Sidney Bird - Michelles - Rosie Thomas - Paula Jivén

Sidney Bird - Renaissance Man.

Sidney Bird is a southwestern darling making a name for herself in New York City. Born and raised in Arizona, Bird holds her own in the western pop scene, alongside artists like Kacey Musgraves and Leon Bridges. A true crossover act, she feels a strong creative impulse when home in Arizona, writing all of her songs there before fleshing them out with producers in Brooklyn.

“I grew up listening to Barenaked Ladies, Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell,” says Bird. “Then became obsessed with Katy Perry, Britney Spears––all the popstars.”

Bird’s background in comedy and musical theater fuels a deep love for world-building and storytelling: “Sometimes I feel like I’m playing characters through my music, using them as a vehicle to express honest and genuine feelings.” Her 2020 debut album “Bad Timing,” featuring singles like “Kisses” and “Wild,” has garnered over 1.7 million combined streams to date. In 2021, Bird followed up with her EP “Big Heart,” debuting the project live at Rockwood Music Hall at the end of the year. With a wealth of music ready for release and a dedicated community of listeners, Bird is well-positioned to make 2022 her year.

Here's what she had to say about it: "I wrote 'Renaissance Man' after reflecting long and hard about my childhood and how my parents raised me. I feel so grateful that I have such amazing and supportive parents, and I aspire to be like them one day. Although I am not looking to have kids anytime soon, this song is about the children I wish to have one day, and a thank you letter to my wonderful parents".

 

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Photo - Chuck Przbyl

Michelles - Illusions.

Chicago-based rock band Michelles – spearheaded by one Michael Daly – are thrilled to share with you, in advance of its official release, their new single “Illusions,” and announce their forthcoming album. 

With a driving, propulsive beat throughout and Daly’s unmistakable vocal style, “Illusions” serves as the lead single to the band’s forthcoming album The Empty Promises of Rock and Roll, set for release on March 1, 2022. The song, out January 11, 2022, will mark the first music Michelles has released since 2017’s critically lauded album, Dark as a Daisy.

Michael Daly on the lead single from the album: ““Illusions” was one of the last songs written for the album. Lyrically, it dances around the idea of the masks we wear, literally and metaphorically, the desire to transcend these disguises, and how on some days it really does feel like the sky is falling, but you have to have some lingering faith in the universe just to get up and do it all again.”

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Rosie Thomas - All Is Full Of Love.

Rosie Thomas’ latest endeavor is truly a project, in the truest sense of the word. A labor of love. An attempt to reach out to parents and help them self-sooth. So, what is Lullabies For Parents? Lullabies For Parents is a multimedia series of resources, entertainment, and encouragement for parents of all ages featuring music, podcast, videos, essays, assorted content and community that promotes finding common ground, connection, and comfort.

The music portion will be a series of singles – some of Rosie’s strongest, most inspired work to date, with a slew of guest vocalists. Rosie has a LOT of musician friends, and almost all of them will appear on this series, including but not limited to: Sufjan Stevens, James Mercer, Sam Beam, The Head and the Heart, Alexi Murdoch, Dawn Landes, David Bazan, William Fitzsimmons and tons more!

-The podcast will finally give a vehicle to some of Rosie’s greatest, and as yet underutilized strengths: her unique ability to quickly disarm, relate to, and encourage people in their struggles, even as they’re entertained by her razor-sharp wit, and engaging, loveable personality. There will be videos, essays, books, and a merch line for both parents and kids alike. Most of all, it will be a community of support, and it’s only just beginning.

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Photo - Eveline Johnsson

Paula Jivén - Say That.

