Far Caspian - Sons of Bill

Far Caspian - Let's Go Outside.

Background - Leeds quartet Far Caspian unveil new single Let’s Go Outside, the second track taken from their forthcoming debut EP, out via UK label Dance To The Radio. Following on from the majestic Holding On, which turned heads when it drifted into the online sphere’s consciousness, Let’s Go Outside reaffirms the band’s knack for hazy, infectious dream-pop.

Whilst Far Caspian have been based in Leeds since formation, frontman and guitarist Joel Johnston has only recently moved over to England from his native Ireland. This upheaval provides the basis of Let’s Go Outside’s themes.

“Although it's a pretty upbeat instrumental, the lyrics touch on depression and feeling far from something you could call home,” he states, “The whole EP is loosely based on my experiences of moving to England and feeling a disconnect to living in a new city for the first time.”

Referencing this dichotomy between themes and music with the playful self-nominated tag of ‘melanjolly’, Far Caspian’s wistful sound calls to mind the likes of Local Natives, Real Estate, Grizzly Bear or Band of Horses. However where those bands’ textures lean on the symphonic side, the lo-fi origins of the project in Johnston’s university halls, before Nath Sayers (guitar), Alessio Scozzaro (bass) and Jof Cabedo (drums) came in to complete the line-up, lends Far Caspian’s sound a comforting, insular edge.

However there’s a simpler catalyst too for the upbeat elements of the song: “We recorded and mixed the track, along with the rest of the EP in our basement. When we were doing 'Let's Go Outside' there was a crazy snow storm going on, I think it was about 1 degree in that room. That's probably why it's a bit faster than the rest of the tracks.” TWITTER.

'Let's Go Outside' is rapidly gaining some much deserved attention ahead of the bands debut EP. Far Caspian manage to mix hook laden dream pop with an upbeat feel. This is both refreshing and relaxing, with the bonus of having a level of energy that gives the song that little extra "something" to make it stand out.

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Sons of Bill - Sweeter, Sadder, Farther.

Background - Central Virginia’s band of brothers Sons of Bill release their new album 'Oh God Ma'am' on 29 June on Loose. Now, with just a few days left before the record is out, the band have shared album opener 'Sweeter, Sadder Farther Away'.

'Oh God Ma’am', Sons of Bill's latest LP is the band’s most coherent artistic statement to date-- subtle, risky, and sonically ambitious.  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) the album shows the Wilson brothers moving 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.  

Insistent, dancey rhythms and dreamy, hook-filled, pyrotechnics abound, creating a deceptively anthemic mood around songs that are in and of themselves intensely introverted.

'Oh God Ma’am' is a coming-of-age record for an over-stimulated age-- equal parts post-adolescent anxiety and old-soul humility-- literate, gorgeous, and darkly contemplative. WEBSITE.

Sons of Bill will tour the UK and Europe in August:
Mon 13th - The Hope, Brighton (UK)        
Tues 14th - Omeara, London (UK)            
Weds 15th - Tunnels, Bristol (UK)              
Thurs 16th - Brudenell, Leeds (UK)              
Fri 17th - Broadcast, Glasgow (UK)         
Sat 18th - Soup Kitchen, Manchester (UK)      
Sun 19th - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (UK)
Tues 21 Aug - Blue Shell, Cologne (DE)
Weds 22 Aug - Milia Club, Munich (DE)
Thurs 23 Aug - Musik & Frieden, Berlin (DE)
Fri 24 Aug - Stage Club, Hamburg (DE)
Sat 25 Aug - Once In a Blue Moon Festival, Amsterdam (NL).

Our third feature for Sons Of Bill in less than a couple of months tends to suggest we are already pretty keen on the bands album 'Oh God Ma’am' due out this coming Friday. So hot on the heels of 'Easier' and 'Firebird '85' we now have the latest song share 'Sweeter, Sadder, Farther'. The song exists somewhere between alt rock and something a little deeper and personal, it's also immersed in emotional feeling, and really does emphasis that this band are comfortable, outside of their comfort zone, if you get my point.

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Moon - Völuspa

Moon - Extinction (Album).

Background - Moon: Heavy, melodic, spacious; echo-laden guitars; post-rock bass; shifting time signatures; haunting ethereal vocals. Moon formed in 2010 when drummer Chris Schneberger met guitarist and vocalist David Azizinamini  through Craigslist and invited a bassist he'd tried out with before. The sound they made was instantly cavernous and chiming. After writing a few songs, the sound of the band grew heavier and more propulsive.

