We have featured Kluster a few times in the past, they appear to have morphed into Kluster B however the music remains original and creative as new song 'Love Must Conquer' clearly demonstrates. === Something for all blues lovers thanks to Rhythm Express featuring Bill King and their wonderful delivery of 'Driftin' Blues'. === Italian Darkwave act Broken Up have just released 'The Cage' a brooding mixture of constant rhythm, gliding synths, and refined vocals.
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Kluster B - Love Must Conquer.
Kluster B (fka Kluster) was founded by four friends and a virtual drummer in Malmö 2014, a real life drummer joined in shortly afterwards and the gang was complete. Since then, the quintet has been active on as well the Malmö indie scene as playing shows in Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, supporting acts such as Frankie Cosmos, Omni and Nicole Sabouné. Debut album 'civic' was released in 2018 and Kluster received praise from Line of Best Fit, BBC Radio 6, major Swedish music magazines and more. The band returned earlier this year with new single 'Counterpart', the first taste from their upcoming sophomore album 'b' that will be released on April 17th. Today, another piece of the puzzle that is Kluster B's second album is released in the form of new single 'Love Must Conquer'
Love Must Conquer is yet another glimpse of Kluster's playful sound - a melting pot of broad influences such as pop, punk, noise, lo-fi, indie and jazz. Just like it's precursor 'Counterpart', Love Must Conquer is a development of the sound we got to know on their first album. The interplay and paradox between the complex and simple is still there but the quintet have this time allowed themselves more time and space to experiment with almost jamming parts that hypnotizes the listener.
According to Linnea Hall (vocals, lyrics), 'Love Must Conquer' is a track that was written in a troubled time both personally and politically just ahead of the Swedish election in 2018. There was a parallelism between different routes that took place at the same time, creating a feeling that we forgot to be open and love the unknown. The text includes a paradox, where the desire to own what we love or want for ourselves becomes a counteracting force: the streets become colder and people become less emotionally affected. Therefore, the song ends with some kind of hope that love in itself will win and not that we will conquer the love.
The members have a history as academic jazz players, forming Kluster B after longing to find a collective process free from strict genre playbooks and narrow-minded academic rules. A process that resulted in Kluster B's captivating characteristic dynamic and turning points, alternating from melodious to dissonance, complex to simple. 'Love Must Conquer' is out now, Kluster B's second album 'b' is out on April 17th via Rama Lama Records.
Rhythm Express featuring Bill King - Driftin' Blues.
“I’ve had this song in my repertoire the past twenty years, one I discovered while searching through a variety of West Coast blues compilations.
Los Angles of the 40s’ was a hotbed for blues trios – Oscar Moore featuring pianist/vocalist Nat Cole and brother Johnny Moore showcasing the smooth delivery of pianist/singer Charles Brown at the core of the unit.
One of the first songs Brown ever penned was Driftin’ Blues while a high school teenager and also one he first sang in live performance. Driftin’ Blues is rooted in church and gospel, and that battleground been secular and religious types – that push and pull between roots church and popular music.
Italian darkwave act Broken Up have unleashed their video for “The Cage”.
The track is taken from "Soul Victim" the debut album of Broken Up, which was released on February 28th, 2020, via Brazilian label Shades of Sound/Wave Records. The album was preceded by the digital single “Long Long Long”, played several times by Seattle's cult radio KEXP.
The group is a collaboration between the bass player of Intelligence Dept. Dedo Panzera, and guitarist Max Caselli, of Go Flamingo!
Together with singer Chiara Boldrini and Tom Lampronti on keyboards, the two veteran musicians lead a project that conjures a sonic maelstrom of dark melodies, that defy expectations.
The electro-infused track “The Cage” is inspired by the poetic work of Lawrence Ferlinghetti, known for his work A Coney Island of the Mind (1958), and as infamously as the owner of the bookstore, City Lights, where Ferlinghetti was arrested for the publishing of Allen Ginsberg’s Howl.
Bleach Day first appeared here just over a week ago with 'bbs in the grass' and they make a rapid return with another track entitled 'In Limbo' just ahead of this Fridays album release. The psychedelic vibes are laid back and gorgeous. === Sour Widows self titled E.P. is streaming in full below, it's a collection of six songs, where alt rock, slacker pop and lo-fi moments all come together and combine wonderfully. === David Clayton-Thomas has shared 'The Circus' and although he might be an award winning artist with decades of musical success, I just love the circus swirling song with all the sounds of the big top.
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Bleach Day - In Limbo.
Bleach Day—the Burlington, Vermont-based psychedelic lo-fi pop project led by Louie Kiley and Vinny Marksohn new album, is officially out worldwide this Friday March 6th on Birdwatcher Records, "it's meant to mirror a full life cycle from birth to death, fears to self-discovery".
Originally spurred from the home tape recordings of Louie Kiley and Vinny Marksohn, Bleach Day released their full-length debut, Where to Dream, in 2016. Its release was met with praise from blogs such as Earmilk and Buried Muse (now Idle House). Seven Days called the album "...an eight-song sonic tapestry of analog whirrs, screwy samples and, at its core, beautiful, sun-bleached lo-fi pop."
Since the release of Where to Dream, Bleach Day has appeared as a five-piece band for live performances—expanding to include Jon Kraus and Mitch Manacek (both of garage-punk band The Bubs) and electronic artist Amelia Devoid—at festivals such as POP Montreal and Waking Windows, and has supported artists like Phantogram, Homeshake, Crumb, and Palm. The band will play their record release show on March 6th at Burlington City Arts and will be touring North America this spring, with club and festival dates soon to be announced.
Behind the scenes, the duo has been perpetually occupied in their newly fortified analog home studio earning production, engineering, and performance credits on Wished Bone’s critically acclaimed breakout LP Cellar Belly, engineering Sparklesaurus’ self-titled LP, and tracking or performing on numerous local Vermont artists’ tracks.
Bleach Day’s sophomore LP as if always is the product of a two year studio binge, occurring in between all of these other projects. Mixing classic golden age pop sounds, cinematic progressions, and oddball tones, as if always composes a sonic language that takes the listener through a story of growth and self discovery in its most primeval form, which mirrors a full life cycle from birth to death. Through struggle you learn to confront your fears, your shadows, and your limitations to become the person you are meant to be. It’s a journey to a place that feels far away – until you realize it’s actually within yourself, and always has been.
Sour Widows are a bedroom rock group from the Bay Area, formed in 2018 by longtime friends Maia Sinaiko, Susanna Thomson and Max Edelman, and recently joined by Sam Edelman on bass.
Songs marked by driving harmonies address themes of relationship and reflection; layers of warmth, grit, and depth surface and fade in their two guitar dynamic.
