Ashley Shadow - Aidan & The Wild - Ian Jones

Ashley Shadow - Grey.

The Vancouver, B.C.-based songwriter, Ashley Shadow has shared her new single, "Grey" which follows on the heels of the MOJO-tipped "For Love" and the Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan-approved "Don't Slow Me Down" (feat. Bonnie "Prince" Billy). "Grey" arrives as another installment of Shadow's forthcoming second album, Only the End which comes mixed by Joshua Wells (Destroyer, Lightning Dust, ex-Black Mountain) and is set for release via Felte on September 24, 2021 (CD/Digital) & October 29, 2021 (Vinyl). The new release follows her eponymous self-titled debut which found critical acclaim at Stereogum, The A.V. Club, KEXP, Brooklyn Vegan, FLOOD, Under the Radar, and more.

Ashley Shadow describes the new single as "a gentle moment of existential dread", a notion mirrored in the track's lyrics as she sings, “Grey took over the sky/far too much to think about, don’t try.” However, any temptation to wallow is countered by Colin Cowan’s (Elastic Stars) buoyant French-pop bassline and a dancing pedal steel played by Paul Rigby (Neko Case). The song mirrors some of the moody introspection synonymous with the Pacific Northwest but while this new single explores fairly solemn ideas, it balances these with music that brings with it a palpable sense of hope. Ashley's chilling vocal performance simmers alongside gently picked electric guitar and Rigby's swooning pedal steel.

While the songs on Only the End were conceived in contemplative solitude, Ashley invited some very capable collaborators into the studio to assist with the process of recording; alongside the aforementioned Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Shadow invited Paul Rigby (Neko Case), Joshua Wells (Black Mountain, Lightning Dust), Colin Cowan (Elastic Stars) and Ryan Beattie (Himalayan Bear). Ashley, the twin sister of Amber Webber (of Lightning Dust, co-founder of Black Mountain), has previously contributed vocals to Bonnie "Prince" Billy's album, Lie Down in the Light, Pink Mountaintop's Outside Love, The Cave Singers' Welcome Joy and more.

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Aidan & The Wild - The Whip (feat. Merel Sophie).

Yesterday Aidan & the Wild will released his new single 'The Whip'. Teaming up with Merel Sophie, Aidan & the Wild's latest single explores the crossover fields between americana and soul and sleezes the listener into taking it easy.

This song originated when Diederik spoke with Otto Wichers (Lucky Fonz III) about the industry's constant pressure to perform and achieve, to which Otto jokingly said that we've all become musicians so we wouldn't have to slave away for a boss, so why would you whip yourself in the same way? These words stuck in Diederik's head on the way home, and sparked the inspiration for the hook of the song.

At the age of eight, Eindhoven native Diederik van den Brandt became fascinated by the guitar and that love has only continued to grow ever since. Under the alias Aidan & the Wild, the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist tells his musical story. Where his ‘open-tuning’ guitar playing can be traced back to influences such as Ben Howard and the Tallest Man On Earth, he just as often casts his gaze towards Nashville. Armed with a bag full of guitar techniques and an honest voice, he brings a timeless mixture of folk and americana, which carries an unique freshness.

Over the years, his passion for the guitar has branched out to a wider range of instruments, including the pedal steel guitar, banjo and mandolin. Meanwhile, he can be found almost as often as a ‘side-man’ with fellow songwriters. He takes this experience into the studio, as can be heard on Aidan & the Wild's debut album ‘Revelation Never Came’.

Revanche Records · Aidan & The Wild - The Whip (feat. Merel Sophie)

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Ian Jones - Evergreens.

Ian Jones’ new six-song EP Evergreens, set for release October 22, 2021, is a seamless collection previewing a forthcoming as-yet-untitled full-length. Spin the title-track lead single to hear a rapidly rising songwriter exponentially evolving. “‘Evergreens’ was written in a garage in Southern California after I had moved from Seattle to chase my music dream,” Jones says. “It all came to a head one day when I just really missed my friends. I had been messing around with the Open D guitar tuning and this song came out. ‘Evergreens’ is for those who have had the guts to leave their hometown and explore the world. We all miss friends and the comfort of our surroundings.”

