Triple Play: Verticoli - The Halls - Gregory Alan Isakov

Verticoli - Positions.

Background promo - Hobart's Verticoli have served up new single ‘Positions’, a snarling slice of alt-rock that taps into the vein of some of Australia’s most loved nineties-esque guitar driven bands.

Following on from ‘Punching Bag’, last year’s full length that spawned the singles ‘Happiness’ and ‘Head Things, Verticoli teamed up with producer Rob Long (Shihad, Magic Dirt, Violent Soho) to deliver the brooding and melodious track. Frontman Sam Hunn says of ‘Positions’, “The song is about speaking your mind, even if that might be something people don't necessarily want to hear.”

After supporting the likes of DZ Deathrays, The Delta Riggs, Kingswood and more, the lads will be hitting - The Republic Bar July 2 to support arguably the hardest gigging band in the country, British India (Oztix).

‘Positions’ will be available on a limited edition split 7” vinyl with killer Melbourne rock duo The Hunted Crows, who will be joining Verticoli for a co-headline run this July.

Verticoli treat us to a straight down the line, guitar lead piece of alt rock, with plenty of edge in the vocals. 'Positions' has something of timeless feel to it, as a good old rock'n'roll song so often does.

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The Halls - Lemonade.

Background promo - Introducing The Halls, Brisbane’s freshest musical enigma, and their debut single ‘Lemonade’. Having bid their time since the band's inception with writing, sowing their live oats and recording, the experimental two piece are ready for their music to be brought into the limelight.

A band of contrasts, The Halls are difficult to pigeonhole. Described by one blogger as 'shiver pop', they flit from intricate and delicate, to sparse and epic, to grungy and trashy - sometimes within the same song. 'Lemonade' casts a playful yet critical eye upon Australian environmental issues and first world consumerism. Produced by Konstantin Kersting (The Belligerents, Kingswood) at Powderfinger expat Ian Haug’s Airlock Studios, the track’s dark, nostalgic pop drives relentlessly throughout, finally exploding into a searing yet hopeful reprise.

On Saturday June 11 The Halls will celebrate and launch their single at Brisbane’s coveted arthouse and live venue The New Globe Theatre. Joining them will be Bad Pony,Golden Age of Ballooning and Lulu and the Cutthroats.

As debut singles go 'Lemonade' is one very impressive and powerful song. They may be a little difficult to pigeonhole genre wise, but with a song this good and performed so well, that's the least of the bands worries.

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Gregory Alan Isakov - Master & a Hound.

Background promo - Gregory Alan Isakov is pleased to share the brilliant new single 'Master & A Hound' taken from his forthcoming album (out 10th June) with the brilliant Colorado Symphony.

The beauty of Gregory Alan Isakov’s latest album is realizing how much it surprises and rewards the listener. It burns slowly, not unlike a campfire that blazes one moment and then crackles the next. A song might begin with the barest of bones, with Isakov’s resonant voice closely synched to his acoustic guitar. But then the orchestral layers begin to pile up, transporting the songs to cinematic heights.

Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony marks a milestone for the singer-songwriter, who’s beloved for the spectral intimacy of his recordings and live shows. Set for release on June 10 on Isakov’s own Suitcase Town Music label, the album finds Isakov cracking his catalog wide open to see what else he—and we—can learn about them.

The album features songs from Isakov’s previous three studios releases, along with the debut studio recording of “Liars,” a fan favorite that’s been a staple of his concerts for the past few years. The album will be released on limited-edition LP, CD, and digitally.  

Regular visitors may well remember Gregory Alan Isakov being featured on Beehive Candy just a few weeks back. Well I could not pass up the opportunity to feature another song from his keenly awaited album, Master & a Hound is just beautiful.

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Quality Not Quantity: Novanta - Introflirt

Novanta - Goðafoss.

Background promo - Two years after releasing 'Best-Selling Dreams' to wide acclaim around the world, Novanta will soon release his new album 'Hello We’re Not Enemies' on Seashell Records. The first single from this release is 'Goðafoss'.

