Background - Hand In Hive signees Saltwater Sun return with tenacious new offering The Wire, reaffirming their irresistible blend of guitar pop on a whole new level. Marshalled by frontwoman Jen Stearnes’ gritty yet infectious vocals, the Reading quintet’s first release of 2018 boasts stratospheric hooks, explosive guitars and delicious harmonies, elevating them right back alongside their indie peers.
Having spent the last 18 months working on new material after drawing widespread acclaim from the online community and BBC Introducing, the five-piece are now gearing up for a hectic year with a slew of festival dates and releases in the pipeline.
Discussing their forthcoming single, the band stated: “Recently I think we’ve found ourselves part of a society divided by misinformation and distrust. The Wire is taking a look at the turbulent times we live in; the world’s never been so connected, yet it’s very easy to feel detached”. Produced by Alex Loring, Saltwater Sun’s The Wire is released via Hand In Hive (Dama Scout, Swimming Tapes, Zuzu) and is available on all platforms. FACEBOOK, TWITTER.
'The Wire' is a sprightly indie rocker with plenty of melodic hooks and some refined clarity from the musical arrangement, there are no passengers on this song as each band members commitment comes shining through.
Background - The movement from depression into hope unraveled layers of complex cognition and a heightened creative determination for Sydney's Hedge Fund. But here they stand with their most confident single yet - 'True Romance' - their first to emerge following a year of personal turmoil for the group's frontman, self-proclaimed provocateur Will Colvin.
An immaculate melting pot of muscular post-punk grooves and dreamy synth-pop, 'True Romance' is a return to form for the band, rolling with heart and sparking with emotional rawness, think the likes of New Order, Talking Heads and The Cure. For Colvin, it came with a sizable helping of heartbreak.
"True Romance was written as a reaction to the death of my father and the breakdown of my marriage, the loss of the two most important people in my life in a very short period of time. The lyrics are about grief, frustration, failure and the lies that we tell ourselves about who we are as human beings. It's a song about being wrenched into a situation which caused an immense loss of faith in reality."
Recorded alongside longtime producing partner Richard Belkner at studio Free Energy Device in Camperdown, the pair went deep on this one, working hard to merge the pounding combination of bass, drums and vocals at the core of the song. The result - something between Nirvana and Blade Runner. FACEBOOK, TWITTER.
A chunky bass, accompanied by some determined and emphatic vocals open 'True Romance' a feisty rocker with hints of punk angst, backed by a band whose suppressed energy occasionally cannot be held back as they explode into a full on rock assault.
Background - Flower Face is Ruby Mckinnon, a 19-year-old songwriter from Ontario, Canada, whose voice stretches far beyond her years. Taking her musical cues from an eclectic range of influences, her sound sits somewhere between Conor Oberst, Big Thief and The National.
‘April To Death’, taken from new album Baby Teeth, sounds upbeat yet deals with the disillusion that comes with being a human being, and the various methods we use to cope with life, in Ruby’s words “whether that be drugs or dropping out of school or meaningless encounters. It's kind of a cynical take on all the things we do to make life a bit less painful, they feel so passionate and important at the time, but really they're pretty empty.”
Having played piano from the age of 5 and picked up the guitar to record her songs at 15, Flower Face has forged her way as an independent artist for years, amassing 125K+ streams on recent single ‘Honey and Milk’ with no label support or management whatsoever.
While Flower Face’s music has a quiet beauty, lyrically her songwriting deals with the darker side of life. She tells us that “it’s kind of an outlet but also a method of storytelling. A lot of my writing is based on empathy – on putting myself in places I haven’t been as a means of exploring the capacity of my own feelings. I was writing about heartbreak long before I’d ever felt it. I was writing about death before I’d ever lost someone close to me. I had a close brush with death when I was 17 – I went through surgery and chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. A lot of people thought that explained my lyrics, but I was writing about the dark long before I’d been there.” FACEBOOK, TWITTER.
The vocals are melodic and sensitive, the music adds some more energy to the song with its indie folk feel as 'April To Death' quickly establishes itself as one very catchy song.
Background - Louisville’s acclaimed psych-pop band Frederick The Younger is hitting the road in support of Houndmouth in April. In advance of the tour, they're sharing their first new song in over a year, “Human Child II”, which is a full band interpretation of the title track to their debut album Human Child that came out last February. The original version of the song was performed solo on the album by their powerhouse vocalist Jenni Cochran, so the band decided to cut a full version after it went over well during live performances in the past year.