The poignant single has only doubled down on power and punch as we see light possibly slicing through the COVID-19 pandemic darkness. “We worked tirelessly on my last record (Results Not Typical),” Jones says. “We had the album ready for release, booked subsequent tours and support and were immediately shut down like everyone else due to the COVID pandemic. Of course, that doesn’t mean the rest of the world stopped just because the touring stopped. So, we had to find a way to continue making records so we could complete the follow-up album in a relatively timely manner. Luckily, we had done a good, long session in January before the shutdown and we had started tracking demos in Seattle and sending them to our producer Jesse Siebenberg in Ojai. We have decided to release this EP as a representation of the full-length as we wait out the uncertainties as far as the rate the world will open up again.”

The result produced a timely song-cycle fortified by timeless tunes such as “Liars, Criminals, Beggars and Thieves.” “This song is straight up about politics and politicians,” Jones says. “Not one side or another — across the board. I know a few people who have gone into politics and it changed them. Seems like a pretty nasty career choice. I’m sure there are a few honest ones, but they sure seem to hide. This song came into existence a while ago and every time I would hear something about politics or politicians screwing someone —or everyone, for that matter — I would sit down and jot down a line or two. I knew I had to finish it by the time we were halfway through 2019 and headed for the election with the fighting between both sides being so bad.”

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Lily Konigsberg - Idle Dream - Mae Krell - Big Little Lions - Maria Pellicano - Church Girls

Lily Konigsberg - That's the Way I Like It.

Lily Konigsberg, a member of the beloved art rock band Palberta, is announcing her solo debut LP. The album arrives after what has been a busy 18 months for Konigsberg, who released her first solo EP on long-time Palberta label Wharf Cat Records (Water From Your Eyes, Dougie Poole) to an extremely positive reception in March of 2020 (Pitchfork described it as a collection of left-field pop that sits "at the center of a Venn diagram containing haunted dolls, Arthur Russell, and Ariana Grande"), before Palberta released their most critically-acclaimed record to date in January of this year ("a gleefully odd record...perfectly Palberta" according to the New York Times), which was followed by the release of a compilation of her early solo recordings culled mostly from Bandcamp and Soundcloud releases.

Her new album is called Lily We Need To Talk Now (out October 29th on Wharf Cat), with the title taken from a text she received from the album's producer Nate Amos of the band Water From Your Eyes, and the announcement is accompanied by the release of the album's first single "That's The Way I Like It".

Though the album is a characteristically eclectic collection of pop songs, recalling in moments the guitar-driven, punk-adjacent feel of her work with Palberta, to things like mid-Aughts Sheryl Crow, and even Cure-inflected post-punk, its buoyant energy is nicely captured by this single. Backed on drums by her Palberta bandmate Nina Ryser with backing vocals from Amos, the track is a burst of perfectly-formed guitar pop with a slight pop punk lean that displays the imaginative and slightly warped melodic turns that Kongisberg has mastered. It holds a deceptive complexity and yet feels as natural as breathing, and its ease only serves to highlight Konigsberg's considerable gifts as a songwriter.

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Idle Dream - The First Time.

About the mixed emotions that stems from listening to your head while following your heart, Dublin duo Idle Dream’s second single ‘The First Time’ captures a wild abandonment tempered by responsibility.

Prior to Connor McCabe joining the once-solo project, Chris had already written and recorded ‘The First Time’ with producer Ben Haynes. The duo then put the finishing touches on the song together in Dublin’s Soundcaster Studios.

The essence of the song is underpinned with far more anxiety than the melody’s hopeful, uplifting feel would portray. It deals with the ideas of young love in its later stages, inspired by the idea of falling for someone wholly as you could when you were younger, but being faced with the push-backs and complications of responsibility and personal history.

On the verse, Chris affirms ‘I wanna know you when you’re sober’, digging into the ways in which we mask our trepidation and anxiety at the beginning of a burgeoning romance. The crashing guitars are powerfully emotive, driving the force of this feeling to peaks and troughs throughout.

The first offering from a new batch of upcoming singles – and possibly what’s shaping up to be an EP – ‘The First Time’ is out today August 20th.

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Mae Krell - rest stop.

New York-based singer-songwriter Mae Krell shares their new single “rest stop” and the accompanying lyric video. There is an undeniable emotional rawness to "rest stop." Underscored by layered, lush instrumentation, Mae’s vocals bristle with palpable emotion as they come to terms with the loss of a friendship: “I’ve been much worse than this / am I not yours unless I'm sick? / was I better to be around / when you had to pull me out?”