The group played some initial shows in small clubs in late 2010, and early 2011. After an early EP, Started In The Dark, Moon recorded their debut album in 2012.  Finding and Losing the Light featured six songs including the titular two song suite.

Bigger shows followed, opening for Sleepy Sun and Hounds Below at Chicago’s Double Door, opening for Driftless Pony Club at Subterranean Chicago, Blood Red Shoes at Subterranean and Kinski at Subterranean. In addition, Moon headlined their own show with local bands Nature Show and Royale. In 2012 Moon recorded their follow-up EP, Always Summer.

Their original bassist decided to follow his dreams and left for Brooklyn at the end of 2012. After an exhausting search, Moon found new bass player Chris Shen, formerly of A Birdsong Valentine. Moon released their third album, Extinction, on June 8, 2018. BANDCAMP. 

If your in the mood for some extremely fine rock music that's not stuck in any one particular genre, then the album 'Extinction' from Chicago band Moon merits further inspection. Whether it's alt rock, prog rock, or modern indie rock, Moon comfortably excel. Plenty of energy is matched by some notable melodic hooks and the vocals impressively soar above the tight and gutsy rock and roll. This is one of those unpretentious albums, where the band enthusiastically present us with some timeless, well crafted rock music to be reckoned with.


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Völuspa - Feel You

Background - Following on from the critical praise she received for her debut single ‘Wings’, Brooklyn-based dream pop artist Kirsten Knick aka Völuspa has now returned to deliver her next beautifully ambient release, ‘Feel You’.

Much like her work to date, ‘Feel You’ occupies that tentative bridge between ethereal ambience and a lucid dreamlike experience that aims to excite the hairs on the back of your neck. Mixing a light piano-led feel with minimal percussion, the front woman conjures up a feeling of pure warmth that touches the soul as she manages to breathe life into every beat.

Having cut her teeth as an artist by performing with the likes of Spiritualized and Hot Chip over the last few years, Völuspa is seen as more of a Beach House meets Lana Del Rey kind of artist. With already a strong buzz floating around her, ‘Feel You’ looks set to be the sound that defines her and the path she has set up for herself.

Völuspa on the new single: "Feel You was written in response to the calls of a loved one heard through the wind coming from the mountains in Montana. The song is about our infinite existence and how death is just an illusion." ‘Feel You’ was released last Friday via Icons Creating Evil Art, and is due to become the start of a very busy year for her. WEBSITE.

The song begins in a low key and gentle musical manner, before being joined by some distant, dreamy and enchanting vocals. Understated dream pop throughout, 'Feel You' is calm, with a warm emotional vibe, it's one of those, stop everything and listen tunes!

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Dentist - Paul Steel - Swoone

Dentist - Corked.

Background - Indie surf rock outfit Dentist have announced they will release their third album 'Night Swimming' via Cleopatra Records on July 20. Dentist centers around the songwriting partnership of Emily Bornemann (vocals and bass guitar) and Justin Bornemann (guitar), who had been writing songs and performing together in various ways since first meeting in 2008. The band is rounded out by Matt Hockenjos on drums.

Rightfully earning their place as one of New Jersey's buzziest bands, Dentist was named one of the top 10 bands at this year's SXSW by Mercury News and a darling of critics at NPR, Stereogum, Flood Magazine and more.

The new 'Night Swimming' album juxtaposes catchy indie surf pop with lyrical themes about social anxiety and heartache. ' Night Swimming' showcases an aggressive approach to their beach inspired pop with lyrics covering the spectrum of human emotions. Produced by Andy Bova and Justin Bornemann, this album was mastered by Jürgen Engler (Die Krupps, Nico, Iggy and The Stooges, Queensryche).

"This album was an attempt to capture all the different aspects of ourselves and create something that we would want to listen to," says Justin Bornemann. "Musically we are attracted to rawness and simplicity, but melodically we lean towards a pop aesthetic.  The lyrics tend to be focused on social anxiety, heartache and loss, but sometimes reveal love and optimism," adds Emily Bornemann. WEBSITE.

One of eleven tracks on the new 'Night Swimming' album 'Corked' provides something of an idea of what is in store. Described as indie surf rock, the emphasis for a good number of the songs is rock, often with a driving beat and some vibrant energy. Hooks and melodic arrangements are almost always present, and when the band ease of the gas, they do create some beautiful indie surf vibes.