Swedish singer/songwriter Paula Jivén makes spellbindingly original pop music, each song sparked from her radiant imagination. At just 18-years-old, she’s already cultivated a truly singular voice as an artist, one that defies all expectation in favor of following her most playful and daring instincts. Newly signed to Universal Music Sweden, Jivén is now set to deliver a debut EP titled ‘The Duality In Me’ this summer, revealing her supreme gifts as a storyteller and the tremendous power of her captivating voice. Arriving ahead of the EP release is the stand-out single ‘Say That’, a hypnotic chill-pop offering that served as a cathartic song-writing experience for Jivén. On creating the track, Jivén shares:

“‘Say That’ is a song that I wrote at a special time of my life. I had just turned 16, I was in LA on a songwriting trip working with people that I admire and doing meetings in crazy record-label buildings. I was getting to do things I had been dreaming about for so long! But something was still not sitting right with me. I think this was the first time I really experienced the downsides of materialism, and it was overwhelming me in the weirdest way. I felt like although I had so much, I was still missing something, the way all humans do, I guess. We never seem to get enough. And when you think you have it all, it’s still not enough, you can’t really talk about it! And that’s where the title comes in. It was something taking up a lot of my mindspace, but I couldn’t really find a way to talk about it without feeling like I was coming off as ungrateful. Writing about it felt like a healthy way to unpack all of these thoughts in a healthy environment. It helped me realize that it's a privilege to have these problems, but it’s still ok to feel like shit.”

All throughout her debut, Jivén illuminates the potent balance of emotional realism and dreamy sensitivity within her songwriting—a dynamic intensified by each track's graceful interlacing of live instrumentation and electronic experimentation. Made with genre-bending producers like Sir Sly’s Jason Suwito (Imagine Dragons, MisterWives, Dreamers, DeathbyRomy), Jivén’s debut EP ‘The Duality In Me’ moves exponentially forward with a mission she describes as “disrupting the comfortable and comforting the disrupted.”

 “All of these songs are portraits of moments in my life when I’ve felt incredibly strong emotions,” she says. “I love writing songs where I get to vent about something that makes me angry, but I also love writing songs where you sort of take someone into your lap and pat them on the head and let them know that everything’s going to be okay. Either way, I want to convey those strong emotions in a way that brings people closer to a sense of acceptance.” Jivén adds.

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Faeya - Madi Colville-Walker - Colin Lillie Ft Catherine Britt - The Cactus Blossoms Ft Jenny Lewis - Picastro

Faeya - Brave Obsession.

Vulnerable and raw, riveting and real, multi-talented Canadian folk singer/songwriter Faeya explores resilience and perseverance with the release of her new single, “Brave Obsession." As one-third of her most recent EP release, The Blue Period: Volume 1, the Toronto-based indie artist lays it all bare on “Brave Obsession”’s melody, donning a courageous face as she boldly goes where so few have the resolve to venture: the inner workings of one’s heart.

“I wrote this on my acoustic guitar, inspired by the feeling of hopeless dependency of a young infatuation,” Faeya explains. “This song flowered into its folk-inspired sound over several late- summer days at Dream House Studios in Toronto.”

From there, it was between her, recording engineer, Calvin Hartwick, and instrumentalist, Sean Royle, that “Brave Obsession” grew to the sounds and textures we hear on the final cut. “I had been listening to a lot of music by great folk artists like Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake while writing this song, which influenced its sound,” she adds.

The song unearths the longing and resilience to keep pursuing, even if faced with the possibility of hurt and rejection — a deeply mature and ultimately intimate portrait of conveying the heart’s desires. While many shirk the notion that we could allow our hearts to feel this deep, Faeya allows her emotions to feel every fiber, every fragment of want, which she conveys in her music. “The song is different from the others on the EP because of its guitar origin and conversational lyrics,” she muses. “I wanted to tell a story, but still leave it up for interpretation.”

The Canadian songbird is finding early success in her ethereal ballads, having culminated streams online in nearly 60 countries, and thousands of spins on Spotify alone. Her striking, piano-driven, cinematic style pushes the boundaries of songwriting for Faeya, giving her an instrumentation edge among the peers of which she shares her genre.

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Madi Colville-Walker - Less than A Man.

It takes a special talent to stop people in their tracks. Madi Colville-Walker is one of those rare young talents who is blessed with this ability. Madi is a proud Yorta Yorta woman with a captivating talent that transcends boundaries and refuses to be confined to just one musical box.

“Less Than A Man” is Madi’s first release with Red Rebel Music and was produced by Darlinghurst’s Jason Resch. Of the song, Madi says, “Less than A Man is about heartbreak, it’s also about personal growth”. Madi writes from the heart with the ability to transport you to another place – its like she’s lived many lifetimes before and all her knowledge and wisdom, resilience and survival flows so emotionally through her beautiful storytelling.