Novanta is Manfredi Lamartina, a musician who is originally from Palermo but has been based in Milan for many years now. On this album, Novanta further evolves his sound, falling effortlessly between shoegaze, post-rock and electronica. This release underlines the importance of empathy as its core idea. In a period where human relationships are often based on aggression and on the division between “us” and “them”, here we find that we’re not enemies. This album is also an expression of love towards Iceland, a country where Manfredi Lamartina spent some time traveling last year.

"Goðafoss is about a man who wants to be a god, shaking the world and erasing all the evil. But mankind is indifferent to everything: love, compassion, empathy. 'Hello We’re Not Enemies' is about empathy: we are living in a world where all men are involved in an absurd battle against each other," explains Manfredi Lamartina. "Iceland seems a little piece of paradise, with breathtaking landscapes and a general feeling of wonder. I went to Iceland last year and I really fell in love with that country. “Hello We’re Not Enemies” is deeply influenced by Iceland, which is why the album will be out on June 17th, Icelandic National Day."

The songs featured on 'Hello We’re Not Enemies' involve collaboration with some very talented artists, including Australian Ian Bonnar (In Every Dream A Nightmare Waits), Claudio Cataldi, Fabrizio De Felice (Bialogard), Giuseppe Musto (Il ragazzo del Novantanove), Raniero Federico Neri (Albedo), and Giampiero Riggio (Haas).

"Hello We're Not Enemies" is due for release on June 17 and will be available in digital download and limited edition cassette via Seashell Records' Bandcamp site. The full album will be exclusively streamed via OndaRock on June 13.

'Goðafoss' is the first single and the second track on the forthcoming "Hello We're Not Enemies" release, a collection of seven songs. This is a good and varied collection of material, the differing collaborations perhaps driving the variety of directions taken. The featured track does however provide a good indication of the quality that is found across the album.

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Introflirt - Frozen Lace.

Background promo - As Oakland, California artists Introflirt gear up for the release of their second album ‘Temporary Heaven’, they are teasing their first single ‘Frozen Lace’. Introflirt are Vafa, Ben Benjamin, and Brendan Dreaper.

This album represents the next stage of evolution in their self-described “croonwave” music. Dissolving notions of what electronic music should be into a colorful flurry that pops and sparkles, this albumis threaded together by a velvet voice and candid lyrics that touch on themes of disappointment in people, the fragility of relationships, and the path towards sexual liberation. True to Introflirt form, the songs on ‘Temporary Heaven’ maintain a delicate balance, offering the soundtrack to a life that is introverted while still reaching out.

The album’s first single ‘Frozen Lace’ was inspired by the struggle to overcome sexual repression, which generally goes hand in hand with some religions. It’s buzzing bass and squirming synth represent a tug-of-war between satisfying desires and fearing the potential consequences. Inspired by the concept that deciding between gratification or holding back entails excruciating self-torment, ‘Frozen Lace’ picks up on the lingering trepidation that moral laws often produce.

This was the first song to emerge for Introflirt after releasing their debut album. “This came from the longing to rid myself of guilt and fear of consequences when approaching certain desires,” explains vocalist and lyricist Ben Benjamin. “Growing up in a religious family - although my parents have pretty much been kicked out of every church they ever attended - installed many programs I’ve worked hard to disassemble.”

While Introflirt’s self-titled debut album documented the group testing the Flirty waters, the eight-track ‘Temporary Heaven’ jumps in without inhibition. The album retains the raw, gritty synth pop that endeared so many listeners to their debut release - but adds a seedier, darker, more danceable attitude, taking the Introflirt party from the rooftop to the basement. While ‘Temporary Heaven’ presents Introflirt with a more energetic, modern feel, what stands out most is the transformation of Ben Benjamin’s vocals. After spending countless weekends in piano bars performing jazz standards, Benjamin’s vocal presence enters a similar space inhabited by the lounge singers of the 40s, 50s, and 60s, but set in the hazy, dim light of dance club beats.

Reinventing pop song structures to reflect the unpredictable nature of life’s twists and turns, the songs on this album present a clarity and confidence that’s a little bit dark, a little bit sentimental, and very very flirty.

