Mustered Courage - Claude Munson

Mustered Courage - Run to Paradise.

Background - Golden Guitar Award winner and ARIA nominated Melbourne four-piece, Mustered Courage, have well established themselves in the forefront of Australia's folk and roots scene. Known for pushing the boundaries of what progressive folk-rock can be, they convinced prolific rock and roll songwriter, performer and Choirboys founder/singer, Mark Gable to record and perform 'Run To Paradise' with a bluegrass twist. The result gave the song a new lease on life engaging an entire music community that may not be so familiar with the song first made famous in 1988 by Choirboys.

After a chance meeting in the main street of Tamworth during 2012's Country Music Festival, with Mark introducing himself and praising the band for their work, never did the pair think it was the start of a magical music collaboration. "Being a young band and our first ever trip to the Festival, it really meant a lot to us," says guitarist Julian Abrahams. The pair continued to cross paths for many years in Tamworth and in 2014, the band managed to convince Mark to join Mustered Courage on stage at one of their Tamworth shows to perform a bluegrass arrangement of Gable's successful single. Needless to say, Mark was all in and the audience were in raptures.

"The chord progression lends itself very well to the traditional bluegrass sound so it made a lot of sense and Aussies love this bloody song and we loved delivering a version that the country and bluegrass people could get into as well. That audience absolutely brought the house down after we played it with Mark."

This is the band's first new recording release since 2015 and leads the way for a new album release in September 2018. Keen to involve fans in the band's next recording venture, Mustered Courage will begin a crowdfunding campaign via their official website in the coming weeks.

"We have such a ball spending time with Mark and the music video was an absolute hilarious blast to shoot. His energy and sense of humour is second to none, and what a voice," says Julian. "Mustered Courage fans are no strangers to us doing left of centre cover versions, so we think this should be a nice addition to our repertoire. Maybe even a new country anthem that opens the doors of Aussie rock fans to a genre they don't yet know they love. Time will tell... bluegrass paradise". WEBSITE.

Featuring Choirboys Mark Gable 'Run To Paradise' is my first taste of Mustered Courage and boy is it a good one! That the song brings bluegrass to a broader audience is a bonus, as this feisty and vibrant piece mixes some superb musicianship with natural sing along vocals, in a word, class.


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Claude Munson - Broken Stairs.

Background by Claude Munson  - Whether drenched in crystalline synths or stripped bare, I aim to write songs that tackle modern life and love with radical intimacy. 

This week“Broken Stairs” is about wanting to run away but having nowhere to go. I’m singing about questioning my past and reflecting on mistakes I made. As that happens, I begin to feel the need to break out and escape reality. In that state, I ask myself to be aware of the people around me and myself. It is a personal lesson about the enticement of love and detaching yourself from love when it does not prevail.

We chose the concept of getting lost in your own city for the “Broken Stairs” video. I was inspired by teenage memories of walking and hiking around Ottawa and Hull with my friends. We would go out and discover graffiti walls, and abandoned things like the old train tracks that cross the Ottawa river and bridge Ontario and Quebec. marks the release of The Silence Came After via Ottawa's Record Centre Records, my second and most fully realized album to date. 

Produced by Scattered Clouds’ Philippe Charbonneau and engineered by Sebastien Perry, The Silence Came After is equal parts lush and spare, marrying the naked soul of 70's era Neil Young with Talk Talk’s spacious expressionism, and Krautrock's motoric rhythms. The record also features members of Little Scream, Scattered Clouds, Bosveld, and FET.NAT. TWITTER.

'Broken Stairs' s a fresh sounding indie folk song with some notable and distinct vocals adding passion to a fast flowing and catchy musical backdrop.

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La Lusid - The Joy Formidable - Run Maggie Run

La Lusid - Safe & Sound.

Background - La Lusid is the Stockholm based up and coming band that will release their first album in the fall of 2018 that will follow last years well received EP ”Legend”. Together they play indiepop music with beautiful melodies and dynamic vocal arrangements.

”Safe & sound” is the third single from the upcoming album. It's filled with 60 & 70's influences and is the perfect indiepop ballad that will make you truly excited to hear more from La lusid.

La Lusid are Paulina Palmgren, Fabian Ballago, Samuel Collmar, Karl Hovmark, Johan Nilsson, WEBSITE.

Our first feature for La Lusid was just a few weeks ago when we shared 'Empty Bones' a song that we described as "An easy going indie song, the vocals come across as personal and are melodic and engaging." Clearly the band have a knack for creating refined indie pop music as the latest share 'Safe & Sound' confirms, with it's gentle and melodic ballad vibes.

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The Joy Formidable - Dance Of The Lotus.

