From Australia we have Sketchy Fancy and the single 'Pub Rock'. The bands natural rock sensibilities are fresh and polished and the delivery is both passionate and pleasing.
The Florets first E.P is 'Friction Made Fiction' which is a collection of five hook filled indie rock songs where the band carve out an individual and desirable sound.
Irish duo St Francis Hotel have the notable inclusion of Gaz Coombes on their new tack 'Liar Liar Liar'. It's a fabulous mixture of soulful vibes, psychedelic sounds and a gospel like chorus.
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Sketchy Fancy - Pub Rock.
Born from the desire to explore and perform, Sketchy Fancy carve sprays of raucous delight. Their collective experience of providing soul-filled thrills and hard-driven riffs has culminated in debut album Good.Bad.Happy.Sad.
A lucid ride through dreamy collections and heavy Zeppelins through to Super Nintendo and wasted days, this five piece from South Sydney bring contemporary psychedelica into focus for the working class. Pub rock in Palace City.
Good.Bad.Happy.Sad grins through kraut rock dalliances and experiences the blues on Venice beach, every moment a journey and documented with glee. Lead single Pub Rock draws from the storytelling of 1980’s pub culture and dusts it off with a high-energy arrangement and the poignant undertones of Australian bar scenes. The choral chant of “take me home” evokes both supportive community and the toll youthful hedonism.
These tight five watched each other play for years before hearing the call and seizing opportunity in early 2018. Their debut singles Butterfly Bonfire and The Rebel have been well recieved, garnering support form Sydney’s leading alternative broadcaster FBi and landing them the support for major touring act Caravana Sun. They’ve made headway playing shows up and down the NSW coast and are taping more records soon. You’ll hear bustling energy and sedated haze. Mixing good with bad. Happy and Sad. Taking in the common with the absurd, Sketchy Fancy exuberantly use the worst and revive with the best.
Show Dates:
13/09/2019 - Miranda Hotel, Sydney - Album launch
14/09/2019 - Northgong Hotel, Wollongong
27/09/2019 - Heritage Hotel, Bulli.
We are absolutely stoked to be releasing our first body of work to the world a year after forming. I think the EP has a really nice rhythm to it. Starting punchy and short, afterwards showing the importance of space in music and then slowly building into a heavy hitting outro - The Florets.
Emerging in 2018, Melbourne group The Florets hit the ground running with their debut single 'Sleep'. Led by driving bass and guitar melodies that complemented vocalist Nick Dawes’ rich vocals, the single was a strong statement of intent.
This richness has carried over into their new single ‘Just Coast’ too, with the band consistently building upon the strong foundations they laid down only a few months ago.
The band is rapidly building a strong presence within the Melbourne music scene & released their debut EP on August 30, 2019 under the name ‘Friction Made Fiction.’
Nicholas Dawes - Lead vocals/guitar/songwriter/keys.
Josh Dawes - Bass/backing vocals.
Amitay Moody - Lead Guitar/backing vocals.
Alec Cimera - Drums/backing vocals/tambo.
Location - Melbourne, Australia.
St Francis Hotel feat. Gaz Coombes - Liar Liar Liar.
St Francis Hotel are an Irish duo based in London. Their new single ‘Liar, Liar, Liar’ is being released on Danger Mouse’s 30th Century Records and is the first in a series of high-profile collaborations featured on the duo’s upcoming debut album.
Featuring vocals from Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes – his first new release since May 2019 –‘Liar, Liar, Liar’ epitomises the duo’s soulful psychedelic sound. The gospel-driven track is a venomous dedication to someone who’s perception of themselves is at odds with how the world sees them.
The accompanying music video is a vivid representation of this contradiction. St Francis Hotel collaborated with animation director RUFFMERCY (Thom Yorke, Run The Jewels, Earl Sweatshirt) who has become well known for his loose hand drawn animation style and video producers James & James.
‘Liar, Liar, Liar’ is the first single to be taken from St Francis Hotel upcoming debut album, ‘We Fall Together’ (Late 2019), which features other artists including Theresa Wayman (Warpaint, TT), Max Rad, and Waterstrider, with more names to be announced.
The release follows a string of singles including ‘You’d Gotta Be Alive’ and ‘Collide’ that earned critical acclaim and were featured across UK radio (BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 1, KCRW), Spotify (New Music Friday, Fresh Finds, Viral 50 UK) Apple (Best Of The Week) and appeared in US TV shows (Lucifer, Shadowhunters).
Rubita has just shared a new song entitled 'Let Me Know'. Gently paced and lyrically quite personal this melodic indie folk piece, eases and charms it's way into our lives.
