May Roosevelt - New Luna - Bee Bee Sea - Mo Kenney

May Roosevelt - Air.

Background - So far, May Roosevelt is best known as a thereminist. She has already performed in cities such as Barcelona, Berlin, London, Istanbul, and she has collaborated with artists ranging from Tijuana groovy band Los Macuanos to Tel Aviv multi-talented artist Kutiman. Despite her collaborations, May has got three releases to her name so far, including 2011's self released Haunted, eight musical compositions included the zeibekiko dance rhythm in "The Unicorn Died", which was composed and presented for the first time in London at the Red Bull Music Academy in February 2010. 

May Roosevelt marks her return in 2017 with her new album titled "Junea", just released on October 23th via Inner Ear. It's her first release for the label. Junea is a heroine of the modern digital world, where reality meets fiction through bridges made of electronic sounds and pixels. Musically, it could be said that she is an alter ego of May Roosevelt, adding new qualities to the artist's existing musical identity.

In the world of Junea synthesizers rule, creating a multi-layered sound environment of crystal sounds and rhythmic beats. Ethereal vocals and encrypted lyrics lead to a parallel dreamy, three-dimensional universe that mirrors the artist's exploration into new musical coordinates.

"My intention when composing the music of Junea was to create bright sonic environments and upbeat atmospheres, to shape imaginary spaces of transformation, reinvention and discovery."  May Roosevelt. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

From the brand new album 'Junea' we can share 'Air' one of eight songs that make up the collection. If you will excuse the pun, I found the album a genuine breathe of fresh air. The musical production is fabulous, where her dreamy vocals are immersed in layers of synthy sounds. Sometimes the songs are more rhythmic, other times the melody is key to the piece, always present is imaginative & creative music. If you like the featured song, go and dive into the album, it is quite special.


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New Luna - Opinionated.

Background - Manchester alternative outfit New Luna have announced the forthcoming release of their latest single Opinionated, further establishing themselves as an act pushing modern dream pop and post-indie in a forward direction.

Drawing early comparisons to the likes of Radiohead, Mogwai and The Twilight Sad, the quartet’s innovative songwriting and expressive live performances have already landed them support slots with acts including Happiness, Sløtface and Trudy and the Romance, as well as appearances at Y Not Festival and The Great Escape.

Discussing their upcoming release, the band stated: “As per with us, Opinionated’s become more extreme and elaborate each time we’ve played it, starting off as a low-key krautrock tune and now being a full on heavy dream pop jam/social mediation. Ultimately with this release, we wanted to make a simple but direct social statement and be as musically free as possible, letting the noise do the rest.” FACEBOOK.

Kicking off with a feisty rhythm that is soon followed by some impassioned vocals 'Opinionated' is soon in full stride. As the full band kick in the songs potency grows even further. More post punk than indie, this is a blast of raw energy and commitment, surely that's enough for one track.

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Bee Bee Sea - D.I. Why Why Why.

Background - Bee Bee Sea is a three piece band from an industrial town in Northern Italy, with garage-psych songs and a punk attitude. In 2015, they released their self-titled debut album (first pressing is now sold out) via Glory Records, the band’s own label. 

During that year, they started working with Rome-based booking agency Asap Arts and toured Italy, Switzerland, France and Germany, supporting Thee Oh Sees, Black Lips, The Night Beats and King Khan & the Shrines. 

In 2016, Bee Bee Sea released a 3 song EP Jacques Dutronc  Glory Records), on digital and cassette. Tracks were soon featured in major commercial campaigns including ads by Fiat, DC Skateboarding, New Balance and DMAX. In April 2017, the band recorded their most recent full-length, Sonic Boomerang, live at Tup Studio in Brescia (IT) with producers Bruno Barcella and Alessio Lonati. The record will be released on Nov. 17, 2017, by Dirty Water Records USA (cassette, digital) and Wild Honey Records (vinyl).

Bee Bee Sea: Wilson Wilson - vox, guitar Giacomo Parisio - bass, backing vocals Andrea Onofrio - drums, backing vocals, FACEBOOK.

'D.I. Why Why Why' is a no nonsense garage rocker, where the vocals drop some melodic hooks in & the music which begins at fever pitch, refuses to settle down until a catchy guitar break midway through.

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Mo Kenney - On The Roof.

Background - This is the year that Mo Kenney plugs in, quite literally. Known for her smooth vocals and fearless lyrics, the Canadian singer releases the fast-paced On The Roof, due December 8th, & taken from new album The Details.