Hailing from the Echuca/Moama region, Madi has already caught the attention of a number of artists who invited her to perform with them including Archie Roach, Fanny Lumsden, Kutcha Edwards and Darlinghurst. She was a finalist for the 2021 Music Victoria Archie Roach Award for Emerging New Talent and recently performed live on Seven Network’s “Sunrise” program.

Madi draws much of her inspiration from her Grandfather and Yorta Yorta elder, Archie Walker, along with other musical members of her family. She says, “they’ve not only taught me about music but also the importance of a strong family support network. They continually encourage me to do my best in music and inspire and support me in following my musical dreams”.

 

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Colin Lillie Ft Catherine Britt - The Road.

Following the success of “The War” – Beverley Hillbilly Records recording artist - Colin Lillie - today releases the second single from his forthcoming EP. “The Road” is a stunning duet with multi award winner, Catherine Britt, who also oversaw production of not only this track, but the entire EP.

“When all the world was in lockdown in 2020 I got in touch with Catherine to ask if she would be keen to write with me”,says Colin. “I had this guitar melody and some random lyrics but I couldn’t find a solid lyrical foundation. To my surprise, Catherine said yes! So, I sent a very basic demo to Catherine and somehow she plucked a few words and inspiration and “The Road” was born”.

The self proclaimed gypsy Scotsman who resides in the red heart of Australia’s central desert, says “The Road” paints the picture of touring musicians who found it hard being off the road for the best part of the last two years. “The essence of this song was the optimistic idea that we would be back on the road working again as normal after the initial lockdown – how wrong was I?”

“ As a working artist I spent so much time away from home and my family were grateful for the lockdown because they could spend time with me, I could do the odd jobs around the house and we could just be a family again. Yet, underneath that gratitude was the knowing that I longed to be working and I needed to get back on the road to follow my dreams and pay the bills”.

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The Cactus Blossoms - Everybody (feat. Jenny Lewis).

Minneapolis duo The Cactus Blossoms have shared a new song “Everybody” featuring Jenny Lewis. The Cactus Blossoms, comprised of brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum, will release their new album One Day on February 11th.

"Have you ever heard the saying “everyone is just doing the best they can”? I wanted to put that idea into a song,” writes Torrey. “It started out as a kind of sad one-sided story, but when I heard it in my head as a back and forth between two people and imagined Jenny singing the lines it became something different. I’m so glad she was up for it, because without her I don’t think it would have the hopefulness that I was looking for." -

The Cactus Blossoms recently announced the new record along with the release of the single “Hey Baby,” which was acclaimed by Guitar World, The Boot, The Bluegrass Situation, as well as The Minneapolis Star-Tribune and more. “That idea of finding a silver lining comes up a lot on this record,” says Torrey about the single. “It’s an acknowledgment that no matter how messed up things might be, people still want to believe in the world and find ways to feel lucky and joyful.”

While The Cactus Blossoms have drawn frequent comparisons to other musical siblings like the Everlys and Louvins over the years, One Day often suggests a more soulful, ’70s-inspired palette, hinting at times to Bobby Charles or JJ Cale with its playful Wurlitzer, breezy guitars, and lean, muscular percussion. The band’s classic country and old-school pop roots are still there, of course, but the growth and evolution underlying One Day is obvious, not only in the duo’s writing, but in their core philosophy, as well.

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Picastro - Hangman.

Prologue by Owen Pallett: I read an interview with Picastro in 2000 or 2001, and was struck by the uniqueness of Liz Hysen’s commentary.  I listened to “Red Your Blues”, loved it, and e-mailed Liz to say so.  A few months later, I joined the band, playing a terrible-sounding student viola as best as I could.

Touring with Picastro was, in retrospect, hilarious.  Sometimes we shared bills with like-minded acts— Xiu Xiu, Born Heller— but more often than not, we shared the stage with more straight-ahead rock bands, an odd contrast to Liz’s dry-cracked songs.

I got a desk job in 2004 and left the band so I could focus on it, but Liz and I remained close friends, and I continued to contribute to subsequent Picastro albums.  Picastro’s albums always showed a band that was in a state of transition, restless, searching for a sonic niche.  As time went on, the albums kept getting better and better, more and more distinctive.  Picastro’s body of work is a monument to longevity, a demonstration that an idea sometimes needs a decade (or two) to be fully realized.  With every subsequent release, Liz’s singular vision with this project becomes more and more tangible, the discreteness of her work from the zeitgeist becomes more pronounced.  This new album is a testament to this.