Carried by Edelman’s inimitable drumming, the four draw from influences including Big Thief, Duster, Pile and Forth Wanderers to create heavy harmonic alternative rock.
The term ‘bedroom rock’ is a nod to this intimacy - it could mean sleepy, dreamy, or weepy - as it captures the emotion behind the music. Post-Trash calls their debut single ‘Tommy’ “a perfect synthesis of slacker pop and punk’s tamer edges,” and asserts the band “is slated to blow up the indie scene.” Through progressions that shift from subtle to biting, Sour Widows expose tender moments with an edge.
David Clayton-Thomas began his amazing journey with his 1968 debut album with Blood Sweat & Tears that sold 10 million copies worldwide.
The self-titled record topped the Billboard album chart for seven weeks, and charted for a staggering 109 weeks. It won an unprecedented five Grammy awards, including Album of The Year.
He hasn’t slowed down since then and developed into one of the most recognizable voices in music, to date selling over 40 million records. In 1996 he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and in 2007 his jazz/rock composition “Spinning Wheel” was enshrined in the Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame. In 2010 David received his star on Canada’s Walk Of Fame.
Stars and Rabbit have just released their new album 'Rainbow Isle' which is available in full below. My personal favorite is 'Naked King' however there are plenty of other impressive songs from this duo who switch genres and moods with apparent ease. === We featured 'Stars' back in January and now Glass Heart String Choir have released companion single 'It's Never Enough' which is another sumptuous and beautiful song from this creative pair. === From Sydney, Australia we have Magnus and the powerful rocker 'Forever and Never' that overwhelms and pleases with potent musical hooks. === Formed in the mid 1980's Close Lobsters are still creating exceptional new songs as the moody and dramatic rocker 'Godless' clearly demonstrates.
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Stars and Rabbit - Rainbow Isle (Album).
Hailing from the Indonesian island of Java, Stars and Rabbit deliver fun and unpredictable, mixing the classic quirkiness of Carole King and The Carpenters with the modern creative vibes of Sia and Little Dragon.
Spearheaded by female singer-songwriter Elda and musical director Didit, the band has quickly established themselves as a gem of the Indonesian music scene with the kind of broad appeal that smacks of crossover success. Elda founded Stars and Rabbit in 2011 as an outlet for her love of music. Didit, a veteran of the island’s rock scene, saw a spark in Elda’s innocent passion for music, and the two joined forces, releasing a debut album, a collaboration LP and 2 live albums, in quick succession. Their small and intimate gigs have already achieved a cult status in their native city of Jogja.
Their new LP, Rainbow Aisle, a full spectrum of colors, showcasing their knack for groovy electro rock as well as intimate acoustic confessions. “We usually write about meaningful relationships with life and other beings. We’re admittedly a bit obsessed with a utopian type of existence,” Elda asserts. “I guess that’s why I love music...it makes me feel like anything is possible.”
"It's Never Enough" comes as a companion single to "Stars", which we released last month with the help of BTR Today and For Folks Sake. The band are currently wrapping up a tour of New Zealand before bringing their brand of widescreen folk to the West Coast for a performance at McMenamins White Eagle Saloon in Portland, Oregon on March 24th.
At first listen, one might assume that the intricate interplay between honeyed vocals and any variety of violin, cello, or harp of a Glass Heart String Choir song would require careful discussion between musical partners, but songs are the one thing Ian Williams and Katie Mosehauer never talk about.
Verbose when discussing the nuances of nature (especially birds) or poetry (especially Russian), Ian is a person prone to long pauses while searching for the perfect word or metaphor to describe his own inner mechanics—a listener may wait indefinitely for sentences that never finish or metaphors that remain unfound. It is songwriting that allows him ample time to plumb the more faceless emotions of life and dredge for exactly the right words to capture them. Recipient of the prestigious Richard Rodgers Award in musical theater, Williams is adept at telling others’ stories, as well as his own through song.
For Katie, music presents a wondrous, wordless reprieve. Spending much of her time crafting public policy, words are a high-stakes game with far reaching implications. “I spend a lot of time in other arenas parsing the meaning of individual words and their intention. When it come to our songs, we seem to have found our own language—Ian never needs to tell me what they mean, and I never need to ask.” Composing allows her to think only in sound and shape and color, to fill in spaces not with what must be said to make the world more just but with what could be heard to make it more beautiful.
In their first release since their project’s debut EP in late 2018, the release of singles "Stars" and "It’s Never Enough" scheduled for early 2020 move on from Light’s themes of leveling doubt to trade in absolutes. Both songs apply surging vocals over baroque musical sheets, weaving together intricate stories with cinematic soundscapes, but to different effect—"Stars" bursts toward the future with a knowing, formative, certainty while "It’s Never Enough" looks back with an equally certain sense of devastation. This paired couplet of songs is day to each other’s night, full of contrast and compliment.
Sydney group Magnus launch their brand new single "Forever & Never" a taste of what's to come for their upcoming LP Detachment, due out in April 2020.
Sydney band Magnus formed in 2012 to bring their urgency, fearlessness in experimentation, and healthy disregard for genres to Australian music. Their name, derived from "Magn-hus" and translating as "powerhouse" in Old Norse, is a testament to their live performances. A casual open mic at Melbourne’s world-famous Cherry Bar landed them a residency there and eventually nomination for Best live band of the year award by invite of owner James Young Himself.
Their debut album, “I”, received critical acclaim by both online and print media with The Sydney Morning Herald Stating: “The band clearly likes to tease and with terrific self-confidence, in their undoubted abilities the approach does create a lively anxiousness within their music.". In 2017 work on Detachment started with a DIY approach which resulted in recorded demos in their rehearsal space mixed at their home studio. Convinced this album needed to have an “all-or-nothing” approach, these demos were sent out around the world and sparked interest from big names such as Steve Albini, Alan Moulder & Bob Clearmountain.
In 2018 recording of the album took place under the supervision of five-time Aria award-winning producers Paul McKercher. With COG’s Lucius Borichon drums it promises an even more raw and visceral approach, yet maintaining the unexpected twists and turns Magnus has become known for. Both Paul and the legendary Bob Clearmountain (multi-Grammy winner & nominee, USA - Rolling Stones, Springsteen, The Preatures) are credited in mixing and Big Bass Brian Gardner (multi-Grammy winner & nominee known for QOTSA Songs for the Deaf and his work with Dr. Dré), for mastering the album. Detachment is set for release in April 2020.
Recorded between 2014 and 2019 and produced by John Rivers (producer of their 1986 debut album “Foxheads Stalk This Land.”) Post Neo Anti … finds the band in shimmering, gallus form. The cover features an original photograph from legendary photographer Brian Sweeney, inspired by the Arditi Del Popolo, a militant anti fascist group from the 1920’s. Andrew Burnett, Bob Burnett, Tom Donnelly, and Stewart McFayden formed Close Lobsters in the mid 80’s in Paisley, Scotland.
