Güero - Part Time Signals - Paradox Arcade - William The Conqueror

Güero - Mind's Eye.

Sacramento quartet Güero have released their latest single “Mind’s Eye”  in advance of their sophomore full-length album, Wednesdays, arriving this Friday, April 7 via Dutch Records. The guys once again tapped director Paul Bates to bring the song to life with a video.

Discussing “Mind’s Eye,” guitarist/vocalist Rik Krull noted, "We played this song for a while never really trying to tame it. When we play live in the greater Sacramento area, we tend to play a 2-3 hour set. During one of our gigs we had some time to fill and played 'Mind’s Eye' knowing we could jam it awhile. It ended up being an epic rendition, one that will never be played that way again. Luckily, we have, Russell our scribe who caught it on his phone.

Maybe because we weren’t really thinking it needed to be anything specific, everyone’s part just fell into place, perfectly. Some of those things we played that night were developed into the recorded version since we were able to draw from Russell’s recording. We really like how we added the mellow beginning to the song and how, Mike changes to the four on the floor during the second verse.  It’s the little things about this song that we have grown to love."

Güero announced Wednesdays in January with the “Streams of Light” single, which Under the Radar called it, "a lost classic reemerging from a forgotten corner of the radio.” The album was recorded live at Pus Cavern Studios in Sacramento with ace recording engineer Joe Johnson and further elevated by Oakland producer and fellow musician, Akiyoshi Ehara (The Seshen, Geographer); who amping up and dialing down dynamics added greater tones, higher fidelity, heavy delays and string arrangements.

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Part Time Signals - The Man.

Part Time Signals is the brand new project formed by Sock vocalist and guitarist Jacob Church. The band came together initially by taking demo seeds written by Jacob, which were then planted into a musical garden when introduced to a live band setting. Part Time Signals features the talents of Sam Barnes (bass), Gavin Jenkins (drums) and Michael Blanchfield (keys).

The first taste of music from the band, The Man, is released across all digital platforms today April 5th. The track was recorded at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, mixed by Sam Barnes and mastered by Eddie Al-Shakarchi.

Jacob explains the meaning behind the song: “The Man is whoever you want it to be. Maybe it's that delivery driver throwing your parcel about, maybe it's your landlord increasing your rent, maybe it's the Tory government. Perhaps all of the above?”. Catch Part Time Signals performing live at Porters, Cardiff on 26th April.



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Paradox Arcade - The World That We Know.

The Guelph-based indie music and art project Paradox Arcade recently released its debut single, “The World That We Know” (RCS Records), a song of hope that calls out the illusions that cause division and inspires people to look beyond to the better world we can all create.

“Each of us in our own way reaches for a better world,” says Xristopher Bland (often simply called ‘X’), composer and author of the song and creator of the song’s cover art called The Reaching. “Even if we can’t see it or fall to the doubts and opinions of others, we know it’s there.”

Mixed and mastered by Alastair Sims (Barenaked Ladies, The Trews, Arkells), the song also reflects the present state of the world, characterized by Oxfam as a decidedly broken world of “extreme inequality. Yet as powerless, disenfranchised, or cast out as many may understandably feel, Xris points out what others have said before.

“The world that we know is not the world we can know. One simple act like saying no to something helps change the world because even the smallest of stones cast into an ocean causes ripples. That’s what this song is. It’s a ripple that moves to the language of repair and healing by calling out the deceptions that separate us, the orchestrations of conflict, and the noise that fragments our innate knowing of who we really are. It’s reawakening call to equity, equality, and peace.”

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William The Conqueror - Somebody Else.

William The Conqueror will release their new album ‘Excuse Me While I Vanish’ through Chrysalis Records on 28th July. Produced by the band in a playground of vintage gear and mixed by Barny Barnicott (Arctic Monkeys, Sam Fender, Kasabian), the resulting album's ten tracks marry earworm tunes with insistent, imperious, soaring rock shapes, punctuated by chorus hooks that are simultaneously nuanced and anthemic. ‘Excuse Me While I Vanish’ is the follow-up to 2021’s critically-acclaimed album, ‘Maverick Thinker’, and will be available on multiple vinyl formats, CD and streaming platforms. William The Conqueror today unveil new track ’Somebody Else’ with an accompanying video filmed at Marshall Studios.

"Somebody Else came from a very specific memory of not knowing which version of myself I was supposed to be playing,” explains frontman Ruarri Joseph. “An identity crisis in real-time. It's so cathartic to play. Harry's drums absolutely beast along. He has a way of finding that extra gear just when you think it can't possibly go any higher.”

‘Excuse Me While I Vanish’, very nearly didn’t happen. Following the imposition of lockdown restrictions, Joseph found himself cocooned at home in Cornwall, ruminating on an uncertain creative future, watching on as his wife Mandy, a valiant mental health social worker, engaged with the all-too-real dilemmas of the pandemic-riven here and now. Her example motivated Joseph to become a temporary care worker, an experience which would provide renewed focus and influence the songwriting on the new album.

“My wife was insomniac for the first six months of lockdown, which made it impossible for me to moan or grieve the fact that everything I’d been working on for the last five years had come to a standstill. It was a much-needed perspective and made me realise what a selfish undertaking William had been – navel-gazing with my head in the clouds when what people needed was boots firmly on the ground, preferably on the feet of someone like Mandy.”

William The Conqueror's fourth album finds the indie-rock trio firing on all cylinders as Joseph confronts the thin line between creativity and madness, inspired by compassion for the real-life angels of the world. Ruarri’s compelling semi-spoken vocals and swamp-blues-Seattle-scuzz guitars are propelled by the rhythm section of Naomi Holmes (bass) and Harry Harding (drums) as ‘Excuse Me While I Vanish’ delivers an effortlessly winning blend of melody and ensemble dynamics, the most accomplished and undeniable William The Conqueror album to date.

