Hajk are polished, melodic and with some R&B vibes rather catchy on their new song. It's been some time since we featured Marble Mammoth and the alt rockers return with a stunning couple of tracks. Henry Jamison's beautifully crafted songs continue to impress, whilst Porteau offer us an exquisite piece that exudes both feeling and quality. Living Hour's vocals are gorgeous and the musical backdrop is a perfect complement on this wonderfully lush song.
Hajk - Breathe.
Hajk have released a brand new single entitled 'Breathe', the third and final single from the upcoming album 'Drama' that is out on February 15th on Jansen Records. The track is a soaring, emotional R&B-tinged song with an instantly infectious melody guided by Sigrid Aase’s powerful vocals that enthrall throughout.
Behind the sheen though, the band's Preben Sælid Andersen has explained that 'Breathe' is actually, "about the ability to believe in yourself and the ones close to you. It’s about trying to hold on to something, but deep down you know it's already too late. Breathing is also something we have talked about a lot during the making of this album, and it now serves as a theme throughout the record, in the lyrics and with actual breathing sounds hidden all over. Being able to take a step back and take a deep breath can be the only right thing to do sometimes."
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Marble Mammoth - The Light.
Marble Mamoth have just released a new single The Light.
It’s a track in two parts with a fuzzed out bass, a didgeridoo and sampled seagulls from The Beatles.
It is the second single release after the debut EP, and the band are planning on releasing two more tracks this spring.
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Henry Jamison - American Babes.
Henry Jamison’s upcoming album ‘Gloria Duplex’ is out February 8th on Akira Records, and is shaping up to be not only a formidable follow-up to his stellar debut album ‘The Wilds’ (which has over 90 million streams on Spotify alone), but also an insightful deconstruction of what it means to “be a man” in 2018. And this week Henry has unfolded another chapter in his exploration of masculinity by releasing the fourth single from the upcoming set, “American Babes”.
If album cuts like the previously released “Boys” and “Gloria” acknowledge the ways young boys are enlisted into a “toxic fraternity” by society, “American Babes” is a mini tableau of that society as a whole. As Henry describes it, “The verses are about a group of students that I saw on the train from New York to Vermont years ago and about a homeless man who I talked to once in Baltimore. The juxtaposition isn't totally worked-out, but it's loosely about young people who still feel some trust in institutions and an old man who felt utterly failed by them. When the structures of our lives crash down, what can we lean on?”
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Porteau - River Song.
Do we really have a choice? Does instinct guide us home? These are the questions posed in “River Song,” the first single from Water’s Gate, our forthcoming debut album. At the time, the lyrics were simply poetry I wrote in a journal during summer evenings spent in a remote Alaskan village. We were independently writing ideas/songs that neither of us necessarily intended to combine together; we weren’t trying to write a record. This poetry was a catalyst, and “River Song” as a whole naturally revealed itself.
I found myself inspired to write “River Song” while watching salmon swim in the streams. Their journey back to spawn is magnificent – one that brings life, but ultimately ends in death. Using the earth’s magnetic field, like a compass, the salmon return to their final resting place. I was struggling to wrap my head around accepting the natural cycle of life. Seeing the salmon’s instinctual guidance drawing them back to their place of birth helped me discover where I needed to be “River Song” is not a story with a concrete ending. Ask yourself – do we really have a choice? Does instinct guide us home?
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Living Hour - Water.
Winnipeg’s Living Hour shares "Water," the second single from their upcoming album, Softer Faces. The band teamed up with filmmaker Ryan Steel for a short film to accompany the song.
Steel says: "'Water' is a video about winter in Winnipeg. The video was shot covertly on the streets and in the homes of friends and grandmothers. Liminal spaces such as buses, shopping malls, and arcades all percolate together. Periods of rest and the textures of winter were captured on the outdated medium of 16mm film."
Everything about Winnipeg’s Living Hour has been expanding since their humble basement beginnings in 2015. What started with dreamy love songs inspired by the cinematic sky of their hometown has transformed into even more sprawling and expansive expressions on their latest effort, Softer Faces due March 1, 2019.
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Monday, 21 January 2019
Sunday, 20 January 2019
Running Red Lights - And The Kids - Rina Mushonga - Money For Rope - Ivan & The Parazol - Popincourt
Still catching up on some bands and artists whose new tunes came our way a few days ago. Running Red Lights atmospheric and gentle song exudes emotion, And The Kids serve up a hook filled indie rocker with a message, whilst Rina Mushonga continues to consistently impress us with her distinctive and charismatic music. Melbourne's Money For Rope share some timeless psych rock with plenty of determined attitude, and Budapest's Ivan & The Parazol are rocking with style and class. Finally we have the first of four fine songs from Popincourt's new E.P, a refined and charming collection of material.
Running Red Lights - Calls of Prudence.
Nostalgia is an addictive comfort to snuggle up to when the present day seems intolerably bleak.
“Calls of Prudence” is a moodier, more sorrowful track in comparison to our previous, most recent releases. It was penned during a moment where I felt myself longing for the vibrancy of youth, the thrill of experiencing things for the first time.
One day, I was feeling particularly nostalgic and found myself reflecting on the days when I was young and could get blissfully drunk without having anyone or anything to answer to, without regard for the time that I was wasting. I curled up on my sofa with my notebook, my grief and my imagination, and I did what made sense – I began to write.
I hope you can find some solace in “Calls of Prudence.” - Scarlett of Running Red Lights.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And The Kids - No Way Sit Back.
And The Kids have shared a new song from their upcoming album When This Life Is Over out February 22 on Signature Sounds (Lake Street Dive, Josh Ritter, Dustbowl Revival). “No Way Sit Back” is a rollicking indie rock attack of the media and the toll it takes on minorities. While it's written from the queer perspective, the message isn't limited to one viewpoint. The joyful melody clashes against a stabbing line, "The world was never made for, Made for us." When This Life Is Over is the beloved Northampton group's third full-length and the most dynamic declaration of their distinctly rambunctious sound to date.
Since their earliest days as a band, And The Kids have embodied the wayward freedom that inspired their name. “When Rebecca and I were teenagers we just lived on the streets and played music, and people in town would always call us kids—not as in children, but as in punks,” says Mohan. On their third full-length When This Life Is Over, the Northampton, Massachusetts-based band embrace that untamable spirit more fully than ever before, dreaming up their most sublimely defiant album yet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rina Mushonga - For A Fool.
Rina Mushonga released a new single For A Fool on January 16th through [PIAS] Recordings. The Dutch-Zimbabwean pop innovator unveils the latest track from her imminent second album In A Galaxy on February 15th. Listen to For A Fool here
Having played a handful of low-key London shows towards the end of 2018, Mushonga makes her first UK live foray of 2019 when she plays London’s Shacklewell Arms on March 19th. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 16th January and are available to purchase here.
The track unraveling into shape at the end of the album sessions having existed in various guises over the years. Explaining the origins of the track, she says; “this is an old love song or rather heart-ache song. Old, in the sense that it was plucked into existence over a period of time- in parts fictional in others less so.” Mushonga adds further; “in a way it chronicles a betrayed lover tormented by the desire to trust again whilst acknowledging that everything has been tainted and can’t go back to how they were.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money For Rope - Actually.
Melbourne psych-rockers Money For Rope will release new album ‘Picture Us’ on March 8, 2019, following international tours which have previously taken in shows across Primavera Sound, Glastonbury & SXSW, alongside support slots for Courtney Barnett (also an early champion of the band). Details of a 2019 UK headline tour from Money For Rope in support of the new album are soon to be announced. The band are trailing the album announcement with lead single, ‘Actually’.
Spawned from the same fertile Melbourne music scene which has fostered not only Barnett but also other friends including King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, The Goon Sax and Rolling Coastal Blackouts Fever, Money For Rope are releasing ‘Picture Us’ off the back of a dogged touring habit which has kept them on the road near constantly for the last four years. Entirely self-produced, mixed & mastered by the five piece - comprised of Jules McKenzie (guitars, vocals), Rick Parnaby (keyboards), Erik Scerba (drums), Chris Loftis (drums), Ted Dempsey (bass) - ‘Picture Us’ was recorded over the course of a single summer in Victoria, Australia on the coastline of the Southern Ocean.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ivan & The Parazol - Changin.
Following the release of the laid-back, West-Coast-influenced ‘Nr. 1003’, ‘Changin’’ showcases another dimension of Ivan & The Parazol’s creative prowess. Energetic from the start, the second single in the lead up to the band’s third full-length uses the saturated sing of distorted guitars and grooving basslines as an invigorating platform for frontman Iván Vitáris to deliver vocals bursting with character and colour. Rhythm-led verses let loose into a youthful, melodic chorus which is deserving of a place as the soaring opening of a coming-of-age indie film.
Ivan & The Parazol, a four-piece Budapestian band carrying the spirit of 70s glam-rock and incorporation of modern psych-rock instrumentation, making for an amalgam reminiscent of a Brian May-Kevin Parker compound, with their flamboyant guitar solos and overdriven octave-pedals on guitars. The upcoming album ‘Exotic Post-Traumatic’ was produced and recorded by Grammy Award-winning Wil Anspach (Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean) at the renowned EastWest studios in LA; hallowed grounds where Sinatra, Michael Jackson and Foo Fighters are just a few of the notable names to have recorded their material there.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Popincourt - Blue Winter.
Following an album "A New Dimension To Modern Love" (2016) and a couple of singles (including one for a Jam Tribute), Popincourt is back with a new 4-track EP - featuring Susanne Shields on backing vocals and Olivier Bostvironnois on electronic arrangements. The EP contains four ballads, one for each season, exploring new sounds in the studio and mixing acoustic guitars, vintage keyboards and loungy electro vibes.
The ideal soundtrack for a picnic alongside of the Thames, the pure pop of Popincourt, an Illegitimate child of Paul Weller and Roddy Frame, makes it seem like you are traveling. His new EP looks like a postcard written during a blue winter. In the spring, we wander in the alleys of Hyde Park, serenaded by the clean guitars of "Green Spring". Then begins the red summer, conducive to romances that are come and go on a Brazilian beach. The final scene is a landscape of William Turner lit up by the fantasy colors of autumn. Crossing the Channel to the sound of this '4 colours 4 seasons', is the guarantee of a "voyage that will last a whole year", to paraphrase another lover of the London sound.» Pierre Mikaïloff.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Running Red Lights - Calls of Prudence.