This covers EP was brought about by the uncertainty of things, the joy of not knowing and the magic created by music that falls outside of boundaries.  Picastro has existed as a musical entity for a long time, too weird to be a pop band, too many songs to be considered experimental that it was time to celebrate likeminded musicians and bands that have influenced our sound   The theme for the album was simple and predictably set off by the pandemic; humans aren’t comfortable when they don’t know what is going to happen and their routines are disrupted so profoundly.  But what about the magic of not knowing? What about using the time to re-connect with your friends and peers in a slow and easy way?

“I’ve never met a stranger” evolved out of these concepts and the musicians who contributed to this project represent the ways in which we can all connect and represent our cities, our communities, our relationships as best we can.  All the songs were chosen based on their lyrical content starting from Pale Blue Eyes “sometimes I feel so happy, sometimes I feel so sad” at the start of the pandemic, running to Richard Dawson’s “Man’s been struck down by hands unseen”.  The magic of all these bands and musicians for me has been their inability to fall neatly into any one category; The Silt, Elfin Saddle, Fire on Fire, Richard Dawson and the Velvet Underground all elegantly skirt around several genres at all times.  I am grateful for all these bands and all the musicians who performed on the record.

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Elowynn - Hate Moss - Sun Cutter - Kodiak Arcade - The Two Spirits

Elowynn - Stop The Wheel.

In an all-embracing pleading towards peace, folk-rock singer/songwriter Elowynn gently affirms her powerfully poignant and increasingly timely new single, “Stop the Wheel” is very much a protest song.

Drawing a colourful sign on the ‘island of peace’ she so loves, the track directly addresses the heartfelt need for mindfulness in a fractured world — and features moving chants from multi-award winning, Order of Canada members and multi-honourable doctorate recipients Indigenous Canadian artist and activist Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Inuit artist Tanya Tagaq.

The song lands alongside Elowynn’s new album, Windtanz. Teeming with imagery of lions, fairies, the wind, and the night, the 11-song release was recorded at Wishing Well Studio in Germany with award-winning English-German producer Andrew Cadie (Broom Bezzums). The release reflects Elowynn’s tenure as a gifted musician and songwriter whose lyrics often depict rolling waves that come with the ‘sea of life’ in a poetic, emotional, and deeply intuitive way.

“We sing against the waste in our western society, and the exclusion and exploitation of poorer countries,” Elowynn — née Anne Haag — explains. “It reminds of the victims of colonialism in a Scottish poem, ‘The Twa Corbies’ where two ravens on a tree look greedily down on the body of a young, fallen soldier — who will be their next meal; the body of the dead soldier is the bitter symbol of the generations of innocent lives, killed by the war of European conquerors on their countries.”

To Elowynn, the symbolism of greed, war, and destruction that continue to drive humanity towards a looming climate crisis, social injustice, and more are met with the belief that it’s not too late to ‘Stop the Wheel,’ and create a more peaceful world.

As part of her continued and ongoing efforts, all of the proceeds from the song will support the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, which works to build cultural understanding and a path towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

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Credit: Ruggero Lupo Mengoni

Hate Moss - Fog.

With the New Year here and ready for taking - Hate Moss - can confirm the arrival of a new album later in 2022. In anticipation of the release, the Italo-Brazilian industrial / post-punk duo have shared an electrifying new cut: “Fog”. Executed with a mesh-like precision, it’s a clash of stuttering electronics, coruscating beats and razored riffs and serves as an adrenaline-pulsing first peek into their forthcoming second LP.

Spasming with a feverish unpredictability and shadowed with an overarching sense of solitude, “Fog” was written during an extended period of isolation last year and makes for an engrossing document of an artist reaching for freedom.

Written, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered in just 10 days by Hate Moss’ Tina (vox, electronics) and Ian (vox, drums), the track also sees the duo working in collaboration with celebrated producer and sound engineer Pour Atom Oil. “Fog” is also coupled with a video originally recorded at their rehearsal room in London, and post-produced by visual artists Polarys Collective. Watch the video here.