Frederick The Younger’s sound is a perfect balance of psych-pop and vintage rock & roll, with Cochran's captivating vocals always at the forefront, drawing comparisons to everyone from Janis Joplin to Karen O. Their album Human Child was produced by veteran sonic wizard Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Andrew Bird, Twin Limb), and is a bigger and more exploratory progression of their debut Warm Front EP.
Comprised of Cochran, Aaron Craker (guitar, who’s also playing guitar w/ Houndmouth on these dates), Jake Hellman (bass) and Dave Givan (drums), there is an earnestness to Frederick The Younger’s music that rings true, the kind of sincerity only born from experience. These songs feel alive and well-lived, tragic, beautiful, and contemplative, all with solid hooks. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
Upcoming Frederick The Younger Tour Dates: 4/06 - Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall 4/12 - Detroit, MI - El Club # 4/13 - Bloomington, IN - Bluebird # 4/14 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall # 4/15 - Madison, WS - Majestic Theatre # 4/16 - Appleton, WI - Tandem Bar 4/17 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue # 4/18 - Iowa City, IA - Englert Theater # 4/19 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note # 4/20 - Kansas City, MO - Truman Hall # 4/21 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre # 4/24 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger # 4/25 - Austin, TX - Scoot Inn # 4/26 - Baton Rouge, LA - Varsity Theatre # 4/27- Birmingham, AL - The Saturn # # - with Houndmouth
It's over a year since were first introduced to Frederick The Younger and it is indeed a pleasure to be able to share 'Human Child II'. The psych elements are there again, along with some superb and dramatic vocals that add a level of mystery to the song, along with the creative and intriguing musical arrangement.
Background - With a moniker taken from a vaporising device featured in the 1970's sci-fi novel 'A Whirlpool Of Stars, UK punk-rock trio 'Tonota 80' transmit news that their new album 'Killer Sands And Beating Hearts' will be released via UK/US label Engineer Records on 23rd March 2018. Originally becoming acquainted through a chance meeting in their local record store; the Maidstone/Kent based musicians David Bloomfield (Vox/Guitar), Richard Pronger (Bass/Vox) and John Edwards (Drums) met again several years later and hatched 'Tonota 80' upon the UK music scene.
Despite the band being firmly routed in old school British punk reverie, the 3 piece bring in subtle influences from an myriad of genres. Citing the likes of Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr, Swervedriver and Radio Birdman as some of their most influential peers - Tonota 80 are encased with a penchant for brash guitar riffs, colossal melodic hooks and 60's inspired vocal harmonies. Their self-released debut 'Jonesing For Chips' brought much welcomed support from revered BBC 6 Music taste-maker Steve Lamacq and captured them many fans of underground British rock music. After time spent out to write and produce new material, the punk fuelled anthems of Tonota 80 caught the attention of Engineer Records who shall deliver the digital/CD release of the bands latest creations. FACEBOOK, TWITTER.
'Could Do Better' is a blistering two and a half minutes of classic punk. The track is packed full of hooks largely due to a few subtle chord changes, and when you add in the attitude fuelled vocals, the song really gains traction.
Background - Born and raised in Glenarm, Northern Ireland, Nashville based Ben Glover has been hailed by journalists around the world as one of Northern Ireland’s finest exports. A compelling songwriter, who was awarded International Song of the Year at the 2016 UK Americana Awards with Gretchen Peters for their co-written song “Blackbirds,” a song which appears on Glover’s album Atlantic and serves as the title track to Peters’ 2015 solo album, his impending studio album, Shorebound, sees him evolve even further as an artist and collaborator.
The newfound sounds and shapes that comprise Shorebound mark a moment in Glover's musical history — a moment that nods to the past decade of his artistry even while pivoting into the next era. “I’m a believer in cycles, and 2018 will mark ten years since I released my first album,” Glover says, “so it feels very much that this album is a major turning point in a cycle. Shorebound is an acknowledgment of where I am and a celebration of the people who I’ve gotten here with.”
A truly personal collection, Glover is a storyteller who can offer intrigue and insight, while his listeners lose themselves in his rich vocal. Heading up the album is the Kim Richey collaboration, Ride The River.
