Olive - Timewarp inc - Narrow Waves - David Philips - Kate Crash

Olive - Changing the World.

Background - Olive announces release of soulful new single ‘Changing the World’, due to be released this Earth Day, April 22nd. 

Olivia Szulgowski, known as Olive, is an independent Australian born artist. Inspired by indie-pop, soul and motown, with a hint of old-skool R&B. Olive has embarked on her own original sound journey, with the essence of the late Amy Winehouse ‘Back to Black’ album, fused with modern-day indie-alt radio hits. “Join me for tea, some afternoon company; we’ll let our fortunes unfurl and talk about ‘Changing the World’”. A big statement from Olive’s debut track titled ‘Changing the World’, the track has a big message and indie-pop, old-soul big band vibe. 

Olive’s debut release is launching this International Earth Day, April 22, to coincide with global consciousness about environmental sustainability for our planet and for us, the humans living on it. Following shortly after the launch of the video, 'Changing the World’ will be relaunched on a worldwide platform by Ear Science Institute Australia, for their global campaign for International Noise Awareness Day, this April 27. 

Don’t be misled by the catchy hook, ‘Changing the World’ delivers a contemporary universal message about each of us doing our small but integral bit. No matter how small the hope, we each have within us the innocence of youth and hope that we can truly make a difference. This soulful message is powerfully portrayed in the head turning music video to be released on the same day. Facebook here.

'Changing the World' starts out simply enough and quickly grows into an extremely catchy song, both musically and vocally. Bright indie pop with some soulful vibes ensures this song gets noticed.

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Timewarp inc - Tropicaliente EP.

Background - The long awaited release from the man behind the label is now true! Timewarp inc returns with a killer new release under the name: Tropicaliente EP. Travel your mind, your body and your soul into the exotic places that Timewarp a.k.a Angelos Stoumpos tried to bring in life through his music. The recipe is simple; all three tracks on the EP are under a common root, that's the Dub, the growing plant births the first twigs, yes that's the funk, and finally we can see the leaves; well yes that's the tropical mood, colorful, happy, sweet, alive and organic! Many great artists participating in this brand new release. 

Half French and half Greek Georges Perin appears on the opening Tropicaliente track with his magical English / French joyful "oh mama" vocals, the lyrics were written with his partner Panagiotis Skraparlis. In this song Al The X-King is responsible for the great performing with his Ukelele. While 7x Greek DMC champion, world finalist legend Sparky T gave his great talented skills, he scratched a few special elements on the track. The rising little star Timewarp Junior appears on the track with his little sweet voice, learning the real word! An instrumental version of the track is also included on the release. 

Reggae on Dope is the next stop. Timewarp tried to give a different breath to his music, approaching reggae & funk with a tropical-mediterranean touch. The result is an amazing non-ordinary track. With his silver flute, Tasos Fotiou is the man behind this great performance. He played precisely the theme melody as Timewarp cached it first on the keyboards, but in the end he gave an extra solo performance with a unique character. Al The X-King is responsible for the great Cuban like chords and the smoked dub and reggae muted guitar riffs. At last Mister Kentro performed the accordion melody line as it was written from Timewarp on the keyboards. Well, that's a dope track indeed! 

Dub in Disco is next, and as the title states it, here you can expect some disco style, slow & down-tempo but yet full groovy with a tropical dub style. Tasos Fotiou participated by providing his great style with a heavy sax section theme score build up. Al The X-King did his thing once again with his dub and reggae style vibes all over the track with his great guitar riffs. The result is a floating dance track, with big dub disco beats and grooves. 

Timewarp inc - Tropicaliente EP will be available on May 12th, 2017 for sale in special edition CDR and digital download at timewarpstore and all mp3 retailers. 

Currently there is a generous twelve minute feature for the soon to be released 'Tropicaliente EP'. The EP is fabulous throughout! Tropically inclined reggae that is uplifting and refreshing.

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Narrow Waves - Letters From Another State.

Background - Boston band Narrow Waves have just released their new EP, Letters From Another State.

All local city musicians, the sextet came together by two degrees of separation, but at times found each other’s beloved record store days separated by ten years. 

Between the metaphoric lyricism of Morrissey and the stadium-indie flush of Arcade Fire, Narrow Waves found their sound. Through listening to one another they have found their voice.