Hate Moss is an Italo-Brazilian duo formed by Tina and Ian in 2018. Formed in London and currently living a nomadic existence, the duo have performed on numerous stages across South America, Europe and the Middle East, while drawing crowds at international festivals like the Venice Biennale (IT), Locomotiva Festival (BR) and Goiania Noise (BR), earning a cult following in the process.

HATE MOSS · Fog

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Sun Cutter - Dont Fail Me Now.

'Don't Fail Me Now' is the new single by Sun Cutter out on Jan 7th, 2022. It is taken from his John Lennon-esque self-titled debut album, released on Bronzerat Records (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Gemma Ray, The Still). Hailing from Colchester, Sun Cutter (aka Kevin Pearce)'s  diary-like personal account is mixed in with classic but no-less-original songwriting. Bliss blues, perfect for a sun-bleached winter morning. For fans of Bob Dylan, Alex Chilton and Tim Buckley.

Sun Cutter (aka Kevin Pearce) explains: "when i was writing 'Don't Fail...' I had recently read and remembered the quote from writer David Graeber - 'the ultimate, hidden truth of the world is that it is something that we make, and could just as easily make differently.' Hit me like a bolt of lightning that something that seems so simple we all rarely do - but its in our power to change both our world and the world around us by simply changing our attitude within it."

This is especially resonant when you learn that the Sun Cutter album was written in reflection of, and as rehabilitation to, a heart attack that Kevin suffered at the age of 33. 

Songs of love and protest befit the man, and his politics of empathy, evident in his lyrics, are also demonstrated by his dayjob as a mental health worker (Mind). Co-produced with pal Dean Honer (Moonlandingz, Eccentronic Research Council, Pins). Dean Honer is also one half of I Monster, and Kevin lent his voice and guitar to the acoustic version of  their hit "Daydream In Blue" . They have also collaborated and created “The Sounds of Science”, a collection of science songs for kids, released in April 2022 on Castles in Space. Previously Kevin  has released (under his real name) the album "Matthew Hopkins & The Wormhole" (AWAL), a concept record about the Witchfinder General who lived in the same village (Mistley in Essex).

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Kodiak Arcade - Why Pretend.

Over the past 15 years Graeme has been lucky enough to work on more than 40 television shows, and has contributed to more than 1000 episodes of television. His work covers the gamut too. He has scored documentary features on BBC and National Geographic, contributed to Triple AAA games and, along with his writing partners, has become one of the worlds most heard composers – most well-known for their work on hit TV shows like Paw Patrol, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and the Total Drama franchise.

The last five years have brought multiple awards from both SOCAN and BMI – recognizing their musical reach both domestically and internationally. Many of Voodoo Highway’s shows have received Emmys, and in 2020, Graeme and his writing partners took home their second Canadian screen award.

Kodiak Arcade is a passion project where a lifelong television composer is reversing the usual process. Instead of writing music for picture, he is creating visual art posted to Instagram, Twitter and YouTube depicting the feelings and mental states of his music. Visually, this project is a means of exploring the forefront of AI / Human collaboration with generative art. Musically, it has been a means of exploring new musical palette ideas, expanding on orchestration ideas Graeme found while working on other visual media, and has served to expand his network of talented instrumental collaborators.

Kodiak Arcade · Why Pretend

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The Two Spirits - Crossroads.

The Two Spirits is an Alternative band of two sisters from Dallas, Georgia. The older sister, Savannah, is on keys and the guitar, and Gracie, the youngest, sings vocals. The sisters write, record, edit, and produce their own music through their own small independent record label S.G. Records. 

Most of their inspiration comes from the classic rock of the 80’s and 90’s, but the band is also influenced by more modern musicians such as My Chemical Romance. The band dabbles in multiple genres, creating there own unique, new age, pop-rock sound and country-style Melodies.

Crossroads is a song that tells the story of 3 people who sold their soul. It is a depiction of the 27 club and if listened carefully one can tell who the song is about.

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Jesse D’Kora - The Starlings - Dunlap & Mabe - Datura

Jesse D’Kora - Fourth Day of November.