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Paul Steel - I See Sadness.

Background - "I See Sadness" is the new single from English musical visionary, producer and songwriter Paul Steel, taken from his forthcoming concept album Carousel Kites. One of the most poppy and accessible tracks on the album, Paul describes it as basically a rewrite of Pixar's Inside Out. We see our protagonist "I" coming to the end of his kaleidoscopic journey of redemption with a new lease of life. As he explains; "I went about living my days positively. When I observe the people around me I see sadness in all of them. It's not all I see but it felt good not to be alone. Sadness is a crucial part of happiness, only before I wallowed in it rather than using it as a springboard to get what I want in life."

Carousel Kites is the second album from musical visionary and songwriter Paul Steel. A mere ten years since his extraordinarily ambitious debut as a nineteen-year-old April & I, the new album sees a triumphant return with an irreverent and excessive assault of psychedelic pop - a loose concept album reflecting his rocky trajectory through the quagmires of the music industry, finding salvation through a Mr Ben-inspired shop portal. The intervening years saw him hailed as the second coming of Brian Wilson, endorsed by luminaries such as Andy Partridge from XTC, Van Dyke Parks, Stephen Kalinich and Sean Lennon, he was signed to and then unceremoniously dropped by a major label for not being commercial enough, and then finding regular work as a jobbing songwriter for the likes of Mika and Empire Of The Sun and numerous battery farmed pop sensations. His music also features in the Oscar winning film The Shape Of Water by Guillermo Del Toro.

Carousel Kites had a working title of April & II (only works written down) with a fleshed-out narrative that starts with the very same 'I' from his debut record of ten years ago, now grown up and miserable in April's absence, standing on the edge of Beachy Head about to end it all. He’d not only lost his sole source of inspiration but also his will to carry on. Pulled from the precipice Carousel Kites proceeds to tell the story of his salvation through a Mr Ben inspired fantasy shop door where he enters a kaleidoscopic Faustian nightmare encountering grotesque characters of his own making before eventually stumbling upon his own take on happiness, living forever in his dreams. FACEBOOK.

Paul Steel's musical creativity and determination to go with his heart rather than the musical industries "big boys" may have held him back commercially which is a little ironic considering the catchy and easily assessable nature of  'I See Sadness.' A gorgeous psychedelic pop song with the occasional hint of Beach Boys magic along the way, as a foretaste of 'Carousel Kites' this is one huge suggestion to check out everything past and future from this artist. 


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Swoone - This Bullet Never Kills.

Backdrop - The darkly sophisticated London duo Swoone, result of the unique combination of seductive vocals from Siobhan De Maré (Mono, Violet Indiana) and captivating music by Gary Bruce, is set to release debut album Handcuffed Heart via Saint Marie Records.

Siobhan De Maré (daughter of Tony Meehan, drummer of the Shadows) with her former band Mono entered the UK charts reaching the Top 20, while track 'Life In Mono' was used for the soundtrack of the film Great Expectations featuring Robert De Niro and Gwyneth Paltrow. Siobhan went on to form Violet Indiana with the likes of Robin Guthrie, former guitarist of Cocteau Twins.

Gary is a self-taught composer and producer; he has no musical training or knowledge, his keyboard has the notes written on them pencil and he slowly develops guitar chords from scratch! Instead of using musical theory Gary painstakingly creates a musical landscape navigated by feelings alone. It is this probing of the heart that produces music that is refreshingly genuine and instantly arresting.

This is an album brimming with genuine emotions, depth and heartbreaking beauty. Every song is a film in miniature, from a classic thriller, to David Lynch to European cinema. Think Portishead's homage to John Barry with touch of 60's soul and Enoesque colour. Diverse influences include 90's trip hop, The Carpenters, Billy Holiday, dub, The Ronettes, shoegaze, Nina Simone, Dusty Springfield, Chris Isaac, Donny Hathaway, Al Green and Pink Floyd! There is no following fashion here, just the love offeeling music deeply. Cavernous guitars, swelling strings and super cool beats; on top of it, stunning melodies and poignant lyrics delivered by Siobhan's beautiful voice populate a gorgeously rich and cinematic aural landscape. FACEBOOK.

The first of eleven tracks on 'Handcuffed Heart' the debut album from Swoone is 'This Bullet Never Kills'. It makes for a good indicator of the consistent quality and imagination the collection of songs brings, however as the duo tackle different musical directions and moods, expect much more, in terms of exploration and creativity, always with the emphasis on quality & passion.