Background - As The Joy Formidable prepare for their sold-out show at Meltdown Festival next month, the Welsh trio are ready to share a brand new track from their forthcoming album, and announce a UK headline date at The Lexington, London.

“Dance of the Lotus” and its accompanying video will give fans their first glimpse of new material from The Joy Formidable and will provide a special preview of a record rumoured to be their most vibrant and experimental yet. Heavily inspired by the artwork of bassist Rhydian Dafydd, the animation for the video was done by the award-winning Boston production team Trllm.

“We wanted to share this album track with the people who have supported us to give them a glimpse of what we’ve been working on, and this track is right at the heart of our new record,” says lead vocalist Ritzy Bryan. “It’s magical and lonely, like a night-time walk in the desert when you’re trying to escape from yourself and the chaos you’ve created.”

Although the album came into being as the band travelled the globe and recorded in their mobile recording studio, the music intertwines the whispering hills of Wales with the otherworldly rainbow canyons of the Utah / Arizona border. WEBSITE.

Dance of the Lotus Tour Dates:
June 22nd - Meltdown Festival - London, UK
August 22nd - The Lexington - London, UK
August 23rd – Clwb Ifor Bach – Cardiff, UK
August 24th – Leeds Festival – Leeds, UK
August 26th – Reading Festival – Reading, UK.

'Dance Of The Lotus' is an intriguing mixture of rock power, softer and occasionally whispered vocals and anthem sized moments of glory. Put together this bodes very well for their keenly awaited new album.


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Run Maggie Run - Endlessly.

Background from Run Maggie Run - Formed in late 2015, Run Maggie Run began as the solo project of our singer/rhythm guitarist Gavin Rees. Named after a bittersweet childhood memory, that nostalgic, rose-tinted sadness was made abundantly clear in the first solo EP that Gavin recorded by himself in his basement. While the initial recording was full of Run Maggie Run’s emotional feel, it wasn’t until we joined forces that our defining sound began to take shape.

Our debut, self-titled album is of a different era. Since its release, we’ve had a major lineup change, added a variety of new sounds to our repertoire, and have all grown so much – both individually and collectively. These developments, along with the experience gained from the first record, have us very excited for this next chapter in our career. 

No song better signifies this change than “Endlessly.” We wrote this tune during the first few months following the lineup change, and the success of writing it definitely helped push us through that awkward, transitional phase. Arguably, it’s what gave us the confidence to keep moving forward. FACEBOOK.

Tour Dates:
May 31 – Kingston, ON @ Bar 53
June 1 – Waterloo, ON @ Harmony Lunch
June 2 – St. Catharines @ The Green Room
June 3 – Toronto, ON @ Bovine Sex Club.

Fabulous and dramatic vocals and a band that are equally passionate ensures that 'Endlessly' doesn't just grab your attention, it compels you stop what your doing and just listen. If an "awkward transitional phase" leads to music like this, then those difficult moments have clearly paid off.


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The Jack Cades - Mike Legere - Sons of Bill

The Jack Cades - Music For Children (Album).

Background - Introducing the debut album "Music For Children" from The Jack Cades–a “supergroup” of sorts hailing from the UK. Specializing in 60’s era garage/psych/rhythm & blues, with a gob of snotty punk thrown in for good measure, the band kicked things off in late 2017 when lead guitarist/vocalist Mike Whittaker and his wife, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Elsa Whittaker, decided to record some tracks at Matthew “Mole” Lambert‘s notorious State Records Studios in Folkestone, Kent.

With Mike, Elsa and Mole already veterans of numerous projects like Thee Vicars, The Baron Four, The Missing Souls, and The Embrooks–to name a just few–these early recording sessions seemed loaded with heaps of promise. The band invited bassist John Gibbs (The Masonics, The Wildebeests) to participate, and with Mole on drums, the quartet laid down the tracks that would become their debut mini-LP Music For Children, due out this coming May 18th on Dirty Water Records. While the group’s busy musical schedules initially made it hard to imagine they would have time for this new venture, their work together sounded too good to shelve, and Dirty Water Records reports they have since added bassist Alexandra of Speedball JR to their ranks.

"Music For Children" finds the band showing off their vintage garage sound; but it’s also laced with that kind of rambunctious punk edge that will stop you dead in your tracks. Must be something in the water, or that ocean air, but the recordings coming out of Lambert’s State Records Studios sound like a time capsule straight from the mid-60’s–and this Music For Children cut is no exception. Shambolic and raw in the best of ways, the guitar interplay here between the Whittakers makes for that kind of wild ride that always sounds like it might jump the tracks in a fiery crash. With Mole’s galloping drumming helping to set a frenetic pace, and shout-along choruses from the group threatening to break the mics, “Music For Children" is an infectious introduction to The Jack Cades sure to have you coming back for another fix. FACEBOOK.

