Sunday, 11 June 2023

Amy Stroup - Claudia Cappelletti - Jeremie Albino

Amy Stroup - Valley.

Since Frank, indie singer-songwriter Amy Stroup's fourth solo album, out June 23, works to find a way to be okay on the inside; relatably, Stroup struggles with the heaviness that lives inside all of us—and then finds a way to move beyond it. “Valley,” out now, introduces listeners to the album with its resplendent strings, and posits the idea that shifting perspectives and remembering small joys, like the people (and pets) we love, can be the key to creating a calm inner life.

Since Frank and its 10 songs find a cohesive sound thanks to producer Chad Copelin (LANY, Broncho, Ben Rector) and his expert hand at transforming live tracking into an expansive finished product, with drums by James McAlister (The National, Taylor Swift, Sufjan Stevens).

Known for her ability to tap into rich, emotional honesty and vivid storytelling, Stroup wrote these songs with herself in mind—a change from the hundreds she's written for TV and film. The self-proclaimed “song farmer” is closing in on 1,000 sync credits, which include backing moments on How I Met Your Father, This Is Us, Shameless and Netflix's upcoming Choose Love, among many others.


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Claudia Cappelletti - Mine.

Claudia Cappelletti is an Italian singer/songwriter whose music has taken her around the world, giving her the nickname of “the Nomad of the world”. Having graduated from the CPM Music Academy in Milan, she then went on to sing at luxury hotels internationally, wowing audiences with her charismatic and explosive performances, before making her way to the States where she lived for several years. Her time spent there is where her sound became influenced by American rock and indie bands including Band of Horses, Bleachers and The Killers.

Over the last few years, Claudia Cappelletti focused on her own music, creating a new five-track EP, alongside acclaimed producer Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, Vance Joy, Brandie Carlile, and many others) at the Bear Creek Studio in Seattle.

Her latest single “Mine” showcases some of her strongest and most empowering work to date. Speaking on women’s rights, Claudia Cappelletti joins the fight for equality, sharing, “As I traveled as a singer around the world so many times I got to live in underdeveloped countries where many women and girls continue to experience discrimination because of their sex and gender. I can’t deny the anger I felt for the injustice those women have to face in their everyday’s life.”

“Mine” is Claudia Cappelletti’s way of inspiring and uniting all the people around the world to fight for the rights for women to live free from violence and discrimination, to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, to be educated, to own property, to vote and to earn an equal wage. The lyrics give a voice to women who can’t express their own voice. The track showcases real speeches from politicians and girls around the world who talk about women rights, including Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai who said “I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated."

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Jeremie Albino - Tears You Hide.

Buzzy Americana artist-to-watch Jeremie Albino has released his highly anticipated sophomore album, Tears You Hide. No Depression has called it “perfection,” and “one of the best releases to come out this year.” Albino also recently announced a Fall U.S. Headline Tour, and his is a show you won’t want to miss. The series of dates kicks off October 10 in Boston and will make stops in New York City, DC, Chicago, Philadelphia, Nashville, Atlanta and more.

Recorded entirely live off the floor, Tears You Hide is a catalog of feelings from time-passed that serves up an ode to family, resilience, and the road ahead. The deeply personal nature traverses Albino’s development as an artist and captivating songwriter.

The artist found support from the team instrumental in the production of his earlier work - The Rosehall Band, his original backing band, and Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes), who co-produced his critically acclaimed debut full length. The importance of working with a supportive and collaborative community is something that he knows the value of not only in his music but also from his days working as a farmer in Prince Edward County.”

Earlier this month, Jermeie released a captivating live performance video for “You I’m Waiting On” that was shot and directed by longtime creative partner and collaborator Mark Klassen. The video transports viewers back in time to the historic Owl’s Club in Toronto. The old legion hall, frozen in time, serves as the ultimate backdrop and perfectly pairs Jeremie’s soulful golden sound with the memories painted on the walls.

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Saturday, 10 June 2023

headboy - Organ Morgan

headboy - Was It What You Thought (E.P).