“Ride The River” is the story of two lovers conspiring to get free together, dreaming and planning their great escape from the commitments of the world. When writing the song Kim Richey and I wanted to use the sense and symbols of time to show just how far these characters would go in their pursuit of being together. No matter what elements and obstacles stood before them they were moving through it all with complete devotion to one another." WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
Tour Dates: Thurs 10th May – London, King’s Place (supporting Mary Gauthier) Fri 11th May – Carlisle, Carlisle Folk and Blues Club Sat 12th May – Aberdeen, The Blue Lamp Tues 15th May – Birmingham, Kitchen Garden Cafe Wed 16th May – Tadcaster, Everything Good Goes Thurs 17th May – London, King’s Place (supporting Mary Gauthier) Fri 18th May – Worthing, Coastal Connections Sat 19th May – Cambridge, The Junction Sat 26th May – Culdaff, McGrory’s [Ireland] Thurs 31st May – Larne, N. Ireland, Larne Town Hall Fri 1st June – Belfast, The Black Box.
Ben Glover's rich and distinctive vocals and the gorgeous harmonies from Kim Richey make 'Ride The River' a majestic song. The musical arrangement is refined and beautifully constructed making this one very special and enticing track.
Background - ‘Farewell To Atlantis’ encapsulates the reckless energy of Ennor’s West Cornwall roots to make for three minutes of folk-rock perfection. Sun-drenched melodies, sprightly rhythms, and open road lyricism peg it as the sort of performance that could only hail from the UK’s surfer heartland. It’s both a homecoming story and a bittersweet meditation on change and the passing of time. Frontman Tom Elliott wraps his lyrics in a heartfelt melodic sensibility that recalls the arena-baiting energy of The Gaslight Anthem as the group meander effortlessly through infectious verses, sing-along choruses and a raucously rising middle eight.
The careful balance of driving rock instrumentation and folk lyricism is one ENNOR strike with aplomb. The group headed back to Elliott’s hometown of Penzance to shoot the video for the track with director John Freddy Jones, set in an old outhouse overlooking the Atlantic which the singer spent much of his youth writing in.
With their musical and emotional roots embedded in the far corners of Cornwall, Ennor write songs that have a palpable sense of openness and raw emotion. It’s the culmination both of their journeys across the UK and a nostalgic longing for the Cornish sea. By turns both folk and rock, the four-piece’s infectious sound has garnered attention from London to Penzance, as well as the acclaim of BBC Introducing. The poeticism and sincerity of frontman Tom Elliott is propped by the blistering work of the rhythm section. Adam Williams’s driving drums and the dexterous string work of guitarist Jack Rennie and bassist James Creed has earned their sound a new moniker: ‘Californwall’ - a fitting epithet to describe the perennial summer in their songwriting.
Drawing influence from the likes of Frank Turner, The Gaslight Anthem and Ben Howard, Ennor spent the summer of 2017 touring their sunshine sounds across the UK to the like of Ronnie Scotts, The Eden Project and Boardmasters, before heading into the studio to record new works ready for 2018 and the turn of the seasons. FACEBOOK, TWITTER.
Lively, natural and pleasing 'Farewell To Atlantis' is a marvellous mixture of upbeat rock tinged with some delicious folk sensibilities. West Cornwall is a fabulous place for a holiday (despite the unpredictable Atlantic weather), I'm guessing from this at least some the locals know that it sure beats city life.
The Claudettes - Don't Stay with Me / Pull Closer To Me.
Background - An old upright piano, a snarling electric bass, Phil Spector-ized booming drums and seductive Cool School vocals get into a punk-blues brawl at the studio of Grammy-winning Black Keys producer Mark Neill. On their head-spinning new album, The Claudettes summon vaudeville blues, ’60s soul and Cramps-like psychobilly. Behold Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium!, the band’s third full-length for Yellow Dog Records and first to feature their touring lineup of piano, drums, “Bass VI” guitar and three singers.
Pianist/songwriter Johnny Iguana airs grievances about the numbing and divisive effects of an Internet-dominated world all across these songs. “Nobody knows how to talk to each other these days,” begins the song “Give It All Up for Good,” while “Bill Played Saxophone” follows American political nemeses through periods of smoldering bitterness and revenge fantasies. “Death and Traffic” begs for stories of saved lives and heroism amidst the onslaught of bad news, then “Utterly Absurd” bemoans the age of the hair-trigger Google search: “Thought dies as transmission rise…‘fast and now’ killed ‘I know how.’” And need anything more be said about the prescience of “Naked on the Internet”?