The group worked with producer Jeff Lipton on the EP, whose past releases include Bon Iver, Ladytron, LCD Soundsystem, The Magnetic Fields, Sebadoh and Soul Asylum. Narrow Waves' debut single "Reducer" was premiered on Vanyaland, who applauded it's "beautiful tension and casual urgency." Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

'Letters From Another State' comprises of five well crafted songs that might loosely be described as Indie Rock. There is plenty of melodic feel across the EP and vocals and harmonies are supported by some fresh, breezy music.

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David Philips - Home.

Background - November 2016 to March 2017 David Philips locked himself in his studio and spent the winter months writing and recording new material. Harking back to the full band sound of his debut album, but this time with a grittier sound centred mainly around the electric guitar and his new found love of the drum kit. 

Very much the studio loner David wrote, recorded and produced the whole record himself, playing all instruments and also designing the artwork. David says of the writing process : “With these songs I was experimenting with a new way of writing, something much more spontaneous, organic and immediate, trying my best to keep the inner critic at bay for as long as possible. I was able to centre the songs around what I hope are strong hooks and allowing myself to write with the electric guitar rather than the acoustic gave the songs a different energy.” 

Stylistically sitting somewhere between Ryan Adams and Doyle Bramhall II, yet as ever with his own instantly recognisable sound, Philips mixes pop, blues, rock and a touch of soul on this compact and to the point collection of 8 new songs entitled simply “Winter.” Website here.

'Home' is one of eight songs found on the new release entitled 'Winter'. The song typifies both the quality and superb delivery of each track. Upbeat folk rock, intelligent lyrics and plenty of electric guitar energy makes this a very fine collection of music.

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Kate Crash - Blacked Out the World.

Background - Kate Crash's has shared her newest single/video "Blacked Out The World". It follows her previous track/video "How We Play The Game". Both tracks will be featured on "To You Never Again', which is out 6/16.

Kate Crash is a Los Angeles-based songwriter, producer, filmmaker, entertainer, writer and multimedia artist.  In her teen years she made weird art, wrote poetry books, and played in punk and industrial bands.  After graduating from Cal Arts, she moved to Tokyo where she performed her music in surreal street shows and made avant garde films.

When she came back to L.A. she was discovered and cultivated by legendary producer Nick Launay (Nick Cave, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire).  Launay produced 3 EP’s for Crash that were released under Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records and George Martin’s Grand Master.  She then released a dance-pop EP that she co-produced with various Grammy winners including Jimmy Harry, Jason Evigan, Ethan Kaufmann, and Ryosuke Sakai. Crash now writes, performs, and produces all her songs which are mixed and engineered by Ethan Kaufmann.

On June 16th Kate Crash’s first full length video album “To You Never Again” will be released.  Written, performed and recorded completely by Crash in her apartment, it combines hip hop beats with dark dreamy pop chorus’s and electric guitars.  It is accompanied by raw, hard hitting videos she created with director Ashley Walters, editor Linda Strawberry and actor Brett Grace.  They were shot two days in and around her apartment in order to maintain the vulnerable, volatile, and homemade feel of the album.  It's about a character hitting rock bottom, which causes them to realize that most of what they believe is just programming from childhood, society, and media. Website here, Facebook here.

'Blacked Out the World' has a dark and moody feel to it, that the video tends to expand on. Kate's vocals add some rock'n'roll edge, providing the song with further intensity. With an album on it's way in June, more of the same will be plenty enough.


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FAERS - Wes John Cichosz - Saints Patience - Corner Suns - PANGEA

FAERS - Everything You Know.

Background - FAERS’ singer Steven Anderson-Howard met his future bandmates at his popular weekly indie night Club Yuck in Uxbridge in early 2015. Named after his label, the event showcases groups he’s signed alongside guest DJ slots from established bands. A bond quickly formed between the London five-piece and they released their debut EP ‘WAVES’ in October that year. Before long they were selling out shows in London and Brighton and netting support slots with JAWS, Native People and The Cribs. Having sold out Barfly, The Borderline, and single launches at The Water Rats and The Lexington, alongside appearances at the Y Not, Penn and Camden Rocks festivals, 

FAERS are rapidly growing a loyal fanbase thanks to their intriguing melange of afrobeat and psychedelic indie. Staunch wireless support has come from John Kennedy at Radio X and Gary Crowley on BBC Introducing. Throughout the coming year FAERS’ fanbase will undoubtedly grow. Their raw, visceral sound and effortless songwriting is channelled through their electrifying chemistry when they perform together. With a host of new material that will showcase new frontiers for the group, FAERS may well prove to be one of the most vital acts in the capital, and by extension, the nation.