Close Lobsters first came to wider prominence with the track ‘Firestation Towers’ on the NME’s C86 compilation. They signed to Fire Records and released their debut single ‘Going To Heaven To See If It Rains’ in October 1986. They released a second single ‘Never Seen Before’ in April 1987, which strengthened their reputation as one of the leading emerging indie bands. They went on to release two albums: ‘Foxheads Stalk This Land’ was released in 1987 and ‘Headache Rhetoric’ in 1989. Rolling Stone’s review of ‘Foxheads Stalk This Land’ called it “first-rate guitar pop from a top-shelf band. Close Lobsters could have been just another jangle group, but they have a lot more going for them than just chiming Rickenbackers.”
Their popularity on United States college radio stations led to an invitation to the New York Music Seminar in 1989, which in turn led to an extensive American tour. They toured extensively in the UK, Germany and the United States of America and Canada. The band eventually took an extended break. Their singles retrospective, ‘Forever, Until Victory!’ was released on 5 October 2009 on Fire Records. The title taken from the reputed last sign-off in a letter from Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara to Fidel Castro “¡Hasta la victoria siempre!”. In March 2012, Close Lobsters reformed to play the second Madrid Popfest, Glasgow, third Popfest Berlin and the 2013 NYC Popfest.
In May 2014, Close Lobsters played the Copenhagen Popfest and released new EP, ‘Kunstwerk in Spacetime’. Lead single ‘Now Time’ received significant attention, a further single followed in 2015, before a further hiatus. The band are now back again with a new album – ‘Post Neo Anti‘ – being released by Last Night From Glasgow on February 28th 2020 along with Shelflife Records in the United States.
Grizzly Coast shares 'Forever' a slower paced and melodic indie rocker where both guitar and vocals vie for attention. === Scottish pop-rock band Dancing On Tables just released 'Not To Need You' a song that's packed with musical hooks from start to finish. === There is no shortage of passion on the new song from The Reverse entitled 'Crush My Chest With Your Hate' it's a powerful indie rocker. === We Three Kings cut to the chase with 'S’alright (G.O.T.I.T)' a full on and wonderful rock & roll explosion from the opening riffs. === Sea Offs latest single is 'For Familiarity's Sake' and it's a beautiful modern folk piece from songwriters Olivia Price and Rashmit Arora. === Ethel & The Chordtones have released 'Make You Mine' a timeless and gorgeous song with retro vibes and plenty of energy.
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Grizzly Coast - Forever.
From the imaginative, yet highly-analytical mind of Alannah Kavanagh comes Grizzly Coast, the Toronto-based indie rock project with heavy-hitting instrumentation that tears up the stage and heavy-lifting lyrical narratives that compel you to think deeper.
Formerly performing as an acoustic singer-songwriter, Grizzly Coast wears her expansion into full-band territory well, having toured her powerful and effervescent live show throughout Ontario and Alberta, including opening slots for Fast Romantics, Begonia, and Exclaim! magazine’s Class of 2020.
Grizzly Coast blends her trademark thoughtful lyricism with dreamy guitar rock sensibilities on her singles Forever, Half-Light Boy and High-Functioning, and is releasing her debut EP this spring.
Dancing On Tables are a five-piece pop-rock band from Dunfermline, Scotland, who formed as bored school friends that happened to play the right instruments. It has been a whirlwind journey for Robbie, Callum, Gregor, Hamish and Reece, which has seen them grow from playing friend’s parties and school halls, to supporting Catfish and the Bottlemen as part of their UK arena tour.
Recent releases saw the band perform at the likes of Latitude, The Great Escape and Dot to Dot festivals; bag spots on New Music Friday, The Pop List and other Spotify and Apple Music editorial playlists; become the sound of Schuh x Adidas and multi-year Scottish Water advertising campaigns; perform sessions for Shazam and STV; soundtrack opening credits of hit TV show Made in Chelsea; and be named one of Variety Magazine’s “10 Brits to Watch.”
As well as a 14 date UK tour, Spring 2020 will see the band release their highly anticipated next EP; where they can count American chart-topping writers Liz Rose (Taylor Swift, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood) and Seth Ennis (The Band CAMINO), cult indie-star Only Real and Grammy winner Femke Weidema amongst the people involved with highly anticipated new material. The first single is the emotive, indie-pop banger ‘Not To Need You’ - Exploring the bands melancholic side, it’s a track that was written in Nashville alongside legendary songwriter Liz Rose. On writing the track, the band state
“Writing the track felt more like therapy than a songwriting session. We talked about all the difficulties we faced in life as we told stories of failed friendships and heartaches, before agreeing that we wanted a song that would encapsulate the pain and hurt that people go through in life, but ultimately show that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. The track focuses on someone ending a reliance on someone else, but we wanted the track to apply to all uphill battles, and for “the best part of starting over, is not to need you anymore” to give people hope that things will always get better.”
North London guitar band The Reverse announce the release of their new album Which Way Out on 24 April via Blang Records, and share the album opening track ‘Crush My Chest With Your Hate’, a furious reverb drenched and darkly caustic song lamenting a culture of hate and envy that has led to the dehumanisation of refugees, and the disturbing rise of the far-right.
‘Crush My Chest With Your Hate’ is a befitting taster for Which Way Out, which the band describe as an album influenced “by the personal and the political with more than a little darkness but also plenty of humour.” The Reverse’s sound is a an urgent and literate style of indie-rock that’s been likened to “Belle and Sebastian meets Pulp meets Lloyd Cole,” with a dark and twisted nod to Britpop’s more irreverently humoured acts such as David Devant & His Spirit Wife and The Auteurs; a hint of post-punk in the Wire-esque chugging guitar riffs; and touches of both the gothic and alt-folk.
Which Way Out was recorded whilst the band performed together in order to capture the essence of their live sets, with the album moving through energetic rock songs to more delicate acoustic laments, offering nuanced tone shifts through emotional and stylistic ranges. Frontman and lyricist Nathan Loughran’s delivery veers from anger and sarcasm to vulnerability and compassion, unsurprising with influences including iconic purveyors of the raw and laid bare truth, such as Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan.
The sardonic album track ‘Nobody Likes You, Everybody Hates You’ explores all that divides us in increasingly binary terms, with a deliciously darkly humoured swipe at everyone from The Sun newspaper through to Jeremy Kyle. Whilst ‘Abstract Heart’- one of DJ Gary Crowley’s top songs of the year on BBBC Radio London – is another heavier rock-edged track, an anti-love song narrating the broken people destroyed by the less-than-perfect reality of the romantic dream, played out to a backdrop of chugging Wire-esque riffs.