London trio headboy release their debut EP 'Was It What You Thought', out yesterday 9th June via Blitzcat Records. Swaying from lo-fi bedroom tones to tumultuous blasts of snarling post-punk, headboy's blend of influences, ranging from Sleater-Kinney and Radiohead to Modest Mouse and Grizzly Bear informs the immediacy of their sound, whilst the band also note the impact of post-punk and no wave acts á la Gang Of Four, Orange Juice, Pixies and Television.

Consisting of guitarist/bassist and vocalist Mars West (they/them), bassist/guitarist vocalist Jess Collins (she/they) and drummer Oli Birbeck (they/them), headboy's debut EP 'Was It What You Thought' was born amidst a period of acute political turbulence. Rediscovering and reflecting on the importance of friendship and loyalty during that time, ending with a heartfelt treatise on loss and vulnerability; ultimately the EP forms a study into the often cyclical, yet always unpredictable nature of life itself.

An examination of knowing and not knowing, 'Was It What You Thought' was written during 2022 and recorded over that summer at Hackney Studios in East London with producer Joe Futak. The EP's four tracks draw on the community-led London scene they've become a key cog in after a year of intense gigging. "We pretty much condensed every emotion we’ve felt in the past two years into 14 minutes. There are moments of anger, fear, and sadness, but also moments of joy, or acceptance, at least," guitarist and vocalist Jess added.

With racing stories of passion, intimacy and connection ("Reservoir"), societal distress and government blunders ("Sheep's Skin") and taking refuge in friendship  ("Cement" and "Jackal Lake"), headboy deliver their shrewd social observations through a lens of deceptively dark, climactic post-punk.
 

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Organ Morgan - The Argument.

Organ Morgan is the moniker of songwriter and guitarist and ex-Blaenavon drummer Harris McMillan. This week he releases new single "The Argument" and announces his debut EP 'Figurehead' will be released on 20th July on London based label Everybody's.

Organ Morgan's debut EP 'Figurehead' was recorded and produced (over the course of 2 weeks in 2022) at Black Bay Studios, an ex-crab processing factory on the Hebridean Island of Great Bernera, Scotland.

Gracefully intertwining Laurel Canyon-esque harmony-drenched passages with intricate, towering indie-folk instrumentals, Organ Morgan's music is spacious, grandiose and romantic all at once. New single "The Argument" opens with McMillan's warm vocal weaving between bowed double bass, before swelling into its bracing folk-rock second section, as he retells and reimagines the stories surrounding a coastal meeting point...

Speaking more on the lyrical inspiration behind the "The Argument", McMillan said: "‘The Argument’ was inspired by a beachfront cafe in Brighton called ‘The Meeting Place’, it was usually deserted on rainy days but would call out order numbers for invisible customers over the tannoy. I started imagining the stories that might lead to a meeting there and one particular idea of two lovers trying to stay cross with each other during the course of an argument became the song."

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Friday, 9 June 2023

Off Judy - Moving Into Tucson - Bush Tetras - The Tiger Moths

Off Judy - Under The Weather.

With their nonchalant and carefree attitude, this raucous Byron Bay-based garage surf rock trio, Off Judy, are releasing their latest single, 'Under The Weather' with its accompanying music video today Friday, June 9. Formed as a duo, Off Judy originated with singer and guitarist Finn Mcildowie and drummer Thomas Cameron-Duncan. They have since welcomed the addition of drummer Axl Delandro and Thomas Cameron-Duncan’s transition to bass, solidifying their powerful lineup and expanding their sonic possibilities.

'Under The Weather' is the exhilarating new track that showcases Off Judy's fusion of sun-kissed punk and invigorating surf shack anthems. The song effortlessly combines infectious melodies with euphoric energy, creating a proverbial earworm. 'Under The Weather' has their punk roots shining through with a raw rock foundation that bursts with chant-worthy chorus. Masterfully, they have found a sweet spot between a palatable indie rock bop and a punk-laden belter.