Sounding like an instant summer festival classic with its high-octane riffs and explosive band chemistry, ‘Everything You Know’ is an adrenaline-inducing dance floor anthem. Loaded with hooks that stay with you long after the song has ended, FAERS have lit upon an invigorating brand of psychedelic afro-funk tinged indie rock. ‘Everything You Know’ is the first release from a crop of tracks created during songwriting sessions late last year. After a week of jamming at an undisclosed location far from any towns and cities in the UK, FAERS ventured to Gothenburg to capture the new sounds they’d constructed with alongside Warner-affiliated producer and long-time friend Anders Largerfors. 

Whilst there, they engaged with the thriving local scene and invited Pale Honey vocalist Tuva Lodmark to sing on the song. The result is an infectious and eclectic pop classic that highlights the effortless cohesion of its writers. Website here, Facebook here, live details on Beehive Candy's tour page.

'Everything You Know' combines intense guitar fronted indie rock with a twist of funk, alongside some feisty vocals that sound just right. Fresh and full of hooks.

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Wes John Cichosz - Everybody Says.

Background - Wes began playing on the Chicago club scene at age 15 with a variety of jazz and rock acts. Shortly thereafter he received a full scholarship to University of Illinois at Chicago where he won the prestigious Bar Association Music Award. During this time he also had the opportunity to play in the orchestra for the lost Duke Ellington musical, Jump for Joy.

In the 90's he was a part of Chicago's Wicker Park music scene performing regularly with members of Tortoise and Wilco.  As a regular studio musician at Gravity Studios he performed on numerous recordings including the Grammy Nominated, self-titled album Studebaker John and the Hawks. More recently, Wes played a tenor sax solo for Phil Collins on a tribute record for his dear friend legendary songwriter, John Martyn. Wes has played with or opened for War, Ziggy Marley, Maceo Parker, Smashing Pumpkins, Guster, 3 Dog Night, Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel), Adrian Belew, Oz Noy, Dave Weckl, Tony Williams, Umphree’s McGee, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Tributosaurus, Robert Irving and Richard Patterson (Miles Davis), and Rolling Stones sidemen Jack Leavell, Tim Ries and Bernard Fowler (and many more).

A competent multi-instrumentalist, Wes performs in various capacities including solo vocal/acoustic, blues trio, and jazz quartet. Some groups he is integral to include ChiNola (Chicago Blues meets New Orleans Funk and Soul), The Improbable Thursays (Experimental Groove/Jazz) as well as his own progressive-rock-meets-singer-songwriter group, WJC. Chicago DJ Richard Milne of WXRT 93.1 once described Wes's music as "...unlike anything going down in the town." Wes has recorded/produced numerous artists over the years including Dave Tamkin, Scottie Long, Typhanie Monique, and Cameron McGill. A capable arranger, he is currently the music director/guitarist/singer/saxophonist for Arlen Music Productions 17 piece orchestra, Evolution. Wes resides in Chicago and continues to write, record, produce and perform hundreds of dates per year. 

In The Moon Threads a Needle, guitarist/saxophonist/singer/songwriter Wes John Cichosz (Chee-Hoas) seamlessly weaves elements of rock, blues, jazz, and folk into an intensely personal album. Website here, Bandcamp here.

The first of thirteen songs on the new album is 'Everybody Says'. The album embraces so many musical directions, that this track is just a small taste of what follows. The above description that states " Wes seamlessly weaves elements of rock, blues, jazz, and folk" is absolutely spot on. Individual songs can morph across genres, or take on a specific style as an anchor point. Quality and feeling dominate the whole album, it's creative and passionate, and worthy of listening to in full.

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Saints Patience - Taste Of You.

Background - About ‘Taste Of You’. A certified funk-rock fusion treat, ‘Taste Of You’ is a candid declaration of love and lust which, according to Saints Patience frontman Mudibu, is “about opening up to someone and letting them know your secrets and desires; asking them to let go and trust their instinct”. This he expresses in a vocal both hugely soulful and raw – “Heaven knows, forever you’ll be close to me” – while a wonderfully rotund bassline, shuddering synths and wah-wah guitar coalesce into one distinctly disco-flavoured belter. ‘Taste Of You’ is essentially a sexy, catchy pop song with a chorus hook that’s primed for the airwaves. Don’t touch that dial.