Background from Jesse: My name is Jesse D’Kora and I write dream pop music with some beachy vibes. The style is inherently lofi as I also write, record, mix and master all of the music in my spare bedroom in Salford (UK). I have embarked on a musical journey this year whereby I am going to release a single every month, then with thoughts of an album in May 2023.

Fourth Day of November, the first song in this journey, is written about the anticipation of moving from one place to another. It conveys the blend of nervousness and excitement that inevitably comes with a new beginning. The connotations that align with my fresh start on the road to an album seemed to fit perfectly.

Musically, it's a revert back to the style created previously in Morning Light and Far From Home. After a short musical detour at the end of last year, I want to get back to writing songs that make you feel warm and nostalgic.

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The Starlings - Just Come Home.

The Starlings today have released their new single ‘Just Come Home’. This is the first single of their upcoming album which will be released in May 2022. The Starlings, better known as Tom Dice en Kato Callebaut, are two singer-songwriters who join forces and share their passion for music and for each other. After they where both solo-candidates for X-Factor and Idols, The Starlings were part of ‘Liefde voor Muziek’, a very popular TV show in Belgium (and the Netherlands). This did not go unnoticed, as they achieved several gold records for the songs used in the TV program. With the release of ‘Just Come Home’ Tom and Kato are now ready to release their new album. On February 13 the will present their new music in the Lotto Arena in Antwerp.

Tom and Kato explain about their new single: ‘'Just Come Home' is about being honest without any filters. Admitting that life and relationships can be hard. But looking forward to the moment you come back to yourself, home. Getting up after you've fallen, trying to break through the wall of negativity. The future holds no promises, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep going, let alone fear what's to come. People are strong.”

They stand for rootsy pop music with a great love for harmonies. Music lovers could witness this for the first time in a Belgian tv show called “Liefde Voor Muziek”, in which they performed enchanting versions and brought tears of emotion to many living rooms. The reactions from existing and new fans were simply overwhelming. They received golden awards for single 'Little Submarine' and debut album "Don't Look Back”. Since then, they are among the most talented musicians in Belgium. 

For their second album, Dice and Callebaut flew to Norway where Tom wanted to share his love for the country with Kato. It worked. The record has a great positivity and a sound that can only be linked to The Starlings. The music and band pull you like no other into their own world and you will regret having to leave after listening to it . Fortunately, there is such a thing as a repeat button.

First single “Just Come Home” is a recognizable Starlings sound. The song makes it hard not to get emotional. A confirmation of how we got to know them. A lovely melancholy.

 

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Dunlap & Mabe - Sit and Watch It Rain.

Jack Dunlap, "Sit and Watch it Rain is a classic heartbreak song. A man tore down by losing his love, he can only find peace and satisfaction when it’s raining. I also use rain as a metaphor for drinking, so this is also a song about how loneliness and desperation can lead to unhealthy habits and addiction."

 The video was filmed by Jack Dunlap and Robert Mabe. It was filmed at an abandoned farmhouse at Capon Crossing Farm in Hampshire County, WV. Jack Dunlap, Robert Mabe, Alex Kimble, and Mason Wright appear in the video. Valerie Smith from Bell Buckle Records edited the footage.

Jack Dunlap & Robert Mabe have been touring the country together since 2019; though collectively have performed and recorded with the likes of Larry Keel, Gina Furtado, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Scythian, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Bud’s Collective, The Fly Birds, Dry Mill Road, Old Town Flood, Shannon Bielski & Moonlight Drive, Tim, and Savannah Finch and The Eastman Stringband, Lonesome Highway, Circa Blue, and Jakobs Ferry Stragglers, to name a few.

They have also graced prestigious stages such as The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Carnegie Hall in New York City, Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska, The Hamilton in Washington, DC, and Forbes Center for the Performing Arts in Harrisonburg, VA. Both masters of their instruments, they play a mix of original tunes, classic bluegrass numbers, jazz favorites and covers anyone would recognize. With roots planted firmly in bluegrass, they stretch their sound in ways that all audiences will enjoy and leave the performance wanting more.


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Photo - Jana Divis

Datura - Phantasma.

Pacific Northwest post-punk trio, DATURA, expand on the tense, synth-heavy sound their first two EPs with their new full-length, Arcano Chemical, which sees release on Sell The Heart Records on January 27, 2022.