From Selci we have a live video for 'We Could Be Together' and the E.P. that its taken from namely 'Effervescence'. Described below as "gorgeous and otherworldly", I can only agree, her definitive style of alt pop really is something special.
Bananagun have shared the final track 'Crane In The Tiger's Mouth' from their upcoming 7" single. The timeless pop vibes are there from the moment go as their woodwind and harmonies create a unique and very pleasing sound.
Ets Trio have released a video for their imaginative folk rock song 'Lovers to Strangers'. With a combination of refined musicianship and melodic vocals the piece ebbs and flows in a calm and peaceful manner.
FEVA return for a fourth time on Beehive Candy with 'We're Not Defective'. Opening with a short burst of "out there" vocals, the alt rockers are soon barnstorming into a full on rocker that demands our attention to say the least!
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Rubita - Let Me Know.
A musician of great resilience and determination, Rubita presents a compelling swirl of conflict and desire in her latest single Let Me Know.
In the 3 years since the release of her warmly received Brutal yet Dulce Soap EP, Rubita returns with Let Me Know, a song born from torn relationships and informed by her hard work to date. Let Me Know was written in the heart of a student flat in Leith St, Dunedin, well known for its student population. Amongst disarming jangles and wistful harmonies, it describes the hesitant story of going back into a relationship with someone that broke their heart once before, and whether or not they have the strength to go through that again.
Let Me Know is one of many songs from the album that I wrote while living as a student in the freezing flats of Dunedin. Sitting back on a couch with someone I didn’t think I’d have much to do with again is where this song started coming together.’ - Rubita
No stranger to challenges, Rubita brings an impressive sense of character to her storytelling, her exchange in Rosario, Argentina found her performing her songs to the locals in order to communicate and make new friendships and graduating with a music degree as the sole female student. Her dedication to music helping to bolster her resolve and in turn these formative experiences have helped to craft an openness and intimacy within her work.
With 3 years of touring and and writing since her EP, Let Me Know signals the arrival her debut album, Distinctive Thrill. And as the tales of yesterday inform the songs of today, Rubita imbues an earnest charm into her developing wisdom and storytelling.
Selci - We Could Be Together (live) / Effervescence (E.P).
Calgary alt-pop artist Selci has released her gorgeous, otherworldly debut EP, Effervescence, with a live video for third single, 'We Could Be Together’. Recorded inside Selci’s Calgary apartment, 'We Could Be Together' soothes and sparkles at the hands of jazzist Timothonius on keys, and features Calgary producer Egypt on beat pad and young singer Heidi Shanklies.
“Doing this video was the start of getting a band together,” Selci says. “I've collaborated with Timonthonius in the past, but It was my first time playing live in this configuration. All of the songs on the EP are drenched in harmonies, so I'd love to add more singers and continue experimenting with different musicians.”
The song itself grapples with falling in love while dealing with depression, self-love over loving another. “Managing depression and anxiety is an ongoing battle for me, and my current partner has helped me work through so much, but that cliché sentiment about loving yourself before loving someone else has never felt so true,” she says. “You can’t rely on someone to fix you no matter how much you love each other.”
Effervescence examines the aftermath of various relationships ('Strangers' and 'Old Wounds'), a painful split with a bandmate ('Eyes of Amber'), and ponders the concept of artistic and societal freedom by using the metaphor of a mythic, mermaid-like creature confined to land ('Truth in the Sea'). Though trained in opera, contemporary and classical musical styles, Selci uses ambience and rhythm to compose sounds that exist on the fringes of pop music. To create Effervescence, Selci spent years in isolation while mastering the craft of production, setting her on a path of rediscovery and self-acceptance.
Sound guru Sylvia Massy (Prince, Kate Bush) was enlisted to mix Effervescence, and Matt Colton (New Order, Blood Orange, James Blake) was tapped for his mastering touch. The record also features an array of rare instruments and equipment from the National Music Centre in Calgary. It’s an album of thoughtful, meticulous detail; as much an exploration of sounds and textures as it is a journey of Selci’s abilities as a sound designer and her dedication to carving out more space for herself and other women in technical roles.
“I always wanted to be involved in production and sound, but I didn’t think I was capable of it,” she says. “In the last few years, I gained a lot of confidence in my abilities. I felt like it was time to put out a complete piece of work. After performing countless shows, writing hundreds of songs that will never see the light of day, and hustling to bring my skills in production to a level that I believe in, I’m finally here.”