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Glass Forest - Chris Emmert - Special Friend

Glass Forest - Can't Just Walk Away.

Vancouver-based Glass Forest is an indie-pop group composed of Nick Owen (vocals/keys), Stephen Clarke (bass/beats) and Abby Wale (vocals). They have gained a reputation for euphoric live shows that blend electronic dance elements with atmospheric soundscapes. Their debut EP is anticipated in May 2023.

"Can't Just Walk Away" was written about the emotional hardships following the fallout of a previous relationship; specifically, between band members Nick and Abby.

It was a uniquely honest process writing and recording the single as they directly confronted the traumas. Oddly healing, it gave space to address and work through past issues, broaching subjects rarely discussed by ex romantic partners.

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Chris Emmert - Say My Love.

Nashville Americana singer-songwriter Chris Emmert has officially released his latest single, "Say My Love", on all streaming platforms this weekend. The track marks Emmert's second release of 2023, following his debut single "Lets Go Out Tonight". Both tracks will appear on Emmert's June 23rd debut EP Introducing Chris Emmert.

Emmert, on the single: This is one of the last songs I decided to put on the EP. It was a staple in my set for about the last year or so, and was a song audience members would often cite as a favorite after my performances. It’s a simple song with a honest message and an upbeat swing about it. I think everybody likes when a tune is easy to understand and feels good. One of my heroes, Hank Cochran, always said, “make it short, make it sweet, and make it rhyme.” So, I think for those reasons this song works and vibes with folks.

We recorded this song live, only going back to overdub my guitar and vocals. All of the arrangements were developed organically in the studio. I told the players to simply play what they were feeling. I think that fostered a really unique and original sound for all the songs, which was my ultimate goal in producing this EP.

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Special Friend - Bête.

Special Friend (American Erica Ashleson and French Guillaume Siracusa) are a duo with a sound that’s somehow minimal and epic. She drums, he plays guitar, their voices harmonise, a bontempi organ slips in almost unnoticed - and suddenly you find yourself lost in the huge landscape of a song.

Bête is one of many great tracks on the album – insistent, catchy, yet mysterious and elusive.  Erica and Guillaume switch effortlessly from English to French in their songs but the melodies are so entrancing you often don’t notice the change.  The lyrics lie in wait for you, and they are powerful (Bête is about the self-destructiveness of our species), but the music will seduce you first.

You may be reminded of Yo La Tengo, the Delgados or, when the volume goes up, Quasi and Galaxie 500. But Special Friend bring something new, something special!

Based in Paris, they’ve built a strong following in France, and the new album looks set to introduce them to the wider audience they deserve. The video for Bête is a good introduction to the band; it was filmed in the summer at Studio Heat in Montreuil, where the album was recorded.

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Rodney Crowell - Meredith Moon - Cosmic Bull

Rodney Crowell - Loving You Is the Only Way to Fly.

Rodney Crowell will release The Chicago Sessions on May 5, 2023, via New West Records. The 10-song set was produced by Jeff Tweedy and recorded by Tom Schick at Wilco’s Loft in Chicago. The masterful, cross-generational collaboration follows Crowell’s acclaimed 2021 album Triage. Hailed by Rolling Stone as a “country music trailblazer” and by The New York Times as an artist whose songwriting “gets better and sharper with age,” Crowell delivers an incisive, engaging collection that balances careful craftsmanship with joyful liberation at every turn. Sounding both fresh and familiar, it’s among Crowell’s very best work.

As Jeff Tweedy puts it, “The way that Rodney writes is deeply connected to a classic era of country songwriters that I’ve always loved. In my estimation, it’s as close as I can get to working with Townes Van Zandt or Felice and Boudleaux Bryant — people who crafted songs with a very specific sensibility. And I like being near that.”

This week, Crowell released the video for the album highlight “Loving You Is the Only Way to Fly.” Of the song, Crowell says, “‘Loving You Is the Only Way to Fly’ is something I wrote a while back with Sarah Buxton and Jedd Hughes, both of whom appear on the record. Jedd and I were sitting around with guitars in our hands when he started playing the basic chord pattern. I’m pretty sure the title sprang from something Ben Vaughn said to me back when we were writing ‘When Losers Rule The World,’ but I haven’t had the nerve to ask. Ben, if you read this, I wish you could’ve been there. If you feel left out, you can have my portion of the proceeds and I’ll take credit for putting Jeff Tweedy in charge of overseeing a pretty dang decent recording of the song. Much love, Rodney.”

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Meredith Moon - Constellations (Album).

Growing up in a musical family is not uncommon for many emerging artists, but for Meredith Moon, living in the shadow of her father Gordon Lightfoot’s spotlight, the expectations were onerous. So for the past decade Meredith kept a low profile, taking time to develop her songwriting, avoiding the Lightfoot association, practicing and performing her songs in folk clubs and online forums incognito, wherever there was an appreciative audience to be found. And there were many.

Now signed to the acclaimed Canadian roots music label True North Records and acknowledging the marketing demands of the music industry, has resulted in the forthcoming global album release of Constellations, a 10-song collection that showcases Meredith’s unique voice and captivating lyrics, wrapped in an raw neo-traditional folk sound.

A five-Time Mariposa Folk Festival performer, hiding her lineage with the simple description as a “multi-instrumentalist songwriter,” Meredith’s songs are crafted in a true storyteller's fashion. She has been described as a 'gem' among the Old-Time music scene for her unusual expression of the genre, combining influences of folk-punk with traditional Appalachian step-rhythms and banjo.

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Cosmic Bull - Hangin' in the I.P.

Hangin' in the I.P. was released back in February but deserves to be heard albeit a little late. This collection of songs that Cosmic Bull band leader Mark Vickery collaborated on with multi-instrumentalist/producer Paul Von Mertens, known for his work with Brian Wilson, Mavis Staples, Stereolab, The Sea and Cake, Broken Social Scene, and Wilco.