Then there’s the classic British observational song-writing on songs such as ‘Nothing on Telly’ which offers a kind of kitchen-sink storytelling realism worthy of Pulp. Whilst tracks like ‘Kill Us All’ recall the aforementioned 90’s band The Auteurs with its tongue in cheek misanthropy (“You seem nice, you talk a lot but I don’t need new friends when I hate the ones I’ve got” – ‘Kill Us All’).
Then there are the album’s more fragile and naked moments with ‘A Vague Arrangement’ and ‘Skimming Stones’, offering Nathan Loughran’s standard laid bare honesty but laced with a gentler, more compassionate touch - and the appearance of Teresa Kelly’s delicate vocal. The songs explore the vulnerability of falling in love and the fragility of the human existence, offering up a softer side to The Reverse and another shade in Which Way Out’s many nuances.
Which Way Out is probably best described as an album realistically reflecting human existence in today’s troublesome times, with an unafraid exploration of dark subject matter, but also of life’s flickering and hopeful warm light.
We Three Kings are a no-nonsense three piece rock ’n’ roll band from Manchester, UK with a balls-out sound that blends fuzzed up blues-rock into three minute mini miracles of pure joy.
With Rich on vocals and guitar, Ben on bass and Pete on drums, their riff-driven guitar-heavy sound is perfect for a playlist alongside Rival Sons, Royal Blood, The Black Keys, Queens of the Stone Age, Wolfmother and The White Stripes. S’alright (G.O.T.I.T) is a razor sharp reminder of the power of monstrous riffs turned up to 11.
An unpretentious live act with a massive, balls-out sound, 2019 singles ‘Give It To Me, GO!’, ‘Do It’ & ‘Gasoline’ achieved widespread critical acclaim, including radio airplay on BBC Introducing, Planet Rock Radio & Amazing Radio, with ‘Give It To Me, GO!’ also featuring on Classic Rock Magazine’s cover- mounted CD, July 2019. The band’s back catalogue includes a further two five-track EPs: 'EMBERS' (2016) and ‘FIRE’ (2018), and is available to stream across all digital platforms.
Indie-folk duo Sea Offs share their latest single release "For Familiarity's Sake" from the forthcoming EP 'En Root' out March 27th, 2020 via Independent Release. The two have quite an unlikely connection. Rashmit comes from Mumbai and Olivia from Pittsburgh. The two met in college over a love of atmospheric folk and a shared socio-political belief system. Since joining forces, they've opened for acts like Girlpool, The Shacks, and Pinegrove.
Sea Offs is the meeting ground for songwriters Olivia Price and Rashmit Arora. Rashmit hails from Mumbai, India; Olivia from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The two met and started writing together in college, bonding over a love of atmospheric folk music and a shared socio-political belief system. Currently, they split time between Philadelphia and Brooklyn.
Together, their tender blend of brooding folk music and ethereal instrumentation that takes cues from classics like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young with a more expansive and progressive ethos adjacent to Wye Oak or Hayley Henderickx. Following the band’s 2016 debut EP Sea the Blind Sea Offs toured the northeast most notably supporting Girlpool, The Shacks, and Hodera, and has shared festival stages with Pinegrove, Hop Along, and Frankie Cosmos.
Their forthcoming EP En Root sees the band tackling themes of love in its many different forms. Olivia writes, “The first single (“Will (you)”) discusses body ownership in a relationship – the detachment one can feel sexually when there is no emotional connection to serve as a basis. Ultimately, it’s about an undefined relationship I was in where I tried to force meaning into what was actually just a physical outlet. In the years following my college graduation, I repeatedly found myself in “flings” with people who, I felt, viewed me as nothing more than a sexual object. It’s an identity I felt forced into and extremely uncomfortable assuming.”
Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, Ethel & the Chordtones consists of vocalist Julie Hardy and guitarist/producer Mike MacAllister. Ethel’s bluesy swagger marks a return to Hardy’s roots as a jazz and blues songstress.
MacAllister, who has gained a reputation as an electronic music producer, revisits the songs of his early days of playing in garage rock bands.
Their single “Trouble (ft. Ryan Levine of Wildling) (2015) was featured in the Entourage The Movie film trailer. “Serious Craving” the second single off their EP “Trouble” can be heard on advertisements for Diet Coke, Lexus, and Haagen Daz.
me&you have released 'S.O.L' today and its a natural Americana song where folk and country come together beautifully, the dual vocals enriching the track even further. === Singer songwriter Arielle Silver shares her brand new song 'What Really Matters' where the poignant lyrics are passionately delivered on this powerful Indie folk piece. === Today Carroll release their third album 'Leap and the Net Appears' which is streaming in full below, we have already shared the song 'Fern' from the collection, and I have to say the album has lived up to the promise that track hinted at. === From Sydney, Australia we haveCasual Fan and their latest song entitled 'Flight', it's a gently paced alt rocker with gorgeous vocals and background harmonies and some refined musicianship. === Reckless Kelly share 'North American Jackpot' which is a timeless country rocker with just a hint or two of Southern rock vibes. === From London we have Lial and the song 'Embers' which is released today, it's an electro pop song with plenty of feeling and emotion. === Rue Snider makes his seventh appearance on Beehive Candy with today's release 'Oklahoma' a gentler ballad that is both melodic and quite personal sounding.
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me&you - S.O.L.
me&you, formed of siblings Karlee and Connor Hormell, are an Americana duo from Sacramento, CA. Their new single, "S.O.L." is a country-folk slow burner about bad timing in a relationship. The single will be released Friday, February 28, ahead of their debut as official showcasing artists at SXSW 2020.
About me&you: "My brother and I always tell each other: all we have is me and you," explains Karlee with regards to their band name. The siblings have been playing music together since they were kids, but the band really came to fruition when they went on a month-long campervan trip in the backcountry of New Zealand and ultimately wrote their debut EP, Chasing Trails.
Since then, the duo has shared the stage with Dwight Yoakam, Barns Courtney, John Paul White (Civil Wars), Bastille, and others and has been sponsored by Patagonia, REI, SC Vans, and Visit Sacramento.
In November 2018, there was a shooting at the Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks, CA. The next day, the Woolsey and Hill fires broke out, burning over 96K acres of Southern California. People who were still wrapping their heads around losing 13 of their neighbors in the shooting were now having to pack up whatever they could to evacuate the fires that were rapidly heading their way. One of these nearby residents was Americana singer, Arielle Silver.
After these tragic events, Silver began to think about what really matters most when you are facing a tragedy and from that, her latest single was born. "What Really Matters" is released today Friday, February 28.
Arielle Silver crafts songs that are luminous, literate, and alive. A Thousand Tiny Torches, the singer-songwriter’s new Indie Folk Americana collection, is a testament to her renewal of inspiration, the rekindling of dreams, and the redemptive power and connective compassion that defines her artistry.