Bananagun deliver the final track from their upcoming 7" "Crane In The Tiger's Mouth". Regarding the sunny woodwind centric single the band stated "I guess sometimes you can feel like a fragile crane and the powers that be have got you in their jaw, you'll have to rise above or the tiger will swipe you down! Soar high little birdie for the night sky is and endless plane of dreams."
There are some records that you come across that sound like you’ve discovered an unearthed gem from a previous decade; a lost moment in musical history that has cruelly been sat gathering dust in a record shop for years. From the opening seconds of Bananagun’s “Do Yeah” – which stirs to life in an intoxicating blend of 1970s afrobeat, fuzzed out psychedelia and immersive pop – this very much feels like the case of discovering something special.
There’s a deeply percussive element to the band’s psychedelic ode to mother nature, touching upon Fela Kuti-esque repetitions, exotica, jazz and 1960s pop-rock. Much like a lot of the influences it filters into its own unique spin on it all, it’s intended as “music for the people” – a unifying groove that spans genres. Even the seemingly innocuous band name has an underlying message of connectivity that matches the universality of the music. “It’s like non-violent combat! Or the guy who does a stick up but it’s just a banana, not a gun, and he tells the authorities not to take themselves too seriously.” This extends to the underlying message of their debut single too: “try to love and not hate because you’re the one who has to carry it around.”
Ets Trio deliver folk-rock with worldly textures, bringing discipline, environments and a wealth of experience into a so; and accepting realm. Their single Lovers to Strangers a song of wisdom set to quell the an unsettling melancholy.
Fronted by Etienne (Ets) de Kock (vocals, acoustic guitar, lead guitar), the trio offer a grace with which to learn and accept the unfastening of relationships. The delicate finger picking, stunning harmonies, and heart-stopping lyrics vibrate Lovers to Strangers so to resonate distinctly with anyone who has felt the loss of someone special.
‘Lovers to Strangers has evolved over time as I’ve gathered more life experiences, and as my context has shifted. These days, rather than being an expression of my own heartbreak, Lovers to Strangers is a song of triumph for having made it out the other side, and an expression of empathy for someone who might be now going through something similar.’ - Etienne de Kock
Lovers to Strangers was written by Ets de Kock and recorded by Ets Trio (Oliver Wells drums and percussion and Jay Pyefinch bass) at Organic Patch Studio in the Perth Hills with Ets’ good mate Sound Engineer/Producer Matt Cal. Tucked away amongst the Jarrah Marri forest, it was the perfect place to bring together the final touches for the song. Lovers to Strangers was mastered by Lee Buddle at Crank Studio, known for working with artists such as Justin Beiber, Kelly Clarkson, Peking Duck and Gurrumul.
Born in South Africa, a childhood in New Zealand, and adolescence and adulthood in Australia, each of these settings have shaped Ets’ music. A WAAPA graduate Ets started playing Spanish guitar at age ten and has played most days since. Ets is also the lead guitarist of Mystic Rebellion a three-piece electronic outfit with West Australian Music Industry (WAMI) Award winner Mat Cal, and Mat Parker (Bambuseae Rhythym Section). Ets is also recording with Bomi Rock, a five piece specializing in indie surf rock.
Lovers to Strangers gently eases you through the sadness and dissipates the sense of loss with alluring tones of hope and acoustic swells of courage. Ets Trio bring the introspection of personal experience into an outwardly resilient world of folk-rock with a keenly perceptive dignity.
Heightening their credentials as one of the North East’s biggest emerging acts, Newcastle alt-rockers FEVA share raucous new cut We’re Not Defective, the lead track from the band’s forthcoming debut EP out later this autumn.
Spearheaded by charismatic frontman Sam Reynolds’ snarling lead vocals, the rising quartet’s latest effort shimmers with fierce indie licks and aggressive guitar tones, trademark qualities that’ve already earned widespread critical acclaim (The Line Of Best Fit, Clash, Dork) and praise across the airwaves (BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music).
“We feel like this track is where we’ve been trying to get to since we started as a band and we’re very proud to release it as the lead single off our debut EP”, the four-piece explained. “We’ve maintained since day one that we want to write heavy tunes that have a profound meaning and we feel like we’ve done so here”.
“The song is meant to empower people and we sincerely hope it does. We’re all navigating our way through life, one storm, one pipedream at a time and just because you take a different path or never quite make it to your end, it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you, it doesn’t mean you’re defective”.
Following on from summer shows alongside Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and The Vaccines, the Geordie risers are shaping up for their busiest period to date with further EP material on the way and their debut UK tour lined up in October.