Those sixties garage rock vibes are there from the opening moments of the first track 'Big Fish' as The Jack Cades embark on a glorious selection of songs that make up 'Music For Children'. It's an album where new music creates instant memories of times gone by, raw energy meets the odd hint of punk attitude and the bands vibrancy is addictive and just feels so good.


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Mike Legere - Yourself.

Background from Mike Legere - When I’m not playing with bands like Century Thief and Places Erupt, I tend to write lyrically surreal indie-folk. I’ve been lucky enough to tour Ontario, Quebec and Eastern Canada, while recording/producing several records.

“Yourself” is the first single off my debut solo album, Ourselves in Public, set for release on June 8th. It’s a song that compares our social identity to who we are when we are alone – a song that describes a resistance to the identity forged by the expectations of family, friends and strangers, and the loneliness of standing in opposition.

Ourselves in Public was recorded in a variety of spaces throughout Toronto, Montreal and Paris; several studios, apartments (some with broken windows), closets, rehearsal spaces, on an awning during a rainstorm, public squares, restaurants and subway cars. Let me know if you’d like to hear a private, advance stream before it drops next month. This month will see me embark on my first solo tour, preceding Ourselves in Public’s June 8th release. TWITTER.

'Yourself' opens with some melodic guitar that is quickly followed by Mike Legere's distinct and pleasing vocals. The song sits somewhere between indie rock and folk, with no shortage of play me again hooks! I have chosen the clean version, it's up to you if you want something, shall we say "a little stronger".

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Sons of Bill - Easier (feat. Molly Parden).

Background - Virginia-based band of brothers Sons of Bill have shared a new track, "Easier," from their forthcoming album Oh God Ma’am. "It’s a love song, and I’m so glad Molly Parden agreed to make it a duet with me. Her voice adds a haunting depth to every song she touches," writes singer/guitarist James Wilson. Reflecting on the song's inspiration, Wilson writes "there’s a strange unspoken malaise with my generation - ironic and sad... but I think it’s important to try and sing about love and hope in some genuine way now more than ever. We have to remind each other in some way that it’s going to get easier, even if we know in our heart of hearts that that may not be true."

"Easier" follows the group's lead single "Believer / Pretender," an opening salvo that encapsulates the approach the group takes on their latest record - blending their lyrical Americana roots with a polished, driving set of songs punctuated by crystalline guitar riffs and tasteful synth flourishes.

Oh God Ma'am is the followup to their 2015 album Love and Logic, which Q magazine called "a glorious sour mash of every great Americana trope of the last 50 years-- think Dylan, R.E.M, Wilco, -- Blended with top notes of Husker Du, Big Star, and The Replacements... A family affair welcoming one and all." Recorded both in Seattle with west coast indie legend Phil Ek (Shins, Fleet Foxes) and in Nashville with Sean Sullivan (Sturgill Simpson) and mixed by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol) Oh God Ma'am moves beyond the galvanic americana-rock comfort zone of previous efforts, for a more elegant and restrained sound-- a darker, and more complexly layered rock record that manages to be the band’s most emotionally intimate and sonically expansive. WEBSITE.

Opening with a gentle and somewhat dreamy vibe 'Easier' slowly adds some musical layers. The vocals and gorgeous harmonies are centre stage throughout, as this captivating Americana piece quickly touches the heart.

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Annabel Allum - Kluster - Jessica's Brother

Annabel Allum - Em(ily).

Background - Guildford-based starlet Annabel Allum shares explosive new cut Em(ily), her third offering from forthcoming EP Sorry I’m Not Perceptible out later this month. Providing her latest dose of folk-style storytelling crossed with snarling fuzzy indie licks, Allum’s enigmatic personality shines through once more alongside a series of scintillating hooks, creating further anticipation ahead of her appearance at BBC Radio 1’s Biggest Weekend on 26th May.

“Em(ily) started off as a song of me taking the piss about how many times I go to my best mate asking for help / life advice / guidance”. Allum states, “I’ve wanted to write a song for her for a very long time, eventually this came out and I’m actually really proud of it. I was able to get really experimental with this one, trying things I normally don’t get to”.

Building on this buzz, Annabel has performed a number of prestigious slots in the last twelve months, culminating in supporting the iconic Beth Ditto across her UK/EU tour at the back end of 2017, as well as sharing the stage with Nadine Shah, Blaenavon and more. Sets at The Great Escape, Live at Leeds and SXSW last year brought her to wider international attention, whilst a fiery performance at her biggest headline show to date at London’s Camden Assembly earlier this year signalled a real statement of intent.