Her rich, expressive alto voice frames expansive melodies that echo the American heartland. Now based in Los Angeles, Arielle knows this geography well. A performing itinerary transported her from Club Passim in her adopted hometown of Boston to venues including Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta and Nashville’s 12th & Porter, plus stops to the Southwest, as she steered a vegetable oil-fueled vehicle across Texas to Abilene, Odessa and Austin.
Leap and the Net Appears (out February 28th 2020 on Shattered Orb Records) is the third album by the Philadelphia band Carroll. The album takes the band’s outrospective sonic palate to glistening new heights and some of the murkiest depths of their career. Recorded in the band’s subterranean bunker in Philadelphia and at Berlin Studios in New Jersey, the record captures the first moments of a hibernating bear blinking into the sunshine after months in its den. On songs like first single “Fern” and album opener “2 Have U,” we see a band with one foot firmly planted in the void while cautiously approaching the light.
After years on the road and stints opening for the likes of Dr. Dog, Whitney, and Jessica Pratt, the four members of Carroll are learning to stay in place. “I tried fixing the holes inside / then I covered the door in your color,” sings frontman Brian Hurlow on “Nona.” Home improvement and domesticity butt up against inner turmoil in songs about unsettled settling. “This one has been a crazy year of tearing the yard apart,” Hurlow reflects on the sublime album closer "Bemy."
Underneath Hurlow’s plaintive delivery swirl the dense psychedelic landscapes the band is known for. The propulsive, liquid bass lines of Charles McClung are a second narrator throughout the course of the album and Max Kulicke continues to create microclimates and sonic storms with his atmospheric guitar. The record’s tasteful and varied synthesizers seem to bubble up from beneath the understated beats of drummer Charlie Rudoy, while the tender saxophone work by free jazz explorer Gabriel Garcia polishes off what are the most enveloping grooves of the band’s career.
The first lines of "Fern" are an apt metaphor for Carroll's newest record: "I'm a fern with the leaves curled up / in the light I extend and unravel." As you spend time with Leap and the Net Appears, the album unfurls, blooms, and blossoms around you
Casual Fan is a musical collective from Sydney, started when songwriter Nathan moved from his home town of Newcastle to Sydney’s Inner West and pulled together some new friends to take his folk songs in a different direction. The result is a dynamic mix of subdued interludes and frenzied refrains, with Nathan’s resonant vocals and intricate guitar work providing a unique through line for the listener.
“Flight” is the first single from Casual Fan’s forthcoming debut album “I’ve Dreamt About These Days”. Recorded with Mark Myers (The Middle East, The Starry Field), it’s a song about being stuck between where you are and where you think you should be.
Listen as rich guitar tones and yearning vocals soar over unique rhythms to create a song that’s nostalgic like the Australian summer — like it’s 38 degrees and you’re packed into your friend’s ’97 Nissan Pulsar on your way to the beach in late February.
The Austin, TX-based country rock band Reckless Kelly released “North American Jackpot,” the first single and title track from their upcoming album American Jackpot (out May 22 alongside their album American Girls). The song will be available everywhere tomorrow but you can hear it now on Taste of Country.
“Writing ‘North American Jackpot’ I kept hitting a wall with the verses and the theme,” says Willy Braun, who co-founded Reckless Kelly with his older brother Cody Braun and drummer Jay Nazz in 1996. “Trouble was, I kept going back to my first idea, a story about my grandparents, which wasn’t really going anywhere, but I couldn’t get away from it. I thought, I’d have to scrap this one till it made sense… the problem was, I’d already started writing the rest of the album and was close to being finished, but the title track, 'North American Jackpot’ wasn’t close to being completed, and far from the cornerstone it needed to be. I called Jeff Crosby, songwriter extraordinaire from the Gem State asking for help. The next day he sent a nearly perfect first verse that got me out of the rut and on the right track. I wrote a second verse almost immediately and we polished it up in Boise a couple weeks later. I had my cornerstone.”
For nearly 25 years, Reckless Kelly has graced the musical landscape with a high-powered form of Americana, equally rooted in raw passion, refined musicianship, and gritty authenticity. With the dual release of two new albums—American Jackpot and American Girls—the Idaho-bred band presents a beautifully detailed portrait of their beloved country, turning their nuanced songwriting to its many glories and tragedies. “North American Jackpot” appears on American Jackpot, throughout which Reckless Kelly joyously examines what they most cherish about their homeland, exalting everything from the thrill of mule-riding through the Grand Canyon to the country’s singular potential as a cultural melting pot. At the same time, the band never shies away from calling out forces that threaten America’s character. To that end, the album is bookended by two piano-driven tracks with lyrics lifted from the Emma Lazarus poem inscribed at the Statue of Liberty: the full-hearted and hopeful “North American Jackpot,” and “Goodbye Colorado #3” (a quietly impassioned response to anti-immigrant rhetoric).
For American Jackpot and American Girls, the band called upon friends and fellow musicians Bukka Allen, Jeff Crosby, Charlie Sexton, Gary Clark Jr., Rosie Flores, Shawn Sahm, Muzzie Braun, Suzy Bogguss, Wade Bowen and many more to join their recording sessions. Although Reckless Kelly initially intended to make just one album, the project took on a life of its own once they headed into the studio. “I wanted to produce this one by myself, just to try that out, and I made sure to book plenty of studio time to get it done right,” says Willy. “We ended up moving along really fast, so I pulled out a few more songs and figured we’d end up using them down the road. Before we knew it, we had enough material for two really good records.”
Lial is a London artist making a haunting and melancholy strand of electronic-pop, laced with a hypnotic and sensual vocal which has been likened to a mix of Kylie and Billie Ray Martin. On 28th February, she releases brand new single Embers ahead of the release of her second EP, Made To Break, which follows in Summer 2020.
Lial sites artists such as Låpsley, Sia, and Lana Del Rey as influences, with her sound encompassing echoes of each. Lial’s enveloping minimal arrangements recall Låpsley’s dark, brooding alt-pop but coupled with Sia’s glistening pop-sensibility. There’s also a touch of Del Rey’s sultry heartsick delivery, weighted by the subject matter of Lial’s songs. New single Embers is about the struggle of removing oneself from a destructive situation which is simultaneously addictive. The song’s darker undertones are laced with a wistful edge which Lial describes as “the recognition there is something good that could have been, even as you try to draw a line under it all.”
After performing live as a professional singer at big sports events including England Rugby matches, Lial began working on her own music. In 2019 she shared her debut Heart Scars EP, self-released and unpromoted, it organically accumulated over 68k Spotify plays, UK and international blog posts for its lead title-track, and fans in a wide range of places. Lial found music from the EP shared and championed on social media by fellow songstress Pixie Lott and actresses Lily James, Michelle Dockery and Jo Froggatt (among many others).
