The By Gods - Modern Whale

The By Gods - Wait Up.

Background - Nashville’s awesome garage rock trio The By Gods announced their US tour w/ fellow garage rockers Pat Chow (Australia), along with sharing a new music video for their single “Wait Up” that stars their two dogs, Dookie and Wheezy.

The two bands also teamed up on a split tour-exclusive 7” called No Strings/Try So Hard, which includes a new song from The By Gods that isn’t available anywhere else. The By Gods' sound harkens back to everything you ever loved about your favorite grungey 90’s era indie rock bands… brimming with nostalgia but never feeling forced, the band is touring on the heels of their 2017 album Move On.

Produced, mixed and engineered by Alex Newport (Deathcab For Cutie, At The Drive-In, Bloc Party), the album is the sound of a band trying to come to terms with their own ever-changing and strange reality, pushing themselves out of their comfort zone to finally sculpt their own hard-won identity. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Upcoming Tour Dates
3/22 Nashville, TN @ Radio Cafe
3/23 Bowling Green, KY @ Tidball's
3/25 St Louis, MO @ The Sinkhole
3/26 Chicago, IL @ Emporium
3/27 Newport, KY @ Southgate House
3/29 Columbus, OH @ Ruby Tuesday
3/31 Philadelphia, PA @ Creep Records
4/01 Brooklyn, NY @ Alphaville
4/04 Asheville, NC @ Fleetwoods*
4/05 Atlanta, GA @ Starbar*
4/07 Nashville, TN @ The East Room*
*Pat Chow not appearing.

It was back in the summer of 2016 that The By Gods first appeared on our radar and so the new music video for 'Wait Up' makes for a welcome return for the band. A slower paced but nonetheless grungy sort of rock & roll piece, when the band up the power they do so with raw energy. So if a couple of cute dogs isn't enough for you, this sub three minute rocker should complete the circle.


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Modern Whale - The Dirt.

Background - Brooklyn trio Modern Whale (the brainchild of musician Rob Guariglia) have dropped a new single ("The Dirt") and music video. 

Naturally reminiscent of cult television program The Twilight Zone, the video was produced, directed and performed by Raviv Ullman (as seen on HBO, CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, MTV, and Disney’s ‘Phil of the Future’) and Martin Spanjers (Grey’s Anatomy, 8 Simple Rules). Maneuvering through New York’s finest visual trappings, the video also stars John Beach.

A “Modern Whale" is not a specimen of the sea but rather a musical crossing. If we are to think about band names as part of an overall expression then this name is enormous. So enormous, so amorphous, that your new favorite group might not fall into your standard “musical genre."

Too pop for indie, too indie for pop, Modern Whale has been Vevo’s ‘Featured Artist’ for each of their four releases on YouTube, with their single “Burn Like the Sun” being a favorite on Hype Machine.

Helmed by Rob Guariglia, the outfit formed in Brooklyn at the infamous rock refuge Meserole Sound Studio (also known as Rob’s home base). Living in Bushwick, ‘90s rock finds salvation and rebirth in Modern Whale. The name then reflects the animalistic tendency of music and is encapsulated through Rob’s dog Stella, his assistant and muse. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Described as "Too pop for indie, too indie for pop" Modern Whale have that little rock something that makes sense of that statement. The video for 'The Dirt' is fascinating and just a little paranoid, the songs energy and musical armoury of hooks ensures they make fine companions, this is classy material.


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Polychrome - Someone - Spritzer

Polychrome - Final Kiss.

Background - East-London-based Polychrome, who channel the spirit of Cocteau Twins with the electronic ecstasy of M83, are made up of Oliver of The Bronze Medallists and Victoria of Victoria and Jacob. Victoria and Jacob have been championed by the likes of NME, Time Out, The Line of Best Fit, Uncut and DIY to name a few, and have also supported The Mystery Jets, Com Truise, Daughter, and Katy B. Oliver, frontman of indie electronica band Bronze Medallists (also solo performer/activist Olly the Octopus AKA ‘Boris Johnson’s Nemesis’ – City AM), has worked with the likes of Lucy Rose, Mt Wolf, L.A. Salami, and been supported by Radio 1, Radio X, Radio 2, and 6music to name a few.
   