Nostalgia is an addictive comfort to snuggle up to when the present day seems intolerably bleak.
“Calls of Prudence” is a moodier, more sorrowful track in comparison to our previous, most recent releases. It was penned during a moment where I felt myself longing for the vibrancy of youth, the thrill of experiencing things for the first time.
One day, I was feeling particularly nostalgic and found myself reflecting on the days when I was young and could get blissfully drunk without having anyone or anything to answer to, without regard for the time that I was wasting. I curled up on my sofa with my notebook, my grief and my imagination, and I did what made sense – I began to write.
I hope you can find some solace in “Calls of Prudence.” - Scarlett of Running Red Lights.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And The Kids - No Way Sit Back.
And The Kids have shared a new song from their upcoming album When This Life Is Over out February 22 on Signature Sounds (Lake Street Dive, Josh Ritter, Dustbowl Revival). “No Way Sit Back” is a rollicking indie rock attack of the media and the toll it takes on minorities. While it's written from the queer perspective, the message isn't limited to one viewpoint. The joyful melody clashes against a stabbing line, "The world was never made for, Made for us." When This Life Is Over is the beloved Northampton group's third full-length and the most dynamic declaration of their distinctly rambunctious sound to date.
Since their earliest days as a band, And The Kids have embodied the wayward freedom that inspired their name. “When Rebecca and I were teenagers we just lived on the streets and played music, and people in town would always call us kids—not as in children, but as in punks,” says Mohan. On their third full-length When This Life Is Over, the Northampton, Massachusetts-based band embrace that untamable spirit more fully than ever before, dreaming up their most sublimely defiant album yet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rina Mushonga - For A Fool.
Rina Mushonga released a new single For A Fool on January 16th through [PIAS] Recordings. The Dutch-Zimbabwean pop innovator unveils the latest track from her imminent second album In A Galaxy on February 15th. Listen to For A Fool here
Having played a handful of low-key London shows towards the end of 2018, Mushonga makes her first UK live foray of 2019 when she plays London’s Shacklewell Arms on March 19th. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 16th January and are available to purchase here.
The track unraveling into shape at the end of the album sessions having existed in various guises over the years. Explaining the origins of the track, she says; “this is an old love song or rather heart-ache song. Old, in the sense that it was plucked into existence over a period of time- in parts fictional in others less so.” Mushonga adds further; “in a way it chronicles a betrayed lover tormented by the desire to trust again whilst acknowledging that everything has been tainted and can’t go back to how they were.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money For Rope - Actually.
Melbourne psych-rockers Money For Rope will release new album ‘Picture Us’ on March 8, 2019, following international tours which have previously taken in shows across Primavera Sound, Glastonbury & SXSW, alongside support slots for Courtney Barnett (also an early champion of the band). Details of a 2019 UK headline tour from Money For Rope in support of the new album are soon to be announced. The band are trailing the album announcement with lead single, ‘Actually’.
Spawned from the same fertile Melbourne music scene which has fostered not only Barnett but also other friends including King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, The Goon Sax and Rolling Coastal Blackouts Fever, Money For Rope are releasing ‘Picture Us’ off the back of a dogged touring habit which has kept them on the road near constantly for the last four years. Entirely self-produced, mixed & mastered by the five piece - comprised of Jules McKenzie (guitars, vocals), Rick Parnaby (keyboards), Erik Scerba (drums), Chris Loftis (drums), Ted Dempsey (bass) - ‘Picture Us’ was recorded over the course of a single summer in Victoria, Australia on the coastline of the Southern Ocean.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ivan & The Parazol - Changin.
Following the release of the laid-back, West-Coast-influenced ‘Nr. 1003’, ‘Changin’’ showcases another dimension of Ivan & The Parazol’s creative prowess. Energetic from the start, the second single in the lead up to the band’s third full-length uses the saturated sing of distorted guitars and grooving basslines as an invigorating platform for frontman Iván Vitáris to deliver vocals bursting with character and colour. Rhythm-led verses let loose into a youthful, melodic chorus which is deserving of a place as the soaring opening of a coming-of-age indie film.
Ivan & The Parazol, a four-piece Budapestian band carrying the spirit of 70s glam-rock and incorporation of modern psych-rock instrumentation, making for an amalgam reminiscent of a Brian May-Kevin Parker compound, with their flamboyant guitar solos and overdriven octave-pedals on guitars. The upcoming album ‘Exotic Post-Traumatic’ was produced and recorded by Grammy Award-winning Wil Anspach (Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean) at the renowned EastWest studios in LA; hallowed grounds where Sinatra, Michael Jackson and Foo Fighters are just a few of the notable names to have recorded their material there.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Popincourt - Blue Winter.
Following an album "A New Dimension To Modern Love" (2016) and a couple of singles (including one for a Jam Tribute), Popincourt is back with a new 4-track EP - featuring Susanne Shields on backing vocals and Olivier Bostvironnois on electronic arrangements. The EP contains four ballads, one for each season, exploring new sounds in the studio and mixing acoustic guitars, vintage keyboards and loungy electro vibes.
The ideal soundtrack for a picnic alongside of the Thames, the pure pop of Popincourt, an Illegitimate child of Paul Weller and Roddy Frame, makes it seem like you are traveling. His new EP looks like a postcard written during a blue winter. In the spring, we wander in the alleys of Hyde Park, serenaded by the clean guitars of "Green Spring". Then begins the red summer, conducive to romances that are come and go on a Brazilian beach. The final scene is a landscape of William Turner lit up by the fantasy colors of autumn. Crossing the Channel to the sound of this '4 colours 4 seasons', is the guarantee of a "voyage that will last a whole year", to paraphrase another lover of the London sound.» Pierre Mikaïloff.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, 19 January 2019
Misty Coast - Jenny Teator - Distant Stars - LAGS - Geppetto & The Whales - Acrylic
We commence with some fabulously sweeping shoegaze from Misty Coast, plus a no nonsense rocker and brand new single from Jenny Teator. Distant Stars are synthy, mysterious and seductive, whilst LAGS offer up some potent and almost furious post rock. Geppetto and The Whales add refinement to the collection with a beautifully crafted song, and to round off today's selection Scottish band Acrylic share a catchy and fresh alt rocker.
Misty Coast - Backseat Warriors.
Misty Coast is the dream-pop, shoegaze amalgam from Linn Frøkedal and Richard Myklebust (previously part of the Norwegian noise rock act The Megaphonic Thrift). September 2017 saw them release their critically acclaimed debut full-length, attaining a Norwegian Grammy nomination. The Bergen-based duo now gears up for their sophomore album Melodaze, which the band themselves has simply described as their “Berlin rebel album”.
The entirety of the second full-length was written under the brutalism of the German capital’s architecture, during their two-month stay in the locality of Schöneberg through winter 2018. Stationed in an icy-cold outpost, observing local smoky beer joints and the groaning of car exhausts through the sub-zero night, Misty Coast have created something reminiscent of the bleak optimism of Cocteau Twins, where heavily distorted guitar hooks and pulsating bass lines meld with Frøkedal’s effervescent vocals.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jenny Teator - Surrender.
Surrender is about lust and curiosity. It talks about the primal want you get when someone comes into your life and they leave you wanting MORE. It’s more than just “I’m attracted to you”. It was this powerful gut feeling that took over my body, creating thoughts of what it could be like with this person. I think we are quick to disregard those moments and immediately feel “dirty” or “wrong” for thinking those thoughts. I’m saying, embrace it. We are only human. The possibilities are endless y’all. - Jenny Teator.
Jenny Teator is a St. Louis native who’s made her move to Nashville sharing her soul through her guitar and vocals. Performing for over a decade, Teator’s music shows her strength and confidence both in solo shows, collaborations, or when she performed with her long-term group Jenny Teator and the Fevers – a sexy blues/rock band that rocked Columbia, Missouri for years. Inspired by singers Grace Potter and Susan Tedeschi, Teator has a very straight forward lyrical style and the music follows the feelings of those words verbatim.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distant Stars - Robots (Do It Better).
The Melbourne/Caen 2 piece (named after Ultravox lyrics), deliver 5 tracks of warped pop that spill their minimal/dark/cold waves over the edge of the infinity pool.
The title track is the final release on Detonic Recordings "Minimum Viable Product" singles series, it is featured as track 3 on the vinyl compilation LP.
"cerveau facultatif
mémoire en périphérique
disques durs externes
perd pas ta plaque à induction magique
robots do it better
my computer does it better
no need for you anymore
outdated format"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAGS - Knives and wounds.
Italian post-hardcore band LAGS have announced their return with their new single 'Knives and Wounds'.
Speaking about the 'Knives and Wounds', frontman Antonio Canestri says, "‘Knives and wounds’ is the opening track of our new album and is the first song we wrote for the new album. It’s a song written in collaboration with our former singer (Luca de Santis aka SUVARI) and addresses two very important themes in the record: a disease and the search for a cure; the difficulty of being sabotaged by our own body, the failure in breaking down the "walls" in our mind, that most of the time we build as a form of self-defense from others and also from ourselves. The video is based on the concepts expressed in the lyrics and it was written by the director Stefano Pedretti: “I am my own fears, that’s what I’ve become.”"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geppetto & The Whales - Faust.
Here’s a new video that sets the bar high in terms of being incredibly beautiful. It’s from Geppetto & The Whales’ long awaited new album ‘Passages’ out yesterday on PIAS:
The track is called ‘Faust’ and is set in a lo fi production oozing with honey-like pedal steel, subtle jangly guitar and restrained strings, conjuring up picture-esque campfire and log cabin reflection.
The accompanying video is an exploration of the innocence and freedom of youth with stunning visuals of a young inquisitive man investigating a forest, playing with fire, cigarettes and insects as the track softly soothes the imagination, a perfect ode to the misunderstood. Some great guest musicians feature on the album including Ben Lester (Tallest man on Earth), Rob Moose (The National, Arcade Fire) & Trever Hagen (Bon Iver).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acrylic - I've Got Too Many Friends.
Glasgow's Acrylic prepare to kick start 2019 with the release of their infectious new single I've Got Too Many Friends, out now and premiered via Clash with early features on Tenement TV, Netsounds, and BBC Rapal amongst others.