Live Dates
June 25 - Oakland, CA - Legionnaire Saloon (with ghostplay & VVerevvolf)
July 15 - Sacramento, CA - Ladyfest (with Pink Bandana & Spacewalker)
August 13 - Oakland, CA - Hanging Garden at The Night Light (with Neon Kross & Otzi)
September 28 - San Francisco, CA - Hemlock Tavern - (with Foreign Resort & Nite)
Rich with synth textures and with a rhythmic beat 'Frozen Lace' is enhanced even further by the dramatic vocals. The melody unfolds in a gradual manner as the song continues it's musical journey. And this really is but a taste of what's in store on the album, it's another case of like the single, then you'll love the album.

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Genre Wander: Gileah Taylor - Larry Weiss - The Legends

Gileah Taylor - Tears Of A Spirit.

Background promo - “Tears of a Spirit”, Gileah Taylor’s new single from her upcoming album, hides hopefulness and expectancy just below its melancholy surface. Beautifully orchestrated, the song radiates a sense of innocence, reverie and weightlessness both melodiously and lyrically. Yet it also conveys passion and a certain heaviness of heart—it is pensive without being brooding, contemplative but not overly cautious. And while it could most certainly be a love song, “Tears of a Spirit”showcases Taylor’s poetic approach, making it more open to interpretation. The first single from her upcoming Songs For Late At Night Vol. 2, “Tears of a Spirit” is the perfect sneak peak to what will be an exquisitely tender and brilliant record.

The city of Destin is located in the panhandle of the state of Florida, and it's best known for its beautiful Gulf Coast beaches, spring breaks and warm weather. It's an odd location for the melancholy songstress Gileah Taylor to reside, especially considering her latest record Songs For Late At Night Vol. 2 is about as far away from a beach party as you can get.
 
Gileah describes the album as sci-fi inspired, and it's intentionally sparse with soft ambient textures,which all serve as the perfect base for her distinctive vocal and heart breaking melodies. Lyrically the record is driven by Gileah's intense interest in the writer and poet George MacDonald, coupled with her day-to-day life experiences. "The idea was to pick up the listener here on earth, have them hold on,and go somewhere other-worldly." I think it can go without saying that Gileah is a dreamer, and in this collection of songs Gileah reaches out to the listener with the intent of having them join her in these dreams. Songs was recorded in Fort Walton Beach, FL at Printups Studio with producer Jeremy SH Griffith. While there is a small revolving cast of musicians that make up the band live, Gileah and Jeremy are the sole players on Songs. This helped them to focus first on the song, and then on the album-wide soundscape of space and distance.

Tour Dates
6/17 Rosemary Beach, FL @ Amavida Coffee
6/29 Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits

'Tears Of A Spirit' has an expansive, distant and dreamy feel to it. Gileah's vocals glide above the softly melodic soundtrack, and combined they allow the listeners mind and imagination wander. Described as a taster for her forthcoming album, it's certainly gained my attention.

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Larry Weiss - Better By Now.

Background - Larry Weiss was born in 1941 and raised in Queens, New York. When he started writing songs as a teen he says he was merely looking for a way out. “My father ran a textiles business, and I wanted no part of it.” His childhood was filled with music, and eventually found work as a freelance songwriter for Wes "Hang On Sloopy" Farrell.

His first break came in 1963 when Nat "King" Cole recorded a co-write "Mr. Wishing Well". This sparked a run of successes with R & B greats Baby Washington, Chuck Jackson and The Shirelles. In the mid and late 1960s He teamed up with lyricist Scott English for those well loved pop classics as well as "Help Me Girl", a hit for Eric Burdon And The Animals. He also co-wrote, with Jerry Ross, "Mr. Dream Merchant", a hit for Jerry Butler - and later (as "Dream Merchant") for New Birth!