Hangin' in the I.P. follows a handful of singles and the 27X2 EP, all of which were released last year.

Chicago's Cosmic Bull is the latest project from scene vet Mark Vickery, whose earliest band Word Bongo played the city's top venues including Metro and Double Door. Vickery was also a live guest vocalist for Chicago mainstays Liquid Soul before joining the acid jazz/trip-hop groove collective Zo (which eventually morphed into the band Sumo), who took over Liquid Soul's popular Sunday night residency at Elbo Room.

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Lavinia Blackwall - The Subtheory - Red Telephone - Neev - Stay Lunar - Jesse Roper

Lavinia Blackwall - The Damage We Have Done.

Lavinia Blackwall’s work with prolific Glaswegian psych-folk outfit Trembling Bells has earnt her a reputation as one of the best voices in the scene, many critics have likened her singing prowess to that of Fairport Convention singer Sandy Denny. Along with Trembling Bells she has released seven full-length albums and performed as the backing band to folk legends Bonnie Prince Billy and The Incredible String Band’s Mike Herron. In 2020 she releases Muggington Lane End, her debut solo album released under her own name. In 2021, she and Laura J Martin released Wyndow, the debut self-titled album from their new psychedelic-pop project.

Now, Blackwall is releasing her new single ‘The Damage We Have Done’, a powerful dose of folk-rock and the sign of new things to come. Inspired by Percy Shelley’s ‘Ozymandias’, the single is about the brevity we have on this planet. “It’s about the fact that we can't take anything with us, hoping to leave behind something meaningful and the hope that one day we'll all meet again. The realisation that there is an environmental and spiritual consequence to the lives we choose to lead,” says Blackwall.

Recorded at ‘The Barn’, the studio Blackwall shares with her partner and producer Marco Rea at their home in Hardgate, Scotland. “We really went down the rabbit hole with this one,” says Blackwall, speaking of the recording process. “Strings, thumb piano, far too many guitar parts. I must have recorded the vocals about 60 times and was really struggling to get it right, but we got there eventually,” she says. “With the chord progressions and circular movement of the verses, the sound of it is very individual. I don't think it sounds like anything else out there right now”.

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The Subtheory - Cut To Black.

The Subtheory set out their stall early for a busy 2023 with an ethereal, atmospheric new single; Cut to Black.  Eerie piano leads you to floating, airy synths, jangling guitars laid upon a descending bass groove with Cate DeBu’s melancholy cautionary tale of a life spent playing the odds on both sides.  

There is an intriguing contrast between the sweet, dreamlike quality of the music and melodies juxtaposed with the harsh and slightly bitter tang of the lyrics. “There will be a certainty for those who like to bet..”

The Subtheory are building a head of steam as they springboard of a successful 2022 with a series of releases planned throughout Spring off the back of a number of live shows in the UK as well as mini European tour in early Summer. Cut to Black is available from today March 31st 2023 on their Bandcamp as well as Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music and more.

The Subtheory · The Subtheory - Cut To Black

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Red Telephone - Hollowing Out.

Hollowing Out, the debut album from Cardiff-based five-piece Red Telephone will be released on 31st March 2023. The dystopia-tinged album deals with themes of alienation, identity and monotony, as well as exploring contemporary social dilemmas such as the trappings of ambition in a saturated pop culture age, the pervasive nature of modern media and social media fatigue. Sonically, the band draw from an array of influences; ranging from Berlin-era Bowie, brooding synth-led film soundtracks such as Blade Runner and Uncut Gems, the art rock of Kate Bush and St Vincent, as well as modern electronic pop artists such as MGMT, Mitski and Tame Impala.

Speaking about the upcoming album, singer Declan Andrews said; While putting together ‘Hollowing Out’ we were really getting into synths; drawing quite a bit on brooding, synth-led film soundtracks like Blade Runner, Scarface and Uncut Gems. Part of this was out of necessity - it was the initial 2020 lockdown when I wrote most of the songs in my bedroom and I’d got my hands on emulations of classic synths which gave me free reign to really explore this territory of sounds. I also had the free time to watch and rewatch a lot of movies such as those just mentioned. All of this definitely crossed over with the band’s prior love of film, Bowie’s Berlin-era sound, his work with Iggy and albums like Little Dark Age by MGMT too.

Basically, those dystopian soundscapes that evoke a lot of mood and imagery. As a band we’ve been drawn to them for a while, especially since visiting Berlin and exploring Bowie’s stomping ground (quite run down and not very touristy areas) but also after playing Tallinn Music Week in 2019. The post-Soviet landscape was pretty striking in parts of Tallinn and we discovered bands like Molchat Doma for the first time, who were using synths and electronic elements in ways that got us excited and has definitely rubbed off on our approach since.

We really wanted to integrate these sounds and influences into a modern sounding record rather than just looking back though, so we spent a lot of time getting the bass and low end sounding as big and distinctive as possible - we were really influenced by the likes of Kendrick Lamar in this respect. Similarly, dystopian themes seem as relevant as ever; with the saturated and pervasive nature of modern media which the album explores lyrically, as well as topics like social media fatigue and alienation.

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Neev - The House.

Scottish indie-folk artist Neev has released new single ‘The House’ ahead of the release of her debut album, Katherine, on April 28th via Trapped Animal. Since the release of her debut single in 2019, Glaswegian artist Neev has built a reputation for discovering beauty in the small details. Katherine, a collection of intricate indie-folk songs that pack a lyrical punch. The album carries all of the trademark sounds of Neev’s previous releases; acoustic guitars, soaring string arrangements and layered backing vocals can be found throughout, but this time they’re bigger.

Every song on Katherine is tied to the idea of identity. “Each song explores the different facets of an individual,” explains Neev. “Them as someone’s child, someone’s sibling, someone’s partner. Someone as the gender (in my case, female) they identify as, someone as the job they do,” she continues.

