
Background - New Zealand synth pop musician Princess Chelsea (aka Chelsea Nikkel) is back with her fourth album The Loneliest Girl, due for release via Lil' Chief Records on 7 September. The first single from the album "I Love My Boyfriend" sounds like a garage rock trio who just discovered the Mellotron. The video was shot by Chelsea at her Auckland home in front of a green screen, cloning herself to create a band.
"I Love My Boyfriend" is about feeling attracted to somebody else when you're in a monogamous relationship. The narrator feels guilty about their feelings for another person even though they "love their boyfriend" and don't intend to act on it. It's sung in a cheesy girly sort of way inspired by 60s pop songs with the word "boyfriend" in the chorus. However, the lyrics are pretty cynical, particularly in the spoken word section in which the narrator appears to make fun of their own feelings. The music emulates this contrast of sweet and sour with pretty harps and harpsichords set against a dirtier garage rock arrangement.
The Loneliest Girl was recorded by Chelsea between 2016 and 2017 in her home studio in West Auckland, New Zealand with production assistance from labelmate Jonathan Bree. Chelsea’s trademark arrangements featuring classic 80s Synths (Yamaha DX7, Roland D-50), ambient guitars, and orchestral instruments are all here but are presented in a more refined and simple manner than on her previous releases.
Stylistically The Loneliest Girl moves away the more uniform synth sounds of The Great Cybernetic Depression to more eclectic territory similar to her first release Lil’ Golden Book and certainly sounds like a record made by a lover of pop music across all genres from 60s girl groups to 80s power ballads, and late 80s acid house to 90s pop. Like her earlier work, adult issues are presented in a humorous and sometimes childlike manner, and this juxtaposition rather than softening the blow makes jarring social commentary hit harder. FACEBOOK.
Princess Chelsea returns with 'I Love My Boyfriend' accompanied by a clever and creative video. Her music never ceases to impress me, and with another album on the way, I expect there are a good number of other people, full of anticipation after this seductive tease of a song.
Background - Basement Revolver just released a new track from their anticipated debut LP Heavy Eyes. Knocking is probably the heaviest song on the album for me, personally. I often still can’t sing it without crying. I wrote it after writing my family a long letter that came clean about my past, and about some of the shit that I have been through.
Hard things that left me feeling shameful, or like a disappointment to them – things that made me feel like I wasn’t the “good Christian woman” that they had hoped I would one day become. The letter came after a few years of hardcore wrestling and rebelling against what I believed in response to a traumatic event in my life. I got to a point where I didn’t recognize myself, or all the anger that I was holding inside. I basically kept telling myself that I was garbage, broken, unlovable, used and a whole other slur of things.
I think that knocking was my way out of that dark place. I told my boyfriend everything, and he just loved and supported me through it. I told my family everything, and they felt that they could understand me better. When it came time to talk to God about it (I’m sorry I don’t love getting religious, but it is where this song comes from and so I feel that I have to be honest about that), I felt grace, and forgiveness and acceptance. I felt like he/she had been standing there, waiting for me to get to a place where I was able to move on and forgive myself – and a place where I wasn’t angry or shutting God out. It reminded me of a story that I was told when I was a little girl and it is super cheesy (I think its in the Bible somewhere too) about God just standing at the door of our hearts, and knocking, waiting for us to open up - Songwriter Chrisy Hurn on "Knocking". WEBSITE.
It's just over two years since I first came across Basement Revolver and with this being our seventh feature, I am inclined to let the statistics do the talking. Needless to say 'Knocking' is as beautiful as it is personal, the album is indeed looked forward to with anticipation.
The Wolfhounds - The Anti-Midas Touch / Disgusted, E7.
Background - Spiky UK pop legends The Wolfhounds hit the vaults with 'Hands In The Till: The Complete John Peel Sessions'. Originally formed as teenagers in 1984, The Wolfhounds released four critically acclaimed LPs and numerous singles, appeared on the NME’s influential C86 cassette, extensively toured the UK and continental Europe, finally disbanding in 1990. The band reformed in 2006 at the request of St Etienne’s Bob Stanley to celebrate 20 years since the release of C86, and inflicted a severe guitar noisefest on an unsuspecting indiepop crowd at London’s ICA. Since 2012 they have been recording and releasing new material.
At the peak of media attention over the new bands promoted by the C86 cassette, The Wolfhounds recorded three four-song sessions for the BBC’s legendary late-night John Peel Show between March 1986 and January 1987, capturing all the excitement and youthful exuberance of a band just catching the public imagination. With an energy born of sweaty, rammed gigs in the function rooms of London pubs and a willful experimentation nurtured in suburban bedrooms and garages away from watchful eyes, The Wolfhounds blasted their raw live sound straight to tape with little in the way of overdubs or the more considered studio polish of their excellent albums.