Alongside the striking sonic aesthetic of her music, her original look and self-styling has led to endorsements from Bastian Classics, Cheap Monday and various other indie clothing brands. Liam Corneloues on bass and Emma Hiley on drums complete Annabel’s trusty band, prepped to deliver raucous sets throughout the festival circuit in the UK and Europe this summer. Em(ily) was produced by Adrian Hall (Goldfrapp, Du Blonde, Anna Calvi) and is being released by London indie label Killing Moon Records on 15th May. WEBSITE.

Our third feature for Annabel Allum this year with the latest single 'Em(ily)'. Once again she continues to impress us with her enticing and emotive vocals, accompanied by a solid indie rock backdrop, this one is very catchy.

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Kluster - Afterglow.

Background - With just one month to Kluster’s debut LP civic we have Afterglow, the third single from the LP. Kluster was founded by four friends and a virtual drummer in Malmö 2014, a real life drummer joined in shortly afterwards and the gang was complete. Since, the quintet has been active on as well the Malmö indie scene as playing shows in Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, supporting acts such as Frankie Cosmos and Nicole Sabouné. Singles Over My Head and In Your Hometown have been featured in Line of Best Fit, Spotify's Fresh Finds, Swedish national radio P3 and more. Today, yet another piece from debut album civic is released, the stunning Afterglow.

Afterglow is another glimpse of Kluster's playful sound - a melting pot of broad influences such as pop, punk, noise, lo-fi, indie and jazz. The members have a history as academic jazz players, forming Kluster after longing for a collective process free from strict genre playbooks and narrow-minded academic rules. A process that resulted in Kluster's captivating characteristic dynamic and turning points, alternating from melodious to dissonance, complex to simple.

Debut album civic is out on June 15th via Stockholm indie label Rama Lama Records (Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Delsbo Beach Club, Melby etc.) which also is the labels first full-length release. The LP was recorded at Malmö's famous Tambourine Studios and is a elegant showcase of the quintet's exciting ability to blend experimental and accessible in their very own way. To put it in Kluster's own words, "civic is a look into the everyday ordinary, the changeable and the constant" with eleven songs treating "situations, emotions and people in our mind at the time, consciously or not". TWITTER.

We featured Kluster for the first time just three weeks back, and the new song 'Afterglow' suggests we should be even more excited about the forthcoming album. Last time we described their music as "Indie Anything" as we struggled to put their music into any one category, it's no easier this time, but the music is gorgeous, that much I am certain of.

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Jessica's Brother - Humdinger.

Background - Jessica’s Brother is the eponymous debut album from London trio Jessica’s Brother, comprised of songwriter Tom Charleston, Jonny Helm (drums, also of The Wave Pictures) and Charlie Higgs (bass, previously of Ramshackle Union Band). Channelling the spirit of the Brothers Grimm to create an otherworldly atmosphere, they weave their motley influences together making a rich and eclectic vision, with nods to Silver Jews, Jason Molina, Nick Cave, Richard Thompson and Neil Young. There are themes of joy, anger and silliness in a carefully crafted world with a colourful cast of characters.

The new single "Humdinger" is a languid indie folk track, recalling their heroes, Silver Jews. As Charleston explains, it is: "perhaps the one song on the album where the narrator is at ease with himself and the world. Though there are moments where this tranquillity is nudged by outside tremors, so we know this moment is ephemeral."

Jessica's Brother formed in October 2016. Jonny and Charlie worked together in a framing business and had often talked about collaborating in a band together. Fate intervened when Jonny’s girlfriend Jessica introduced him to her brother Tom, and they found a songwriter in waiting. The trio clicked immediately and just nine months later they recorded the album with Laurie Sherman at The Booze Cube in Stoke Newington, with input from Darren Hayman. A few other friends joined them in the studio, including Dan Mayfield (Enderby’s Room), who added a dose of Bad Seeds/Dirty Three vibes on the violin and Paul Rains (Allo Darlin’/Tigercats) lent a hint of country twang on guitar and slide guitar.

With Jessica’s Brother, we see Tom Charleston’s songwriting blossoming in to a tour de force. Influenced more by poets than other musicians, he cites John Ashbery, T.S. Eliot and Philip Larkin as inspirations. He is drawn to how they can be irreverent, unassuming and playful, as he explains; “I suppose I wanted to offer something lyrically engaging and hopefully different.” His modestly lofty ambitions have paid off, with ten startling individual vignettes telling their own stories from a variety of narrator’s points of view. FACEBOOK.

'Humdinger' is a refined indie folk song, the vocals are distinct and melodic, the music calm and assured, and the chorus packs some subtle hooks that make this one, a must share!

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