New single, ‘The House’, was written from the point of view of someone who had big dreams but ignored those wants and now feels too old or past it to pursue them. The speaker finds themself trapped in a domestic setting - The House - and instead of feeling like it’s a place of comfort or joy, it's a place that traps her.

Of the single, Neev says: “When writing this song I certainly had in mind the stereotypical trope of a classic 50s housewife, stuck at home with a very prescribed set of tasks and interests they were allowed to explore. In this song, and in other songs on the album, I found myself exploring the woman’s relationship to art and their constraints within that. Historically, women with creative interests were often encouraged to explore those things as hobbies rather than occupations and I think this song touches on the idea that there existed a lot of women in history that weren’t able to explore who they truly were creatively due to societal constraints.”

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Stay Lunar - Distance.

Following on from earlier single, 'I Like It When You're around', Stay Lunar present their next in a long-line of fantastic singles, 'Distance'. It's been a long run to this point for Stay Lunar, but as the tracks keep coming out the sound gets tinges of a band nearing the fully formed and developed sound.

'Distance' has the sound they've carried so well through their career, the ever-so-present and versatile sonic that always feels like it could soundtrack a film, but there's something slightly more immediate and certainly more forthright about the band's latest offerings.

'Distance' is the launch pad of the band's much promised change in direction, not that it was needed, but chief writer in the band, Harry, has always intended to push the boundaries of the project and 'Distance' is the first real slice of Stay Lunar's take on the Are-These-Guys-Really-English sound.

Taking cues from their British contemporaries like Far Caspian & early stage SPINN, whilst nodding to the likes of Day Wave and The Drums further afield, Stay Lunar are offering a quintessentially British take on a much loved and revered sound. Of the track, singer Harry Leigh said: "Distance is a song about running away from your problems, and how it always catches up with you one way or another."

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Jesse Roper - Make It Work Out.

Based in Victoria, BC, Jesse Roper has amassed 11M+ streams on Spotify alone with his penchant for writing modern indie infused blues music and delivering bombastic live performances buoyed by his virtuosic guitar playing.

"Make It All Work Out" is the first of multiple energetic, fresh, soulful and r&b inspired tracks produced by famed JUNO-nominated producer Gus van Go. The forthcoming LP harkens the voices of JJ Cale, Leon Bridges, Alabama Shakes, while maintaining Roper's strong and unique expression in the genre.

The DNA of the new single is about how Roper recognizes that his life’s structure can make it difficult for someone to attach themselves to him in a way that feels like their dreams and goals are getting satisfied too.

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Hannah Georgas - Ivan Moult - Debacle - Goodbye Karelle

Hannah Georgas - This Too Shall Pass.

In 2020 Hannah Georgas released her Aaron Dessner-produced LP All That Emotion. Though a longtime favorite in her native Canada with a devoted international audience, the album was the most critically-acclaimed release of her career to date, earning a wave of positive attention from outlets like The Guardian, Pitchfork, NPR, The New York Times, FADER, Stereogum, New York Magazine, Consequence of Sound and Paste among many others.

In 2021 she released an EP of alternate versions of tracks from the album, featuring contributions from friends and collaborators like Bartees Strange, Owen Pallett, The National's Matt Berninger and Kate Stables, but today Georgas is sharing her first new music in three years with new single, “This Too Shall Pass”. The single is being released to mark the announce of her signing to Lucy Rose's Real Kind Records, and is being released alongside a Joe Connor directed video, shot in London.

Where Hannah’s last record, 2020’s All That Emotion, was produced alongside Aaron Dessner, her next body of work finds Georgas behind the glass. Joining her are partner Sean Sroka (of Ten Kills The Pack) in a co-production capacity, keenly aided by James McAlister on drums (one of Sufjan Steven’s regular confidantes), Graham Walsh (whose synth and bass regularly peppers records by the likes of Holy Fuck and Metz), and Gabe Wax (Soccer Mommy’s go-to collaborator, but has also worked with War on Drugs, Kurt Vile, and Spoon) whose studio know-how and multi-instrumentalist acumen was a welcome addition to the process.

Ultimately though, Georgas sought to take the reins herself, taking back control of her own destiny, and cutting out too much outside influence. Recorded in Toronto with a treasure trove of analogue equipment and a work ethic that left no idea unturned, "This Too Shall Pass" signals a line in the sand, and the beginning of a new chapter.

Hannah Georgas on "This Too Shall Pass": “I have a lot of internal pep talks, as a way to quiet my own doubts and insecurities. This song is a reflection of that, and a reminder to go a little bit easier on myself.” “This Too Shall Pass” is the first introduction to a larger body of work by Hannah Georgas. Further details are to be announced later this Spring.

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Ivan Moult - Out Of Time.

Ivan Moult is set to release his third album, 'Songs From Severn Grove', this Spring on independent Welsh record label, Bubblewrap Collective. His previous albums have received radio support from BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio Wales, and have been featured on Folk Radio UK.

Ivan's second album, 'Longest Shadow', released in 2018, won him festival slots at Cornbury Festival, Folk on The Dock, and Festival of Voice, as well as support slots with This Is The Kit, Becca Mancari, and Willy Mason. For this new album, Ivan played, recorded, engineered, and mixed all of the instruments himself at his home studio in Cardiff. The album charts a journey of growth and change, beginning with the lockdown during the 2020 pandemic and continuing through Ivan's experiences of fatherhood and the development of his love and relationships.

The album showcases Ivan's voice front and centre, with layered harmonies and a soundscape of delay-soaked electric guitars, drums, and bass. The music draws from influences such as J.J. Cale, Nina Simone, and Tim Buckley, creating a fusion of 1960s/70s folk and blues with a contemporary sound. Ivan's unique and original style remains recognisably present throughout the album.