Every song from these sessions is now gathered together on Hands In The Till, making a surprisingly coherent whole despite the heady disorganized thrust of the times and a couple of line-up changes in the meantime. More wiry and angular than most of their C86 peers, The Wolfhounds had more in common with The Fall than The Byrds, and "Hands In The Till" shows them at their caustic best.
The Wolfhounds are now (hyper-)active again, releasing two full-length LPs in recent years and performing at several popfests (including Berlin and New York) and Stewart Lee’s All Tomorrow’s Parties, as well as regular club dates of their own. The band continue to be more relevant than ever, grabbing their home country’s woes by the horns on the recent double LP, "Untied Kingdom or How to Come to Terms with your Culture" (which featured guest musicians from such bands as PJ Harvey, Gallon Drunk, Scritti Politti and Evans The Death), Hands In The Till is sure to illuminate such an expansive modern work’s precocious teenage beginnings, as well as providing the band’s contemporary listeners a nostalgic buzz – forever, a real all-ages show! FACEBOOK.
Two songs 'The Anti-Midas Touch' and 'Disgusted, E7' are shared as a taster from the bands John Peel sessions, set for release in full as 'Hands In The Till'. That it's all from over thirty years ago makes me feel my age, still never mind The Wolfhounds ain't getting any younger either, but those rock and roll genes are still keeping them active. With musical roots like these, they have had plenty to build upon.
Background - Thrashing into life in late 2016 with their caustic brand of punchy post-punk, Dead Naked Hippies return with their first track of 2018 - the raw, gritty and atmospheric Guillotine. Capturing the trio, and frontwoman Lucy Jowett especially, at their most honest both sonically and thematically, the track builds on a steady release of acclaimed singles. Opening with a low-key guitar and drum groove, before bursting into fiery life for a cathartic chorus courtesy of Jowett’s trademark vocals, this conflict of duelling musical identities echoes the lyrical messages being conveyed. "Guillotine is an exploration of grief” the vocalist explains, “It’s the fine line between wanting to retaliate to someone who has caused you hurt, versus choosing to cut out the dead weight they have created in your life.” Serving as an excellent vignette for this universally relatable emotional struggle is just one facet of the track, and Dead Naked Hippies’ ethos as a whole; the connection between the musical identity and personality of the group runs deeper. It’s no coincidence that the band feel so at home in their own skin on Guillotine: “Dead Naked Hippies has always been about the connection and energy between the 3 of us and our audience, and this has become a lot more prevalent over time. We went into the studio set on capturing some intimate moments so decided it was integral for us to only record what was vital in our three piece set up, adding minimal overdubs,” Jowett reflects from a collective point of view, and then on a personal note – “The lyrics are a release for me after personally facing a difficult past year; it’s the most honest we’ve ever been. A lot of my writing revolves around my own struggles with mental health, and as a young woman facing modern society.” By creating a vehicle, alongside band mates Joe Clarke (guitar) and Jacob Marston (drums), through which to express and tackle her own internal issues, Lucy and Dead Naked Hippies offer a space for others to do the same. Whilst cutting and scuzzy, Guillotine is also triumphant call to arms: “It’s so important that we stick together and keep it real.” TWITTER.
Live Dates: JUNE 21st Sebright Arms, London 22nd Maguire's Pizza Bar, Liverpool 26th Bloc, Glasgow JULY 4th Oporto, Leeds 6th July - The Green Room, Stockton-on-Tees 10th - The Sesh, Hull AUGUST 4th Humber Street Sesh, Hull.
Raw and natural 'Guillotine' exudes both power and emotion as the band provide a stripped back rocker. Each musical ingredient interacts beautifully, the vocals are potent and pleading for attention, as Dead Naked Hippies carve out and deliver a very definitive sound.