In 1971, he moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to push himself as a songwriter along with a "9 to 5" executive job for Famous Music plugging other people’s songs. Later - Bobby Sherman, Donny Osmond and Lou Rawls discovered His songs and into the charts. After a year he stopped being a ‘suit’ and landed his first recording deal. ‘Black & Blue Suite’, was his first album, released on 20th Century Records. “I was So petrified,” he admits, “I had to enlist hypnosis therapy to stand behind the mike.”

The opening track "Rhinestone Cowboy" went to no.24 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart. Glen Campbell heard and liked the song - recorded it and it became an international hit, topping the charts in the US and several other countries, and reached no.4 in the UK. It was named the Country Music Association's Song of the Year in 1976. Another track from the album "Lay Me Down," was covered by Barry Manilow on his albums "Trying' to Get the Feeling" and "Barry Manilow Live" As well as developing his idea for a musical based around "Rhinestone Cowboy", he is also a talented painter and you can see some of his work on the cover for the single ‘Better By Now’.

“We are all magicians if we have the courage to reach for the magic inside", he says. So if you’ve been given a wonderful vision why not work to reveal it.”

Larry Weiss has been writing superb songs for a very long time. 'Better By Now' is a beautiful pop piece and Larry reminds us, he has been singing them for some time to. Excellent production, the song is simply charming.
 
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The Legends - Summer In The City (Living Is For Somebody Else).

Background promo - One-man-band The Legends (aka Johan Angergård from Acid House Kings, Club 8, Djustin, Eternal Death, Pallers) returned last year with the acclaimed love album "It's Love" on Cascine/Labrador. Now he's back with Summer In The City.

The Legends’ Johan Angergård told SPIN, “My releases are imprints of the particular time in my life when they were recorded. Angergård adds, “If I ever want to find out what my life felt like during a certain year, I’ll just listen to the songs I put out at that time.”Those who have followed The Legends in the past will not be surprised that the one-man band has moved on sound-wise since last year. New life calls for new sounds.
 
The Legends from Stockholm have enjoyed a somewhat accidental career. Beginning with Up Against The Legends, their debut album in 2003, the project was comically assumed to be a 9-piece band due to early shows consisting of friends on stage, drunk and generally winging it. In actuality, The Legends has only ever been a personal outlet for one man, Johan Angergård.  

'Summer In The City (Living Is For Somebody Else)' is a fine electro disco song, with a warm synth vibe running through the track. Vocals morph into the music as the beats gently push the song along.

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Rock'n'Roll Sunday: Field Mouse - Typhoid Rosie - Cool Ghouls

Field Mouse - The Mirror.

Background promo - Field Mouse share new single The Mirror. If 2014's Hold Still Life was the fruition of Field Mouse's evolution from a fiery two-piece into a fully-fledged band, then new album Episodic (August 5, Topshelf Records) is the letting go; the abandonment of past persuasions for something altogether more untamed. Where the band's initial work was self-recorded by founding members Rachel Browne and Andrew Futral, the new record signifies the first time that the quintet has composed an album together from start-to-finish - and the result is a record that feels altogether more defined.

Recorded in Philadelphia with Hop Along's Joe Reinhart, and written through a twelve-month period which delivered sudden family illness and a deteriorating relationship, Episodic is fashioned from ten feverish bouts of guitar-pop; led by Browne's fearsome and fearless vocal and informed by an instrumental backing that underpins the entire record with a vibrant concoction of guitar, drums and keys.

Showcasing the band's ability to switch between mood and tone, the record shifts from the spiky immediacy of tracks such as Accessory and A Widow With A Terrible Secret, to the more spacious moments, such as monumental centre-piece Beacon, without ever losing sight of the scuzzy, melodic pop songs that remain Field Mouse's distinct forte.

Featuring guest turns from Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz), Allison Crutchfield (Swearin', Waxahatchee) and Joseph D'Agostino (Cymbals Eat Guitars), Episodic is the sound of a fully-realized band truly coming in to their own; honest, direct and immensely powerful.

'The Mirror' offers up a glimpse of the bands forthcoming album 'Episodic'. Rachel Browne's lighter vocals juxtapose the fiery punk flavoured music. It's a two and a half minute blast of no nonsense music and it works.