Mo has released two records with long-time producer and Canadian rock mentor Joel Plaskett since 2012. With her third album, Mo comes fully and completely into her own as an artist; she swaps her trademark acoustic guitar for a Fender Mustang, tracing her own strange, devastating, and ultimately hopeful trip through the trials and tribulations of booze-fuelled breakdowns, clouds of depression, and disintegrating relationships.

"I began writing "On The Roof" during a solo tour in the US. I had a day off in Syracuse, NY, and wrote the chorus for the song that day. When I sit and think of all the negative things in the world it can get me down, because there's a lot of it. I go down that wormhole often, as I'm sure a lot of people do. The song is about being in that mindset and not being able to shake it. " Mo Kenney

On each of The Details' 14 tracks Mo unflinchingly confronts her annihilation and eventual redemption, leaving nothing out. Combining elements of bruising rock ’n’ roll, vivid psychedelia, and haunting, left-of-the-dial pop, Kenney navigates the darkest waters in her life with self deprecation, genuine soul baring, and typical black humour.

Before and during writing the album, Kenney was enroute to rock bottom: depressed with dark blues and drinking like a fish, unable to hold herself or her relationships together, alienating the people she loves, and living hell-bent on oblivion. It’s a journey, thankfully, that finds Kenney sailing to calmer seas, closing gently on the sparse, clear-minded “Feelin’ Good.” But the storms weathered to get there are the kind that leaves scars.

The self-destructive drive of “On The Roof” explodes out of the gate with blistering intensity. “June 3rd” channels the late Elliott Smith with spectral atmospheres as Kenney comes to terms with her alienating behaviour. And the vicious, rollicking “If You’re Not Dead” shows her playing mind games over feral guitar solos and biting hooks. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We featured Mo Kenney back in August and are pleased to be able to feature another track from her new album in the shape of 'On The Roof'. This time we have an energised rocker with some fine hooks, that brighten up the somewhat darker lyrics.

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The Luck - Radio Drive - They Might Be Giants - Mitch Bullen

The Luck - Rise and Shine.

Background - London indie folk duo The Luck have premiered the video for their new single Rise and Shine, which is out now through Common Market Music. The Luck are Max and Esmay Luck, a brother and sister duo whose indie folk sound is influenced by their childhood musical heritage, from Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel to Joni Mitchell and The Eagles. Singing in choirs and learning to play an array of instruments, including cello, harp, piano, guitar and bass, from an early age, they finally formed a band together in 2011.

Residing in Los Angeles over the past year, the pair have been working with Paul Broucek, President of Music at Warner Brothers Pictures, and three-time Grammy Award-winning engineer/mixer Ed Cherney (The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt), and with over a million Spotify streams to their name, they will be announcing their debut album soon.

New single Rise and Shine follows their True North EP released last year and is a dramatic and emotive track with melodic vocal harmonies that build to a catchy and powerful chorus. The video was filmed in LA and directed by Jeff Thomas and the band say;

"We wanted to show the inner workings of someone’s mind when they’re trying to take themselves out of a bad situation. Jeff Thomas, the DP and director found the perfect actors, Jenna and John, to help us tell the story, captured against that technicolour light that is so unique to LA." WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Rise and Shine' is a richly layered indie folk or perhaps folk rock song (it seems to veer between both). The production is very high quality, the hooks are consistent through out, and with a polished video in support, I hope this piece gets the attention it deserves.


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Radio Drive - Borders.

Background - Radio Drive is an Alternative Pop Rock band featuring Kevin Gullickson. As the engine behind Radio Drive, Kevin has won international awards and nominations for his songs and music videos. The music of Radio Drive is being aired on radio around the world alongside major artists and is receiving rave reviews by music critics. He has been featured on web zines and radio shows in Europe, Canada and the USA.

Kevin’s music has landed on charts on indie stations around the world, including Canada, Germany, the UK and the South Pacific. His music has been used on shows airing on Animal Planet, National Geographic and Discovery Channel and other TV programs around the world. In 2014 Kevin released his single "A Taste of Heaven", produced by Chris Garcia (credits include Celin Dion, Adele and Katy Perry), which was an instant hit on indie stations around the world and is still getting massive airplay and rave reviews.

In mid August 2015 Kevin finished a project with internationally recognized producer, Stuart Epps. Stuart has worked with some of the most influential artists in music, in cluding George Harrison, Bill Wyman, Jimmy Page, Oasis and more. Kevin now has the honor of being listed among the artists Stuart has worked with. The result is a magnificent song entitled “Humanity”. Late 2016 Kevin released a music video for
"Humanity".