Polychrome now release lead-single 'Final Kiss' off the upcoming self-titled debut album ‘Polychrome’, which opens with crisp production that features floating vocal samples on flowing synthesiser, making for a deep estuary of thick chromatic chords. Victoria’s silky, reverberating lyricism pours through the verses, and rock-pool crevices are filled with intertwining bubbly synthesisers. Single artwork by Print Designer Lisa King whose work has appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and W Magazine, and has collaborated with Kylie Minogue
   
Victoria studied Creative Music Tech in Cambridge and has contributed a large amount of the production on the album; she feels there is still a massive fight for women in the industry and wants them to get into production and songwriting in the typically male-dominated industry. Victoria considers production during the songwriting process, visualising which effects, samples, and techniques might be used.

Much of the Polychrome album was written in isolation at Grianian Eco Lodge in Scotland – close to Oliver’s hometown. The band took some time out to focus here. Inspired by the incredible landscape and isolation, the duo feel their sonic soundscapes are massively influenced by the Highland views, rivers and incredible mountains.
   
‘Final Kiss was one of my favourites to work on as I directed the production. I really wanted a vintage sound, and managed to pick up a harmonica mic that I found in a bargain bin. I’ve got a Juni 106 keyboard and a 107 drum-machine keyboard at home that I also recorded to gain the backbone for this track. I’m big on female production and songwriting and seeing how male-led the industry is drives me harder. Olly is always happy to let me take the driving seat as he trusts my style and skill.’ - Victoria. FACEBOOK.

'Final Kiss' opens with some beautifully layered synths that develop into a flowing arrangement with some catchy musical elements that complement the smooth, gentle and notable vocals. It's a little retro in feel, the production however is gorgeously distinct, whatever influences Polychrome might be channelling, they are doing so with significant style.

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Someone - Chain Reaction.

Background - Amsterdam psych-pop artist Someone releases her debut EP Chain Reaction, and unveils 1920s silent-movie inspired video for the single of the same name. The former cutesy singer-songwriter shakes off her previous self to explore the rockier depths of pop composition and discover the power of absolute freedom on her debut EP, Chain Reaction.

First single The Deep had a warm, brooding groove, Say Something brought the fuzz, and third cut Forget Forgive ushered in a more delicate, contemplative and personal side to Someone’s sophisticated songwriting. Final single Chain Reaction is a an infectious indie-rock shuffle, accompanied on release by a short film aping the silent movies of the 1920s. It’s been 4 years since the release of (Songs from) The Sandbox, Jackson’s debut album which bagged an impressive number of plays on the Dutch airwaves, and multiple television features, plus syncs for American commercials and series (such as the acclaimed New Girl).

However, set with the task of writing album number two, the TRJ river was running dry. She discovered that the teenager responsible for the poppy happy-go-lucky tunes of her debut album had been replaced by someone older, someone wiser, and (dare she say?) someone a whole lot more interesting. After three years’ working as a composer for TV and feature film, Jackson’s skillset as a writer and producer was broadening, along with her musical tastes (and dusty synthesizer collection).

Hence the regeneration. “I wanted a name that meant: Don’t worry about who I am. Just check out what I make. I make a lot. Some you may like, some you may not. But I’ll like it. And you know what, I’m someone too.” Though the ear-wormy pop sentiment of TRJ still trickles through the veins of the new tracks, the rest of the music is a far cry from the Sandbox. Enhanced by Jackson’s own abstract artworks and live visuals, Someone is like a trip inside her chaotic, over-productive (but colourful) mind. FACEBOOK, TWITTER.

The video is a piece of art in it's own right, thankfully 'Chain Reaction' is one very fine song and the two go together wonderfully. After the classic introduction we have a feisty psych pop track that is just so addictive, with it's slightly understated arrangement and dreamy vocals the detail for each element is thoughtful and as I say, addictive.


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Spritzer - Little Mystery.

Background - Spritzer is the project of Matthew Meade, founder of Brooklyn chamber-pop band Friend Roulette. 

Though the band features a rotating cast of players, its core members include Ryan Weiner (Tiny Hazard), James Preston (Maybird, Sam Kogan), and Kyle Olson (also of Friend Roulette.) They will release their debut LP, Love. Lies. Decay., on April 27th via Paper Garden Records.

The upcoming release draws influence from a wide array of genres, from indie rock and guitar pop to Americana and bossa nova. Its eight tracks showcase Spritzer's diverse and experimental sound, but the album opens with their most upbeat and pop-leaning song to date: "Little Mystery." Described by Meade as a "fun and shamelessly cheesy love song.”