The song reflects the struggles of being in a dark place and emphasizes the importance of supporting one another through difficult times to ultimately emerge stronger together. With Men’s Health Week starting on Monday, June 12th, the boys thought now was a fitting time to release the track. Finn Mcildowie speaks on the meaning behind the track:

“We’ve all found ourselves in dark places. Whether it’s a momentary bad headspace or it feels more like an endurance race with no finish line. This song came to life while I was stuck in a quarantine hotel in Hamilton, New Zealand, which undoubtedly influenced its emotions. However, the message is pretty clear—Be there for your mates, let them know they’re not alone. Lean on each other through the shit times and come out better on the other side.“

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Moving Into Tucson - It Should Have Been You.

It Should Have Been You. And why not? But reality isn’t always as straight-forward as that. Missed opportunities and luckily also second chances are both daytime realities of our real life. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But there is always hope. Always. Even beautiful things can come out of this. See the eponymous new single of Moving Into Tucson. It’s fresh, it’s pop, it’s everything you want from your favorite band. Almost anthem like.

Moving Into Tucson is entering new territories with this second single and heading to even greater promises. But that’s for the near future. First this great new track. It Should Have Been You don’t you think? Definitely!

Moving Into Tucson is basically the side effect of the COVID epidemic. Why, you will ask. Well for the simple reason that the band was formed during the pandemic. Can you call Moving Into Tucson a band? Well, yes as in, it's a band, with a singer, guitarist, bassist, drummer etc. But also no because it's not a band as usual. Band members do not come from the same city or even country, but from different parts of the world. When the world was in lock-down and many were forced to stay at home, there wasn't much left for musicians to do other than work from home. But, how? And better, with whom? Like for many, Zoom video brought a solution. Fortunately, we live in an advanced digital world and a lot is possible without necessarily having to be somewhere. Only someone who arranges it. This is where the label TCBYML, the label of the various artists in the band Moving Into Tucson, stepped in.

Result, twenty songs composed over a period of 18 months. These have now been brought together, mixed, mastered and provided with artwork. In 2023, five of them will be released as singles and together with eight more songs will form the album "Distraction" that will see the light on November 24 of this year. A great initiative that may be followed up in 2024. Who's to say.



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Bush Tetras - They Live in My Head.

The legendary no-wave punk band Bush Tetras have released the title-track from their upcoming LP, They Live in My Head, out July 27th on Wharf Cat Records. It's a jangly and jagged barn-burner, "about people living in your head rent-free and how life is not all it seems," the band writes in a statement. "Not quite a ballad, with its wild fast choruses, kind of like falling off a cliff."

On the heels of the album announcement and a sold out show at Brooklyn's Union Pool, the New York Times selected the lead single "Things I Put Together" as the first track on their weekly music roundup, proclaiming them "a quintessential Lower East Side post-punk band." Bush Tetras has been credited as the band that "bridged the gap between the Ramones and Sonic Youth" (NY Post), and Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore said they are "without a doubt, one of the greatest rock-and-roll groups born and bred in New York City." Needless to say, Bush Tetras have made an enormous impact on rock 'n' roll in New York City and beyond.

Their first album in 11 years, They Live in My Head was produced by Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth, who is now the band's drummer, joining them after founding member Dee Pop passed away in 2021. Also joining the band on bass is Cait "Rocky" O'Riordan of The Pogues and Elvis Costello. You can catch the new Bush Tetras lineup at their album release show on September 15th at Greenwich Village venue Le Poisson Rouge.



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The Tiger Moths - Dreaming Of Yesterday.

The Tiger Moths release their debut album 'When Sunshine Departs' on June 16th 2023. It includes the current single 'Dreaming Of Yesterday' which has garnered numerous excellent reviews.

An established live act on the London scene, The Tiger Moths reached the Grand Final of the Isle of Wight Festival New Blood Competition in 2021 - making it to the last 20 acts from more than 5,000 who applied.

'When Sunshine Departs' was recorded at the band's home studio in North London, produced and engineered by the band's keyboard player, Alex Rosenberg. While the roots of the Tiger Moths' sound can be traced back to the heydays of the 60s and 70s, the band aim to forge a modern twist on the Americana genre by infusing it with other influences.

In large part, the songs for this album were written during the pandemic. Overall, 'When Sunshine Departs' is a snapshot in time of a band who came together during troubled times to create a record that offers a fitting reflection of that period.