In 2017 Kevin was chosen by BEM Wireless to endorse their products. Currently Kevin has engaged in a European radio campaign and is receiving extensive radio play of his music and in September and October has been in the Top 20 on the Top Indécouvertes, Official European Independent Music Chart and in October has landed at #8. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

I had a few tracks to choose from and each one was in contention. 'Borders' is more alt rock than pop, it does however show off the distinct & fine vocals that are a hallmark of Radio Drives music. Some tracks are more melodic, however I'm in the mood for some unpretentious rock & roll which is taken care of in style with this song.

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They Might Be Giants - I Left My Body.

Background - Why is the world in love again? They Might Be Giants has announced the release of I Like Fun, a remarkable 15-track album to be available physically and digitally on 19th January 2018.

I Like Fun jumps with surprises, vitality, and the startling point of view of these Brooklyn originals. Over a year in the making, songwriters and band founders John Linnell and John Flansburgh draw on themes of dread, death, and disappointment and set them to their driving, hyper-melodic music. The results will leave even the most heavy-hearted among us with a renewed sense of wonder. Fresh and sonically adventurous, the band’s command of the studio and the song is in rare form from beginning to end.

On I Like Fun, the spotlight is also on the band’s formidable long-standing live lineup; drummer Marty Beller, bassist Danny Weinkauf and lead guitarist Dan Miller. While the group enjoys a reputation for delivering one of the liveliest shows around, the album accomplishes the rare feat of capturing that ecstatic intensity on disc. Co-produced with and mixed by Patrick Dillett (St. Vincent, Donald Fagen, The National, Mary J. Blige), the album was tracked and mixed at the brand-new Reservoir Studios—site of the legendary Skyline Studios where TMBG recorded their platinum-selling album Flood.

2018 will also see the return of TMBG's Dial-A-Song service, with weekly instalments toll free at www.dialasong.com, and on streaming sites everywhere, featuring new music all year long! WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

It's been a long while since They Might Be Giants first appeared on my musical radar and the new song 'I Left My Body' is going to get me digging out some of their old albums. They can certainly still turn out a pleasing song, this one being a case in point, it's catchy, powerful and uniquely their sound.


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Mitch Bullen - The Fray.

Background - Mitch Bullen is a London based singer songwriter from Melbourne, Australia. His gentle, acoustic guitar finger picking and beautifully soaring vocals draw inspiration from a range of artists from different eras including Ray Charles, Matt Corby, Passenger and Bon Iver. 

Mitch grew up in a musical household, listening to his songwriter Dad's classic rock records, before graduating to generation x emo bands. He tried his hand at automotive engineering and industrial design in two different universities before realising he hated physics and maths, and opting for a career in personal training. But with more music than sweat seeping out of his pores, he decided to move to the music capital of the world, London, to seek his fortunes.

Mitch performs regularly in London's singer songwriter clubs at night and makes a mean coffee as a barista in Fitzrovia by day. With songs that are like short poems inspired by life, time and relationships, Mitch sings with a dreamy zeal that goes straight to the heart. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'The Fray' will be followed by another single in November, Mitch Bullen would appear to be in a creative mood. The song gently unfolds with his vocals and a delicate acoustic guitar allowing the track to build, and yes it builds! The vocals are exceptional & the musical arrangement allows them to shine, it's a simple case of more please!

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dreambeaches - El Lago - Line & Circle

dreambeaches - the only reason you want to go to california is that it's the closest thing to heaven in your mind.

Background - Western NY based baroque rock act dreambeaches new single "the only reason you want to go to california is that it's the closest thing to heaven in your mind," is off their new EP Disappearing Act. 

This song is a narrative of a deteriorating mental state. To me, the song is an exploration of what it is to leave a life behind in pursuit of happiness, by way of moving, by way of chasing gold, & even by way of death. The song is set in the Southwest U.S., a place where I’ve spent a lot of time and think about often. There is so much open air and promise. I thought using California as a double entendre for death worked well because they both have a history of attracting those seeking. The main character doesn’t give an explanation on why they left, but they do give every bit of their remaining self to those they’ve surrounded themselves with. I think what I hope to get across to the listener is that the gold in life is what you give and you aren’t going to find it anywhere else.

dreambeaches is an art rock band based in Buffalo, NY consisting of members Corey Bzibziak (lead vocals, guitar), Jacob Peter (bass, vocals), Gabe Wells (drums), & Andrew Kothen (lead guitar, vocals). Since the release of their first EP ‘Habits’ in 2016 the band has been making their way around the Northeastern US and Canada and will be touring to the Southeast this fall in support of ‘Disappearing Act’. dreambeaches comes from an array of influences including Grizzly Bear, Rubblebucket, Hiatus Kaiyote, Pinegrove, Of Montreal, Bombay Bicycle Club & more. FACEBOOK.