Spritzer will celebrate the release of Love. Lies. Decay. with a show at Brooklyn's Elsewhere on April 25th. FACEBOOK.

Paper Garden Records have a track record for delivering superb artists material and 'Little Mystery' from Spritzer only endorses that opinion further. Brisk, energised and melodic, the chamber pop band have a very catchy (as in hooks galore) track, that suggests the debut album is going to be, more than worthy of inspection in April.

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Soft Science - Bandini - Said The Whale - Bodywash

Soft Science - Undone / I Don't Know Why I Love You.

Background -  Dream-gaze syndicate Soft Science have announced a new double A-side single 'Undone / I Don't Know Why I Love You', to be released via Test Pattern Records. This includes 'Undone', the first single off their forthcoming third album 'Maps', and a blissful sanguine cover of the classic House of Love track 'I Don't Know Why I Love You'. This single finds the band flirting in grand waters between My Bloody Valentine on 'Undone' and The Primitives on 'I Don't Know Why I Love You', offering the listener a distinctive mix of sweetness and fury.

‘Undone’ is essentially about loving someone through good times and bad. It is about accepting that although there will always be hard times in life, it makes things easier to go through tough days with people you love. For me, those times make me love them more. That  unwavering love can be like a light,” explains Soft Science vocalist Katie Haley.

The B-side was originally recorded for the House of Love tribute compilation 'Soft as Fire in The House of Love', in limited released via The Blog Celebrates Itself Records, the track has been remastered and, for the first time, is available in wider digital distribution.

Hailing from America’s farm-to-fork Capital in Northern California’s lush Sacramento Valley, Soft Science fuse melody, sound, and texture of 60s pop and 90s shoegaze like molecular gastronomists blend physics and chemistry to transform food. Together this 5-piece band have managed to create their own sweet blend of modern pop music with a sonic edge.

The band’s members share a love of such bands ranging from the Zombies and Beach Boys to Lush, Teenage Fanclub, Ride, Pale Saints, New Order, and Jesus and Mary Chain, along with newer artists such as Beach House and Frankie Rose. Such eclectic artists have influenced their music. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.

The new double A side single comprises of 'Undone' an expansive, flowing, multi layered rocker with the melodic vocals immersed amongst the energised music. Accompanying this is 'I Don't Know Why I Love You' a refined and very pleasing cover version of the House Of Card's song.

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Bandini - Late Night Show.

Background - Inspired by the story of a night out in the effervescent streets of London, Late Night Show is the first single from the upcoming album Barflies. 

Produced by renowned UK soul artist Camelle Hinds; Late Night Show is a get up and dance track which combines Blues with Jazz and Gypsy Rock vibes.

Bandini is an exciting new contemporary artist, who through his re-imagining of fusion music has successfully incorporated aspects of jazz, blues, rock and gypsy  into a unique sound. 

Coupled with his enigmatic and theatrical stage performances, Bandini is quickly becoming one of the most relevant emerging acts today. Bandini’s performances have been described as an event, rather than simply a gig. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Late Night Show' mixes up some contrasting genres and does so with plenty of style. Melodic, upbeat, and vibrant, the question is do you dance to it, or just sing along with the chorus line, the answer might be both, and a beaming smile would be fitting.

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Said The Whale - Congratulations.

Background - Juno Award winning chart-toppers Said The Whale have announced a deluxe edition release of their 2017 LP As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide via Hidden Pony Records. Released one year after the original on March 30, the album will include 10 additional tracks, 5 B-sides, 4 acoustic versions, and 1 new cover song. To celebrate the release, the band has shared one of the previously unreleased tracks “Congratulations”.

Previously operating as a five-piece, the current trio - made up of frontmen Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester and keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown - have created their most collaborative, focused record to date. Previous releases highlighted the contrast between the two founders’ eclectic rock influences and salt-of-the-earth folksiness. Here, their styles become one. Despite the album’s many adventurous sonic forays, it remains true to the spirit of their classic work. At its core, As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide is a singer-songwriter record, guided by introspective lyrics and alchemical group harmonies from Ben, Tyler and Jaycelyn.

Additionally, the band will be releasing a 5 episode podcast titled Demoitis - available on iTunes later this month. Each episode explores a song from As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide as well as featuring discussions with peers in the Canadian music scene such as Max Kerman (Arkells), Graham Wright (Tokyo Police Club), Ryan Guldemond (Mother Mother) and more. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Feisty from the opening moments 'Congratulations' is a contagious indie pop/rock song that has the hooks on rapid fire, enjoy!