Background - The RocknRoll Hi-Fives fronted by sixteen-year-old Eilee Centeno, with her thirteen-year old brother on drums and their mom and dad on bass and guitar, respectively -- will release their debut LP, Re-Introducing the RocknRoll Hi-Fives, on June 29th via Little Dickman Records. They've been playing music together since both kids were old enough to form words, and have grown from writing rudimentary songs and filming their own music videos around the house to opening for acts like A Giant Dog, Quintron and Miss PussyCat, and most recently, Snail Mail. Influenced by prime-era guitar pop like The Runaways, T. Rex, and Cheap Trick, The RocknRoll Hi-Fives' songs are high-energy and punk-infused, with Eilee's playful shouts and clever lyrics taking center stage. They've just shared album track "C'est La Vie" -- a song written collaboratively by Eilee and her dad. BANDCAMP. The RocknRoll Hi-Fives on Tour: 6/24: New York, NY - Mercury Lounge (record release show) 7/5: Raleigh, NC - Schoolkids Records 7/6: Wilmington, NC - Gravity Records 7/7: Charlotte, NC - Oso Skatepark 7/8: Charlotte, NC - Lunchbox Records 7/11: Orlando, FL - Park Ave CDs 7/18: Austin, TX - Waterloo Records 7/19: Dallas, TX - Good Records 7/24: San Diego, CA - M-Theroy 7/29: Santa Cruz, CA - StreetLight 8/4: Boise, ID - Vista Bar 8/12: Indianapolis, IN - Luna Music 8/17: Jersey City, NJ - FM 8/18: Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Park Yacht Club
Youthful vigour was expected and the promise fulfilled on 'C'est La Vie' a feisty rock and roll song with plenty of punk vibes and a constant flow of hooks. A family that rocks together, stays together (and gives the politically correct brigade something of a dilemma, hopefully).
Background - London-based Americana five piece No Coward Soul celebrate the release of their debut album The Almanac, o n CD and limited edition vinyl with an album launch show at London's Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen on Saturday 14th July.
The album contains 13 tracks written by lead singer Brad Schmauss; inspired by both urban folk tales of the vibrant streets of South London and a childhood among the epic landscapes and beauty of the Alaskan woods.
Produced by Jamie Evans (Wildwood Kin) and mastered by Grammy Award winner Robin Schmidt, The Almanac is Americana at it’s best, full of classic country flavours and a heavy slice of soul, alongside the bands impressive trademark harmonies.
Originally from Alaska, singer Brad Schmauss is a London based artist who’s long time musical partnership with Martin Gray (Piano, guitars, vocals) culminated in the fantastic live band No Coward Soul. Gigging across the UK in recent years, the band has grown from a vocal harmony acoustic set up and now includes a sensational rhythm section featuring the Clement - Smith brothers and glock and mouth organ from Egg. The songs on The Almanac reflect the last 3 years of the band’s work together. TWITTER.
'Death N Texas' is one of those Americana songs that helps explain what the genre is. It's wide and encompassing, roots and rock with timeless vibes just flow, traditional and modern styles rub shoulders, and the performers heart and soul is always clear and apparent. I reckon that's also a seal of approval for No Coward Soul.
Background - “Same To Me” is the brand-new second single that Philadelphia’s indie rock band Oldermost ahead of the release of their new album How Could You Ever Be The Same? that AntiFragile Music is releasing on Friday, July 13th, following its rollicking lead single "The Danger of Belief”. The introspective song was one of the first written for their new album, and is one of its gorgeous, hazy stand-outs. It’s also frontman Bradford Bucknum’s thesis about love, and how embracing change is a liberating act that permits deeper possibilities of loving someone and loving one’s self. It also highlights the bands’ penchant for creating era-blending Americana-infused rock & roll with a more indie rock vibe in the vein of The War On Drugs (their Philly contemporaries!) or Wilco.
How Could You Ever Be The Same? includes two songs that Oldermost previously released but felt like had a home on the new album, including the undeniable track “Honey With Tea”, and the similarly lush “Finally Unsure”. How Could You Ever Be The Same? also spotlights the bands' evolution into more complex sonic territory, on the heels of the momentum built from the band’s previous releases. Self-produced by the band and mixed by Jeff Zeigler (Kurt Vile, The War on Drugs, Allison Crutchfield) and mastered by Ryan Schwabe (The Districts, Big Thief, Hop Along), the album is an all-star Philadelphia collaboration in the truest sense.
How Could You Ever Be The Same? also highlights the paradoxical blend of neuroticism and mysticism of lead-singer Bradford Bucknum, whose vocal delivery oscillates between semi-theatrical energetic bursts to gentle, sugary crooning. At times, despairing wit and questionable advice buoyantly tumble over a sea of lush strings; at other times, the songs dig their heels in the genre and the classic-rock enthusiasm of Mike Sobel’s guitar, the steady but experimental rhythms of Stephen Robbins’ focused and passionate drumming and Dan Wolgemuth’s unique and melodic bass playing. The music is both familiar, yet fresh - it hints at nostalgia without stumbling into kitsch. At some moments the music sounds urbane, almost high-brow and literary, and at others times, it's wild and unrefined. WEBSITE.