The single is a soaring slice of indie rock from the offset, filled with jangling hooks, sweeping guitars and effortless harmonies throughout. Frontman Andreas Christodoulidis' rich baritone vocal feel instantly reminiscent of the likes of The National's Matt Berninger, giving the track an undeniably defiant and endearing sound. Talking about the single, Andreas elaborates "I've Got Too Many Friends is about feeling as though you've found yourself in an ideal situation, with all the pieces falling together, and knowing that you've still going to mess it up. It's about a rift developing in a relationship and explores the naive idea that sex will resolve your issues, even though it will, in fact, be a colourless and sad affair and will most likely send you straight to the abyss."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Misty Coast - Backseat Warriors.Misty Coast is the dream-pop, shoegaze amalgam from Linn Frøkedal and Richard Myklebust (previously part of the Norwegian noise rock act The Megaphonic Thrift). September 2017 saw them release their critically acclaimed debut full-length, attaining a Norwegian Grammy nomination. The Bergen-based duo now gears up for their sophomore album Melodaze, which the band themselves has simply described as their “Berlin rebel album”.
The entirety of the second full-length was written under the brutalism of the German capital’s architecture, during their two-month stay in the locality of Schöneberg through winter 2018. Stationed in an icy-cold outpost, observing local smoky beer joints and the groaning of car exhausts through the sub-zero night, Misty Coast have created something reminiscent of the bleak optimism of Cocteau Twins, where heavily distorted guitar hooks and pulsating bass lines meld with Frøkedal’s effervescent vocals.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jenny Teator - Surrender.
Surrender is about lust and curiosity. It talks about the primal want you get when someone comes into your life and they leave you wanting MORE. It’s more than just “I’m attracted to you”. It was this powerful gut feeling that took over my body, creating thoughts of what it could be like with this person. I think we are quick to disregard those moments and immediately feel “dirty” or “wrong” for thinking those thoughts. I’m saying, embrace it. We are only human. The possibilities are endless y’all. - Jenny Teator.
Jenny Teator is a St. Louis native who’s made her move to Nashville sharing her soul through her guitar and vocals. Performing for over a decade, Teator’s music shows her strength and confidence both in solo shows, collaborations, or when she performed with her long-term group Jenny Teator and the Fevers – a sexy blues/rock band that rocked Columbia, Missouri for years. Inspired by singers Grace Potter and Susan Tedeschi, Teator has a very straight forward lyrical style and the music follows the feelings of those words verbatim.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distant Stars - Robots (Do It Better).
The Melbourne/Caen 2 piece (named after Ultravox lyrics), deliver 5 tracks of warped pop that spill their minimal/dark/cold waves over the edge of the infinity pool.
The title track is the final release on Detonic Recordings "Minimum Viable Product" singles series, it is featured as track 3 on the vinyl compilation LP.
"cerveau facultatif
mémoire en périphérique
disques durs externes
perd pas ta plaque à induction magique
robots do it better
my computer does it better
no need for you anymore
outdated format"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAGS - Knives and wounds.
Italian post-hardcore band LAGS have announced their return with their new single 'Knives and Wounds'.
Speaking about the 'Knives and Wounds', frontman Antonio Canestri says, "‘Knives and wounds’ is the opening track of our new album and is the first song we wrote for the new album. It’s a song written in collaboration with our former singer (Luca de Santis aka SUVARI) and addresses two very important themes in the record: a disease and the search for a cure; the difficulty of being sabotaged by our own body, the failure in breaking down the "walls" in our mind, that most of the time we build as a form of self-defense from others and also from ourselves. The video is based on the concepts expressed in the lyrics and it was written by the director Stefano Pedretti: “I am my own fears, that’s what I’ve become.”"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geppetto & The Whales - Faust.
Here’s a new video that sets the bar high in terms of being incredibly beautiful. It’s from Geppetto & The Whales’ long awaited new album ‘Passages’ out yesterday on PIAS:
The track is called ‘Faust’ and is set in a lo fi production oozing with honey-like pedal steel, subtle jangly guitar and restrained strings, conjuring up picture-esque campfire and log cabin reflection.
The accompanying video is an exploration of the innocence and freedom of youth with stunning visuals of a young inquisitive man investigating a forest, playing with fire, cigarettes and insects as the track softly soothes the imagination, a perfect ode to the misunderstood. Some great guest musicians feature on the album including Ben Lester (Tallest man on Earth), Rob Moose (The National, Arcade Fire) & Trever Hagen (Bon Iver).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acrylic - I've Got Too Many Friends.
Glasgow's Acrylic prepare to kick start 2019 with the release of their infectious new single I've Got Too Many Friends, out now and premiered via Clash with early features on Tenement TV, Netsounds, and BBC Rapal amongst others.
The single is a soaring slice of indie rock from the offset, filled with jangling hooks, sweeping guitars and effortless harmonies throughout. Frontman Andreas Christodoulidis' rich baritone vocal feel instantly reminiscent of the likes of The National's Matt Berninger, giving the track an undeniably defiant and endearing sound. Talking about the single, Andreas elaborates "I've Got Too Many Friends is about feeling as though you've found yourself in an ideal situation, with all the pieces falling together, and knowing that you've still going to mess it up. It's about a rift developing in a relationship and explores the naive idea that sex will resolve your issues, even though it will, in fact, be a colourless and sad affair and will most likely send you straight to the abyss."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, 17 January 2019
William the Conqueror - Natalie Shay - Eerie Wanda - Business of Dreams - I Was a King - Hawksley Workman
Our catching up for January 2019 continues with Beehive Candy Lite part two.
William the Conqueror - Looking For The Cure.
Looking for the Cure is a song about redemption. It's raw, laid-bare song-writing but with an acerbic wit and an overall cathartic effect that turns a dark experience into something more hopeful, even joyous. As frontman Ruarri Joseph expands:
“'Looking for the Cure' started out as a mournful ballad about witnessing the process of recovery from addiction: the tragedy of searching for something that doesn’t exist. Then it dawned on me that if you're looking, at least it means you're alive to do so, and that’s a cure in itself.”
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Natalie Shay - Yesterday.
Natalie Shay is a 20 year old multi award-winning, indie pop/rock artist from North London. Deemed as one of London’s hottest emerging talents and having already acquired an impressive array of awards, Shay is ready to launch herself into the forefront of the industry, with her highly anticipated upcoming release.
As a classically trained guitarist from the age of five, Shay's outstanding talents soon found herself accepted into the prestigious BRIT school, known for producing such prodigies as Adele, Jessie J and Katy B. Shay credits her time at the famed BRIT school for encouraging her independence, “It allows student’s to develop creatively and socially so that they are prepared for the world once they graduate”, explains Shay.
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Eerie Wanda - Pet Town.
Eerie Wanda shares the title track from its upcoming sophomore LP, Pet Town. The video was filmed partially at the Nine Lives Cat Cafe in Indianapolis, IN over the holidays. Pet Town is out Jan. 25 on Joyful Noise.
Eerie Wanda is the brainchild of audio and visual artist Marina Tadic. Born to Croatian parents in the former Yugoslavia, Marina became a political refugee when she was just 6 years old. Forced to leave their home due to the Bosnian war, Marina’s parents sought asylum in the Netherlands- which is where Marina grew into an adult, became an accomplished artist, and where she still resides.
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Business of Dreams - Keep The Blues Away.
Corey Cunningham's Business of Dreams is all about emotional catharsis. When his father passed away a few years ago, Cunningham took leave from his long-running Bay Area/LA musical partnerships Magic Bullets and Terry Malts to return to his home state of Tennessee to grieve and confront his past.
Making music to cope with this loss resulted in Business of Dreams' lovely eponymous debut album, an unexpected pop pleasure that wound up on Bandcamp's and Raven Sings The Blues' year-end lists for 2017. Soon the live version of Business Of Dreams took shape as Cunningham opened for Rogue Wave on a national tour and played scores of local shows with Frankie Rose, Real Estate and many others.
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I Was a King - Bubble.
Originating from the windswept, moody southwestern coast of Norway, I Was A King are living proof that the sweetest pop songs can be cultivated and thrive in the oddest places.
I Was A King are announcing the release of new album Slow Century, out March 8th via Coastal Town Recordings. With the album announcement the band also released a new single 'Bubble'.
Led by singers and guitarists Frode Strømstad and Anne Lise Frøkedal, whose united vocals melt into one extraterrestrial voice, their new album Slow Century is the result of a close collaboration with Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) - who produced the new album.
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Hawksley Workman – Lazy.
I’ve always had this constant hunger to innovate, reevaluate what I do, and keep remaking it to confuse myself and maybe confuse my audience. This time, I’m just committing to writing focused and honest songs, which feels like the most interesting thing I can do right now.
“Lazy” is the latest single off of Median Age Wasteland, my upcoming new record. It’s an exploration of love and memories. Childlike images of winter and school portables give way to a lover's proclamation of staying awake and staying the course. The profound decision of love meets the feeling of love.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William the Conqueror - Looking For The Cure.
Looking for the Cure is a song about redemption. It's raw, laid-bare song-writing but with an acerbic wit and an overall cathartic effect that turns a dark experience into something more hopeful, even joyous. As frontman Ruarri Joseph expands:
“'Looking for the Cure' started out as a mournful ballad about witnessing the process of recovery from addiction: the tragedy of searching for something that doesn’t exist. Then it dawned on me that if you're looking, at least it means you're alive to do so, and that’s a cure in itself.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Natalie Shay - Yesterday.
Natalie Shay is a 20 year old multi award-winning, indie pop/rock artist from North London. Deemed as one of London’s hottest emerging talents and having already acquired an impressive array of awards, Shay is ready to launch herself into the forefront of the industry, with her highly anticipated upcoming release.
As a classically trained guitarist from the age of five, Shay's outstanding talents soon found herself accepted into the prestigious BRIT school, known for producing such prodigies as Adele, Jessie J and Katy B. Shay credits her time at the famed BRIT school for encouraging her independence, “It allows student’s to develop creatively and socially so that they are prepared for the world once they graduate”, explains Shay.
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Eerie Wanda - Pet Town.
Eerie Wanda shares the title track from its upcoming sophomore LP, Pet Town. The video was filmed partially at the Nine Lives Cat Cafe in Indianapolis, IN over the holidays. Pet Town is out Jan. 25 on Joyful Noise.