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Bodywash - Eye To Eye.

Background - Montreal-based four-piece, Bodywash, shared their new single, "Eye To Eye." The new song was produced by Nigel Ward (Seoul) as well as mixed by Austin Tufts & Taylor Smith (Braids). Their debut full length, Comforter (also produced and mixed by the same team as Eye to Eye) is scheduled for a 2018-2019 release.

Bodywash is a Montréal four-piece that layers airy vocals, intricate guitar textures and swirling synths over a heavy rhythmic foundation.

Formed by Chris Steward, Rosie Long Decter and Adam MacPherson in the Residence Basement of McGill University Residence in 2014, they released their four-track self-titled EP almost exactly one year later. This self-titled EP showcased Bodywash finding their feet as a band, experimenting with a range of styles from the thick, woozy electronics of “Nothing At All” to the more overtly poppy approach of “This Cruel”.

The band have since zeroed in on a more focused confident sound that marries all their favourite elements of 90s shoe-gaze & trip-hop, ethereal 80s pop, and contemporary left-field electronic music, in part due to the addition of bassist Tom Gould as well as drummer Ryan White. Notable past and upcoming performances include show support for Arkells, Happyness, Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, Hoan, Lido Pimienta, Moon King, & Doomsquad. FACEBOOK, TWITTER.

The synths gently bring 'Eye To Eye' into focus (pun intended) as the song builds into a mixture of dream pop and softer shoegaze. Atmospheric throughout this is a sumptuous and soothing track to close your eyes and drift along with.

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Almanac Mountain - Alice in the Cruel Sea - Clare Hennessy - The Milkmen

Almanac Mountain - Jane.

Background - Almanac Mountain is the ever-evolving experimental pop project of New England songwriter/composer Chris Cote. Whereas his 2016 full-length Cryptoseismology represented an assertive move towards more challenging conceptual work, his latest, an EP titled Black Collar Vices is a shift towards more straightforward songwriting and pop structure.

However, this shift is not a full-bore retreat from the inventiveness of previous releases, but a more economical distillation of Chris’s core compositional approach. Collaborator Brian James acted as co-producer for the EP and also penned the chamber pop ballad “Perfect For Company” which closes Black Collar Vices.

In crafting the sound for Black Collar Vices, Chris revisited the chorus and delay heavy acoustic guitar and vocal treatment that characterized the sound of Almanac Mountain’s first EP, 2010’s When In Nature. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.

The musical production on 'Jane' is crisp and clear  providing each singular element with fabulous clarity. Gently melodic and with plenty of hooks Chris Cote's vocals give the song greater distinction, the new EP 'Black Collar Voices' is eagerly awaited.

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Alice in the Cruel Sea - Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea.

Background - Alice in the Cruel Sea is a 3-piece band based in London. Their sound is a mixture of alternative rock songwriting and electronic soundscapes, with synth and samples - driven tapestries of sounds. This  is enriched by lyrical yet minimal guitar melodies. It is formed by singer/songwriter Sara Rinaldi, guitarist/producer Filippo Faustini and bassist/producer Andy Kosakowski. The band is influenced by people like Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Florence and the machine, Bjork, Warpaint and also some cinematic music.

The band is currently promoting their first self-titled, self-produced EP through live performances in venues across London. Heading up to festivals in the summer, they continue pre-producing new songs and working on new material constantly. Their first single “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”, was released at the beginning of March 2018 and it will be followed by several other single launches during the following months. The group is also collaborating with the Italian director Annamaria Pennazzi for their first video.

Alice in the Cruel Sea is a project that dates back to 2015, when singer/songwriter Sara Rinaldi coupled with guitarist Filippo Faustini to work on some songs and showcase them at various venues in London. They kept working on the material and when bassist Andy Kosakowski joined the band in 2016, all the arrangements were shunned and the band began an intense period of experimentation on sound textures in order to find their own sound and direction. The guitar work was reduced to a minimum and the songs started to sound more synth-oriented. Samples from old keys, synths, mellotrons etc. started to appear as part of Alice’s sound world and the songs were shaped in their current form. FACEBOOK.

The layers slowly develop on 'Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea' a dreamy landscape of beautiful vocals and sensitive musical sounds that occasionally intensify but never dominate or clutter the flowing and ethereal feeling this piece exudes.


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Clare Hennessy - April.