It was back in August 2016 that we first came across Oldermost and for whatever reason we lost track of them pretty much straightaway. It says something for the band that I knew we had featured them before, and so now we can pick things up again with 'Same To Me' their brand new single. It's a cool and calm rocker that drifts towards Americana and is enriched by some gorgeous vocals and melodic hooks.
Background - Tempesst announce the release of their second EP Doomsday - along with the release of new single ‘A Little Bit Of Trouble'. Detailing an ill-fated encounter with some less than courteous Londoners - the new single signals an exciting step up for the Australian, Sunshine Coast born 5-piece. Speaking a little more on the lyrical beginnings of the song, Toma Banjanin said: “The week we started writing the instrumentals for the track we had a bit of an incident at a pub in east London. Some guys were giving Andy (Toma’s brother, and Tempesst drummer) a hard time about his jacket or hat or something and everyone was pretty drunk. The song was written to capture the memory for eternity."
Following the band’s acclaimed, Adult Wonderland EP - both ‘A Little Bit Of Trouble’, and the band’s forthcoming second EP 'Doomsday' stand as impressive steps forward for the band. Sonically they continue to evolve, experimenting with more instruments, layers and sounds; maintaining their classic 60s / 70s influence but, still giving a very welcoming nod to modern psych, folk, and indie.
"I swear to god they are looking at me again / A little bit of trouble at the end of the line" Toma sings in A Little Bit Of Trouble's stomping verse, suggesting a sense of paranoia, or perhaps remorse for a familiar, reoccurring situation. Set to a backdrop of sun-kissed guitar licks and sumptuous string arrangements - 'A Little Bit Of Trouble' is arguably Tempesst strongest and most potent release to date. Closing the song declaring "I'm leaving all my bad behaviour behind" - Toma is on defiant mission to better himself - no matter who or what might stand in his way.
The forthcoming EP, 'Doomsday' touches on a sense of morality within the band, with Toma explaining "I have been caught in a ‘meaning of life’ spiral which I guess is pretty normal in your 20’s. It’s the first time that I’ve felt so aware of my mortality and it probably doesn’t help that the Facebook and Netflix algorithms keep feeding me documentaries on the topic". The band will be extensively touring the Doomsday EP over the summer months, with a headline UK tour, and US support tour set to be announced in the coming weeks. TWITTER.
Tempesst are another band we first discovered back in the summer of 2016, and the new single 'A Little Bit Of Trouble' is our fourth feature for the band. The bands well crafted alt rock might reflect on a less than happy incident in an East London pub, however the track still sounds warm and inviting to listen too, as the strings and guitars intermingle to great effect, behind refined vocals and harmonies.
Jaicee Rentz - Superzoomy Space Ships (feat. Kaleb Schnepf)
Background - Teen singer-songwriter Jaicee Rentz hails from the sunny shores of San Clemente, California where the breezy ocean vibes made an indelible impression on her. Themes of nature and space are often swirling around her lovely rustic-Inspired tunes, influenced by the anthemic dance pop of Carly Rae Jepsen and the earthy acoustics of The Lumineers.
Jaicee’s debut release, Colors, is a striking calling card for her warm, mature vocals and tactile musings - the kernels of which were all received as midnight downloads, captured as song sketches and later fleshed out into full productions at Roshambo Sound. In the studio, Jaicee multi-tracked keys, guitar and banjo while stamping each track with her punchy, nuanced vocals and oddball sound flourishes. A prodigious musical outpouring, reminiscent of early Beck in its tight grasp of sonic scope and psychedelic turnarounds.
“I want to give away my tiny wisdoms” she admits, deflecting focus from her overt grasp on emotive modern pop. Shrugging away comparisons to other top 40 acts in her age bracket, Jaicee innocently assumes the audience for her debut will probably be limited to ‘grandmas and grandpas.’ The truth is that her dialed-in indie sensibilities and unburdened storytelling play beautifully together and smack with the promise of future expansion.
And while Jaicee certainly harnesses the bloom of youth on such off-the-cuff numbers as “Superzoomy Space Ships”, she sounds equally as comfortable with the aching melancholy of the EP’s title-track. “Mainly, I write about living in the moment, since regret has always been a big teacher for me” she reflects, revealing an awareness beyond her years. “I regret a lot of things I didn’t do and there’s a lot of people whom I never had the chance to tell I love them.” INSTAGRAM.
What a breath of fresh musical air 'Superzoomy Space Ships' is! It's one of four songs on the 'Colors' EP where originality and well crafted material rub shoulders, as Jaicee Rentz allows her imagination to deliver some impressive material.
Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread - Funny In Real Life.
Background - Michael Nau will release his new, full band album ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’ through Full Time Hobby on 3rd August. ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’ is the follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed album ‘Some Twist’ and its extension ‘The Load’ EP.
Following the release of first track 'Less Than Positive' a few weeks back, the band have now unveiled a new single, ‘Funny in Real Life’. “There was a musical language that we created; something without a guiding pattern that you could really just jump into and see where things could go,” Michael Nau says of the process of recording ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’. He’s wildly poetic, especially when recounting his dedication to music, and the work that led to this particular collection of delicately passionate songs. “These things became the vehicle by which we traveled, giving us reason to spend most of our lives in a van of uncertainty.”
The sprawling new album was recorded in guitarist Benny Yurco’s one-bedroom apartment in downtown Burlington, Vermont. Nau and his collaborators had a cool little set up going in Yurco’s spot — drums and bass took over the bedroom, the guitar amp in the bathroom, Nau’s vocals and piano in the living room, and a vibraphone in the kitchen. It’s the first time one of Nau’s records happened all in one place, and “it feels most like a band record than ever before”. Nau and this particular group of musicians held it down together as a true team, which is why Nau named the record in their honour.
The songs on this layered record sound sunny and familiar, like sharing stories and worries with a close friend on a late summer day. In a gorgeous and natural way, he contemplates his own process, those feelings of uncertainty. “Making it too hard just comes easier,” Nau croons on ‘Funny In Real Life,’ an exquisite meditation on creation and self. “Truth is such a beautiful force/And every time we find the chorus/There’s no second-guessing the real/I don’t ever know how I feel.” FACEBOOK.
The musicianship is impressive and provides a gently paced and refined backdrop on 'Funny In Real Life' a song that registers somewhere on the Americana spectrum. Michael Nau's vocals are both distinct and personal adding character and charm, this should have wide appeal.
Background - Fans of krautrock/psychedelic rock should check out the latest single 'Atlantic Surfing' from Orions Belte. ‘Mint’ is the debut album by Norwegian inventors, Orions Belte. When looking at the influences for a band, there are few as eclectic and far-reaching than those of this Oslo-based collective. They describe themselves as equally inspired by Nigerian 70s rock, postcards from the French riviera, Formula One races at the Monza track in Italy, to when Joe Frazier beat Muhammad Ali in the ‘Fight of the Century’ in 1971. Expansive and unique.
Band members Chris Holm and Øyvind Blomstrøm make a living out of touring and creating for Norwegian names such as Sondre Lerche, Young Dreams, and Nathalie Nordnes, and so are almost always on the road and exploring different sounds wherever possible. When their paths crossed for the umpteenth time in 2016, their mutual dream of starting an instrumental project together finally found a spark. Holm’s companion from the Bergen scene, Kim Åge Furuhaug, was the match, and Orions Belte was born.
Handsomely hazed vocals and inventive melodies combine with rhythmic vocabulary that draws equally and naturally from psych rock, hard funk, and soul. It's the work of an assured craftsman with a preferred set of sonic parameters and shows off the band's skill in a lucid, loose fashion. The lo-fi sizzle and compression gives it the feel of an artefact, a lost treasure transmitted through decades of overdubbed tapes which matches the stunning and occasionally unsettling artwork for the cover by VICE-featured illustrator Steph Hope.
The band have successfully drawn on the psychedelic as well as the electronic and indie - you’d be forgiven for making comparisons to the likes Unknown Mortal Orchestra or Khruangbin here. Orions Belte sound like they’re in their own galaxy - a galaxy where they are soundtracking cosmic movies that haven’t been made yet, where landscapes are coloured in as they’re hurtled past and where music is the only language spoken by everyone. WEBSITE.
With a driving Krautrock orientated beat and moments of psychedelic bliss 'Atlantic Surfing' clearly has it's comparisons, however as for me they are only very good ones, I see no problem with that. As the band are credited with a variety of styles, if they are of this standard, then I can only wait with anticipation to hear the full album.
Background - Following shows with Julia Jacklin, Rainbow Chan, Totally Mild, Hatchie and high praise for their deeply affecting sound, akin to "being mown down in a field of violets", Perth chamber/dream pop duo Telete (Teh-leh-tee) announce the wide release of 'Spectator', their surprise debut EP on Friday 22 June. Their new single 'Like Honey', delivering "what it says on the tin" (Nat Tencic, triple j) is out now.
Drawing inspiration from acts such as Broadcast, Julia Holter and Beach House, Perth’s Telete (Mai Barnes & Hayley Ayres) weave strings, synth lines and canned percussion together to build warm-hued compositions that simmer underneath intimate vocals.