Mae started to write the new single when their car broke down in the trucking area of a rest stop. They were feeling lost in life, both figuratively and literally. “I was sad and still processing a really painful friend breakup and just overall not in a great place,” Mae says. “In writing ‘rest stop,’ I was learning that sometimes getting healthier and becoming more independent can end in a loss of a relationship. And, as this specific friendship ended, I started to realize that maybe it wasn't as good for me as I thought it was.”

For the accompanying music video, Mae hit the road with visual artist Caro Hallock to revisit the aforementioned rest stop. The video chronicles the journey back to where the song was first conceived through nostalgic and timeless road trip footage.

Following a two-year hiatus, Mae Krell returned in early 2020 ready to embark on a new musical era. With a newfound maturity and understanding, they have perfected their folk-pop sound and introspective lyrical chops. At just 22 years old, Mae exudes a musicality wise beyond their years. Influenced by revered singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers, and Gregory Alan Isakov, their songs are intimate reflections that confront trauma, self-love, and personal truths. Their singles have amassed millions of streams to date, with last year’s singles “wash,” “home,” and “garden,” all individually breaking over 500K streams.

In addition to their artist career, Mae has worn many different hats in the music industry, photographing live music for Rolling Stone and Sony RCA, founding the online music publication Tongue Tied Magazine and, most recently, starting Bitch Mgmt, a multimedia marketing and PR company. With a multitude of career milestones already under their belt, Mae is taking it one day at a time and focusing on writing and recording songs that reach new emotional heights.

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Big Little Lions - Finally.

Big Little Lions are an award winning duo who were born out of a collaboration that won them a JUNO Award in 2014. Since then they have been cranking out infectious folk pop songs that are jam-packed with emotion and tight harmonies that sound like the product of two people working side-by-side instead of living in different countries.

Big Little Lions continue their monthly releases with 'Finally' which is out Thursday August 19th.

"The young people are leading the way with their ability unabashedly speak up about how they feel. Finally is about finding your voice after a long time of feeling held back and the relief that comes with that." - Helen Austin, BLL

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Maria Pellicano - My Gift Of Love.

Our families are filled with a rich history of people, lives and experiences, that contribute to shaping the people we become. Singer/Songwriter, author, teacher and coach, Maria Pellicano is releasing her single, ‘My Gift of Love ’today Friday 20th August 2021.

The release is a personal exploration of her own Family Constellation.. A therapeutic approach that helps individuals identify patterns of behaviour that are rooted in family origins and to work towards
acceptance of the past, to build towards a healthier dynamic. Maria has published an article here that will provide you with more of an understanding of how Family Constellations work.

Maria tells us “In writing ‘My Gift Of Love’, I found a depth in expressing a very personal part of my own family history.. It was only through learning about family constellations that I feel this song came to life.. my hope is that others can hear this song and it sparks a desire for them to discover the depth of their own Family Constellations”

Maria worked with producer, Joshua Hennessy, of Pivotal Music Melbourne, to craft this heartfelt song with the hope that it will inspire listeners to take courage in exploring their own family constellations.

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Church Girls - Separated.

Church Girls is a band that finds comfort in change. Based in Philly, the band's latest single 'Separated' finds revelation in escape while channeling the spoken-word delivery of The Hold Steady and the sheer force of Mannequin Pussy.

"This song is an ode to my twin brother," vocalist Mariel Beaumont (she/her) explains. "It's about realising home was no longer what we thought it was when a family member's battle with alcoholism came to a head. The song is still hopeful in a way since we knew we'd always have a home in each other. He's still my best friend and the first person to hear every song I write."

At the beginning of 2020, Church Girls signed to Anchor Eighty Four Records, a Los Angeles label that had just celebrated a decade in business and carried weighty alumni like The Story So Far and Grayscale. From across the country, out of Philly, came Mariel  Beaumont (vox/guitar), Mitchell Layton (guitar/vox), Vince Vullo (bass/vox), and Julien Varnier (drums/vox) with their sophomore LP, The Haunt, that grounded the band in a gritty, chest-pounding sound.