Embers is released as a digital single on 28 February. It is written by Lial alongside co-writer and producer Gregor McWilliam and mastered by John Davies. Lial’s Made to Break EP follows in Summer 2020.
Brooklyn based Rue Snider today releases his new song Oklahoma. Rue tells us "It's a ballad about a sex worker. It's quieter than the stuff I've been putting out lately".
Singer songwriter Rue Snider combines 80s alt sonics with a lyrical style reminiscent of 60s rock revolutionaries. His sound and ideals are both a reflection of and a reaction to growing up during the 1980s in a small town.
The tone of his hometown and it’s conservative foundation spawned Rue’s progressive values and belief in social justice. His home filled with records by Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley, and Air Supply, and his elementary school music teacher father propelled his love for music and interest in performance. Investments were made in lessons on piano, cello, trumpet, and eventually voice, which were met with the same embrace any free spirited young person attaches to something they are forced to do.
Kalbells has released 'Cool and Bendable' today along with a video, the song starts out gently enough but builds with wonderful intensity and passion. === We featured The Hempolics a couple of times last December and now we have the new video for 'Bongadasi' which is a potent mixture of reggae and funk. === We began February with a song from Malena Zavala and just four weeks later we have 'La Yarará' a vibrant mixture of Latin influences and Reggaeton. === Jenny Banai has shared a new song entitled 'Couch Walker' and it's a melodic and rich modern pop ballad with plenty of class.
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Kalbells - Cool and Bendable.
Today, Kalbells (the project led by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Kalmia Traver) announced Mothertime, a four track EP she co-produced with Jeremy Malvin (aka Chrome Sparks). The cathartic lead single and accompanying music video for “Cool and Bendable” was also released
Mothertime will be out April 10th, 2020 and is now available to preorder via NNA Tapes. This spring, Kal and her band will bring their new material to select dates in North America.
In April 2015, Kalmia Traver (Kalbells, Rubblebucket) had just come out of an intensive 2-month writing retreat with 27 songlets in hand, 10 of which would become Kalbells’ debut album Ten Flowers. Jeremy Malvin (Chrome Sparks) loved what she shared with him then, and the two began regular co-production sessions in his studio in Brooklyn, where classical percussion ensemble So Percussion also worked. Drawing inspiration from the abundance of acoustic sound-makers all around, Jeremy performed marimbas, cactus shakers, and massive bass drums, while Kal layered flute arpeggios, penny whistles, and saxophones through tape echo to make smooth harmonic waves of rainbow velvet layer cake. They pretended to be an orchestra.
Lyrically, the Mothertime EP sees Kal processing themes she has been continually chewing on in the 6-year wake of surviving ovarian cancer and transforming a codependent relationship wither her long-time music partner Alex Toth (Tōth, Rubblebucket): resilience, yielding, beckoning creativity, self-exploration, and joy.
The Hempolics drops the video for their recent single ’Bongadashi’, the third cut taken from their upcoming second album ‘Kiss, Cuddle & Torture: Volume 2’, planned for release in April 2020 through their own record label Zee Zee Records via Kartel Music Group. The band will also support Toots and the Maytals farewell UK tour in May.
’Bongadashi’, is the follow up to the upbeat soul and reggae mash ‘Play On’ and the trip-hop meets dub-influenced single, ‘Full of Surprises’, which saw support at radio from BBC 1Xtra’s David Rodigan, 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, Don Letts, Chris Hawkins and 6Music Recommends, BBC 6 Music Mix Tape with Tom Robinson and BBC Scotland’sVic Galloway.
In the words of the band’s mainman and producer Grippa Laybourne - who has previously worked in the studio with a variety of international top acts like Mattafix and Faithless – ‘Bongadashi’ is “a pure British reggae-funk stomper full of swagger and verve”. The song is about the inherent danger on the streets whether in London or Port of Spain in Tobago, the home of Hempolics collaborator Franz who lends the vocals to the track. “When fear comes out of the blue, when you’re walking down the street and someone starts on you not sure whether you’re safe or not on the streets - Bongadashi coming,” Grippa adds.
The Hempolics’ blend of Reggae, Hip-Hop, Dancehall and Pop has already been heavily supported across UK national radio by BBC Radio1, BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6Music, where the band had three playlisted singles. They went on to have 6Music ‘Album of The Day’ and were subsequently chosen by Liz Kershaw's pick for 'Album Of The Year', after an impressive live session for Lauren Laverne.
‘Bongadashi’ is another stand out track and a statement of intent ahead of their forthcoming sophomore album and support slot on the Toots and the Maytals farewell UK tour in May, playing at O2 Academy in Bristol on Friday 15th May, London’s O2 Academy Brixton on 16th May, Leeds’ O2 Academy on Fri 29th May and Manchester’s O2 Apollo on 30th May.
Malena Zavala has today released the title track from her upcoming new album ‘La Yarará’, available April 17 on Yucatan Records. The follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2018 debut ‘Aliso’, ‘La Yarará’ cements the Argentinean-born, UK-raised musician as a songwriter with a unique perspective on where she’s from, where she’s headed and where her music can take us.
‘La Yarará’ draws from the various aspects, colours and shades of Latin music and culture: cumbia, Afro-Cuban, Afro-funk, Andean folk, Argentine folk, bolero-son, and in the case of the title track/new single, reggaeton. The percussion deliberately evokes the sinuous movements and character of a serpent.
“The yarará is a venomous snake, a viper, in Argentina,” explains Zavala. “It’s also used as a diss to a sassy woman, and my parents always called me that, so I’ve named the album that as a kind of in-joke.
“With the whole album I was researching every single Latino rhythm and style. With ‘La Yarará’ I started on reggaeton, but wanted to make it in my own way. I also wanted to make a song that’s really angry. And when I do that live, it is a challenge, because I normally sing very sweetly,” she admits. “But I’m trying to summon that yarará.”
‘La Yarará’ is the third single to be taken from the album following 'En La Noche' and 'I'm Leaving Home'. Zavala will follow the release of ‘La Yarará’ on April 17 with a headline show at London’s Courtyard Theatre on April 23.
Born in Argentina to parents with Italian passports, Zavala’s family relocated to Hertfordshire when she was a small child. She began her musical journey in a band with her brother called, Oh So Quiet. At the time she tried to write songs, “but they were really shit so I concentrated on being a performer. But then my brother met a girl and moved to LA. So I decided to do my own thing. And I wrote my first album.”
I was sitting on a couch next to a buddy (tbh, a potential more-than-buddy… we’ve all been there).
I don’t co-write very often, but there was a playful willingness in the room. I started off with a very Andy Shauf-esque melody; a creative inspo to many in our scene. I led with melody and my potential more-than-buddy followed with chords.