Eerie Wanda is the brainchild of audio and visual artist Marina Tadic. Born to Croatian parents in the former Yugoslavia, Marina became a political refugee when she was just 6 years old. Forced to leave their home due to the Bosnian war, Marina’s parents sought asylum in the Netherlands- which is where Marina grew into an adult, became an accomplished artist, and where she still resides.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Business of Dreams - Keep The Blues Away.
Corey Cunningham's Business of Dreams is all about emotional catharsis. When his father passed away a few years ago, Cunningham took leave from his long-running Bay Area/LA musical partnerships Magic Bullets and Terry Malts to return to his home state of Tennessee to grieve and confront his past.
Making music to cope with this loss resulted in Business of Dreams' lovely eponymous debut album, an unexpected pop pleasure that wound up on Bandcamp's and Raven Sings The Blues' year-end lists for 2017. Soon the live version of Business Of Dreams took shape as Cunningham opened for Rogue Wave on a national tour and played scores of local shows with Frankie Rose, Real Estate and many others.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I Was a King - Bubble.
Originating from the windswept, moody southwestern coast of Norway, I Was A King are living proof that the sweetest pop songs can be cultivated and thrive in the oddest places.
I Was A King are announcing the release of new album Slow Century, out March 8th via Coastal Town Recordings. With the album announcement the band also released a new single 'Bubble'.
Led by singers and guitarists Frode Strømstad and Anne Lise Frøkedal, whose united vocals melt into one extraterrestrial voice, their new album Slow Century is the result of a close collaboration with Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) - who produced the new album.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hawksley Workman – Lazy.
I’ve always had this constant hunger to innovate, reevaluate what I do, and keep remaking it to confuse myself and maybe confuse my audience. This time, I’m just committing to writing focused and honest songs, which feels like the most interesting thing I can do right now.
“Lazy” is the latest single off of Median Age Wasteland, my upcoming new record. It’s an exploration of love and memories. Childlike images of winter and school portables give way to a lover's proclamation of staying awake and staying the course. The profound decision of love meets the feeling of love.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, 16 January 2019
Beehive Candy Lite presents: Someone - The Wave Pictures - Light Wheel - Nick Waterhouse - Late TV - Sister Sparrow
A new year, a delayed return, and a different approach, something along the lines of "Beehive Candy Lite". There are numerous reasons for altering our approach, circumstances change, we are now a very lean setup, and with so much to instantly stream and new music playlists tailored to personal listening habits, just how relevant we can remain, well time will tell. One advantage we have is our ever growing international range of new music sources.
It's a given that Beehive Candy only shares music they genuinely like and sometimes can't help but love.
So the new approach will see us morph into a more playlist orientated style. Less words, if the artist or band are featured then please consider that our full endorsement, our recommendation to check their music out.
Our hope is that we can expand your musical world by curating a wide variety of great new music and artists from around the world. So by way of a catch up here's whats pleased our ears, so far this year - part one.
...............................................................................................................................................................
Someone - Pull It Together.
Multi-disciplinary Amsterdam artist Someone, AKA Tessa Rose Jackson, releases her new single Pull It Together via [PIAS] Recordings. A stunning slice of infectious psych-pop, equally indebted to Tame Impala or early 90s French electronica pioneers Air, it is the first single taken from her upcoming new EP Orbit, the follow up to last year’s Chain Reaction EP.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Wave Pictures - Shelly.
The Wave Pictures are delighted to share the video for their new single “Shelly”, which is taken from their recent album Look Inside Your Heart (out now via Moshi Moshi). Singer and guitarist Dave Tattersall describes the track as, “A love song in the laid back style of late 70s Grateful Dead only with even better lyrics.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Light Wheel - Answers.
Light Wheel is a musical act from Austin, Texas formed by vocalist/songwriter Tyagaraja and producer Evan Dunivan. Their music is marked by colorful soundscapes and eclectic rhythms, anchored by powerful, dynamic vocals. It is aesthetic pop music with touches of R&B grooves and Electronic flair. Their upcoming debut full length record, "See Through" will be released in January of 2019. Light Wheel started playing live in December of 2017, debuting at the Day for Night Festival, featuring Bjork, Aphex Twin, Run the Jewels, and more. Live, Light Wheel is a four piece act, accompanied by drummer Ethan Yeager and bassist Michael Sanders.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nick Waterhouse - Song For Winners.
Los Angeles-based musician Nick Waterhouse has announced his new self-titled album set for March 8th release via Innovative Leisure. Following 2016’s 'Never Twice' which was hailed by Vogue as “the second coming of soul” and earned Nick a performance on 'Later' with Jools Holland, the new album was recorded at LA’s legendary Electro-Vox Recorders, and co-produced with Paul Butler (Michael Kiwanuka, St. Paul and the Broken Bones), with backing from a heavy bevy of friends and session players including Bart Davenport, percussionist Andres Renteria (Flying Lotus, Father John Misty), flutist Ricky Washington (Kamasi’s dad), and saxophonists Paula Henderson (Gogol Bordello) and Mando Dorame (JD McPherson).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Late TV - Great Gulfs.
Amidst the cultural detritus of television’s after hours rises a freaky new street beat played by London’s Late TV. Culling influences from jazz cats and art rockers, B-movies and trash television, via Lynch and Tarantino, Late TV are the moonlighting house band for a surreal all-night dream club where the intangible dance floor shifts and folds to become the set piece of a talk show beamed onto the farthest reaches of your channel selector. Helmed by Luke J Novak, who hails from the slabbed post-industrial backwater of Kidderminster, Late TV originates from a folk noir group formed by Luke and Richard ‘The Showman’ Bowman, a drummer whose restless search for groove quickly outgrew their genre. Joined by Chicago’s jazz fusion obsessed Ryan Szanyi on bass, Parisian keyboard maestro Martin Coxall, tenor sax player Evesham Nicholas, and Liverpool's Matthew Halsall on trumpet, their new outfit Late TV harks back to a time when music was all fearless fusion and intractable improvisation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sister Sparrow - Gold.
Sister Sparrow (nee Arleigh Kincheloe) has released “Gold,” the video for the title track of her recent album and announced the first leg of her 2019 tour. “Gold” is currently being spun on numerous influential radio stations nationwide, including Sirius XM The Spectrum’s Shortlist and Jam On, WFUV (NYC), WXPN (Philadelphia), and WRLT (Nashville), and was recently named Song of The Day on The Current (Minneapolis).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's a given that Beehive Candy only shares music they genuinely like and sometimes can't help but love.
So the new approach will see us morph into a more playlist orientated style. Less words, if the artist or band are featured then please consider that our full endorsement, our recommendation to check their music out.
Our hope is that we can expand your musical world by curating a wide variety of great new music and artists from around the world. So by way of a catch up here's whats pleased our ears, so far this year - part one.
...............................................................................................................................................................
Someone - Pull It Together.
Multi-disciplinary Amsterdam artist Someone, AKA Tessa Rose Jackson, releases her new single Pull It Together via [PIAS] Recordings. A stunning slice of infectious psych-pop, equally indebted to Tame Impala or early 90s French electronica pioneers Air, it is the first single taken from her upcoming new EP Orbit, the follow up to last year’s Chain Reaction EP.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Wave Pictures - Shelly.
The Wave Pictures are delighted to share the video for their new single “Shelly”, which is taken from their recent album Look Inside Your Heart (out now via Moshi Moshi). Singer and guitarist Dave Tattersall describes the track as, “A love song in the laid back style of late 70s Grateful Dead only with even better lyrics.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Light Wheel - Answers.Light Wheel is a musical act from Austin, Texas formed by vocalist/songwriter Tyagaraja and producer Evan Dunivan. Their music is marked by colorful soundscapes and eclectic rhythms, anchored by powerful, dynamic vocals. It is aesthetic pop music with touches of R&B grooves and Electronic flair. Their upcoming debut full length record, "See Through" will be released in January of 2019. Light Wheel started playing live in December of 2017, debuting at the Day for Night Festival, featuring Bjork, Aphex Twin, Run the Jewels, and more. Live, Light Wheel is a four piece act, accompanied by drummer Ethan Yeager and bassist Michael Sanders.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nick Waterhouse - Song For Winners.
Los Angeles-based musician Nick Waterhouse has announced his new self-titled album set for March 8th release via Innovative Leisure. Following 2016’s 'Never Twice' which was hailed by Vogue as “the second coming of soul” and earned Nick a performance on 'Later' with Jools Holland, the new album was recorded at LA’s legendary Electro-Vox Recorders, and co-produced with Paul Butler (Michael Kiwanuka, St. Paul and the Broken Bones), with backing from a heavy bevy of friends and session players including Bart Davenport, percussionist Andres Renteria (Flying Lotus, Father John Misty), flutist Ricky Washington (Kamasi’s dad), and saxophonists Paula Henderson (Gogol Bordello) and Mando Dorame (JD McPherson).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Late TV - Great Gulfs.
Amidst the cultural detritus of television’s after hours rises a freaky new street beat played by London’s Late TV. Culling influences from jazz cats and art rockers, B-movies and trash television, via Lynch and Tarantino, Late TV are the moonlighting house band for a surreal all-night dream club where the intangible dance floor shifts and folds to become the set piece of a talk show beamed onto the farthest reaches of your channel selector. Helmed by Luke J Novak, who hails from the slabbed post-industrial backwater of Kidderminster, Late TV originates from a folk noir group formed by Luke and Richard ‘The Showman’ Bowman, a drummer whose restless search for groove quickly outgrew their genre. Joined by Chicago’s jazz fusion obsessed Ryan Szanyi on bass, Parisian keyboard maestro Martin Coxall, tenor sax player Evesham Nicholas, and Liverpool's Matthew Halsall on trumpet, their new outfit Late TV harks back to a time when music was all fearless fusion and intractable improvisation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sister Sparrow - Gold.
Sister Sparrow (nee Arleigh Kincheloe) has released “Gold,” the video for the title track of her recent album and announced the first leg of her 2019 tour. “Gold” is currently being spun on numerous influential radio stations nationwide, including Sirius XM The Spectrum’s Shortlist and Jam On, WFUV (NYC), WXPN (Philadelphia), and WRLT (Nashville), and was recently named Song of The Day on The Current (Minneapolis).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 18 December 2018
Beehive Candy Are Taking A Break
We need a break from music blogging and with new music slowing down considerably for the next couple of weeks, now seems like as good a time as any.