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Wednesday, 7 June 2023

Babel - Drab Majesty feat. Rachel Goswell - Jordan Moser

Babel - Closer.

After the rousing response to their highly-praised debut album ‘Yoga Horror’ last year, award-winning Finnish dream-pop duo Babel are now looking to preview their eagerly-awaited sophomore record with the captivating new single ‘Closer’.

With their new single ‘Closer’, the band depicts a story of a couple enjoying their last night together on a vacation. Both parties realise that their passion is gone, but still give in to the romance one last time. Reminding us that in a worst-case scenario, we might as well go out giving it our all.

Conjuring more of the same rich and immersive textures they have developed since their earliest beginnings, ‘Closer’ makes for the perfect introduction to this new era within the band’s catalogue so far. With an uncompromising approach to their kitsch and romantic pursuits throughout this new record, they are looking to make their next full-length their most original and distinctive work to date.

Their newest offering breathes inspiration from soft French sounds, Brazilian bossa nova singer Astrud Gilberto, and last but not least, the EDM hit ‘Stereo Love’. “We browsed a Korg 05R/W synthesiser’s presets and found a wonderful musette sound that started to guide us in the studio. Karin played the first half of the accordion riff, and Mikko figured out the rest. The end result is a perfectly symmetrical accordion riff that makes you want to listen to it forever. We realised that this is our chance to achieve the dream of a one-hit wonder. The song's story is based on the excitement and euphoria, the crushing feeling that all experiences are transient.”

Babel also drop the new music video for the single, shot abroad on vacation in Madeira: “We stayed in a five-star hotel in Madeira with director Reetta Saarikoski for eight days and filmed everything. We wanted the video to be as epic as possible, which includes life in miniature: sunbathing, falling in love and exercising.”

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Drab Majesty - Vanity (feat. Rachel Goswell).

Drab Majesty have announced details of a new EP, entitled An Object in Motion, to be released on August 25th via Dais Records. Along with the announcement, they have shared the majestic first single “Vanity” which features a rare guest vocal appearance from Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell. On the Cure-esque ballad, her iconic freefall voice adds poetic gravity to the doomed refrain: “If the valve breaks / then the earth quakes / and history finds a way / to put you in your place.”

The collaboration came as the result of a mutual admiration for each other's work. Drab Majesty's Deb Demure comments: "As a long time listener and devotee of Slowdive, a band that literally shaped my DNA as a listener and musician, it was truly humbling to have Rachel offer her iconic vocal stylings to this song. Her voice is a sonic treasure and unmistakable. I'm infinitely grateful to call her a friend and am still pinching myself wondering -  how did we get here?"

Rachel Goswell adds: "It’s no secret that I am a long time Drab Majesty fan so when Deb asked me some years ago now if I would be interested in collaborating it was an immediate yes. Honoured to give my voice to Vanity."

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Jordan Moser - Greenbelt Vision.

Jordan Moser shares "Greenbelt Vision" this week, the first single from his new album PERIL out digitally July 28, 2023. About "Greenbelt Vision," Jordan Moser says: "Give me back my green belt vision, bring us back to the wild land. We aren't well equipped for our gray concrete environment. It harms us and keeps us from our true human thriving. This song is a hopeful rally for those who hear the call from the earth (earthtone) to return to our proper place in the earth system. The damage we are doing is displacing all of us from our natural niches in the ecosystem.

Solastalgia is a new word coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht in 2003. As opposed to nostalgia--the melancholia or homesickness experienced by individuals when separated from a loved home--solastalgia is the distress that is produced by environmental change impacting all of us.  Our disconnection from nature displaces the other beings we share the planet with.  This song hopes to act as an invitation to turn this grief into action."

PERIL follows 2019s Long Night, an album created with Molly Burch, that Paste called "understated, but quietly vibrant and unexpectedly absorbing.” Jordan Moser recently retired from a decade-long career as a professional ballet dancer and now continues to focus on filmmaking and his songwriting.

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Dark and Twisties - McCabe - Ant Thomaz

Dark and Twisties - Grace and Dignity. Swansea Alt-Folk Band Dark And Twisties released a brand new single 'Grace And Dignity' just...