Now, a little over a year later, they've continued to grow with A84's roster of similarly anthemic acts, and while remaining on the label are also announcing their signing to Big Scary Monsters (American Football/Proper./Illuminati Hotties) for UK + Europe.

bsmrocks · Church Girls - Separated

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Bumsy and the Moochers - Abby Huston - Paragon Cause

Bumsy and the Moochers - Living The Nightmare.

Chicago, Illinois-based ska sextet Bumsy and the Moochers are set to release their latest single, “Living The Nightmare,” on Friday, August 20. The single is their first in a series of singles releases that will result in a mini-EP release with Sell The Heart Records (Neckscars, Decent Criminal, etc.). The video for "Living The Nightmare" was directed and edited by Katie Makes Films.

Although publications like The Washington Post began touting the “ska revival” earlier this year, Bumsy and the Moochers are likely quoting LL Cool J under their breath; they’ve been here for years. Since 2012, Bumsy and the Moochers have been riding a tidal wave sound reminiscent of ’90s pop punk and ska. They deliver melodic vocals, killer horn lines, and steel string shredding hot and fresh to your ears.

In 2015, Bumsy and the Moochers debuted their first full length release Bored Up! with the Easily Distracted EP following hot on its heels the following year. In 2018, Bumsy and the Moochers released their second full length album, Spaced Out.

That said, If “Living The Nightmare” is any indication of what’s to come from the well-established act, expect these local heroes to become and international phenomenon in the coming months.

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Abby Huston - Higher.

Egghunt records newest signing and first hometown artist in a bit, Abby Huston. Abby makes dreamy, introverted guitar pop songs with graceful electronic production touches, coming from the unlikely origin point of acoustic covers of Avril Lavigne and My Chemical Romance circa eighth grade. Their next single "Higher" ft. Benét is out now.

Here's a quote from Abby about the process of making "Higher": Higher was such a pleasure to make with Cam and Benét. It was a kinda rainy day...Benét and I stepped out on the porch and wrote through the walls while Cam was laying the beat and we had a really beautiful conversation about how I had been feeling. 

Sometimes we aren't feeling uplifted in our lives but ultimately it is only our onus to honor our worth and not internalize every little thing people could be thinking about us.

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Paragon Cause - Two To Play.

Paragon Cause tell us - "We are excited to share Autopilot, our third album, with you. It is a moody and atmospheric collection of songs which serve as a meditation on time and how it is mediated by the technology that can often control our lives".

Autopilot features "Two To Play" – a dreamy, fierce, and euphoric song about tracking down sexual predators. When the vocals come in, it is still very primitive, with a retro-lofi indie rock sound that has a narrow field of sound. But once the chorus kicks in, the stereo field widens, as if the world has opened both eyes and can see society for what it really is.

"Two To Play" focuses on confidence and relying on my own talents and opinions and feelings – putting myself first, explains our member, Michelle Opthof, an attitude that has guided our creative process on this record.

The term Autopilot may have connotations of surrendering one's freedom to a machine or going through the motions, but this album's energized and emotional songwriting reflect its polar opposite. - Paragon Cause.

PARAGⴲN CAUSE · Two To Play

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Montgomery Church - Sue Foley - Dot Allison

Montgomery Church - The Great Divide.

Cielle Montgomery and James Church are Montgomery Church - a blend of acoustic folk, Americana and bluegrass influences, grown and distilled in the Snowy Mountain ranges of country New South Wales.

With their organic union of dobro and guitar, harmony vocals and thoughtful songwriting, this captivating duo are enthralling in their dynamic intimacy and offer up some of the sweetest darn sounds being heard around

Australia's alt. country scene right now! Since their formation, Montgomery Church have been quietly but quickly gathering a fan base who site their undeniable chemistry as a rare and beautiful thing to see live.

"Montgomery Church are like the Australian version of Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings but if Gillian was the daughter of Allison Krauss...sitting on a porch, with tea not whiskey... I'm a tad obsessed! The most graceful duo literally gracing stages right now!" - Fanny Lumsden

“The Great Divide” is written about a defining time in Australian history when strangers from all corners of the world emigrated to the Snowy Mountains of NSW to accomplish one of the greatest engineering feats of our time - the building of 'The Snowy Scheme'. This snapshot is seen through the eyes of a post-war immigrant worker who, along with over 100,000 others, risked their lives whilst enduring the harsh mountain climate and extreme working conditions to achieve this extraordinary conquest. Featuring Church’s hallmark sound on dobro & lead vocals as the centre piece of this track, it’s hard not to get swept up in the raw emotion and sheer magnitude of this historic tale.