Sunday, 16 December 2018
Klara Zubonja - Babyteeth - The Stone MG's - Wes Hollywood
Klara Zubonja - The Winds Of Life.
Klara Zubonja, an alt-pop singer-songwriter who forms a distinct sound of her own, prepares to ascend with her latest single The Winds Of Life. Since the release of Klara’s debut album Stuck Between in late 2016, her sound has continued to grow and evolve, leading to Zubonja’s brand new EP Eye To Eye.
Like the entirety of the EP, The Winds Of Life is also about meeting oneself eye to eye, facing all facets that lie within, and learning how to go with the flow of it all. The track ventures into the contrasting aspects of oneself; the light, the dark. The song expresses various tempo and time signature changes, as Klara explores and reminds you of those ups and downs in life, but also nudges you to ride the wave, and let those winds of life carry you far.
“It’s about having the courage to face yourself, gently, and learn to flow, despite it all. Remembering that it’s okay to have darker days and darker aspects of yourself, and accepting that in yourself. It’s all part of the bigger plan, if only you trust within it.” - Klara Zubonja
The Melbourne artist approaches pop’s light-footed bop with underlying hints of experimental soul, jazz and psych. Immersed in traditional Croatian singing and dancing culture from a young age, she moved to Melbourne to study a Bachelor of Music degree and found success amongst National and community radio with her debut album Stuck Between in 2016.
Klara Zubonja draws inspiration from her eclectic background in European folk music and combines this with her broad knowledge of various contemporary and independent musical traditions. A world exploding with colour, conceptually theatrical and thematically provocative, The Winds Of Life rises amongst the heady realms of emphatic and intelligent alt-pop and secures her as a contemporary of Montaigne and Jaala.
Alt pop seems to cover a lot of bases however 'The Winds Of Life' fits that label almost perfectly. Melodic & with plenty of hooks, the intricate musical backdrop and Klara's remarkable vocals add the "Alt" doing so with especial beauty.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Babyteeth - Cocoon.
The new single from Babyteeth "Cocoon", is the third from the London based 5 piece, who with every release gets stronger and bolder. Another banger, it follows the success of "Shame" which saw them garner new fans in Radio 1 and Kerrang Magazine, who featured the band, not once, but twice in so many months.
Influenced by grunge and punk rock and inspired by strong female artists and role models, "Cocoon" arrives to rock the alternative world with Babyteeth’s signature guitar sound. Reminiscent of your best loved 90's rock bands, yet filtered through huge, exhilarating modern production, Babyteeth are certain to become your new favourite band for 2019 and beyond. The new track not only makes an audio statement but a strong lyrical one to boot. "Cocoon is about how we’re sometimes addicted to making bad choices because they’re the more exciting. It’s also about how powerful it can be to decide to feel gratitude for all the shitty experiences, as they’ve turned you into a stronger version of yourself. It’s about personal rebirth, and remaking"
These sentiments reflect in the bands video. In order to contribute to the eerie dark feeling of the song, it was shot in black and white, inside a 70’s time capsule- like, retro workingmen's club in North London. The video features various imagery around the theme of death and rebirth -"Lot's of it is hidden if you take a closer look", says the band, which will prompt you to watch it over and over. Babyteeth loved getting to “destroy a load of stuff”, despite it resulting in two of the members setting themselves on fire accidentally! Never give a band a can of lighter fluid is the real lesson here.
The video also hints at just how explosive Babyteeth are live. It's no wonder they were Live At Leeds 'Ones To Watch' and have supported the likes of The Naked and Famous and The Pearl Harts. The band is in demand and will finish the year as fast and furious as they started it when they support Adam Ant at a sold out Roundhouse in Camden on the 19th December.
'Cocoon' opens with a slacker rock feel before powering up into something far more potent as Babyteeth display some impressive rock and roll credentials. The video works as intended, certainly giving me some 70's London pubs and clubs flashbacks, those were the days eh?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Stone MG's - I Need You.
Rodney James and S.J. Warman would make great neighbors in the country, where the effort of respect is as easy as a passing nod on a dusty backroad. In a Hells Kitchen fifth-floor walk-up, they would eat each other alive.
Personalities clashing like two cars on a dim lit street make The Stone MG’s what they are. On one side of the fence is a fierce reverence for the story; The other prays to the piety of performance. But they come together in a room where Otis Redding and the MC5 find common ground. Regardless of where you find yourself, all they ask is that you listen close, and maybe, just maybe, if they’ve done their job, you’ll understand what they’re all about.
’I Need You” is about addiction. The song takes us on the journey of addiction as it takes over, corrupting and distorting reality for the user. When Rodney James sings “Shelter undercover, desire never satisfied,” the background vocals personify the persuasiveness of the addiction: “If you scream you love me, I’ll be your whore and give you the only thing worth dying for.
I was fascinated by the "Otis Redding and MC5 finding common ground" expression mentioned in the promo for 'I Need You' and it actually makes sense. Soulful vocals and primal garage rock vibes collide and combine wonderfully, this almost pleads to be played over and over!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wes Hollywood - Dynamite.
Wes Hollywood has a new album out and it's Dynamite.
Imagine Ray Davies and Elvis Costello having a punch-up in the front row of a Cheap Trick concert...
it's exactly what your thinking...
explosive Midwestern Power Pop steeped in 60's British Invasion and 70's New Wave.
Additionally, the surplus of hits spilled over onto an equally Amazing four - song e.p. You might even hear traces of The Cars, Bram Tchaikovsky, The Plimsouls or John Lennon.
'Dynamite' comprises of twelve tracks that have everything Wes Hollywood suggests in his brief resume above. Gorgeous sixties vibes some notable seventies new wave influences are all present and it is fair to say given a refined twist where pop sensibilities cram in endless hooks.
The vocals lend themselves to the musical styles, this is good music that deserves a large audience and plenty of attention.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Klara Zubonja, an alt-pop singer-songwriter who forms a distinct sound of her own, prepares to ascend with her latest single The Winds Of Life. Since the release of Klara’s debut album Stuck Between in late 2016, her sound has continued to grow and evolve, leading to Zubonja’s brand new EP Eye To Eye.
Like the entirety of the EP, The Winds Of Life is also about meeting oneself eye to eye, facing all facets that lie within, and learning how to go with the flow of it all. The track ventures into the contrasting aspects of oneself; the light, the dark. The song expresses various tempo and time signature changes, as Klara explores and reminds you of those ups and downs in life, but also nudges you to ride the wave, and let those winds of life carry you far.
“It’s about having the courage to face yourself, gently, and learn to flow, despite it all. Remembering that it’s okay to have darker days and darker aspects of yourself, and accepting that in yourself. It’s all part of the bigger plan, if only you trust within it.” - Klara Zubonja
The Melbourne artist approaches pop’s light-footed bop with underlying hints of experimental soul, jazz and psych. Immersed in traditional Croatian singing and dancing culture from a young age, she moved to Melbourne to study a Bachelor of Music degree and found success amongst National and community radio with her debut album Stuck Between in 2016.
Klara Zubonja draws inspiration from her eclectic background in European folk music and combines this with her broad knowledge of various contemporary and independent musical traditions. A world exploding with colour, conceptually theatrical and thematically provocative, The Winds Of Life rises amongst the heady realms of emphatic and intelligent alt-pop and secures her as a contemporary of Montaigne and Jaala.
Alt pop seems to cover a lot of bases however 'The Winds Of Life' fits that label almost perfectly. Melodic & with plenty of hooks, the intricate musical backdrop and Klara's remarkable vocals add the "Alt" doing so with especial beauty.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Babyteeth - Cocoon.
The new single from Babyteeth "Cocoon", is the third from the London based 5 piece, who with every release gets stronger and bolder. Another banger, it follows the success of "Shame" which saw them garner new fans in Radio 1 and Kerrang Magazine, who featured the band, not once, but twice in so many months.
Influenced by grunge and punk rock and inspired by strong female artists and role models, "Cocoon" arrives to rock the alternative world with Babyteeth’s signature guitar sound. Reminiscent of your best loved 90's rock bands, yet filtered through huge, exhilarating modern production, Babyteeth are certain to become your new favourite band for 2019 and beyond. The new track not only makes an audio statement but a strong lyrical one to boot. "Cocoon is about how we’re sometimes addicted to making bad choices because they’re the more exciting. It’s also about how powerful it can be to decide to feel gratitude for all the shitty experiences, as they’ve turned you into a stronger version of yourself. It’s about personal rebirth, and remaking"
These sentiments reflect in the bands video. In order to contribute to the eerie dark feeling of the song, it was shot in black and white, inside a 70’s time capsule- like, retro workingmen's club in North London. The video features various imagery around the theme of death and rebirth -"Lot's of it is hidden if you take a closer look", says the band, which will prompt you to watch it over and over. Babyteeth loved getting to “destroy a load of stuff”, despite it resulting in two of the members setting themselves on fire accidentally! Never give a band a can of lighter fluid is the real lesson here.
The video also hints at just how explosive Babyteeth are live. It's no wonder they were Live At Leeds 'Ones To Watch' and have supported the likes of The Naked and Famous and The Pearl Harts. The band is in demand and will finish the year as fast and furious as they started it when they support Adam Ant at a sold out Roundhouse in Camden on the 19th December.
'Cocoon' opens with a slacker rock feel before powering up into something far more potent as Babyteeth display some impressive rock and roll credentials. The video works as intended, certainly giving me some 70's London pubs and clubs flashbacks, those were the days eh?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Stone MG's - I Need You.
Rodney James and S.J. Warman would make great neighbors in the country, where the effort of respect is as easy as a passing nod on a dusty backroad. In a Hells Kitchen fifth-floor walk-up, they would eat each other alive.
Personalities clashing like two cars on a dim lit street make The Stone MG’s what they are. On one side of the fence is a fierce reverence for the story; The other prays to the piety of performance. But they come together in a room where Otis Redding and the MC5 find common ground. Regardless of where you find yourself, all they ask is that you listen close, and maybe, just maybe, if they’ve done their job, you’ll understand what they’re all about.
’I Need You” is about addiction. The song takes us on the journey of addiction as it takes over, corrupting and distorting reality for the user. When Rodney James sings “Shelter undercover, desire never satisfied,” the background vocals personify the persuasiveness of the addiction: “If you scream you love me, I’ll be your whore and give you the only thing worth dying for.