The first track to be released from the album will be 'Out Of Time' and will be available across all digital platforms on March 29th. Ivan explains: “Lyrically it’s a song reflecting on the nature of life and finding meaning in making the most of things and living in the moment. Sonically the song started off after I’d been listening to Paul McCartney's ‘Ram’ album and it was quite driving whilst also relaxed but in production it ended up more reverb washed and dreamy.”

bubblewrap.collective · Out Of Time

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Debacle - Debacle (Album).

What happens when you combine two sets of brothers, a world-champion birder, and a former sportscaster for WFUV? Well, you get Debacle, a collective of childhood friends who found each other in seventh grade band class and have been making music together ever since!

With the release of their debut self-titled album on March 25th, Debacle effortlessly continues their hit-making trend while being able to cross genre boundaries in a way that makes their music like no other. With songs like "Shattered Dreams," "I Don’t Know," and "Alright," Debacle showcases their adept skills in different rock genres, including ska and pop punk, while pulling inspiration from genres no one would expect to hear. Meanwhile, "I Forgot To Say I Love You" highlights Debacle’s softer, more soulful side influenced by early jazz traditions and "Good Stuff" and "Flashing Lights" display contemporary jazz and funk’s influence on Debacle’s music.

"For us, it was important to try to showcase as many of our musical influences as we possibly could for our debut album. We have spent countless hours working on making each song the best it can possibly be and we could not be prouder of how they’ve all come out."

With their reputation for energetic and unforgettable live shows, Debacle saw themselves selling out historic venues including The Stone Pony and Rockwood Music Hall on top of having their music played on radio stations around the world. Since the release of their debut album, Debacle saw their newest music  displayed on news sites all over the world, including Yahoo.

Debacle · Debacle

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Goodbye Karelle - Moonroad.

Goodbye Karelle is the musical project of Karelle Tremblay, a Canadian actor, singer-songwriter and poet preparing for the release of her debut LP in 2023.

The music invokes the hushed tones of spoken word icons like Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits but sits inside sharper, modern production associated with contemporary artists like Mitski, Snail Mail and Japanese Breakfast.

The project is thematically driven by the award winning actor ending a lifelong career in film and television to pursue her musical talent, amidst a new desire for personal expression. Conflicts in gender, sexuality and relationships form a unique and deeply expressive world for the listener. Goodbye Karelle emerges as storyteller and protagonist, a new voice in the musical wilderness.

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Detalji - Eide Olsen

Detalji - Keep Me Alive.

Today, Finnish electronic artist Detalji has shared new single 'Keep Me Alive', ahead of the release of their forthcoming debut album, Truly, which is set for release on March 31st. New single ‘Keep Me Alive’ merges indie pop with low-fi drum and bass. The track is about miraculously finding a loving relationship after years of being lost. "A friend said it could fit well on a Fleabag soundtrack because of its bittersweet atmosphere,” says Myllyviita.

Detalji is the project of Helsinki based artist Krista Myllyviita. Written during the lockdown years of 2020 and 2021, Detalji's debut album Truly is a slice of pure escapism. Drawing inspiration from the soundtracks of video games they was playing during that time (namely Crash Bandicoot, GTA Vice City and GTA3) carefully weaving a comforting world of their own, creating distinctive sounding pieces of music that are difficult to place in a certain moment in time. Picking up the guitar after years of neglect also served this purpose, surprising their longtime fans with a completely new addition to the Detalji sound.

Truly takes its cues from the pioneering leftfield pop artists of the 80s and 90s. A tasteful dose of nostalgic dance and trance is melded together with a forward-thinking contemporary sound palette in a way that feels completely timeless and totally unique to Detalji. Detalji was nominated for an Emma award ('Finnish Grammy') in 2020 and won a Femma award ('Finnish Indie Grammy') for Best Electronic Music in 2019. Since 2020 Detalji has toured around the world playing shows in the U.S and Europe including performances at SXSW, Eurosonic and Iceland Airwaves.

DETALJI · Keep Me Alive

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Eide Olsen - Don't Even Try.

"Don´t Even Try", the new single from Eide Olsen, is delicate pop confection from the top shelf. The song is a taste from the upcoming album, "My Dear", and has been mastered by Ryan Smith (Adele, Beyonce, Coldplay).

The collaboration with Eirik Grønner (Kurt Nilsen, Endre Nordvik) has given Eide Olsen a more modern and "poppish" expression than what we know from previous releases. "Don´t Even Try" effortlessly nods to mid 90s references such as The Cardigans, where small soulful, melodic details and a steady arrangement provide balance to a slightly heartbreaking text.

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Mary Hennessy - Photo Ops - The Pearl Harts - ROWSIE

Mary Hennessy - Teeth.

Teeth is a fabulous new song where a smooth flowing indie soundtrack is the perfect backdrop for Mary's melodic and distinctive vocals that glide and dance above. Mary Hennessy is a 24-year-old, Liverpool based singer-songwriter, who has been releasing music since 2018. Her debut album came out during June of 2020. Mary released her single Rollerblade on Friday 3rd March, as the first of three singles in anticipation for her new album.

For the past three years now, she has been making her second, long-awaited follow up album ‘Feels Like’ which drops Friday 5th May. Mary has an atmospheric nature to her music, which is guided by her delicate vocals that deal with all thing’s life in her lyricism.

“I wanted Teeth to have a sense of impatience about it, like something was gradually building under the surface that you could no longer ignore. The lyrics don’t directly say how they really feel, but from what they are saying, the situation is not a happy one. So, I knew I wanted the song to end in a sort of chaotic way, as if the situation is getting out of hand, but something is still yet to be done about it.”

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Photo Ops - When You See Something Beautiful In The World.

The autumn blaze maple tree, famous as music in Nashville, is a fast grower. Imagine its teeming majesty of red leaves from above one house in the city’s Inglewood neighborhood. You see it ensconced like a controlled flame by rolling hills and winding roads. A familiar pattern lulls you from days into nights in this dreamy park town. You never realized from the ground, under the shade of that tree, how all these beautiful designs in any city keep you sane.