Telete's "dramatic and delicate" heartrending version of a lullaby (Declan Byrne), 'Like Honey' has already oozed its way onto playlists for triple j Home and Hosed, triple j Unearthed, Triple R's Out On The Patio, RTRFM's Out To Lunch and more. Plush with thick synths and strings, the track swirls brightly in waltz time around a comforting, centrifugal sadness.
"I wrote [Like Honey] after an awful breakup last year, and I remember bawling my eyes out as I scribbled down the words. But every time I sang them, they hurt less. There’s a strange comfort in saying an uncomfortable truth out loud: you take something you’ve internalised, a feeling that you carry in your stomach and chest and heart, and you push it all the way back out." - Mai Barnes. BANDCAMP.
'Like Honey' is a gorgeous mixture of chamber and dream pop that is sensitive and engaging, allowing beautiful atmospheric soundscapes to emerge. It's one of eight tracks on the new EP, and I have to say, there is not one track that fails to charm and dig some deep musical hooks in. Telete have something very special going on here, one that is well worth checking out.
Background - Central Virginia’s band of brothers, Sons of Bill, have announced the release of their new album 'Oh God Ma'am' on 29 June on Loose.
Following the release of singles 'Believer/Pretender' and 'Easier', they have now unveiled new track 'Firebird '85'. "I guess the song is technically “about” a construction worker having a strange redemptive daydream about getting off work. Or maybe he's dead? Still not sure", James tells Uncut Magazine, "I just like the idea of ordinary people, living out their ordinary lives, lost in some grand, cosmic drama inside their own head. It’s how all of our lives are. Just another feel-good song about the inner void."
'Oh God Ma’am', Sons of Bill's latest LP is the band’s most coherent artistic statement to date-- subtle, risky, and sonically ambitious. Recorded both in Seattle with west coast indie legend Phil Ek (Shins, Fleet Foxes) and in Nashville with Sean Sullivan (Sturgill Simpson) and mixed by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol) the album shows the Wilson brothers moving beyond the galvanic Americana-rock comfort zone of previous efforts, for a more elegant and restrained sound-- a darker, and more complexly layered rock record that manages to be the band’s most emotionally intimate and sonically expansive. Insistent, dancey rhythms and dreamy, hook-filled, pyrotechnics abound, creating a deceptively anthemic mood around songs that are in and of themselves intensely introverted.
'Oh God Ma’am' is a coming-of-age record for an over-stimulated age-- equal parts post-adolescent anxiety and old-soul humility-- literate, gorgeous, and darkly contemplative. WEBSITE.
Sons of Bill will tour the UK and Europe in August: Mon 13th - The Hope, Brighton (UK) Tues 14th - Omeara, London (UK) Weds 15th - Tunnels, Bristol (UK) Thurs 16th - Brudenell, Leeds (UK) Fri 17th - Broadcast, Glasgow (UK) Sat 18th - Soup Kitchen, Manchester (UK) Sun 19th - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (UK) Tues 21 Aug - Blue Shell, Cologne (DE) Weds 22 Aug - Milia Club, Munich (DE) Thurs 23 Aug - Musik & Frieden, Berlin (DE) Fri 24 Aug - Stage Club, Hamburg (DE) Sat 25 Aug - Once In a Blue Moon Festival, Amsterdam (NL).
Less than a month since Sons Of Bill first graced our pages we now have the follow up track 'Firebird '85'. The Americana qualities are again notable, albeit this time the band take a more country rock direction, doing so with refinement and plenty of heart.
Background - London soulful country rock outfit Treetop Flyers return with their eponymous third album, due out on 24 August via Loose. Weaving blissful 60s tinged West Coast Americana with a British rock’n’roll swagger, the album oozes with soulfulness, thanks to singer Reid Morrison’s rich, warm vocals, stunning close harmonies and the atmospheric warble of a Mellotron.
The band shared video for the taster track "Needle" (directed by long-time band collaborator Sam Ford) via Clash, who called it; "a bold, vivid return, one that finds Treetop Flyers pushing themselves further and further". The song is based round a looped section at the end of a record about not wanting a moment to end. As Reid explains; “I had just got out the shower and I was listening to an old Ted Hawkins record. I lost track of what I was doing and heard this noise, I couldn't work out what it was but it sounded like the best drum sound I'd ever heard… with the old school hiss and everything. I thought my flatmates were playing a tune or something. I then remembered I had put the record on and the record had reached the end but had this perfect loop.”