Live Dates:
07 Sept – Riverside, Newcastle
18 Oct – Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
25 Oct – Café Totem, Sheffield
26 Oct – Jimmy’s, Manchester
Cass Clayton Band released their new album entitled 'Play Nice' a few week back and it's well worth us catching up on it. The musical influences that inform the bands direction include rock, soul, funk and blues which ensures plenty of variety, more importantly the new collection of music has plenty of melodic hooks and is delivered with quality, passion and style.
We have already featured a couple of tracks from Bridal Party this year ahead of their 'Too Much' album release, and now we have the full album to enjoy. Their goal of making music they like is all apparent, as is their ability to write and perform exceptional, imaginative and notably creative pop songs.
The sixth full album from Radio Drive is 'In The Light'. Packing a fine collection of indie and alt rock tracks, the bands unpretentious natural rockers are determined and catchy throughout.
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Cass Clayton Band - Play Nice (album).
"Play Nice is an ironic title for this album, because I wasn't really playing nice in the writing of these songs. That's a departure from the norm for me, because I've always been careful to make sure people feel comfortable. I have a triple decker filter before my thoughts hit my tongue. I didn't want to do that with the music, so I stepped away from the comfort of being liked and said what I needed to say. I believe Play Nice turned out to be more expressive, vulnerable and sensual. Even the rock-based songs have an underlying message. I definitely feel overexposed, and maybe that's the way an artist should feel. Hopefully putting it out there without a filter allows other people to feel a little freer as well."
Cass Clayton Band has become known across the region for its tight chemistry and high-energy stage presence, a reputation that has landed them on some of the best stages, shows, festivals and radio shows in Colorado and beyond. Their unique blend of rock, R&B, funk, blues and soul has a distinctly contemporary feel, and has won over audiences across age groups and genres. Cass’s 2018 album (released June, 2018) won 4 songwriting awards and garnered top reviews from magazines nationally and internationally. They were also recently voted Album of the Year 2018 in the Colorado Blues Society Members’ Choice Awards. In addition, Cass has been voted as one of the top 3 slide guitar players in Colorado and top 2 vocalists (CO Blues Society Members’ Choice Awards). In February, 2019, she was featured on the cover of Recording Magazine with a 4-page feature article. Known for a uniquely soulful and velvety vocal style, Cass effortlessly moves from gentle and contemplative to a belting range that will knock you flat.
In 2019, Cass Clayton Band is shaping up to be an exciting year. Cass was recently invited to be a voting member of the Recording Academy, and the band is headlining for numerous festivals. They will be joining Tab Benoit on the main stage at the Brighton Blues Blast, headlining Denver Arts Festival (50,000 attending), Art Night Out in Lafayette, Stargazers Theatre Summer Series in Colorado Springs, and co-headlining Dickens Opera House with Grammy nominated, Brigitte Purdy.
Victoria, BC art-pop quintet Bridal Party have always had the goal of making pop music they like. Now with the approaching release of debut full-length Too Much (on Kingfisher Bluez) the band find themselves at a critical moment: as songwriters and collaborators presenting their personal vision.
Principal lyricists Suzannah Raudaschl and Joseph Leroux formed Bridal Party with bassist and producer Lee Gauthier and drummer Adrian Heim in 2015. Jordan Clairmont joined on keys in 2017. Their initial EP release Hot Daze (2015) found chart success on college radio and some modest but promising support through placement on Bandcamp Weekly. Their second EP, Negative Space (2017) charted well and lead to six-figure streams of lead single Fruitless on Spotify. Beatroute (BC) magazine describes Bridal Party as “a perfect marriage of indie pop and soul.”
The band recorded Too Much over three separate week-long immersive studio visits in 2017 and 2018. This disparate recording process would ultimately undo and reform everything the band knew about their sound. A playful and unflinching lyrical voice was honed, drawing on themes of care and self-love as well as their sombre opposites. Each players’ particular handle on their instrument resonates without tuning out the chemistry of influence the members enjoy with one another.
The resultant record is a vibrant collection of songs of uncanny intimacy, thriving from experimentation in studio that remains honest to the band’s live set. Whether it’s the confessional lyricism and feathery textures of “When I’m Naked”, the plaintive riddle and bedlam of “Armour”, or the celebratory disco of the title track, Too Much shines a light on the band’s interior joys and terrors in equal measure.
The 6th full album release by Radio Drive, featuring Kevin Gullickson, is titled "In The Light". Released earlier this month, the album is already receiving massive indie radio play and rave reviews.
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, History Channel, NBC Sports, Fox Sports and Discovery Channel and other TV programs around the world.