OK so the title is quite something, that said 'the only reason you want to go to california is that it's the closest thing to heaven in your mind' is a thoughtful song with an alt rock feel to it. The vocals and harmonies have a west coast vibe, or is that just the title playing tricks with me, either way its a fine track. 

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El Lago - Into The Clearing.

Background - Galveston, Texas might be known as a coastal destination for Texas vacationers, but for the pedal soaked music of El Lago, Galveston is home. Mixing sounds that hint of what would happen if Cocteau Twins and Kate Bush covered the music of Spiritualized, the band has been known to cause a stir with their dreamlike performances. 

The four piece has always crafted plenty of soundscapes to compliment the vocals of lead singer and guitarist Lauren Eddy, and their recent recordings with Austin Sepulvado (Buxton, Dollie Barnes) and Grammy winning engineer Steve Christensen (Robert Ellis, Steve Earle) seem to capture the magic that the band crafts together on what will become their debut full length release.

With the lead single "Into The Clearing," the band gives listeners a glimpse into what's to come from forthcoming debut full length Colors due November 4 from Miss Champagne Records. The band is set to perform and tour in support of the album throughout 2018. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Into The Clearing' is a combination of exquisite & melodic vocals, refined rock music along with alternating time signatures, that add another dimension to the track. It gives some indication of what the album has to offer, however it is only after listening to all the songs that the above comparisons make reasonable sense. Overall we have eight very strong tracks, each of which possibly made choosing the lead single something of a challenge.

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Line & Circle - Man Uncouth.

Background - Line & Circle announces new EP, Vicious Folly, shares first track "Man Uncouth". Ohio-born, Los Angeles-based Line & Circle will follow up their acclaimed singles and debut LP with their new EP Vicious Folly, due Dec. 1 via Grand Gallop. The bulk of the record was tracked live to tape in one day at Los Angeles’ Vox Studios with Michael Harris (Angel Olsen’s My Woman), with additional sessions in various warehouses, bedrooms, and backhouse studios around the band’s Echo Park neighborhood. The project was mixed with frequent collaborator Jonathan Low (The National, The War On Drugs) at Aaron Dessner of The National’s Long Pond studio in Hudson Valley, New York.

At a moment when cultural divisions seem increasingly tense and tribalistic, Vicious Folly explores a belief the Romans held centuries ago: homo homini lupus — man is a wolf to man. Whether the conflicts here are romantic (“Man Uncouth”), ideological (“Vicious Folly”), or familial (“Who Runs Wild”), the songs contemplate the disquieting idea that man himself is his own greatest threat. Vicious Folly brings the resulting emotional complexity to life by expanding on the band’s characteristically moody but vibrant color palette. Interweaving bass clarinet pulses and distorted tape loops move underneath minimalist patterns of chiming guitar and bass melody counterpoint. Singer/guitarist Brian J. Cohen’s dramatic tenor pulls across the songs’ brisk rhythmic foundations, which are more unhinged here than in previous releases.

The record’s cover images, Peter Flötner’s 16th century hand-painted playing cards from post-Reformation Germany, offer further support. Flötner used his cards to depict and denounce the perceived greed, gluttony, and folly of his time. That the imagery strikes a chord today — as it surely did then — is either deeply comforting, or incredibly disconcerting, depending on your information filter. Perhaps only one thing is certain — we won’t agree on the answer anytime soon. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The slightly urgent pace of the music on 'Man Uncouth' is set at odds with a more measured vocal delivery. Combined it really works well, a mixture of energy and patience, or mood and excitement.

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Gill Landry - Glances - Woodes

Gill Landry - Denver Girls.

Background - Gill Landry has unveiled a brand new video for ‘Denver Girls’, the second single taken from his latest solo album ‘Love Rides A Dark Horse’. Since making my last record, I destroyed all the pillars of my life intentionally and by accident. I found myself wondering what the hell I was doing, and had to slowly start rebuilding. When you go back to the ground level in any field, with your toes in the dirt, you've got to really want to do it. I already came up through the clubs, playing all the small gigs, busking the streets, and also got the delusions of grandeur that come from playing in much bigger places. When you've been through it and you know how much work it is to start from the bottom, you have to ask yourself if it's truly what you want. Here we are, so I guess the answer is yes.