I was fascinated by the "Otis Redding and MC5 finding common ground" expression mentioned in the promo for 'I Need You' and it actually makes sense. Soulful vocals and primal garage rock vibes collide and combine wonderfully, this almost pleads to be played over and over!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wes Hollywood - Dynamite.
Wes Hollywood has a new album out and it's Dynamite.
Imagine Ray Davies and Elvis Costello having a punch-up in the front row of a Cheap Trick concert...
it's exactly what your thinking...
explosive Midwestern Power Pop steeped in 60's British Invasion and 70's New Wave.
Additionally, the surplus of hits spilled over onto an equally Amazing four - song e.p. You might even hear traces of The Cars, Bram Tchaikovsky, The Plimsouls or John Lennon.
'Dynamite' comprises of twelve tracks that have everything Wes Hollywood suggests in his brief resume above. Gorgeous sixties vibes some notable seventies new wave influences are all present and it is fair to say given a refined twist where pop sensibilities cram in endless hooks.
The vocals lend themselves to the musical styles, this is good music that deserves a large audience and plenty of attention.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, 14 December 2018
Eerie Wanda - Elliot - The Rev
Eerie Wanda - Sleepy Eyes.
Eerie Wanda shares new single "Sleepy Eyes." Eerie Wanda is the brainchild of audio and visual artist Marina Tadic. Born to Croatian parents in the former Yugoslavia, Marina became a political refugee when she was just 6 years old. Forced to leave their home due to the Bosnian war, Marina’s parents sought asylum in the Netherlands- which is where Marina grew into an adult, became an accomplished artist, and where she still resides.
Her second LP, Pet Town is an exercise in isolated creativity. Using minimal recording techniques, Tadic shapes these ten songs from sheer intuition, while drawing inspiration from solitude. Although her two bandmates Jasper Verhulst and Jeroen de Heuvel are each relatively close geographically (residing in Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Nijmegen), the band decided to record each of their parts alone, in their own homes. And weave the songs together remotely, like pen-pals making a quilt. "I've written the songs in a period of my life in which I was feeling quite alone. I wanted the recording process to feel like that too", says Marina.
Anchored by Tadic’s wistful lyrics and self possessed vocal delivery, these songs take on a stripped down, spectral quality. Mixed by producer Jasper Geluk, the album is perched in warm, homespun sounds—live drums are replaced with handclaps, finger snaps, and a Roland-CR 78 drum machine, enhancing the music’s tactile and intimate headspace.
Tadic is still left guessing how Pet Town came to be, exactly. “I wrote the songs over a period of time spent inside my shell, and I needed that time. Not escaping it brought me a lot of growth.” Like some mysterious shamanic voice from the future, Eerie Wanda hushes turbulent peaks and valleys into a comforting, deft equilibrium. “I love to think I'm connected with some other dimension which sends me the songs and I can catch them if I'm in the right zone.”
A week ago we shared 'Moon' by Eerie Wander and hot on the back of that we have the new single 'Sleepy Eyes'. Musically stripped back the focus is totally on the vocals and even when the rhythm kicks in the singing adds melodic hooks to this simple yet creative track.
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Elliot - Best Eastern Motel.
Whether its pizza, burgers or anything else you can pick up during a late night binge, chances are that Elliot has a song to sing about it. A self-professed lover of all things fast and edible, the Stockholm-based frontman has already made a powerful name for himself throughout the year, largely thanks to his wonderfully wistful singles ‘Am I In Love Or Just Hungry’ and ‘Trade Burgers 4 Love’, and now returns to unveil his long-awaited new album ‘Fast Food Musik’, released last week via Icons Creating Evil Art.
Inspired by the LA art-pop scene, channelling artists such as Ariel Pink and John Maus, the frontman looks to create a warped and wild journey on his latest full-length. Filled with psychedelic synths and an abstract sense of humour, the new release sits as a satire towards modern society. The fast food representing the culture of instant gratification, where we are filled physically but not spiritually. His nods to the 60s era throughout this new album act as a fawning to return to a more enlightened time, looking instead to fill our minds with a higher understanding of the world around us, all while remaining so affectionately in love with greasy and instant delights.
Explaining himself and his ideas behind this release, the frontman added, “Maybe it is hard to discern anything other than detached irony from many of the tracks on the album. But in retrospect, the ’fast food’ subject matter was a guarded metaphor for toxic aspects of my personality, my vices and generally my self-loathing. It’s tough to deal with these subjects upfront when your head is swarming with self- harming thoughts and anxieties, so it was a necessary storytelling device for me.
“That being said, making songs about burger grease is a great way of distancing oneself from the rest of the local scene, where life-altering subjects like depression and love are ’brought to you by Adidas’.
“Nowadays, it’s not an open-ended question anymore. I’m well fed, just a tad overweight, and in love. I listen to this song with the person I wrote it to, who I am now back together with. She plays many roles on this album to which I’m the antagonist - and is likely the reason why I wrote it in the first place.”
With mysterious and intriguing voices and vocals 'Best Eastern Motel' has a haunting vibe that becomes quite addictive. Musically the piece swirls around adding greater depth and texture, this is one that's gonna get a good few more plays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Rev - El Diablo.
Country music harkens to a certain level of independence, grit, and lawlessness of the open land. Arizona outfit The Rev bring together a cast of seasoned musicians, led by singer-songwriter Eric Meyers. Their debut single "El Diablo" comes as a seriously deep first cut, blending southern rock, classic and alt-country, as well as "outlaw swamp stomp", for an irresistible boot-stomping tune and savory taste of what's to come.
“We thought we should introduce ourselves to listeners with "El Diablo" because everything we do is rooted in country music," shared Meyers. "We get right down in the swamp and conjure images of the archetype outlaw and the soundtrack to accompany it. Country and southern rock are in our DNA, so "El Diablo" came naturally. Those genres are the platform upon which The Rev builds out our sound. We were raised on it."
In writing "El Diablo", Meyers shared his inspiration to summon up a heavy, nostalgic-inducing piece. "I had this feeling in my gut calling me to a bygone era and its mystique, but I knew I wanted to set it in a modern context. I had to shut out a lot of noise to get to that place and basically wall off today, to get to yesterday. As a writer, you not only get to suspend reality, but you have to. It allows the imagination to run wild." "El Diablo" evokes a vision of dirt roads, rowdy bars, and the unspoken rules of a lawless land. Even on first listen, it brings a sense of familiarity, drawing you in with a mesmerizing manner.
The track was brought to life as Meyers presented his foundation and lyrics to the rest of the band - composed of Frank Monaco (lead guitar), Josh Rozenboom (second lead guitar), John June (bass), Chris Chambers (drums), and Mitchell Leonard (piano/keys). Ciera Kamp would later join on backing vocals, transforming the track to an entirely new level with her contrasting vocals playing off of Meyers. "Our process lends itself to surprises because everyone brings his or her own sensibility to each song, independent of the rest," said Meyers. "I showed up with "El Diablo" as a skeleton—the tune, the chords, the lyrics and my imagination. As we always do, everyone created their own part from the ground up, no direction or heavy-handed leaning one way or another." They recorded with Josh Rozenboom, of SER Soundworks in Chandler, AZ.
Gritty, mean and totally natural 'El Diablo' is a mixture of Southern Rock and raw Country Rock. The vocals add the grit, the gorgeous background harmonies add some refined southern swagger and the band deliver seasoned and exquisite rock and roll.
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Eerie Wanda shares new single "Sleepy Eyes." Eerie Wanda is the brainchild of audio and visual artist Marina Tadic. Born to Croatian parents in the former Yugoslavia, Marina became a political refugee when she was just 6 years old. Forced to leave their home due to the Bosnian war, Marina’s parents sought asylum in the Netherlands- which is where Marina grew into an adult, became an accomplished artist, and where she still resides.
Her second LP, Pet Town is an exercise in isolated creativity. Using minimal recording techniques, Tadic shapes these ten songs from sheer intuition, while drawing inspiration from solitude. Although her two bandmates Jasper Verhulst and Jeroen de Heuvel are each relatively close geographically (residing in Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Nijmegen), the band decided to record each of their parts alone, in their own homes. And weave the songs together remotely, like pen-pals making a quilt. "I've written the songs in a period of my life in which I was feeling quite alone. I wanted the recording process to feel like that too", says Marina.
Anchored by Tadic’s wistful lyrics and self possessed vocal delivery, these songs take on a stripped down, spectral quality. Mixed by producer Jasper Geluk, the album is perched in warm, homespun sounds—live drums are replaced with handclaps, finger snaps, and a Roland-CR 78 drum machine, enhancing the music’s tactile and intimate headspace.
Tadic is still left guessing how Pet Town came to be, exactly. “I wrote the songs over a period of time spent inside my shell, and I needed that time. Not escaping it brought me a lot of growth.” Like some mysterious shamanic voice from the future, Eerie Wanda hushes turbulent peaks and valleys into a comforting, deft equilibrium. “I love to think I'm connected with some other dimension which sends me the songs and I can catch them if I'm in the right zone.”
A week ago we shared 'Moon' by Eerie Wander and hot on the back of that we have the new single 'Sleepy Eyes'. Musically stripped back the focus is totally on the vocals and even when the rhythm kicks in the singing adds melodic hooks to this simple yet creative track.
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Elliot - Best Eastern Motel.
Whether its pizza, burgers or anything else you can pick up during a late night binge, chances are that Elliot has a song to sing about it. A self-professed lover of all things fast and edible, the Stockholm-based frontman has already made a powerful name for himself throughout the year, largely thanks to his wonderfully wistful singles ‘Am I In Love Or Just Hungry’ and ‘Trade Burgers 4 Love’, and now returns to unveil his long-awaited new album ‘Fast Food Musik’, released last week via Icons Creating Evil Art.
Inspired by the LA art-pop scene, channelling artists such as Ariel Pink and John Maus, the frontman looks to create a warped and wild journey on his latest full-length. Filled with psychedelic synths and an abstract sense of humour, the new release sits as a satire towards modern society. The fast food representing the culture of instant gratification, where we are filled physically but not spiritually. His nods to the 60s era throughout this new album act as a fawning to return to a more enlightened time, looking instead to fill our minds with a higher understanding of the world around us, all while remaining so affectionately in love with greasy and instant delights.