The sweeping vantage points of Photo Ops’ Burns Bright belong first to the quiet of Nashville’s first modern suburb after World War II. Terry Price lived there while perfecting the melodic soft-rock modes that pleased audiences on tour with Camera Obscura and Fences.

Price took this way of seeing to a new home in Los Angeles. Long drives through dimensional vistas ended in his room in Los Feliz where he recorded Burns Bright. When Etta James, Molly Drake, and The Byrds are all touchpoints of sound and silence, what emerges is a gentle homage to the commonalities of lasting influence in pop music, a kind of time-bending presentiment — the moment of tracking in a studio when everyone senses it’s a moment that will be remembered. Reaching through the layer of industry noise in both hallmark cities as we know them from a distance — is this a hit? — Price treasures the visceral experience of making and recognizing music.

The most devout of craftspeople, Price is on a quest toward the merciful essence of recognition when he writes songs; each line discovers a pure element of comfort, calling back to the land and to his musician mother’s love of transcendent melodies. Burns Bright reminds us how those forces are one and the same.

Price’s heroes in music are more than inspirations. To him, they offer examples of how to keep breathing in a culture that discourages total presence. It’s true that moving an open heart through the world comes with constant risk. Looking out at the expanse we all share — really seeing that world — is the practice of Burns Bright, and the special ability that makes Price a songwriter to cherish.

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The Pearl Harts - Hypocritical.

SE London rock duo The Pearl Harts have unleashed “Hypocritical”, the second single to be taken from their awaited second album ‘Love, Chaos’ (out 21 April, via Double Bang Records).

Blending amped-up punk motifs with booming alt-pop stylings, “Hypocritical” sees the two-piece challenging the perceptions of what it means to be a woman making rock music and relishing the freedom. Spirited and sardonic in equal measure, it’s a playful power-pop anthem with a bitter sting in its tail. As The Pearl Harts explain:

“Hypocritical is a bratty, fun, scream-a-long song, influenced by the hi-octane pop of Miley Cyrus and Gwen Stefani with the punk attitude of ‘Impeach My Bush’-era Peaches. It’s an empowerment song for women and girls taking on the world.”

Following comeback cut “More”, a track praised by Classic Rock as “a single that adds a little polish to their gritty blues-rock sound”, and the Steve Lamacq (BBC 6 Music) and Radio X supported “Wild Me”; “Hypocritical” is the third sampler of the duo’s eagerly awaited second album ‘Love, Chaos’ (out 21 April 2023).

Produced by the band themselves in collaboration with Danio (Husky Loops, Kari Faux), the record features twelve tracks of the high-octane rock’n’roll The Pearl Harts have become known for, while adding some ‘90s NYC punk, 2000s hip-hop and modern polished pop touches into the mix.

Teasing the album, the duo say: “‘Love, Chaos’ is about saying goodbye to unhealthy patterns that we all identify with in our lives. Be that work, alcohol, sex, drugs, procrastination, love… Whether we like it or not our whole lives are a series of patterns that shape our personality, they can come about through the unconscious, through family dynamics, through everyday interactions and through trauma. ‘Love, Chaos’ is about realising and accepting this and forging a life beyond.”

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ROWSIE - Makeshift Grave.

ROWSIE, the four-piece band from London known for their thought-provoking, emotive brand of rock n roll, have released a new charity single titled ‘Makeshift Grave’.

Recorded at the world-famous RAK studios, the song takes a hard, honest look at the mindless ongoing violence and conflict in Ukraine, shedding light on how the destruction of truth is often the first step in rationalising psychopathic behaviour that leads to the carnage we are blatantly witnessing today.

For the video the band thought to involve some first-hand witnesses to the recent atrocities produced by vocalist & guitarist Richard Rothenberg with bassist Alan D. Boyd taking on director’s duties. It’s a simple concept with Ukrainian dancer Angelina Lengyel and choreography by Anastasiia Artiushok. Costumes and floral crowns were provided by designers Nataliia Horbenko and Anfisa Polyushkevych. All have been affected by the war in personal ways.

Proceeds for the sales of this single will go to the charity British-Ukranian Aid who ROWSIE have worked with in 2022 raising over £10,000 for the charity in a previous benefit concert.

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Sofie Winterson - Pitou - Georgia Mooney - Stephen Wilson Jr

Sofie Winterson - Jump.

Amsterdam-based musician Sofie Winterson announces details of her forthcoming album Southern Skies produced by Benny Sings via Excelsior Recordings in June. The project is a continuation and expansion of their 2019 collaborative EP Moral and new single "Jump" offers up more of the accidental magic which is at the core of their partnership.

"Jump" chronicles uncertainty yet offers soothing reassurance with its lilting, warm indie-pop sound. A nod to the rest of the album which saw Sofie embrace simplicity and foster a new perspective. Of the new single Sofie says: "Jump is about wanting to make a big change in life, but not knowing where that change will take you. It’s meant to comfort you in this state of insecurity. It can encourage you not to overthink where that change will lead you, since you will be a different person by the time you’ll get there."

Created in primarily Benny Sings' canal-hugging studio in Amsterdam, Southern Skies was formed as an act of stripping-back and growing as a songwriter. Sofie’s last full-length album Sophia Electric instead acted as a way to expand her work as a producer. Her varied influences, from the soul and folk she grew up on to the dream-pop of her university years can all be heard as part of the album’s eclectic palette which leans in a more minimal direction than before.

Putting the lyrics and storytelling front and centre, Sofie’s love of reading has never been more evident than in the way she approached writing for this record. “What I try to do in my lyrics [is] to find the best way to describe a thought,” she says, “the thought could be anything, it’s always my challenge to try and find exactly the right words.” Noting that her favourite part of reading is not so much following the narrative, but revelling in the descriptions of situations.