Background - In a world that rejects vulnerability, the most radical thing that musician and writer Clare Hennessy could do was write an album of deeply personal songs. Music helped her to navigate and heal the frayed pockets of her heart; it was only fitting that she might hope to embolden others to do the same. A bright anthem to echo the triumph of new beginnings, April, the single, muses on transformation. With warm clarity, Clare Hennessy reminds us that when the month is right, taking flight is inevitable. Perfect for high-way driving

Considering Clare’s childhood listening to Joni Mitchell records, the heartbreaking honesty and nimble vocals of April are no surprise. She draws inspiration too from the warmth of Laura Marling, the grit of Marika Hackman and the guts of Julien Baker. Her voice soars above grit and sometimes considerable darkness with a lightness akin to Katie Noonan.

When asked to summarise the story of the EP, Clare insists that it is largely one to be felt and defined for each individual listener - though there is of course a clear path between each song to her. The take away: despite harshness, barrenness or hardship, there can be beauty. There will be growth. Hope can grow in desolation with love - and “by allowing truth to be heard”.

A trained playwright, stories have always been her lifeblood. It was no wonder then that she channeled this into her music, which has (since childhood) persistently knocked upon her door. April honours this marriage between stories and song, charting her personal coming of age (and, it marks a professional leap, too).

Growing up enchanted by the fantastical competing worlds of Sydney metropolis and rural QLD where her extended family lived, there is a mirroring duality in the music Clare Hennessy creates; heavily influenced by folk and rock authenticity, she has also been ensnared by the world of the less traditional. The tracks of April chart different landmarks along the journey of her becoming, and can be heard as both stand-alone destinations or pit-stops along a larger journey.

Tonally, the musical landscape feels like something between a Spaghetti Western and Twin Peaks - with a healthy helping of witchcraft in the mix. April was produced by Clare along with Nicholas Maitland, with guitar arrangements composed by Ben McCrum and Andy Mason as sound technician. Clare navigates rock, country and folk with a distinctly Australian flair. The destination: authenticity. Recorded entirely in her bedroom, this musical debut invites us into an interior space in which a heart is thawed out and false identities are abandoned. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The word honest came to mind before I has even read the above background promo. 'April' has so much honesty to it, with intimate and personal lyrics coursing there way through the four songs. Acoustic, melodic and with vocals that can easily touch your heart, I am just so pleased to be able to feature the whole EP.

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The Milkmen - Pirate Boy.

Background - Opening with its spine-tingling first single Pirate Boy, The Milkmen's sophomore album, Behind Closed Eyelids, is an intense and rewarding listen. Driven by the gritty vocal style of Conor Mcloughlin, the band taps a vein of dirty acoustic rock, striking gold with masterfully layered songs that delve deep into the heavier realities of life.

Raw and honest, the lyrics at the heart of Behind Closed Eyelids match the intensity with which they are sung. Each instrument in the arrangement plays its part to perfection – adding the necessary shading that makes up the album's tone. Together, both band and singer bring the powerful narratives of Behind Closed Eyelids to life – delivering wave after wave of uplifting music, even during the album's bleakest moments. To properly capture this energy on tape, the band enlisted legendary Perth producer Rob Grant to sonically sculpt Behind Closed Eyelids.

From the darkest to the lightest moments on the album, the band sound glorious. The slow-burning State Of Mind comes bearing cheery melodies amidst the perfectly gloomy Sold My Soul and the soaring gospel harmonies of I Can Still Hear The Birds. History Repeating Itself and Davy Jones bring heartache, while For The Rest Of My Dayz, Lots Of Love and To Fight For You bring joy.

Formed and based in Perth, The Milkmen have divided their time between Australia and the UK. Now armed with the greatest work of their career, The Milkmen have every cause to get out and take their music to the world. Beginning on their own doorstep, the band will launch Behind Closed Eyelids at the Ravenswood Hotel on April 14 (fb event), kicking off a 12 month cycle of touring.

Having experienced both the intimacy of small clubs and the electrifying rush of performing festivals to thousands of people, The Milkmen are poised to take everything in their stride and embrace each new opportunity. With this tenacity – not to mention a setlist of blistering new tunes – the potential for this unique band is literally endless. FACEBOOK.

Described as acoustic rock 'Pirate Boy' is all of that however it's not soft or sweet, rather potent and mesmerising with the vocals adding some menace and drama, as the band energise the soundtrack.

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