Explaining himself and his ideas behind this release, the frontman added, “Maybe it is hard to discern anything other than detached irony from many of the tracks on the album. But in retrospect, the ’fast food’ subject matter was a guarded metaphor for toxic aspects of my personality, my vices and generally my self-loathing. It’s tough to deal with these subjects upfront when your head is swarming with self- harming thoughts and anxieties, so it was a necessary storytelling device for me.
“That being said, making songs about burger grease is a great way of distancing oneself from the rest of the local scene, where life-altering subjects like depression and love are ’brought to you by Adidas’.
“Nowadays, it’s not an open-ended question anymore. I’m well fed, just a tad overweight, and in love. I listen to this song with the person I wrote it to, who I am now back together with. She plays many roles on this album to which I’m the antagonist - and is likely the reason why I wrote it in the first place.”
With mysterious and intriguing voices and vocals 'Best Eastern Motel' has a haunting vibe that becomes quite addictive. Musically the piece swirls around adding greater depth and texture, this is one that's gonna get a good few more plays.
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The Rev - El Diablo.
Country music harkens to a certain level of independence, grit, and lawlessness of the open land. Arizona outfit The Rev bring together a cast of seasoned musicians, led by singer-songwriter Eric Meyers. Their debut single "El Diablo" comes as a seriously deep first cut, blending southern rock, classic and alt-country, as well as "outlaw swamp stomp", for an irresistible boot-stomping tune and savory taste of what's to come.
“We thought we should introduce ourselves to listeners with "El Diablo" because everything we do is rooted in country music," shared Meyers. "We get right down in the swamp and conjure images of the archetype outlaw and the soundtrack to accompany it. Country and southern rock are in our DNA, so "El Diablo" came naturally. Those genres are the platform upon which The Rev builds out our sound. We were raised on it."
In writing "El Diablo", Meyers shared his inspiration to summon up a heavy, nostalgic-inducing piece. "I had this feeling in my gut calling me to a bygone era and its mystique, but I knew I wanted to set it in a modern context. I had to shut out a lot of noise to get to that place and basically wall off today, to get to yesterday. As a writer, you not only get to suspend reality, but you have to. It allows the imagination to run wild." "El Diablo" evokes a vision of dirt roads, rowdy bars, and the unspoken rules of a lawless land. Even on first listen, it brings a sense of familiarity, drawing you in with a mesmerizing manner.
The track was brought to life as Meyers presented his foundation and lyrics to the rest of the band - composed of Frank Monaco (lead guitar), Josh Rozenboom (second lead guitar), John June (bass), Chris Chambers (drums), and Mitchell Leonard (piano/keys). Ciera Kamp would later join on backing vocals, transforming the track to an entirely new level with her contrasting vocals playing off of Meyers. "Our process lends itself to surprises because everyone brings his or her own sensibility to each song, independent of the rest," said Meyers. "I showed up with "El Diablo" as a skeleton—the tune, the chords, the lyrics and my imagination. As we always do, everyone created their own part from the ground up, no direction or heavy-handed leaning one way or another." They recorded with Josh Rozenboom, of SER Soundworks in Chandler, AZ.
Gritty, mean and totally natural 'El Diablo' is a mixture of Southern Rock and raw Country Rock. The vocals add the grit, the gorgeous background harmonies add some refined southern swagger and the band deliver seasoned and exquisite rock and roll.
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Thursday, 13 December 2018
Locks - Perhapsy - Katey Brooks
Locks - The Hangover Song.Locks are a London based alternative skeletal strings bluesy band, made up of L.Geary-Griffin (lead vocal / guitar), Mike Byrne (double bass), Marian McClenaghan (fiddle) and Andrew Marvell (drums).
This song is us having a bit of fun, we’re not all doom and gloom. We wrote it in the same vein as The Gin Song, in a sense it’s The Gin Song’s big brother. We released The Gin Song a couple of years ago and was also one of Steve Lamacq’s ‘Best of the year so far (2017).
The Hangover Song is what it says on the tin. It’s an old school, knees-up, foot stomping track, we want to explore a different style which we’d hinted at before. The lyrics are still quite dark and morbid but the music drives the track towards something more playful. We have a lot of different roots in our band and it’s nice to explore them and experiment with different styles. We wanted to explore a bit of the Trad element and a bit of the classic shanty style, we wanted to have another track which was a bit more light-hearted and fun to play live: we love seeing people dancing and laughing. The drums are classic Locks and tribal which keeps the momentum up, Marians fiddle takes a bit of centre stage here which is a mixture of bowing harmonies and melodies, it carries the song perfectly. Mikes double bass flits from sliding, sleepy notes at the start to dancing all over the neck.
The Hangover Song digital release 21st December 2019, Skeletal Blues & Rattle Them Bones! EP available now.
Live Dates:
14th December, 2018, The Harrison, London
8th January, 2019, The Bedford Tavern, London
28th January – 3rd February 2019, Independent Venue Week (TBC)
4th May, 2019, Electrowerkz.
It was 'The Gin Song' that introduced Beehive Candy to Locks and since then I'm always keen to hear them whenever something new comes along. 'The Hangover Song' is a feisty number considering hangover's are best served in low light and silence. So consider this more a "hair of the dog" song, or even better enjoy it in good health and jig along, it's not one to sit back to....
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Perhapsy - Neverending Story.
In case you missed it, Perhapsy's new record, Kingdom Starlight Bliss, is available everywhere! The record's been praised by national and local outlets, and the band is currently nominated for The Deli's Artist of the Month alongside other Bay Area breakouts like Rose Droll and Small Crush. We're so thrilled to see all the love coming in for this generous collaborator, and would appreciate any help in spreading the word!
For years now, musician slash graphic artist Derek Barber has bounced around Michigan and Bay Area music circles, making a name for himself with his jazz inflicted, inimitable guitar work. Currently a touring member of both Bells Atlas and the new Christopher Owen band, Curls, as well as a contributor to Madeline Kenney and Astronauts, etc., Barber has somehow found time to craft dense, emotion filled shoegaze pop under his moniker Perhapsy.
Vinyl is available through Porch Party Records, the boutique Southern California label that's championed influential West Coast artists like Religious Girls & Golden Drugs.
'Neverending Story' gives us a little taste of 'Kingdom Starlight Bliss' a collection of songs that stand in equal measure to this track. The guitar playing is impressive, the material is innovative and the hype is based on the quality that Perhapsy provides, rather than folk jumping on a bandwagon.
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Katey Brooks - In Your Arms.
The new single from Katey Brooks entitled ‘In Your Arms’ highlights her authentic musicianship, with soulful choral vocals, warm instrumentation and ethereal soundscapes, the track evokes a sense of intimacy between both the artist and the listener.
Katey Brooks is a clear-eyed rebel in an industry that demands consistency. A devastating songwriting talent that has drawn comparisons with Jeff Buckley (Supajam), Brooks has no shortage of famous admirers and yet she has resisted formula. Over a career spanning four continents, she’s journeyed from intimate living rooms to opulent concert halls, from dive bars to decorated studios with some of music’s biggest names. The wandering troubadour defies easy classification, with a back-catalogue incorporating soul, folk, blues and country. With her new album under construction, the mercurial songstress is more determined than ever to do things her own way. Applauded by the press, this ‘rising singer-songwriter has the crowd eating out of her hands’ (The Independent) and is simply ‘not to be missed’ (Time Out). To watch her sing live is to witness emotional exorcism, but when you know her backstory, it’s hardly a mystery why.
Growing up inside a cult, as a child Brooks found refuge in song. "It was a very chaotic upbringing, full of some pretty colourful and sometimes unsavoury, characters. But when I sang, I felt free and connected. For as long as I can remember, it’s been my way of getting what I need to say out”, she reveals. When she was sixteen, she turned down a spot at the Brit School, the performing arts college where a lot of the UK’s biggest musical exports – Adele, Amy Winehouse, Katie Melua – hail from. "When I was 22 my mum got ill and she died. And then not long after that, my lifelong best friend went missing and she also died. That’s definitely had an effect on the course of my life and my writing. I guess I’m lucky that I have songs that I can write, as a means to deal with things”.
All of these hardships seem to have driven, rather than dragged Brooks under. "Pain just reminds me why I sing," she says. "And not just for me; for everybody. They say in a funny sort of way musicians are like therapists," she muses. "Because music is a universal language. Everybody has experienced some kind of heartache, especially in relationships, and music allows us to purge these feelings." Brooks has certainly had her share of romantic turbulence, not to mention the struggle to come to terms with her sexuality. “In my most recent work I’ve finally been able to sing directly about women instead of using the mysterious ‘you’. I’m a private person in a lot of ways and I never wanted to be a poster girl for anything. But a few years ago I just thought screw it; I want to sing completely honestly. It felt like a weight lifted.”
Less than two weeks since Katey Brooks first appeared on Beehive Candy she returns with 'In Your Arms'. We commented that her vocals were "blissfully inspiring" first time around, an expression I feel is endorsed by the new song, and you can add gorgeous production and fabulous background vocals to the description for this one.
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Tuesday, 11 December 2018
The Persian Leaps - Young Robin
The Persian Leaps - Time Slips.
Power pop/indie rock band, The Persian Leaps have just shared a new video, created by Rouse Productions for “Time Slips” the lead single from the recently released album Pop That Goes Crunch. “The Persian Leaps” began as a phrase singer/guitarist Drew Forsberg doodled in a notebook margin during a college Greek Archaeology course. He wrote music independently under that name for years, until finally assembling a full band in 2012 to perform and record driving, chiming music influenced by My Bloody Valentine, The Smiths, Guided by Voices and Teenage Fanclub.
The Persian Leaps have adhered to a disciplined schedule of concise releases: each fall bringing an EP of five songs totaling fifteen minutes or less. In 2013, the Persian Leaps released their debut EP Praise Elephants, which NME Magazine described as a “celestial guitar jangle”. The band completed a follow-up EP Drive Drive Delay in 2014, praised by XS Noize for its “instantly catchy melodic harmonies layered on top of droning guitar.” In 2015, the band released High & Vibrate, an EP championed by The Big Takeover for its “big-time hooks, upbeat attitude, classic power-trio punch.” 2016 saw the release of Your City, Underwater, which earned a spot on The Big Takeover’s Top 30 EPs of 2016. In September of 2017, the band’s fifth EP Bicycle Face was delivered yet again to fan and critic praise. Named for a 19th-century medical condition concocted to scare women away from biking, Bicycle Face was described as a “perfect power pop cocktail” by 50thirdand3rd.