About Saints Patience and ‘Weather The Storm’ “We’ve created something epic, something exciting and captivating.” Essentially the project of two London-based musicians, multi-instrumentalist Spencer and vocalist Mudibu, Saints Patience place melody and groove front and centre in a thrilling audio format that mixes the classic and the contemporary by following the lead of such timeless artists as Queen, Otis Redding, Led Zeppelin and The Wailers. Their songs, enhanced live by artisanal musicians taking on rhythm section duties, are cohesive amalgamations of Spencer’s prolific guitar jams and improv sessions in his home studio, which Mudibu, formerly of Mantilla, Lostchild and The Jezebel Sextet, enhances via his rich and powerful voice. 

This intuitive pair – “You know it’s good when you just look at each other and smile” – have now collected the best of their writings into their debut album ‘Weather The Storm’, recorded using valve amps and minimal gear at Spencer’s studio and thus exuding a fresh and dynamic analogue vibe. Indeed, to control the sound during recording the band used loads of old duvets and blankets, covered up the windows and warned the neighbours. Proper old-school! In Mudibu’s words, the album captures “an expression of emotions that are both political and relational in context. It's a sifting through of what really resonates with oneself and the surrounding environment. The same emotions can be individual but they are experienced by many in varied contexts. The notion of bravery in the face of these emotional challenges is implied in the album title "Weather The Storm’. Website here, Facebook here.

Back in July of last year we first featured Saints Patience and without hesitation it's a delight to do so again. New song 'Taste Of You' is a fabulously funky affair which manifests soulful vibes against a soundtrack that is seemingly on fire. Floor filling and mood lifting, this is a band to watch out for.

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Corner Suns - The Rattle In The Room.

Background - Brandon Carr of folk-psychedelia band The Earlies and John Dufilho of experimental pop group The Apples In Stereo and indie rockers The Deathray Davies have joined forces to create Corner Suns.

Combining neo-psych and baroque pop the Dallas based band released their eponymous debut via ??Idol Records in ?January 2017 after Dufilho tempted Carr back into music following a period during which Carr says he'd "given up on it". Corner Suns' memorable melodies, catchy hooks and insightful lyrics, influenced by the likes of The Zombies, Magnetic Fields, and The Shins, are all evident on new single 'The Rattle in the Room', providing ample proof that this is a musical pairing worth coming out of retirement for.

Asked about Corner Suns' sound, John says "To me, Corner Suns sounds like The Deathray Davies, The Apples in Stereo, The Earlies, John Singer Sergeant, CLIFFFS – all rolled into one record. It’s actually beyond that. Dallas bands I’ve played with and loved, recording engineer friends of mine I’ve learned from… I’m lucky to have people like Brandon to collaborate with, as it’s a million times better than on my own. More fun, too." The Rattle in the Room is released in Idol Records on 12th May 2017. Website here, Facebook here.

'The Rattle In The Room' is a vibrant and snappy song, with a tuneful soundtrack providing the back drop for some upbeat vocals and breezy harmonies.


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PANGEA - Something Bad.

Background - “Something Bad represents the self-destructive search for passion. To find a love so consuming that it will drive you to insanity; it’s about wondering how far you can go before you break.” Slye, PANGEA.

Ever felt so intensely about something or someone that you’ve been driven to actions you deeply regret? That’s the consequential dilemma at the heart of ‘Something Bad’, the smart debut release from Liverpool quartet PANGEA. Dropping with a taut groove, punctuated with Nile Rodgers-like guitar chops, tasteful lead licks and on-point vocal harmonies, ‘Something Bad’ is a slice of crisp indie funk blossoming into a deliciously catchy chorus. 

By the time those exuberant riffs kick back in after the tune’s refined breakdown, it’s clear from the dexterous drum fills, full-blooded guitar lines and hook-heavy vocals that PANGEA are four musicians lost in their music – and this is our invitation to join them. ‘Something Bad’, produced by AQ, was recorded and mastered at Liverpool’s renowned Parr St Studios.