Featuring original vocal takes and lyrics that were written in the room, it marked a new way of working for Sofie, with Benny encouraging her to approach writing in a different way, a more technical way. Pulling inspiration from both Adrienne Lenker and Rachel Cusk’s ‘Transit’ in tandem, what’s clear is Sofie Winterson’s never-failing ability to tell a story with grace, immense consideration and the freedom to be projected upon and moulded as her listener’s see fit.

 

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Pitou - Knife.

Dutch artist Pitou’s musical awakening came from an unlikely source. From a very young age, she developed an unexplainable interest in classical music – her father would often find her crouched down by the radio, in search of the sound of orchestras and choirs. From the age of 9, Pitou started singing in a children’s choir, and she soon found herself performing at the baptism of Catharina Amalia, the Princess of the Netherlands, and in renowned music halls throughout Europe. “Singing together with other singers, making harmonies together, made me feel like nothing had ever done before,” she says of that moment.

It's a memory that continues to inspire. Big Tear, her long-awaited debut album, is a rich, fearlessly creative collection of alternative pop that draws from her classical background; unexpected harmonies and song structures, vocal layering, loops, wistful melodies, and classical instruments all swirled together in stylish, clever ways.

The record also marks her own development, both as a performer and a songwriter. “I knew I wanted to move away from the guitar being self-evidently always there,” she says. “I also wanted to find out what it felt like to tell the stories of my songs on stage with just my body and voice, without the physical restriction of the guitar.” Eager to move into other sonic worlds, she embraced the creative possibilities of different instruments – piano, harp, synths – and using computer programs to build and refine her music; some tracks were written entirely on piano or using software.

To celebrate the release of her new album, today Pitou has shared a new music video, 'Knife'. Of the video, she says: "'Knife' is the emotional axis of this record, very raw in its sentiment, which is always a challenge to translate into visuals. The song is about a person deciding to break away from a bond, for their own sake. I visualised a couple living in a small, quiet home. One half of the couple would be a human, the other a faceless but ever-present being.

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Georgia Mooney - I Am Not In A Hurry.

Eora/Sydney based musician Georgia Mooney (All Our Exes Live In Texas), shares her empowering new single ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’. Celebrating freedom and all the adventures born along the way, the track comes as a glacial moment of escapism. Following her cinematic debut solo single ‘War Romance’, ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’ is the second single taken from Mooney’s to-be-announced debut solo album, and is out now globally through Nettwerk.

A beautifully matter-of-fact bucking of pressures to stay in one place or settle down, ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’ was written in Florence, Italy just after a spontaneous three-day holiday marriage to a painter in Skopelos, Greece. Its sonic warmth comes via a dulcimer that Mooney won in a raffle in Canberra - a suitably whimsical fit for a song that celebrates the impulsive, unexpected moments in life; the impossibility of settling down when something new and exciting could be around the corner.

The track is accompanied by a diaristic music video bursting with nostalgia and a lust for life. Georgia Mooney shares on the video, “The video for ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’ is comprised entirely of little snapshots of moments from the last fifteen years of my life. Some of them are small and gentle like a cat on a fence, some of them are more momentous, love affairs, big concerts, cross-continental adventures. The video is personal, nostalgic and whimsical. It is no more extraordinary a life than any other, it is just a little open window into one.”

I Am Not In A Hurry was Co-produced with Noah Georgeson (Cate Le Bon, Devendra Banhart, Marlon Williams, Joanna Newsom), the release itself is a tribute to Joni Mitchell, one of Mooney’s musical and personal idols - and her song Cactus Tree, in both spirit and sound. “Mitchell (a painter, poet, songwriter, traveller) is herself hard to pin down”, says Mooney.

On ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’, Georgia Mooney shares, “I was in Florence for almost a month writing songs… It is no wonder that this song emerged there. In those weeks, travelling alone and caught up in the romance of it all, I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to stay in one place again. How could you when there is so much to explore and there are so many people to meet? This song is about internal restlessness too and the desire to throw off the expectation society imposes on us to settle down, find a partner, have a baby. Why the hurry?”

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Stephen Wilson Jr - American Gothic (feat. Hailey Whitters).

Southern Indiana-born, Nashville-based artist Stephen Wilson Jr. announced he has signed to Big Loud Records, and released his debut EP bon aqua. The seven-song collection compiles 6 previously released songs and the brand new single “American Gothic” (feat. Hailey Whitters) that was co-written with Whitters. Wilson is currently on the road supporting Whitters and will hit the road with The Lone Bellow next month before performing at Bourbon and Beyond Festival and CMA Fest later this year.

“Fellow cornfield kid, Hailey Whitters and I met some years ago writing songs and she had this beautiful idea inspired by her favorite Grant Wood painting to showcase parts of the American cultural fabric using nostalgia and the same duality that the painting seems to represent. We ran with it and sang it from the top of our lungs,” Wilson explains about the song.

“The first time I heard Stephen Wilson Jr. was at The Basement a few years back and he absolutely blew me away.... his writing, his songs and his live show is next level. He’s one of a kind and this genre is so much for the better with him in it,” Hailey Whitters proclaimed.

About his debut EP, Wilson adds: “Bon Aqua: Good water. Everything starts with good water. We are made of mostly water. The world is mostly water. As a microbiologist, I used to test water for pharmaceutical companies and everything from shampoo to aspirin to pet food to anything you can think of requires water.  Not just any water… good water. I was in charge of making sure the water was good. In and around Bon Aqua, Tennessee is coincidentally where I wrote and conceived most of this EP and filmed most of the videos and visual aspects. Hence the name, it is known for its good water and it only made sense for it to all start there."

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Alison Sudol - Brian Dunne - Ryan Daykin - Darling West

Alison Sudol - Come On Baby.