This year brings the band’s first full-length release titled, Pop That Goes Crunch, an 18-song “best of” anthology. With 17 remixed/remastered tracks, and one new single, it marks the end of an era, while celebrating and revisiting some of The Persian Leaps best work. It is available now via Land Ski Records.
'Time Slips' is the third song we have featured by The Persian Leaps in as many years, this time around we have a new video (the lead single) from their current album. The trio serve up another glorious helping of power pop with plenty of natural rock and roll edge, something they consistently do with apparent ease.
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Young Robin - Spaces.
Young Robin drop blissful new single 'Spaces' accompanied by a video. Young Robin are progressing so fast that it's exciting to watch – anticipating what they're going to do next, only to have those expectations surpassed. A band with an innate knack for hooks, Young Robin craft a beautiful sound that is somewhere between blissful indie and dance floor anthems. Fittingly, their latest single, the mesmerising Spaces, is both. Equal parts groove and melody, Spaces is the follow up to single U from the band's stellar EP, Transitions.
Built upon a rhythm you can't sit still to, Spaces is a delight for the ears with its perfectly-placed layers of delay-soaked guitar, bass, and effortlessly smooth vocals by both Jed Begho and Ben Teune. Playful and euphoric, Spaces feels like summer in Perth – as if the band have distilled the excitement of their beautiful hometown down into a singular burst of energy.
This is due in no small part to award-winning producer Andy Lawson, who has sculpted the Transitions EP masterfully – capturing the band's energy like lightning in a bottle. Bringing each vivid layer of the band to life, giving every instrument its perfect place in the mix, the combination of Young Robin and Andy Lawson has allowed each song to reach its full potential. Transitions is the band at its best and the remixed single Spaces elevates their sound to a new level.
Less than a month ago we shared 'Faker Faker' from Young Robin and they quickly return with 'Spaces' another bright refreshing indie song where every element shines through with aural delight and a fine new video that adds even more sparkle (we're starting to sound like a washing powder advert so I will leave it at that)....
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Power pop/indie rock band, The Persian Leaps have just shared a new video, created by Rouse Productions for “Time Slips” the lead single from the recently released album Pop That Goes Crunch. “The Persian Leaps” began as a phrase singer/guitarist Drew Forsberg doodled in a notebook margin during a college Greek Archaeology course. He wrote music independently under that name for years, until finally assembling a full band in 2012 to perform and record driving, chiming music influenced by My Bloody Valentine, The Smiths, Guided by Voices and Teenage Fanclub.
The Persian Leaps have adhered to a disciplined schedule of concise releases: each fall bringing an EP of five songs totaling fifteen minutes or less. In 2013, the Persian Leaps released their debut EP Praise Elephants, which NME Magazine described as a “celestial guitar jangle”. The band completed a follow-up EP Drive Drive Delay in 2014, praised by XS Noize for its “instantly catchy melodic harmonies layered on top of droning guitar.” In 2015, the band released High & Vibrate, an EP championed by The Big Takeover for its “big-time hooks, upbeat attitude, classic power-trio punch.” 2016 saw the release of Your City, Underwater, which earned a spot on The Big Takeover’s Top 30 EPs of 2016. In September of 2017, the band’s fifth EP Bicycle Face was delivered yet again to fan and critic praise. Named for a 19th-century medical condition concocted to scare women away from biking, Bicycle Face was described as a “perfect power pop cocktail” by 50thirdand3rd.
This year brings the band’s first full-length release titled, Pop That Goes Crunch, an 18-song “best of” anthology. With 17 remixed/remastered tracks, and one new single, it marks the end of an era, while celebrating and revisiting some of The Persian Leaps best work. It is available now via Land Ski Records.
'Time Slips' is the third song we have featured by The Persian Leaps in as many years, this time around we have a new video (the lead single) from their current album. The trio serve up another glorious helping of power pop with plenty of natural rock and roll edge, something they consistently do with apparent ease.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Young Robin - Spaces.
Young Robin drop blissful new single 'Spaces' accompanied by a video. Young Robin are progressing so fast that it's exciting to watch – anticipating what they're going to do next, only to have those expectations surpassed. A band with an innate knack for hooks, Young Robin craft a beautiful sound that is somewhere between blissful indie and dance floor anthems. Fittingly, their latest single, the mesmerising Spaces, is both. Equal parts groove and melody, Spaces is the follow up to single U from the band's stellar EP, Transitions.
Built upon a rhythm you can't sit still to, Spaces is a delight for the ears with its perfectly-placed layers of delay-soaked guitar, bass, and effortlessly smooth vocals by both Jed Begho and Ben Teune. Playful and euphoric, Spaces feels like summer in Perth – as if the band have distilled the excitement of their beautiful hometown down into a singular burst of energy.
This is due in no small part to award-winning producer Andy Lawson, who has sculpted the Transitions EP masterfully – capturing the band's energy like lightning in a bottle. Bringing each vivid layer of the band to life, giving every instrument its perfect place in the mix, the combination of Young Robin and Andy Lawson has allowed each song to reach its full potential. Transitions is the band at its best and the remixed single Spaces elevates their sound to a new level.
Less than a month ago we shared 'Faker Faker' from Young Robin and they quickly return with 'Spaces' another bright refreshing indie song where every element shines through with aural delight and a fine new video that adds even more sparkle (we're starting to sound like a washing powder advert so I will leave it at that)....
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Monday, 10 December 2018
Psychic Love - The Differents
Psychic Love - One & Two.
"One & Two is a restless song about how communications bend and warp, especially in this new frontier, where nothing is as it seems." The term “dream grunge” is not one that’s used often...unless you’re describing Los Angeles band Psychic Love. Fronted by “queen of the underground,” Laura Peters, Psychic Love embodies the true meaning of indie rock wholeheartedly.
Self-described as Nirvana Del Rey, Psychic Love’s first EP, “The Hive Mind,” has garnered exciting critical acclaim. Noisey dubbed the release “one of the more promising and refreshing debuts in a sea of staple LA psych and surf rock.”
Laura isn’t just a front woman. In 2015, Peters started the underground venue Vega’s Meat Market out of a converted Echo Park storefront (it was once a butcher shop), and co-founded Play Like A Girl, a music collective that presents a monthly, all ages showcase at The Echo, featuring female and female identifying acts.
Whether it’s bringing the underground music world to the forefront of Los Angeles culture, or creating addictive pieces of music, Laura and Psychic Love are a lifeline to the alternative music scene in Los Angeles.
The description Dream Grunge makes more sense having listened to Psychic Love and is ably demonstrated with the new song 'One & Two'. Melodic pop sensibilities are immersed in a deeper musical surrounding where they cleverly combine, add in a coach load of hooks and you have a very creative piece.
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The Differents - It's All Too Beautiful (album).
Guitarist and vocalist Lou Hallwas (Penthouse Sweets, Decoy Prayer Meeting) started The Differents with some high school buddies in Chicago’s Norwood Park neighborhood in the early ‘90s and current drummer Dan Garrity joined the band in 1994.
Hallwas and Garrity were then joined by Gary Stier, who took on bass duties and began writing new material with the group, in 2015.
Over the years, the band has played hundreds of gigs, have opened for the likes of Wayne Kramer and Soul Asylum and released three albums before their long-awaited fourth LP, It’s All Too Beautiful, which was recorded by Adam Yoffe.
Their music has strong roots in 60s and 70s R&B and rock ‘n’ roll and has drawn comparisons to The Who, Small Faces and The Replacements.
As albums go 'It's All Too Beautiful' packs plenty of variety. From fully fledged natural rock and roll through to more refined slower pieces The Differents have come up with a selection of songs that keep you guessing what's next in store. The musicianship is highly crafted, the vocals lend themselves to pretty much all the styles the band create. Yes there are comparisons as mentioned above, yet this feels original and the music is fresh and consistently catchy.
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"One & Two is a restless song about how communications bend and warp, especially in this new frontier, where nothing is as it seems." The term “dream grunge” is not one that’s used often...unless you’re describing Los Angeles band Psychic Love. Fronted by “queen of the underground,” Laura Peters, Psychic Love embodies the true meaning of indie rock wholeheartedly.
Self-described as Nirvana Del Rey, Psychic Love’s first EP, “The Hive Mind,” has garnered exciting critical acclaim. Noisey dubbed the release “one of the more promising and refreshing debuts in a sea of staple LA psych and surf rock.”
Laura isn’t just a front woman. In 2015, Peters started the underground venue Vega’s Meat Market out of a converted Echo Park storefront (it was once a butcher shop), and co-founded Play Like A Girl, a music collective that presents a monthly, all ages showcase at The Echo, featuring female and female identifying acts.
Whether it’s bringing the underground music world to the forefront of Los Angeles culture, or creating addictive pieces of music, Laura and Psychic Love are a lifeline to the alternative music scene in Los Angeles.
The description Dream Grunge makes more sense having listened to Psychic Love and is ably demonstrated with the new song 'One & Two'. Melodic pop sensibilities are immersed in a deeper musical surrounding where they cleverly combine, add in a coach load of hooks and you have a very creative piece.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Differents - It's All Too Beautiful (album).
Guitarist and vocalist Lou Hallwas (Penthouse Sweets, Decoy Prayer Meeting) started The Differents with some high school buddies in Chicago’s Norwood Park neighborhood in the early ‘90s and current drummer Dan Garrity joined the band in 1994.
Hallwas and Garrity were then joined by Gary Stier, who took on bass duties and began writing new material with the group, in 2015.
Over the years, the band has played hundreds of gigs, have opened for the likes of Wayne Kramer and Soul Asylum and released three albums before their long-awaited fourth LP, It’s All Too Beautiful, which was recorded by Adam Yoffe.
Their music has strong roots in 60s and 70s R&B and rock ‘n’ roll and has drawn comparisons to The Who, Small Faces and The Replacements.
As albums go 'It's All Too Beautiful' packs plenty of variety. From fully fledged natural rock and roll through to more refined slower pieces The Differents have come up with a selection of songs that keep you guessing what's next in store. The musicianship is highly crafted, the vocals lend themselves to pretty much all the styles the band create. Yes there are comparisons as mentioned above, yet this feels original and the music is fresh and consistently catchy.
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