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Peluché - Guts Club - Dan Lyons

Peluché - To Be A Bird.

Background - Pioneers of a genre called ‘Trip Jam’, which fuses elements of Latin, funk, psychedelia, soul and hip hop music, Peluché are a troupe of intrepid troubadours whose freewheeling artistry already has them pegged them as a standout force in London’s rapidly diversifying sound.   

The trio have shared brand new single ‘To Be A Bird’ and announced their debut album ‘Unforgettable’, to be released on One Little Indian on September 21st. The album is already shaping to be one of the most distinct and vital British sounds of 2018.

Speaking about ‘To Be A Bird’, the band said: “This track started as a trip jam in Syd’s studio (Wilton Way in Hackney), where we came up with a guitar, bass and drum groove and the song developed from there. The melodies in the clarinet and chorus vocals soar over the beat to represent the liberated bird flying away from societies pressures to conform. The video is an abstract piece of art representing the distraction of advertising and consumerism, floating in the black emptiness whilst the world passes you by.”

All self-taught musicians, they formed in 2014 through a beautiful stranger in a customer service encounter and quickly formed a strong musical bond through their love of jamming. Peluché jam in their self-built studio space in a garden shed, and always record the foundations of tracks live. Their live shows are partially improvised, drawing the audience into their unusual world. Their live video series, The Shed Sessions, shows an insight into this musical realm and have allowed the band to share new music and visuals directly to their fans. FACEBOOK. 

OK lets keep this simple, Trip Jam is the genre and 'To Be A Bird' is the song. All you need to do now, is dive in and immerse yourself within this melting pot of musical styles and absolutely gorgeous music.


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Guts Club - Metal Arms.

Background - On March 2, 2018 RIP Records released a new single, “Mustard Tears” as part of their RIP Introduces series. The track is the first to be heard from Guts Club’s fully electric album, Trench Foot, which will be self-released on July 6, 2018. Trench Foot marks a thoughtful deviation from the characteristically shaky Guts Club to one more deliberate in composition and voice.

Upon going electric, Baker developed a new command and agency over her songwriting unheard in previous recordings. The album maintains Baker’s violent and dark undertones, this time with increasingly pointed observations on regret, privilege, and retribution. WEBSITE.

Tour Dates:
June 22 New Orleans, LA at Howling Wolf
July 6 New Orleans, LA at Banks St. Bar (Album release show!)
August 9 Memphis, TN at The Lamplighter Lounge
August 10 Nashville, TN at Little Harpeth Brewing (With India Ramey)
August 11 Columbus, OH at The Tree Bar
August 12 Pittsburgh, PA at TBA
August 13 Philadelphia, PA at TBA
August 14 Brooklyn, NY at Wonders of Nature (With Clint Michigan and Jennifer O’Connor)
August 15 Baltimore, MD at The Crown
August 16 Charlottesville, VA at The Southern
August 17 Asheville, NC at The Burger Bar
August 18 Athens, GA at Flicker Bar

At the beginning of March this year we shared 'Mustard Tears' from Guts Club making note of the  "emotional and definitive vocals" as key to the song. If anything the singing on 'Metal Arms' takes things even further in a passionate and very personal manner. With the subtle, delicate and sensitive musical backdrop, this is a beautiful and moving song.

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Dan Lyons - Gargoyle / Ribbons.

Background - Former Fat White Family, Phobophobes & Misty Miller drummer Dan Lyons returns with new single Gargoyle.  Described as “Quintessential surrealist Anglo-pop”, the self-produced Gargoyle is co-written with Sean Lennon during a trip to New York.

Previous single Big Moon featured on Spotify’s Fresh Finds: Six Strings and received support from BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq & Tom Ravenscroft, Radio X’s John Kennedy, Clash Magazine and more.

Dan has previously supported the likes of The Libertines, Boy Azooga, Childhood, Goat Girl and performed at this year’s SXSW & Great Escape festivals. INSTAGRAM.

Dan Lyons is an individual that musically speaking is worthy of more than just some passing attention. It's not just who he has performed with, or even the notion that he destroys the Spinal Tap image of your average rock and roll drummer, it's more because of songs like 'Gargoyle' and 'Ribbons. Both exude creativity, alongside some timeless cornerstones of all that is right with pop and rock music. That might be a bold statement, but I reckon it has some mileage.

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