PANGEA have a refreshingly direct mission statement for a band of indie inclinations – make the people dance. A supertight unit forged at the University of Liverpool, the four-piece meld slick yet visceral funk grooves with euphonic pop melodics. Slye, Levi, Paul and Kieren bring something new to the contemporary soundscape by channelling the energy of Seventies and Eighties greats into songs of relevance to the fledgling 21st-century. 

Shades of US titans like Prince, Chic and Funkadelic colour PANGEA’s material, as does the dynamic edge of the modern British indie scene, notably bands such as Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. The resultant songs are primed for their listeners to move to – and be moved by – as notions of unity, passion and introspection are transmitted through immersive grooves and intelligent lyrics. Here is a band founded on a policy of arch yet danceable pop, and with their irresistible debut single, PANGEA are taking that message to the masses. Facebook here.

Immediately the song begins, a funky and appealing musical foundation is laid. 'Something Bad' certainly delivers on the bands intention to provide good danceable music, they also clearly have a informed ear, for melody and memorable music.

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Djustin - Lusid - Kate Nash - Twilight Fields

Djustin - New Preset.

Background - Djustin "New Preset" - new single. Just two weeks after the release of Te Legends' Nightshift album, Sweden’s Johan Angergård returns alongside longtime American confidant, Rose Suau, to release Djustin's debut album, Voyagers on May 5.

Voyagers is a glittering, sensual exploration into an unchartered and fully-electrified universe. It is a tale of "Future Love", where a newly-conscious, idealized romanticism is propelled by contagious dance beats, synth-driven melodies, and sweetly seductive vocals. The soundscape is sophisticated and visionary, yet the stories are intimate and relatable. "Voyagers" is a journey through a spectrum of emotional highs and lows: from the apex of adult infatuation and desire, to the darkest abyss  of disconnection and existentialism. Every detail from beat, hook, and lyrical lexicon is unveiled deftly. Clearly, Rose and Johan wouldn't surrender anything less.  

Djustin's existence seemed to crystallize due to the forces of quantum entanglement, a pull of energies which was always inevitable. At many points in their personal lives, Johan and Rose had walked separate but parallel paths. The Swedish-American pair were both born as middle children in the same year, exactly 13 days and an ocean apart. Both spent their musical formative years finding footing in remarkably different settings; Johan grew up in pastoral Ǻhus, Sweden, while Rose grew up in suburbs outside the birthplace of techno, Detroit, Michigan. Website here, Facebook here. 

Dazzling synths and a driving beat provide a rich backdrop for the atmospheric vocals on 'New Preset' a song that suggests the album Voyagers will appeal to many, many electronic music lovers.

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Lusid - Plotting A Murder.

Background - Lusid release sublime debut single "Plotting A Murder." Warm, melancholic and dynamic. 10 seconds into ”Plotting a Murder”, the debut single from Stockholm, Sweden, based five piece Lusid, it’s impossible not to get drawn into their dreamy soundscape - a lonely piano, then airy vocals, and so the drums kick in.

With a sound that is reminiscent of what we love most about 60’s and 70’s analogue music, Lusid presents themselves with high quality song writing and sublime vocal arrangements. A new band for a new thing.

A full EP called "Legend" will be released in June 2017. Facebook here.

Whilst 'Plotting A Murder' is not on my one thousand things to do list, it makes for a beautiful song. Musically this is an elegant, fabulously crafted track, that matches the intimate beauty of the vocals. Together they provide a memorable and exquisite modern pop song.

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Kate Nash - Call Me.

Background - Zone 5’s favourite Kate Nash announces a brand new EP ‘Agenda’ and that it will be available digitally on the 21st April and as an exclusive vinyl at this year’s Record Store Day (22nd April) for which she is an ambassador. ‘Agenda’ will be Kate’s first official release since 2013 and features live favourites such as ‘My Little Alien’ as well as new single ‘Call Me’.

Kate says about her new single: “‘Call me’ is about going through a lot of stuff and surviving it, hitting your lowest point and coming back from that. Once you have you can help other people get through it too, it's about pain being useful as it can be used as advice and support and wisdom when other friends/loved ones go through rough patches. Call on me when you go through it.”

Kate has also recently announced the 10-year anniversary of her platinum selling, Brit-Award winning debut album 'Made Of Bricks'. Kate will be touring the album over the summer including a show at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire. A limited run of original pink 'Made In Bricks' vinyl will be available on the tour. A lot has happened to Kate, since the release of ‘Made Of Bricks’ back in 2007 - failed relationships, record label fall-outs, punk record releases, a relocation to the other side of the world...  Despite all this the singer-songwriter-come-activist retains her heroic spirit, possessed of an impervious rebellion and a lightness of being that makes her ‘give-a-f[]k?’ honesty even more contagious. Everything seems to be coming full circle.