Neill invited the Claudettes to his Georgia studio after being introduced to the band by Dave Cobb (Grammy-winning producer of Sturgill Simpson and Lake Street Dive). The Claudettes recorded at Soil of the South for ten days, taking advantage of Neill's vast knowledge and collection of vintage equipment.
“Mark insisted that, no matter how loudly we crank amps live, we record at conversational level so he could turn his vintage preamps up and use his best old mics,” says band leader Johnny Iguana, who has recorded with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy and a host of other blues giants along with his own punk-organ band oh my god. The result: a big, warm sound straight off the ’60s 45s that Mark spins between takes for inspiration.
The piano-guitar-drums core of each song was recorded in a single take, as were most vocals. Neill, who shuns the practice of building tracks in Pro Tools, had the band run through songs again and again until “The” take arrived. Marxophones, mellotrons, rare fuzz pedals and an array of percussion instruments were broken out to finalize Neill's vision for each track.
Here the Claudettes introduce the singer who’s been touring with the band for two years: Berit Ulseth. “Berit went to the New School in NY for jazz vocals, but she’s got a tone you can’t learn,” says Iguana. “Sometimes she reminds me of Carole King and her soulful ‘I Feel the Earth Move’ vocals…but she’s also got this Patsy Cline warmth and lushness to her voice.”
Ulseth urges a lackluster partner to set her free in “Don’t Stay With Me,” propelled by an insistent orchestral bass drum, then reveals the exquisite nuances of her voice on the transfixing ballad “Pull Closer to Me.” Bassist/guitarist Zach Verdoorn yodels the album’s carnival-ready title cut and takes urgent solos on “Total Misfit” and the aforementioned “Naked on the Internet,” a song that sounds like the ’60s but looks to a future where our only lasting legacies are unwanted searchable ones.
What’s traditional on Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium! are the blues, soul and rock ’n’ roll touchstones and the antique instruments and equipment used to document them. What’s new and indescribable are the punk-laced energy and sum total of these songs, musicians and producer Neill, who describes this album thusly: “Haunted cabaret...David Lynch movie music crossed with Allen Toussaint’s driving piano sound! And sort of like when you’re driving late at night in the South and two radio stations are coming in together and it’s perfect!...Like Otis Spann and Mark Sandman from Morphine sitting in with Keely Smith. I'm kind of riffing here but seriously nobody sounds like them...I love this new record, it’s crazy good." WEBSITE, BANDCAMP.
We have two of the twelve songs that make up The Claudettes forthcoming album 'Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium!'. 'Don't Stay with Me' and 'Pull Closer To Me' give the listener some idea of what's in store on the album, the emphasis being on "some idea." The band have a delightfully unique musical sound, the vocals add melody and plenty of feeling to the songs, whilst the bands creative zest ensures each track has some unique attributes, alongside varying levels of energy and attitude. Collectively this works, the musical hooks are everywhere. Not being certain of what each piece might bring, adds to the excitement, this really is an album worth some time digging in to.
Background - I never wanted to be a part of anything, the cool kids at school, the pretend outlaws. I was always an outsider, we’ve always been an outsider band. We don’t fit in, never have and never will. Especially now. As you get older you realise your strength in not giving a f. You realise what you’ve been trying to do your whole life. Create something that’s yours, your own world, your own views, make something special, start your own gang but always be You within it. Don’t conform. Don’t fall in line. Be free. Be inspired. Inspire. Live & Love. To all the Outsiders – Romeo, The Magic Numbers.
Mercury Prize nominated and multi-platinum selling London quartet The Magic Numbers have just shared the studio-shot video for the recent 6 Music-supported single, 'Sweet Divide'. This is the first piece of new music from the band following a three-year hiatus and taken from their forthcoming album 'Outsiders', available through Role Play Records on May 11, 2018. Outsiders captures The Magic Numbers fired by a renewed sense of purpose, immediately apparent on first single ‘Sweet Divide’, with the band’s melodic facility bolstered by a newfound, grittier sensibility. Watch here. In support of the Outsiders, the band will commence a headline tour of the UK through May - dates below.