Recorded in their hometown of Wenatchee, Washington, and mastered by Seattle-based recording engineer and musician TAD Doyle, the album highlights the band’s range of emotion and stylistic variety, which White Light // White Heat calls, "goth-tinged, compelling, energetic and melodic dark post-punk influenced by '80s greats like The Cure, The Misfits, Echo and the Bunnymen, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Chameleons.“

After finding their show calendar eradicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the band locked down during the winter of 2020 to craft a pensive collection of songs that tells stories of ghosts, nightmares, isolation, love and death.

 


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Sarah McQuaid - Karen Myatt - Blake Dagley

Sarah McQuaid - The Tug Of The Moon

Today a new video for “The Tug Of The Moon (The St Buryan Sessions)” has been shared. Sarah tells us "I was inspired to write it by the “leap second” that we had to add to the New Year’s Eve countdown back in 2016, in order to compensate for the slowing of the earth’s rotation caused by the moon’s gravitational pull."

As with the rest of the album, the track was filmed by Cornish filmmaker Mawgan Lewis and second cameraman John Crooks as it was being recorded live in St Buryan Church.

Born out of the pandemic, The St Buryan Sessions is the sixth solo album by award-winning multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid, and is her most powerful and emotive offering yet.

The album had its genesis in the spring of 2020, when Sarah’s gigs and tours were cancelled due to COVID-19. Thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, she was able to finance a live solo recording(sans audience) in the lovely medieval church of St Buryan, not far from her home in rural West Cornwall.

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Karen Myatt - Goodnite.

Canadian songstress Karen Myatt has released the second single/video from her sophomore album Femoir. Goodnite is the second in a series of singles/lyric videos to roll-out over the coming months.

“As we bid adieu to 2021, Goodnite is a fitting and timely au revoir; bon nuit, bons rêves” shares Myatt. “A gentle and haunting lullaby to remind us that drifting off to dreams brings relief during troubling times.”

Co-written by Myatt and Montreal composer J. Rimbaudelaire, Goodnite is one of several original compositions to appear on the new recording. Femoir’s 14 songs are a fusion of soul, rock, jazz, worldbeat, and more.

The album was tracked at The Sonic Temple Recording Studio in Halifax, NS and engineered by Darren van Niekerk. It was mixed and mastered by Christian St. Germain at Studio 360 in Montreal, QC.

Some of Canada’s most renowned musicians appear on the new recording, including Chris Mitchell (saxophone), Matt Myer (trumpet), Lisa MacDougall (keyboards), Adam Fine (bass), Geoff Arsenault (drums), Shimon Walt (cello) and Jennifer Jones (violin).

 

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Blake Dagley - Ain't Going Down Like This.

Why Travel When Blake Dagley’s “The Nashville Sessions” Takes You Straight to Tennessee. Take a look inside the emotional smash debut EP that’s sure to make any music lover feel something

What better way to end 2021 than to reflect on the previous few years that we’ve all experienced? After arguably the most emotional time our world has ever seen in decades, Dallas Based singer-songwriter, Blake Dagley, turned all those emotions and struggles with social and emotional anxiety into head-turning music that’s sure to make you think all while singing along to his undeniably ear-catching melodies and relatable lyrics.

“The Nashville Sessions” was recorded with Producer Dean Miller at Sound Emporium Studios & OMNIsound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The EP contains 3 powerful, soulful/americana style songs that tug at all the heartstrings. Between Ain’t Going Down Like This, Paradox, and Milly, and with themes like doubt, anxiety, choice, and hope listeners are sure to relate to the lyrics in a variety of ways.

Dagley plans to promote his first EP “The Nashville Sessions” with a whole new visual element. Dagley will release three videos in support of the new EP to gain listener recognition and attraction while increasing his fan base.

"Ain’t Going Down Like This" is a song written to my anxiety and insecurities. After the invitation to come to Nashville, my anxiety came creeping in, and I began to doubt the reality of the moment. I sat down on my back porch (which is my happy place) and began to write a song in response to the doubts and fears that I was feeling. Ain’t Going Down This is a song for anyone with doubts, fears, and anxiety and wants to punch it in the face and tell it; you don’t control me.