The band was originally formed by Reid Morrison, Laurie Sherman and Sam Beer, who met whilst playing in other projects as part of the West London folk scene. Although their name, Treetop Flyers, will always be linked to the Stephen Stills song, they settled on it as they all felt like outsiders but have stuck together ever since through line-up and life changes. They have most recently been joined by Rupert Shreeve on drums, who has added another dimension to their style and took the songs in uncharted directions that were previously out of reach. On the new record they are also joined by saxophonist Geoff Thomas Widdowson from Loose label mates Danny and The Champions Of The World.
Treetop Flyers follows the band’s two previous critically acclaimed albums, their debut The Mountain Moves from 2013, which was praised by The Guardian who wrote that it; “effortlessly captures the spirit of late-1960s west coast pop-rock: the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young,” as well as Q, who wrote that they; “share with Midlake custody of a brood of Buckingham/Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac licks, likewise the Mac’s mood of unrequited yearning.” Their second album Palomino, from 2016 was praised by Uncut, who called it; “a fittingly great-sounding record, with the band magically tight and melodically assured as they play songs bathed in an evocative ’70s West Coast glow, while drawing on influences including outlaw country, soul and Nigerian psych.” WEBSITE.
It's always pleasing to see country rock music spread it's wings beyond North America, and with 'Needle' the Treetop Flyers not only do that, they do so with grace, style and plenty of natural feeling. This is one very special song, the soulful vibes are everywhere, I am mightily impressed!
Background - NYC artist Odetta Hartman, who will release her new album 'Old Rockhounds Never Die' through Memphis Industries on 10th August, has unveiled a new song ‘Sweet Teeth’. “Featuring sounds from a construction site, this song depicts a bold young woman defiantly determined to rebuild herself,” explains Odetta. “It’s an anthem to independence, self-acceptance, irreverence, and generally just not giving a f*k about what anybody else thinks.”
'Old Rockhounds Never Die' is a bonanza of beautiful contradictions: intimate yet fiercely internationalist, spiritual and yet tangible, sweet and also sexy. It convenes with the ghosts of the past while marching relentlessly forwards.
Drawn from experiences as far-flung as riding a train from San Francisco to Chicago with an old-style, rootin'-tootin' cowboy for company ('Cowboy Song'), to experiencing the intense natural beauty of Icelandic waterfalls ('Dettifoss'), it’s a record that taps into the musical traditions of the past while being a collection of songs about living in the moment.
Raised by pioneering parents on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, NYC, Odetta’s milieu was a “colourful culture of artistry,” that included early exposure to community activism, renegade film screenings, poetry readings and trips to CBGB's. Inchoate punk and hip hop were aural wallpaper, as were the 45s spinning in the household jukebox featuring her dad’s extensive collection of soul and afrobeat records, as well as her Appalachian mother’s classic country selections. A classically trained violinist with a penchant for back-porch banjo, Odetta combines these variegated sounds of her childhood with her personal passion for folk music and the musicological legacy of Alan Lomax. Lomax is writ large on 'Old Rockhounds...' at least in spirit anyway. Odetta plays all the instruments on this and her debut '222'. TWITTER.
I'm always on the look out for music that is different, unique or refreshingly "out there" so when Odetta Hartman's 'Sweet Teeth' came along, the first thing I noticed was the Cowboy Soul description. That's both a clever and pretty honest description, add the fact that the track is both addictive and original, and a whole lot of positive boxes have been ticked!
Background - Transatlantic pop chameleon Piney Gir returns with a shimmering new single called “The Great Pretend”, which is a celebration of analogue gear with a sound that nods back to when music was on the cusp of change, just before synth pop and just after punk rock. Channeling Tony Visconti, Julee Cruise and Roxy Music, the song blends angular art rock with hooky riffs and strong melodies. Piney’s lyrics are a little twisted and dark but with an ability to mean two things at once, like a backhanded compliment from Dorothy Parker.
Over the past few months Piney Gir has been touring with Gaz Coombes around the UK, Dublin and Paris and is also one of Gaz’s backing singers. She heads out on the next leg of the tour in June, supporting Gaz’s solo shows. Her live set-up features Garo Nahoulakian, who also plays in Gaz Coombes’ band. Catch Piney on TV tonight as she sings with Gaz Coombes on Later With Jools Holland.