A little over two short years ago, I was set to be married to a woman I loved very much, had just won my second Grammy with Old Crow Medicine Show, and life was good by all perceivable standards. However, I was deeply unsatisfied artistically and needed to leave the band. After the first year of touring my last album, I swore to myself I wasn’t writing another goddamned broken-hearted love song, but then my lover took flight and I found myself alone, worn out, disillusioned, and heartbroken in a way I hadn’t known before. The future was looking like an exhaustingly long walk through a knee-deep tunnel of shit ending in death, so, it seemed like it wasn’t going to be an overly joyous next record after all. BUT, I wanted to find a light in the darkness. This album is more of ‘a map out of the darkness’ than ‘an invitation to it.’ 

In writing this album, I wanted to paint a vision of the prison of expectations that eat loving relationships at their core and can turn them into a mechanical farce. The premise through most of this album can be summed up by the title “Scripted Love”. The songs reveal characters trapped in scenes they didn’t create as much as rehearsed. Their roles are played through narratives either engrained or sold to them through: Hollywood, social norms, family, fairy tales, etc. Hung up on “what’s supposed to happen” over what’s happening. They find themselves disappointed with the reality of relationships due to their false idealisations. Love becomes a possession rather than a presence. This isn’t to say I don’t think that there aren’t millions of people living in harmonious, real, and loving relationships. I don’t happen to know an overwhelming amount of them, but I know they exist.

'Love Rides A Dark Horse' breaks new ground for Landry with contributions from fiddler Ross Holmes (Mumford & Sons, Bruce Hornsby), keyboard player Skylar Wilson (Andrew Combs, Rayland Baxter), and drummer Logan Matheny (Roman Candle, Rosebuds), the songs explore a more seductive, stripped-down sound built upon a hushed sense of intimacy that calls to mind Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. The album's tattered narratives cast aside romanticism in favour of reality. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Denver Girls' is the second track we have the pleasure of sharing from the 'Love Rides A Dark Horse’ album. In the previous feature we commented "high class Americana - vocals and harmonies are heartfelt, whilst the music is understated and pristine". 'Denver Girls' is if anything, even more beautiful and the accompanying video is just right for the track.


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Glances - Later Days.

Background - Glances share the second track "Later Days" from their album 'I feel very close to you right now' which was released a couple of days ago.

There’s more to a story. Glances is a recording project out of Chicago, Il. In 2012 Micah Waldron moved into an artist loft in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood where he met Ashley Thompson, cute. About a year later Ashhh spent some time on a farm in Hawaii where she met Christian Whiting (Chin). Through her persuasive nature she convinced Chin to move to Chicago where the three of them started playing music together. Eventually an album started to form. It was an accident.

I feel very close to you right now is a collection of songs that strive to portray the the hidden meaningfulness of impermanence by examining it through the context of a relationship. Before we weren’t close, now we are, soon we will not be. It’s meant to be listened to, preferably together. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Four weeks on & 'Later Days' is our second song share from Glances. This is a group who seem to follow their creative hearts when it comes to writing & delivering music. As mentioned last time around, the album really is worth listening to as a whole, if you like either of the songs we have featured I am more than certain you will love the collection.

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Woodes - Dots.

Background - Acclaimed Melbourne based artist Woodes has released a new single 'Dots'; an anthemic track highlighting why Woodes is one of the most exciting names in Australian indie music. The track is a driving, sonic wonderland highlighted by the incredible vocals by Woodes.

Woodes co-produced the track with Grammy nominated producer Scott Effman, Simon Lam from Kllo and Nearly Ontario worked across the mixing and Grammy nominated Andrei Eremin(Hiatus Coyote) mastered the new single.  

Woodes commented on the writing process. "I wrote this on my first writing week overseas. I was in and out of sessions with new writers and it was a new world to me, working with strangers in another country. This track started with the concept that we’re all connected and quite exposed in our locations through technology. GPS, geo tagging, constantly updating where we are and where we’re going as well as who we’re with. The mystery is taken out. 

The song evolved into a miniature quest, searching for something. When I dream I usually remember narratives from them, for a long time they were presented in a quest format. Most of my favourite films and shows revolve around quests so it made sense to seep into my subconscious. I often feel like things appear like little clues to someone or something. It feels fortuitous when I meet certain people and find out we share common interests and values. When I listen to 'Dots' I see different terrains, different parts of the world. No matter where I am I find little sparks from human connections and landscapes. No matter where I travel to I’m still connected to home."  WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

I remain consistently impressed by the music Woodes creates. 'Dots' is another gorgeous song, where the passionate & dreamy vocals are immersed in a powerful soundtrack. This is our fifth feature for Woodes in under two years, here's looking forward to the next opportunity.

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