 

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Back Next Week

We are taking a short break to recharge our batteries. Hopefully see you early in 2022. Have fun & stay safe & well!

Aura Blaze - Richard James Simpson

Aura Blaze - Open-Mindedness (E.P).

Award-winning Psychedelic Rock/Dream Pop artist Aura Blaze continues his kaleidoscopic musical and philosophical evolution on the illuminating new 3-song EP "Open-Mindedness". Aura Blaze is the brainchild of New Jersey-based musician Rhode Rachel, who writes, records and produces everything. This EP, out on the auspicious day of December 24, contains two new originals as well as is a cover of The Charlatans (“The Only One I Know”).

About "Open-Mindedness" from the Artist: Featuring 3 tracks packed with blazing energy, neon color, and a swirling galaxy of texture and innovative sound design, I can say with confidence that the Open-Mindedness EP is one for the record books.

Let the cover art speak for itself as a glimpse into the atmosphere of this release, with the sanctity of transcendental introspection blossoming radiantly through what Aldous Huxley would refer to as the “mind’s antipodes,” or the regions of the mind that one may reach through intense meditation or psychedelic exploration. It is an honor to offer Open-Mindedness as an aural adjuvant towards a deeper discovery of self, acting as a cosmic catalyst for elevated consciousness.

Originally intended as an early summer release, the recording process has been met with no shortage of setbacks, including an external hard drive that decided to crash at a significantly inopportune time during production. Thankfully, I was able to revive the recording sessions and I am happy to finally bring this EP to life amidst the adversity that challenged its creation.

Between the aforementioned crisis, changing careers, and buying my first home, it has certainly been a busy and turbulent year but eternal doth the ardent spirit rise, breaching heights unimagined, in the direction of divinity made manifest.

Suffice it to say, the culmination of the conquering of these respective trials and tribulations have refined the essence of the Open-Mindedness EP, shaping it into the strongest Aura Blaze release to date with respect to both production value and unbridled aesthetic. I am overjoyed at the prospect of finally being able to share these tracks with you. I thank all of you for your continued support as well as your patience in the interim. Rest assured the wait shall be worth it.

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Richard James Simpson - Love Becomes a Stranger.

The first single off of Richard James Simpson's album "Sugar The Pill" is "Love Becomes a Stranger."  The song is filled with voluptuous strings, haunting, moody guitar, and lush vocals. The track is the last song on the album and it proposes the thought of love becoming a stranger in our world. It details a world of lying, guilt, distance, words not spoken, and the hope that love will ultimately not evaporate and leave us. The song features such musicians as Don Bolles on drums, who was in the seminal punk band The Germs; the exquisite string work from Katlin Wolfberg; bold bass by Wilton that brings to mind shades of Jaco Pastorius; all produced by Paul Roessler of The Screamers and Nina Hagen fame. Furthermore, the video features the outstanding ethereal and surreal footage from today's artist Grebo Gray.

Richard James Simpson's third solo album, 'Sugar The Pill', features such notable OG punk/rock icons as Jill Emery (Mazzy Star, Hole); Don Bolles (The Germs); Dustin Boyer (John Cale); Paul Roessler (The Screamers, Twisted Roots, Nina Hagen); and Geza X (Geza X and the Mommymen, The Deadbeats) - as well as these new top artists on the scene today: Grebo Gray, Wilton and Kaitlin Wolfberg. 'Sugar The Pill' offers mesmerizing, ethereal, powerful songs that evoke a unique sonic experience.

This hypnotic album harkens back to such albums as David Bowie's 'Heroes', incorporating experimental vignettes and songs with efficacious, hard-hitting tracks reminiscent of such acts as Bauhaus, Killing Joke, Laura Nyro, Roxy Music, Siouxsie and The Banshees, and Radiohead.

While leaning toward the experimental side, these mood pieces are fashioned in the Euro-American style for which Simpson is known: "The Wizard of Oz meets Eno" as the iconic Geza X once described Simpson.

The theme of the album is NOW. It is about a loss of love, the losspop of freedom and humanity, charged with the intention of bringing a voice to an era that is ready to awaken and squelch any encroachment on the fight for human dignity and rights. As the artist puts it, "If you don't think something is wrong, it is time to find your mind".

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