Comprising of two sets of siblings, Romeo and Michele Stodart and Angela and Sean Gannon, The Magic Numbers have sold over a million albums worldwide across their career and scored a slew of hit singles. The band quickly shot to media attention after selling out London’s Kentish Town Forum solely on the strength of their loyal fanbase prior to the release of their 2005 self-titled debut - an album that would later go on to pick up a Mercury Music Prize nomination and break into the UK Top 10 Charts.
Hit singles – including ‘Forever Lost’, ‘Love Me Like You’, ‘Love’s A Game’ and ‘Take A Chance’ – and three hit albums followed. Alongside the band’s success, the Stodart’s have lent a hand to projects including releases from Jane Birkin, Spiritualized, Chemical Brothers, Kathryn Williams and Ed Harcourt, plus Damon Albarn’s Africa Express, with Michele Stodart releasing two solo albums to date, duetting with Conor O’Brien of Villagers along the way. FACEBOOK.
It's been a while since I last listened to The Magic Numbers and the latest song will have me digging out their debut album which was a real favourite of mine at the time. 'Sweet Divide' is a driving rocker from the opening moments, the guitars are powerful, the vocals and harmonies add even more rock swagger, this is one very addictive "play me again" track, and some!
Background - On May 4th psych-pop artist The Goldberg Sisters will release their new album HOME: A Nice Place To Visit. Known as the musical alter-ego of actor, musician, filmmaker and photographer Adam Goldberg, (and his mythical sister-twin "Celeste") The Goldberg Sisters have shared a new song "Where Or When Or Why."
Movie audiences got to know Goldberg from his performances in films such as Dazed and Confused, Saving Private Ryan, The Hebrew Hammer, A Beautiful Mind, and 2 Days in Paris as well as from equally memorable appearances in TV shows like Friends, Entourage and Fargo. Music fans, however, haven’t always found him so easy to pin down. This year they‘ll have his brilliant new album, HOME: A Nice Place To Visit.
Goldberg recorded the 2009 dream-pop album Eros and Omissions over a six-year period with a variety of musicians, including Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips. But the pace quickened on the first two albums issued under the Goldberg Sisters moniker, 2011’s self-titled offering and Stranger’s Morning from 2013, on which Goldberg played all the instruments and which was recorded by engineer and longtime collaborator, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Andrew Lynch (Nav/Attack) in Goldberg’s garage.
Goldberg and Lynch teamed up once again in the garage for the new Goldberg Sisters’ album, HOME: A Nice Place To Visit. Goldberg again did all the instrumentation save for violins and trumpet. Goldberg’s elasticity as a multi-instrumentalist and producer is nothing short of astonishing considering he lacks anything in the way of formal training and didn’t even think of seriously making music until his early 20s. “I started playing drums as a kid,” he recalls. “I played along with songs on the radio but mainly Bowie records.” WEBSITE, TWITTER.
Psych pop is the description and psych pop it is! 'When Or Where Or Why' has an energetic, upbeat musical backdrop, the piano is delightful and the vocals ensure the song stands out, adding melodic hooks and extra vibrancy.
Background - Sugar Candy Mountain shares the first track and video for "Split in Two" off their upcoming album. "Split in Two" was produced by Jason Quever of Papercuts and the video was directed by TG Eaton. Do Right is due May 4 on PIAPTK Records.
Part travelogue, part response to the current, turbulent climate, Do Right gives voice to the deeply nested anxiety of modern times attempting to offer a balm. Nature it seems, is where the band often goes to calibrate it’s moral compass so frequently upended by the daily news-cycle. Sugar Candy Mountain invites you to join them on this journey singing “There’s a quiet place I go when I need to find my way/ There’s a quiet place inside/ Come on in just knock and a door will open”.
Musically, the band remains rooted in 60’s and 70’s rock, with their signature honey sweet vocals. Do Right leans more heavily on synthesizer than the band’s previous records lending the album a more modern feel. The album pairs the ephemeral orchestral arrangements of The Beach Boys with the pop sensibility of George Harrison on “All Things Must Pass”.
Oscillating between the hazy psychedelic pop of Mild High Club, the driving energy of Dungen and the danceable familiarity of The Supremes, Do Right is a perfect cocktail of old and new, imploring the listener to take a ride into the sunset with Sugar Candy Mountain. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
Atmospheric and yet sprightly 'Split In Two' has dreamy melodic vocals and a soundtrack that adds some swirling vibes, for want of a better expression. It's catchy and imaginative, which is a pretty good combination to start off from.