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Sue Foley - Dallas Man.

Stony Plain Records announces an October 22 release date for Pinky’s Blues, the new album from award-winning blues guitarist/singer Sue Foley. Featuring several Sue Foley originals, as well as songs from some of her favorite blues and roots artists, Pinky’s Blues was recorded at Fire Station Studios in San Marcos, Texas. Joining Sue Foley (guitar, vocals) for the recording sessions were Jon Penner (bass), Chris “Whipper” Layton (drums) and Mike Flanigin (Hammond B3 organ), who also produced the album.

To support the release of her new disc, Foley will embark on an extensive tour schedule that includes both an official showcase at the upcoming September Americana Music Conference in Nashville, as well as a set at the Kessler Day Party Showcase during the conference.

Pinky’s Blues is the follow up to Sue Foley’s breakout album The Ice Queen, released in 2018. Foley’s new album is a raw, electric guitar driven romp through the backroads of Texas blues, with Foley’s signature pink paisley Fender Telecaster, “Pinky,” at the wheel. She won “Best Traditional Female (Koko Taylor Award)” at the 2020 Blues Music Awards in Memphis, was nominated for a Juno Award (Canadian Grammy), and she took home the award for “Best Guitar Player” at the Toronto Maple Blues Awards. For the last few years Foley and her band have kept a rigorous touring schedule across the USA, Canada and Europe. Some highlights were appearances at The Beacon Theater (NYC), guesting with Jimmie Vaughan (opening for Eric Clapton) at Royal Albert Hall in London, Montreal Jazz Fest, Ottawa Blues Fest (w/ Buddy Guy), Moulin Blues (Holland), NPR’s Mountainstage (with Bela Fleck), Doheny Blues Fest, and the Jungle Show in Austin, Texas.

The disc’s first single, “Dallas Man,” also bears special significance to Foley. “I realized when I wrote 'Dallas Man' it was just about all these great guitar players from Dallas and right around there,” Foley says. "I've always been infatuated with Blind Lemon Jefferson and had been reading about him and working up some of his songs. Between Blind Lemon Jefferson and Frankie Lee Sims, and then working on some Freddie King and always watching Jimmie Vaughan came the idea of 'Dallas Man.' Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Freddie King, T-Bone Walker, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Frankie Lee Sims, Anson Funderburgh, Zuzu Bollin, Doyle Bramhall II, Denny Freeman and Derek O'Brien all came from that area. That's almost a whole album right there!”

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Photo Maria Mochnacz

Dot Allison - One Love.

From her first album release in twelve years Heart-Shaped Scars, Dot Allison premieres the tranquil new video for "One Love," the third single from the critically acclaimed album.  "We ended up shooting the video on what turned out to be two piping hot days in July in and around Bristol & Wales " says Director Maria Mochnacz, (PJ Harvey's longtime visual collaborator). She adds, "We did keep an eye on the weather and move dates to fit to make sure we got good weather as the video was entirely weather dependent but had no idea it would be quite so hot! 

It was myself, John Minton - wonderful low fi experimental camera man and all round one man band, and Honor and Hopey Parish - I've known Honor and Hopey all their lives, from before they were born!  During one of the lockdown stages I went to sit in their garden - and they started doing a KPop dance - so I stored that memory away and asked them if they'd be up for being in this video...we drove off in John's car the four of us with my giant mirror ball packed in the boot and a whole host of other low fi lighting devices…"

"One Love" is about someone feeling unsure in a relationship, needing reassurance. "The flower metaphors are rare flowers used to signify a rare,  precious, all encompassing love.  Blood Camellia suggests flesh, veins and a pulse, Fire Lilies imbue a sense of passion and Juliette Rose seems to hint at Shakespeare,” Allison says of the single.

Heart-Shaped Scars gathers many threads of Allison’s broad interests – not just musical but literary, philosophical and her interest in science and nature are integral to Heart-Shaped Scars overall aesthetic.. Allison’s father was a botanist, and her mother a musician; eventually, the DNA of music took this former bio-chemistry student in a very different direction – and with good reason too.

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