We made a little voice memo which he coined “jenny on a couch.” I wrote the lyrics later. The curiosity and hope about a relationship, as well as the frustration and heartbreak that ensues when one doesn’t work out, inspired my words.
It feels like walking a tightrope sometimes – the excitement, the back-and-forth, the risk. All of these emotions, in real time, take place with you sitting on a couch beside someone. I keep walking. I keep carrying all of these moments in my pockets. They are important and each human is important, not whether I have control of the narrative of my life.
Suzy and the Lifeguards first graced our site pretty much a month ago to the day and return with the delightful and relaxing indie pop song 'Take It Slow'. === Weird Milk make their third appearance here with todays release 'Is That Love' and the band again serve up some melodic and original indie rock. === If you fancy some timeless hook filled rock then Dramamama comfortably fulfill that with 'End Of The Line'. === Accompanied by a video that picks up on the songs story Christy Lynn Band have just shared 'Checkin In' a fabulous country rocker that exudes feeling. === Victoria+Jean have released 'Imbecile' (Featuring Romain Humeau) and it's a dramatic, dusky and addictive electro pop piece. === Another song released today comes from Orpine and is entitled 'Sondern' and it's simply wonderful, the duos modern folk centred song twists and turns with charm and natural feeling. === Last month we featured 'High Times In The Dark'and promised to share some more from The Claudettes ahead of their new album and so it's with pleasure to present 'Declined' a song whose sentiments I fear are more than a little familiar for plenty of people.
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Suzy and the Lifeguards - Take It Slow.
On Suzy & the Lifeguard’s new single, “Take it Slow”, Paradise’s sultry vocals tease the dark corners with a flirty embrace, while horns elicit visions of a forbidden romance. It’s off the EP, ANIMA, produced by Grammy award-winning recording and mix engineer, Phil Joly (Patti Smith, Lana Del Rey, Daft Punk).
“Take it Slow” tantalizes the senses, prickling and puncturing in waves of seduction, while allure and regret perform a slow tango. It’s the dichotomy between desiring love and succumbing to lust. Paradise enchantingly beckons, “ We both say we’ll take it slow / As I am taking you back home.” Passion falls prey to remorse as she sings, “Nobody wins when we play games. “
The ANIMA EP due out May 1, embarks on a shadowed journey of neon nightlife and moody ambiance. Recorded in Kauai at a friend’s chocolate farm/music studio, Paradise says, “It’s vibier than the last record. It’s a bit darker overall, but it’s also still silly and fun. I feel like it’s an honest reflection of not only what I have experienced in the last five years but also the fun and magical space we were in.
Suzy Paradise created Suzy & the Lifeguard as an alter-ego multi-media music project. Award-winning songwriter, producer, and recording artist Bleu McAuley (Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Michelle Branch) co-wrote and produced the self-titled debut EP released in 2015. In 2016, she was nominated in the 14th Annual International Music Awards for “Best Jazz Song with Vocals.” Suzy & the Lifeguard will release ANIMA on May 1, 2020. Paradise funded the release by assisting creatives including Andrew Garfield, Sarah Silverman, and Andrea Arnold (Big Little Lies 2). She also worked behind the screen on “Battle of the Sexes”(Fox Searchlight), “JOY”(Fox 2000), “Black Mirror”(Netflix), and “Masterminds” (Relativity).
Hurtling into 2020 with their boldest and brashest release to date, London baroque pop experts Weird Milk share reflective new cut ‘Is That Love?’, out February 26th.
Capitalising on a whirlwind twelve months that’s seen the band firmly establish their status amongst the emerging indie elite, ‘Is That Love?’ follows acclaimed recent singles ‘Anything You Want’, ‘Honey, I’m Around’ and ‘Time Machine’, having already attracted widespread praise across the BBC Radio 1/6 Music airwaves (Annie Mac, Jack Saunders, Steve Lamacq), as well as gaining the approval of numerous key industry gatekeepers.
With several impressive support slots ticked off alongside the likes of Alfie Templeman, Frank Carter and Pip Blom in recent times, Weird Milk’s assured live show continues to show striking developments, and will be displayed in full force on their UK support tour alongside fellow risers APRE later this month, before the quartet’s much-touted debut trip stateside for SXSW.
Discussing their newest offering, songwriter and drummer Charlie Glover-Wright explained: “The song itself is about a relationship turning sour as a lemon and the main character realising that they don’t need it anymore and they’ll be better off on their own”.
After a 5-year long distance relationship with the bands guitarist Laur Joamets (who moved to the States in 2013 to play in the Grammy-winning Sturgill Simpson’s band, now in Drivin N Cryin), the other three members of an Estonian rock quartet Dramamama - Mikk Tammepõld, Viljar Norman and Ott Adamson - packed their gear and headed towards Nashville for a visit in October 2018. Wasting no time they spent most of the time in Loud Recording Studio with the producer Jake Burns and came out with eight proper rock tracks to be released as an album on April 21, 2020. “End of the Line” is the first hint of what is yet to come.
“It's that classic story of a wandering gypsy musician searching for a place to call home,” says the frontman Mikk Tammepõld. “Musically a little bit inspired by the Beatles I suppose.”
Distinctive quitar sound of Joamets, together with heavy drums and melodic bass lines from Ott Adamson and Viljar Norman respectively, topped with strong vocals of the frontman Mikk Tammepõld form an enjoyable combination of classic rock and modern production.
The animated visual of the track was drawn by the vocalist Mikk Tammepõld himself and reflects the theme of the song in a not-so-serious way.
The Christy Lynn Band will be releasing their debut album Sweetheart of the Radio on April 3rd, (which they announced today) along with the release of their first single "Checkin In".
"Checkin In" is a song that perfectly encapsulates front woman Christy Lynn’s heart-wrenching lyrics and deft storytelling ability, combining a hearty dose of catchy refrains and campy, throwback country charm. Combine that with lead guitarist Ryan Schilling’s skillful playing and production that crisply brings out each howl and crackle in Christy Lynn’s voice, spotlighting her impressive range and cinematic verses within the lyrics, and you might have just found your new favorite country singer.
The Christy Lynn Band draws inspiration from all across the spectrum, from classic languid country and folk to classic rock. They’ve taken those influences and distilled them into their own unique sound that seamlessly fuse soulful alt-country music with a healthy dash of rock & roll. Their compelling frontwoman Christy Lynn possesses a singular, powerhouse voice and a knack for capturing the clever, kitschy lyrics of old country music. Ryan’s meticulous talents lie in his groovy guitar playing and his adept technical skill at capturing the rich texture of their music, all using analog recording equipment. In fact, the recording studio they used to record their first full-length album is actually built into the back of a 1987 Ford Econoline truck called the American Sound Truck that they built out and customized themselves, utilizing a melange of vintage recording gear that they’ve sought and acquired over the years.