The song was inspired by an eventful night spent at cult author Neil Strauss’s home in Malibu, where he lives in Rick Reuben’s tree house. As Piney explains; “I arrived on a balmy LA night with a full moon and the warm sea breeze lilting over the palm tree silhouettes, it was a real ‘how the other half live’ moment, this place was like paradise, full moon, palm trees. I introduced myself to the bodyguard at the door and took my place at the large table I was led to. There was an ex-prostitute-cum-presenter vomiting loudly in the toilet, there was an artist whose thing was painting large oil paintings of stills from porn films, then there was me and next to me was Matt the founder of Light In The Attic Records.
I tried my first pickleback (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickleback) which is a dangerous kind of truth serum, and it got pretty weird; all the while I had this worry that I was some kind of an imposter, what am I doing in this treehouse in Malibu with this glitterati? I sometimes feel like I’ve got little girl lost syndrome, and Neil actually called me up on it and we had a very ‘sh*t got real’ kinda conversation, he had this ability to tap into my psyche in a way that I hadn’t encountered before. I was telling these people stuff I’d never told anyone and I left confused and elated by this weird night. This song is about that experience and how polarising it was in my strange brain. I knew I would never forget that night, although I didn’t know it would inspire a song, but here it is.” WEBSITE.
There is a gentle understated indie rock feel to 'The Great Pretend', the vocals are instantly pleasing, the musical arrangement clever and almost quirky at times, however it's those melodic hooks that really dig in deep.
Background - Sarah Sharp’s forthcoming EP Dream, produced by one of Rolling Stone's 10 Artists You Need To Know Phoebe Hunt (of Phoebe Hunt & the Gatherers), has just been released, and it captures a moment in time when her life began to upturn after the passing of a beloved artistic ally, Slim Richey.
Instead of resisting profound foundational shifts, she bravely surrendered to the enormous changes and experienced an awakening. Pairing with Hunt was the obvious choice, as "Phoebe is the queen of setting an intention and creating and holding the space to let the universe and the many wonderful musicians in her orbit do their work."
"Everything about working with Sarah Sharp on this collection of songs has felt in alignment with her personal journey. Vulnerably raw and honest, she is unabashedly proclaiming her inner truth for us all to experience along with her. Tucked away in a corner of Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, sleeping on my living room floor, she made the journey to play with the group of musicians I have met in NY and trusted me to help bring her songs to life." - Phoebe Hunt.
2018 has already been a game-changing year for Sarah.She is one of the winning recipients of Austin’s prestigious Black Fret grants which has given her access to financial assistance and an advisory board comprised of Austin’s leading music industry professionals.
As a solo artist, and a former member of the Jitterbug Vipers, Sarah has topped the Austin music award polls as Best Female Vocalist, Best Producer, Best Songwriter, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Band of the Year, and Best Jazz Band. While in The Jitterbug Vipers, Sharp was praised by outlets such as NPR, Culture Collide, Downbeat Magazine and The Austin Chronicle. FACEBOOK.
Bluesy and soulful vocals and a sophisticated musical backdrop give 'Right Through Me' a classy and funky feel. Sarah Sharp sings with feeling and sensitivity adding even more of a timeless structure to her work.
Background - "Health is quiet, loud, strange and pretty. The record is a public confession, a list of probable symptoms, or a thirty-minute long joke about my life as an alien woman. The story of Health is like: if one of your co-workers was a defined manic pixie dream girl to all of your customers, but you knew she was actually a weirdo bitch twenty-four hours a day.
The disconnect between appearance and reality, not just a comparison and contrast of the two ideas: we've delved into that theme in our videos as well as our album design. It can be endearing to be weird, but when you see yourself there, sometimes you feel like you're offending people just by breathing around them.
I keep myself at an arm's length from many things because I like to write about them in silence and isolation; by the nature of the work I love, I can't live in every moment with my loved ones without feeling deep anxiety or gathering ideas for future work. It is difficult for almost everyone I know. I'd say this record mostly looks at the fictional and real life of a person who is me, being that every song touches on my truth, my interpretations of the truth in others, or my assumptions of universal truth and the ways each are affected by my distance between my experiences and my memories, with each step I have taken to come to the current.
In Health, every song is blue and warm black. Dave, Salt, and Late Night Girls all have some red, white, and/or glitter to them. Health is Deux Trois' first venture into product design, filmmaking, heuristic art practice, and music. The oldest ideas in Health are from 2015, the newest ideas are yet to come. I hope the record stays with you as these songs have with us. Thank you for listening." TWITTER.
The two singles from the 'Health' EP are 'Late Night Girls' and 'Dave', two fine examples of the varied and intriguing nature of this collection of songs. Sometimes sounding quite stripped back with a simmering tension not far off, there are more melodic moments and the energy levels ebb and flow, overall this is a strong and imaginative EP, as Deux Trois carve out their own very engaging sound.