In other news, Kate Nash has been confirmed to play Rhonda is the upcoming Netflix Original series “G.L.O.W.” Produced by award winning Jenji Kohan (Weeds, Orange is the new Black), “G.L.O.W” (aka Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) was created by Liz Flahive (Homeland) and Carly Mensch (Orange Is The New Black) and is a 10-episode comedy inspired by the real story of the 1980s female wrestling league. Tour details on Beehive Candy's tour page, Facebook here, website here.

'Call Me' has passion, energy and plenty of that Kate Nash style, which typifies her continued ability to provide top class music whether it be indie pop like this or something a whole lot deeper.

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Twilight Fields - Lost.

Background - Twilight Fields is from Northern Canada and makes a mixture of atmospheric and psychedelic rock and influences from progressive rock, ambient, dream-pop, psych-folk and shoegaze. This music asks big questions about life and loss; it's serious music for serious-minded people.

The second Twilight Fields album "Consolamentum" is a post-rock singer-songwriter album that deals with a number of difficult subjects such as depression, betrayal, loss, and disconnection in an increasingly fractured society but also offers the power of unconditional hope, determination, and love as the solution to these ills. 

The album's musical influences stem from a variety of sources, including post-rock, dream pop, ambient, post-punk, psychedelic rock, acid-folk and progressive rock. Bandcamp here.

'Lost' is one of eleven tracks on the new 'Consolamentum' album. I was very impressed by the previous offering by Twilight Field, and although this sees the music shift towards a more post rock feel overall, the ideas, creativity and variety are there in abundance. 


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System Corporation - Singer Sargent - No Win - Gothic Tropic - Eileen Carey

System Corporation - Dismal Universal Hiss.

Background - New Zealand’s System Corporation Announce Debut Single 'Dismal Universal Hiss'. New Zealand rock outfit System Corporation are releasing their debut single ‘Dismal Universal Hiss’ well ahead of their debut album ‘Fiction Dept.’, slated for release in late 2017.

System Corporation began in 2011, based on a conversation between Phil Somervell (The Datsuns) and their long standing engineer Scott Newth about swapping demos. The two were sharing a flat in Stockholm while The Datsuns were working on their fifth album ‘Death Rattle Boogie’. 

Scott began work on producing the demos, cutting them up, rearranging them, and adding vocals. They became a trio when they enlisted fellow Datsuns’ bandmate Ben Cole (also from The Joint Chiefs) on drums, and then evolved into a five-piece when Scott started working on his own demos for the project, finally enlisting his brothers and bandmates Andrew and Kent Newth (Rumpus Room) to help flesh them out. However, the original trio ended up collaborating on a number of new songs, giving System Corporation two distinct songwriting avenues.  

The band’s debut single ‘Dismal Universal Hiss’ could easily have been written about the rise of Trump or Brexit. But it wasn’t – it was written at the time of the Occupy Wall Street movement and the rise of the so-called 99%, mass protests, and rallying against a broken system that creates ill-gotten wealth and sucks it into a vacuum unattainable by the mere masses. Dismal Universal Hiss will be released on April 28 and will be made available via usual online platforms, but can already be ordered through the band’s Bandcamp here. Website here, Facebook here.

Powerful full on guitar rock, with vocals that glide sky high above the roar of 'Dismal Universal Hiss' makes for a fabulous anthem like song. The track packs commitment and emotion, this is one top class debut single.


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Singer Sargent - Western Life.

Background - You just know it’s real when you hear his voice, one that comes out of a heart that’s been broken more than once. It’s in the raw soul of a singer with a working man's charm that's not afraid of the fierce intelligence behind life’s pain. Singer/songwriter Tim Sargent’s debut song-cycle is superbly produced by Phillip Peterson (Portugal the Man, Shaprece) and comes out June 2nd on new label House of Breaking Glass. 

Working under the banner of Singer Sargent, the songs from  An Ordinary Life were lovingly woodshedded on an acoustic guitar at open mic's in Seattle, near a campfire on the beach and sometimes in the near dark. 