London-based American singer-songwriter and actress Alison Sudol has followed up on the release of her autobiographical and intimate new album, Still Come The Night, with the moving visuals for her poignant single “Come On Baby.” The song and video powerfully capture the shared journey of grief Alison and her partner, Welsh actor and director Tom Cullen, experienced following the miscarriage of their first baby during lockdown. This new visual arrives ahead of tomorrow’s reading of the U.K.’s Miscarriage Leave Bill in the House of Commons, which if passed would ensure three days of paid bereavement leave for people who have experienced miscarriage.

“In the days following my pregnancy loss, I was physically and emotionally crushed,” shares Alison. I was meant to be on tour when it happened, but due to the pandemic, the dates were canceled and I was lucky enough to have time to recover at home. Most women aren’t so fortunate, and have to go into work despite their tremendous emotional and physical grief. This bill would at least provide a small buffer in a difficult time, as well as an acknowledgment of the gravity of the loss. I deeply hope the UK government will recognize this need and act accordingly.”

Written and directed by Tom, the visuals are permeated by the disarming honesty and integrity both Alison and her partner share as artists. Transforming their own pain into beauty, Alison and Tom created a piece of art that transmutes their trauma into a healing experience.

“It was deeply meaningful when she asked me to write and direct the video for ‘Come On Baby’,” says Tom. “It’s a searing, raw and deeply moving song.” “The song addresses the night the miscarriage happened as directly as I could,” explains Alison. “I needed to face it head on. It’s what the whole album is centered around.”

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Brian Dunne - Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors.

Brian Dunne shares his new single “Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors,” off his upcoming album Loser On The Ropes, which releases April 14 via Kill Rock Stars.

“Any New Yorker knows the phrase ‘Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors’ because it’s what comes over the loudspeaker on the subway at every stop,” states Dunne. “I hadn’t ridden the train in a while because of the thing (trying not to mention the pandemic for the entirety of this album campaign) so when I hopped back on in mid-summer 2020, I really ‘heard’ it for the first time. Get in or get out, but get out of the way. And that’s really how I was feeling. So I wrote this narrative about a character who’s spent a lot of time ‘living, laughing, loving’ her way through the modern world, only to be jolted by a revolutionary awakening. And she has to make a choice, whether to embrace it, or run from it. It’s really an indictment of my younger self, if I’m being honest.”

Dunne signed with Kill Rock Stars on the strength of his demos for Loser On The Ropes, which he’d whittled down from nearly 200 tunes penned over several years of incessant writing. Working with producer Drew Vandenberg (Faye Webster, Of Montreal) in Athens, he fleshed the tracks out with analog synthesizers and reverb-drenched guitars, taking cues from Jonathan Richman, The Pretenders, Dire Straits, and Tunnel of Love-era Springsteen to cast a warm, cinematic haze over the whole thing that helped blur the already fuzzy lines between fantasy and reality for the characters who populate the collection.

Loser On The Ropes explores defeat and denial, fortune and faith, shame and redemption, all set against the backdrop of a world run by blowhards and bullshitters who manage to perpetually skate by without cost or consequence. The songs are lean and gritty, cutting straight to the heart of things with Dunne’s raw, understated poeticism, but rather than getting lost in the darkness of it all, Loser On The Ropes emerges as something much more resilient and exhilarating.

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Ryan Daykin - Tears Of Sin.

Ryan Daykin Victorian based Singer/Songwriter is back, leaning into his authentic approach to crafting REAL songs, with the Alt. Country tinged “Tears Of Sin”.

His impressive body of work, including his 2019 EP “Keeping Secrets” and previous single penned with Felicity Urquhart “Broken Feathers” has racked up accolades, but more than that, it has cemented Ryan’s place as an artist with a mission to create music that rises above the ordinary, that captures emotion and tells stories that draw a listener in.

Tears of Sin shows us a darker side of the previously more pop country leaning stylings of Ryan Daykin a “It’s a provocative story that talks to our internal struggle of who we are versus who we think we should be”

To compliment the edgy concept of the song, Ryan entrusted iconic producer Matt Fell to produce the track, allowing a more alternative country instrumentation and production, showing us a matured and versatile side to Ryan Daykin. ‘I was trying to move away from the pop/country based vibe of my previous releases, but not stray away completely because it would be inauthentic, I think we came up with a solid compromise”

Tears Of Sin is a personal story of an internal battle, and one that Ryan knows too well, having struggled with his self identity for many years, Ryan drew on support from Mary Harrison to express his feelings and at the revered DAG songwriting retreat, Tears Of Sin, which had been a work in progress for Ryan for years, became a co-write between the two artists.

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Darling West - Still Here.

The music on the new album 'Cosmos' searches outward, while the lyrics look inward. The resulting record includes elements of pop, while it pushes the envelope for what Norwegian americana can sound like. Cosmos is also about loving yourself, and there are of course a handful of love songs about shaky relationships – as we’ve come to expect from Darling West. The band continues to develop their unique musicianship and Cosmos is indeed another masterstroke from the band.

We are told the following about 'Still Her. Being in a long-term relationship is not always easy, as you can tell from a lot of songs in any genre. This one explores a moment when you realize that you have to deal with something and not put it on hold any longer. Most of us have been in these situations. It can fall both ways, but you have to choose. Work on it or let it go. When Thomas hit us with this drum groove in the chorus we almost fell off our chairs. So surprising and fun to play along with.

When Mari and Tor Egil Kreken started Darling West back in 2013, the project was intended as a way to give the married couple an opportunity to spend more time together. Tor Egil was one of Norway’s most critically acclaimed studio/live musicians, and he frequently toured the world with some of Norway’s biggest artists.

Mari was hardly idle at home, and although she didn’t play any instruments at the time, her beautiful voice landed her gigs as a backup singer for artists such as Marit Larsen, Stein Torleif Bjella and Maria Solheim. After a few years of practicing the guitar, harmonica and other instruments behind closed doors, Mari was ready to enter the stage as the frontwoman of Darling West. In creating Darling West, Mari and Tor Egil combined their fascination for American songwriting traditions and their ability to write catchy and memorable melodies.

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