Sweetheart of the Radio features Christy Lynn’s unparalleled vocals at the forefront, with Ryan Schilling on guitar, Kenan Hopkins on fiddle, Nate Pusateri on drums, Zack Page on bass and Jackson Dulaney on pedal steel. The rootsy 12-song record tells the fictional story of a radio darling who is beloved far and wide, a skyrocketing success masking a deep sadness. It’s an unsatisfying one-way relationship: the whole world loves her, and yet not one person truly does because they do not truly know her. The crux is that perhaps she doesn’t truly know herself. It’s a soulful country album that harkens back to the sound of its glory days and is sure to appeal to fans of true country and Americana, while simultaneously infusing it with a modern sound that’s distinctly their own.
Critically acclaimed duo Victoria+Jean will return with their second album ‘UNDERDOG’ in the spring of 2020. The romantically and artistically linked Swedish/Belgian duo kick off this new decade with new single ‘Imbecile'. Darkly brooding, the sinister baseline, incessant beat, and stabbing guitar lines of ‘Imbecile', combined with Victoria’s shrill, striking vocals, deliver a 4 minutes hit of menacing electro-pop. Produced by Henrik Alsér (The Hives, Coldplay).
Explaining the origins of the song, Victoria explains “After the release of the 1st album, we found ourselves covered in debts and lost our home. We were left on our own, and were much disappointed by humans and by some of our close friends reactions. And it’s at those moments you know whom are the friends you can trust on, and those you can’t. ‘Imbecile' came to us as a result of what are the real faces of some people, just to be truthful and to say "you know I’m not an imbecile I know what you are thinking”. Or just to say - you’re a bloody f***ing imbecile!"
The song features vocals from Romain Humeau (french singer who featured the song). Having met Romain in ICP studios brussels almost 10 years ago, Victoria+Jean supported Eiffel (Romain’s band) at the mythical Olympia Theatre venue in Paris, and finally managed to arrange for Romain to appear on a track for their new album after years of trying.
To accompany the track there is a Sebastien Alouf directed video. Having worked with the band on the video for ‘Holly’ which appeared on their debut album, the video saw Sebastien following the band in their everyday life, resukting in a documentary-style music video. Sebastien explains “It has been several years since I met Victoria and Jean, and ever since I have episodically followed their adventures, life projects and music. A choice of life authentically rock & roll. I have long been looking for a pretext to return to immerse myself in the intimacy of this couple, tell the reverse side of the scenery, the little strings that bind these 2 hypersensitive, hypercreative and fusional beings. I wanted to make a sensitive fragment of their existence. It is an intimate clip that borders on the romance of this beautiful couple”.
Orpine are Eleanor Rudge and Oliver Catt. Migratory birds nesting in disparate climates; singing in harmony 300 miles removed. Being outside and keeping off the internet. Mostly apart but never alone. Following brief stints in bands and singing on one another’s records, the pair lost touch. Ceasing to make music, days punctuated by silence, Eleanor made contact. Having not seen one another for years, they ventured to a cottage in the Scottish Borders at the foot of Black Hill. With only a stove for heat and a car full of groceries for sustenance, four days of writing passed.
The result is debut album ‘Grown, Ungrown’, produced by Jonathan Coddington (The Magic Gang, Joanna Gruesome). Delicately branching and bereft of irony and cynicism, the songs have room to inflate and deflate, to meander, and shake loose like an antidote to sagging spirits. Harmonies wash against gentle strums and climb from the ambient to the anthemic as Orpine turn their backs on modern absurdity with nerve and solemnity. Like a tiny figure on the horizon casting a huge shadow on the mountain, there is a humbleness about ‘Grown Ungrown’ that projects awe without hubris.
While the bulk of the record was recorded in The Crow’s Nest in Hackney, all of the strings and brass were added at Greenman Swaler – a secret place Oliver helped some friends build when he was a teenager. Decamping from the studio to a den-like locale befits an album with a narrative that is generously autobiographical. “I’ve worked with Jonny since before we knew what we were doing so we have a good understanding of how the other works. The desk has more channels now but the relationship remains the same.” states Oliver.
First single, ‘Sondern’ is a song about grief and defeat. Written around the time of the first Brexit deadline, the title is a German conjunction that derives from an old Germanic word which meant ‘to separate’. “I liked the idea that this use of the word is outdated and it had morphed into something it was never originally intended to be – which was a lot of the criticism being levelled at the European Union on the Leave side.” Its movements lurch, and contract and expand with an inevitable seasonality, from giddy summer to lunar winter, before melting into the payload of a tender spring: “I love you. I always did.”
‘Two Rivers’ speaks of the purifying feeling of laying on the bed of the River Ouse near Mount Caburn, near Elanor’s home town. Submerged and held quietly in water, the industry of transport links dissolves to be replaced by the sunken stillness of the natural world. “Easier to be, than to be gone.” muses Eleanor. The second river, and namesake, the River Ouseburn runs down the road from Oliver in Newcastle. Two little river versions of each other, hundreds of miles apart, striving for the same creative open waters.
Not subscribers to the cult of modernity, Orpine choose instead to make visors with their hands and squint back to landscapes left untouched. A return to nature is favored over the fatigue of likes and followers, the hum of commerce logistics and temporal edge of diversified eating experiences. The countryside liberates Eleanor and Oliver, enabling them to view the modern world, select all and delete.
In this song, the singer delivers a rejection to an unappealing suitor in the only language he can understand: an official letter declining his services, typed on company letterhead. Thank you for that most generous offer, but you have been declined, and you need not apply again. Enclosed, please find: Declined. Delivered, sealed, signed…Declined! Thanks so much for taking the time, but: Declined! The music video was filmed at Shirk Studios in Chicago and features delightful vintage scenes of male-applicant rejection as well as comically unimpressive experiments in hypnosis.
DECLINED:
Dear Sir: Thank you so much for that most generous offer
But sir: I regret to inform you, there's a lot of competition to fill this position
So many are hoping to fill this opening
And as for you? DECLINED.
And as for you? DECLINED.
You have been DECLINED.
100% DECLINED.
Dear sir: I appreciate your interest in working with me
Dear sir: There is no committee, it's only me
Dear sir: I wish you the best in all your future endeavors
But sir: There is no interest whatsoever
DECLINED.
Please do not apply again, you're DECLINED.
There will be no change of mind. DECLINED.
Dear sir, as I've outlined: You're DECLINED.
Enclosed please find: You're DECLINED.
Delivered, sealed, signed: DECLINED.
On behalf of womankind: DECLINED.
Thanks so much for taking the time, but DECLINED.