The songs were then brought to Phillip Peterson. They collaborated and exchanged ideas, tracking and sometimes re-tracking until the groove felt right. Tim played the acoustic and electric guitars. Phillip on bass, cellos, organ, horns & percussion. Andrew Barkau had a beautiful turn at the drums, with the legendary drummer Hal Blaine in the talks leading up to the session. Steve Norman took it in a new direction with his pedal steel, which works deftly on the pop songs. Shane McDonald handled the keys, whose understatements speak volumes. 

First single ”Western Life" is an almost verbatim account of a five year span during his twenties, except there was three boys, not "a boy and a girl." 

The first of thirteen songs that make up 'An Ordinary Life' is the single 'Western Life'. This is an exceptional album that should appeal to lovers of country & country rock, alt rock and Americana for starters. Or if you just like melodic variety, intelligent lyrics and a stylish engaging singer who is surrounded by excellent musicians and vocal harmonies that make you tingle, this might just become your brand new favourite album.

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No Win - Crooked Heart.

Background - No Win shares "Crooked Heart" his latest single which is available via Dangerbird Records. Beer soaked bloody nose broken heart...this is what LA's No Win does best.  The solo project of Musician/Producer/Engineer Danny Nogueiras, is rife with honesty, distortion and great songs!  With a little help from his friends Max Keuhn (Fidlar), Brandon Schwartzel (Fidlar), Marshall Vore (Ryan Adams, Phoebe Bridgers), and David Jerkovich (Kind of Like Spitting).  No Win’s two new singles “Crooked Heart” and “You’ll Be Fine” out via Dangerbird keeps us up to speed with, and wanting more of No Win’s straight up, unapologetic brand of rock and roll. Just imagine if The Replacements got into a bar fight with Teenage Fanclub and somehow Superchunk ends up with the black eye...That’s No Win.

Microdose is a monthly single release and live event series celebrating new music from our neighborhood (LA's Eastside) and beyond. This platform will serve as a launchpad for up-and-coming artists, uniting and expanding our artistic community.  Monthly singles will include an A-side and B-side, and each artist will perform live at Dangerbird's Silver Lake based HQ/event space. "A good old fashioned keg party for the artist, their community and the neighborhood as a whole. Dangerbird Records here.

'Crooked Heart' is one of those songs that just gets a good feeling vibe going, and then digs it's hooks in deep. Likable Alt rock delivered with warmth and feeling.

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Gothic Tropic - Your Soul.

Background - Los Angeles’ Gothic Tropic have shared "Your Soul" the fourth single off the upcoming album 'Fast or Feast' due May 19th on Old Flame Records. 

The brainchild of Cecilia Della Peruti, Gothic Tropic keeps the vibe playful and punchy, bringing audiences into a new era of female rock nobility, nodding to stars like Debbie Harry, and Chrissie Hynde. 

Delivering a blend of Richard Lloyd and Nile Rodgers on guitar, Gothic Tropic’s Della Peruti has won sponsorships with Fender, and leading pedal manufacturers, and works professionally as a touring and session player for Charli XCX, BØRNS, and more. Old Flame records pre-order here. Facebook here.

This is fifth time around on Beehive Candy for Gothic Tropic and the fourth single ahead of May's album release is 'Your Soul'. Clearly their music has won me over, in fact they now hold our House Band status!

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Eileen Carey - Good Bad Girl.

Background - Award-winning singer-songwriter Eileen Carey recently grabbed music industry headlines when New Music Weekly named her its 2017 Crossover Artist of the Year. Gracefully breaking down the barriers between country and pop, Carey is at it once again as she blurs the line between naughty and nice in her flirtatious feel-good new single "Good Bad Girl."

Having recently starred at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, TN, Eileen Carey is also thrilled with both the immediate and possible long-term effects of her NMW award: “This award is particularly satisfying because it reflects the opinions of the radio music directors, programming, and industry folks. They’re the ones who can make a big difference in your career.”

Eileen Carey continues to post in her new blog, The Music Mom. The Music Mom reveals Carey's desire to positively impact others via the sharing of her experiences and wisdom: “The world is filled with ups and downs, so I want to help people see things in a more positive light and find a better place in life.” The Music Mom here, Facebook here.

Another slice of country music full of pop sensibilities is 'Good Bad Girl'. No wonder the award mentioned above, this is straight and honest popular music that has feel good tattooed all over it.

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