Along with UK tour dates later this year Twelfth Day have just shared a new video for 'Keep Me' their latest single.Their musicianship and choice of instruments is described as unconventional, the end result is fabulous and the vocals and harmonies make the music soar to even higher places.
We have the full (self titled) album to from Shotgun Tori & the Hounds to enjoy via the Bandcamp stream below. Intelligent or with good humour, their lyrics alone are splendid and the mixture of folk, indie and country styles is delivered with quality and feeling. From Johannesburg, South Africa, their music crosses continents with ease, this really is a fine album.
Rapport have shared the first single and accompanying video today, the track is entitled 'In The Dark' and its a taste of what's in store on their debut E.P. due in October. It's a feel good indie pop/rock song where melodic hooks and a pleasing video suggest the band are worth keeping a look out for.
Musician and singer / song-writer Rosa Bordallo has a new album due in October from which we have 'Lost on the Coast' accompanied by a superb video. The song is hard to classify, it's personal, exudes feeling and is put simply, honest and beautiful.
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Twelfth Day - Keep Me.
Twelfth Day are sharing the video for their new single, Keep Me which was shot in the studio. It's a song inspired by the recent rise in awareness of climate change in the media, with the lyrics are from the point of view of Mother Nature as she expresses her relief that we’ve finally realised serious action needs to be taken to save the planet.
Keep Me makes up part of an in-the-works new album that will confront societal conventions by exploring a wealth of urgent current issues such as gender roles, power balance and the challenges of working in the arts as a young woman, the threat of climate change and society’s reluctance to act, and the struggles of mental health.
Expressed through their unconventional use of harp and violin - and their inclusion of drums and bass for the first time - they make something that’s greater than the sum of its small parts, drawing on a love of pop, folk, jazz and classical.
UK tour dates in full:
15th November - Scots Fiddle Festival, Edinburgh
18th November - Hug and Pint, Glasgow
19th November - Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester
22nd November - Ashburton Arts Centre, Ashburton, Devon
23rd November - Tolmen Centre, Constantine, Cornwall
24th November - The Acorn, Penzance, Cornwall
25th November - The Bell Inn, Bath
26th November - Cambridge Junction, Cambridge
27th November - Cecil Sharp House, London
28th November - Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
29th November - Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
30th November - Victoria Hall, Settle
Shotgun Tori & The Hounds' self-titled album has just been released. Out of Johannesburg, South Africa, Shotgun Tori & The Hounds are articulate and intelligent story tellers, able to combine humor, emotion and beauty in an engaging new take on the indie-folk-and-country sound.
The band’s self-titled album is a collection of tales and spirit. Raw and melodic, the sound brings to mind Drive-By-Truckers if fronted by a combination of Amanda Shires and Martha Wainwright.
Lyrically, the songs on Shotgun Tori & The Hounds follow Tori’s imperative that stories are to be shared and not left to whither quietly.
The result is something at once powerful, vulnerable and defiant - all held firm by a production that draws as much from the Pixies and Radiohead as it does from the Beatles, Neko Case and Richmond Fontaine.
Toronto-based band Rapport, are releasing the first single from their debut EP today Wednesday.
It’s called "In The Dark" and is accompanied by a really endearing video, and it appears on their debut EP which is coming out on Arbutus Records (Grimes, Lydia Ainsworth, Majical Cloudz) at the beginning of October.
The band is fronted by Maddy Wilde (formerly of Moon King) and they've been building some momentum in Toronto and Montreal recently, opening for folks like Sir Babygirl, TOPS, Ellis and Palm.
Musician and singer-songwriter Rosa Bordallo announces her new album Reef Walker, which will be released October 18, 2019 via Time Castle Recordings. Written entirely by Bordallo, Reef Walker is a personal investigation of identity, Bordallo is of CHamoru heritage and grew up in the Pacific island of Guam and moved to New York at the age of 19.
She has since struggled with distance from her birthplace—geographically and culturally—but finds solace and support in activism, connecting with urban indigenous communities, and creating music. Previously, Bordallo played in the post-punk band cholo and was a soloist under the moniker Manett, but Reef Walker will be the first album under her own name.
Reef Walker's first single "Lost on The Coast" is out today on DSPs, and, as Bordallo explains, "is about leaving one’s place of origin and not knowing if one will ever return. It’s about points of no return. We reach these important milestones in our lives only to realize we left something irreplaceable or irretrievable behind." The track arrives with a music video sourced from HD archival footage of aquatic life of various locales, edited entirely by Bordallo.