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Typhoid Rosie - Run Along.

Background promo - Hailing from Brooklyn, Typhoid Rosie, offers up a unique blend of sultry Indie-Pop-Rock for your ears. With their newest release in tow, Hearts Bleed Goodbye, the band has been garnering the praise of fans and critics alike. Currently the band is sharing their new single "Run Along," a vibrant and catchy piece that brings their sound to life.

Hearts Bleed Goodbye features 11-powerful tracks which are inspired by love and love lost. The record pays a heartfelt tribute to front-woman Rosie Rebel’s late Mother, who passed away suddenly when she had an aneurysm while driving a car leaving her Grandmother’s wake. Before even having the chance to take off her mourning clothes or bury her Grandmother, Rebel would also unexpectedly and tragically have to say goodbye to the woman she loved most.

Throughout the record Rebel expresses this paralysing loss in her music while also touching upon unrelated themes such as addiction, stalkers, losing yourself in bad company, and the apocalypse.

Typhoid Rosie is led by Rosie Rebel, also known for her pre-Typhoid Rosie work as a long-time comedian which has been talked about on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In the midst of her rise in comedy, Rebel unintentionally discovered her knack for writing music while attending a music class at Columbia University. She later paired up with husband and drummer, Phil Wartell, to begin writing and producing; bringing Typhoid Rosie to life. After suffering the tragic loss of her mother, Rebel started to open her songs up to the world using music as a way to express her deepest emotions.

The album 'Hearts Bleed Goodbye' is a consistently good collection of indie pop and indie rock songs, with the latest single 'Run Along' typifying the more rock orientated side of the band. I have to say there is not one 'filler' song in the collection, indeed the album is a real treat for indie fans.

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Cool Ghouls - Sundial.

Background promo - Cool Ghouls is a rock'n'roll band. A band for playing rock'n'roll - that electric American folk art - without pretense. Think of rock'n'roll less as a genre and more as an action. A ritual performed with electric guitars and a drum kit to conjure a certain youthful spirit.

Inevitably, when listening to Cool Ghouls, you may recall performers of the past, other summoners of this same spirit, whose fingers were also channels through which rock'n'roll was made physical. But this band's purpose is not to reference, fetishize, or even celebrate these incarnations of rock'n'roll that came before them. Their intention is to animate their medium - bring to life the inanimate framework that is rock'n'roll. Get the kids dancing. Get the floor at the house party to cave in. Not to sound like a rock'n'roll band, but to do what a rock'n'roll band does. A band for playing rock'n'roll.

It's something the Ghouls know they have not yet entirely mastered. (How many of the numerous outfits playing these days have?) While they've certainly managed to convince audiences aplenty at home in San Francisco, along the West Coast, even abroad of their prowess, they are ever honing their blade. Refining an approach, learning to listen more keenly, seeing beyond bullsht, really getting at the essence of not only rock'n'roll, but of that which exists between four unique players - it's a task to keep a body busy for a lifetime. A kind of four-way collective self actualization.

You might not hear all of this in a Cool Ghouls track. That might be because there's something about rock'n'roll that you're missing. That might be because there's something about Cool Ghouls that you're missing. Or it might be because the Ghouls have not yet distilled the eternal powers from which they draw into an expression that your ears understand. But make no mistake, this is music about and for the here and now.

Tour dates:
6/16 - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
6/18 - Guerneville, CA - Deathstock II
7/7  - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop
8/11 - San Francisco - The Chapel
8/16 - Los Angeles, CA - TBA
8/19 - Austin, TX - Barracuda
8/20 - San Antonio, TX - Limelight
8/24 - Boise, ID - The Olympic

'Sundial' really does have that classic rock'n'roll feel to it, that initially reminded me of late 1960's west coast bands. It's a really good listen regardless of era's, the vocals drive the melody, whilst the bands harmonies and fine playing, give the song that little something, that makes a song really stand out.

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A Fine Pair: Garden City Movement - Alasdair Roberts

Garden City Movement - She's So Untouchable.

Background promo - Garden City Movement is a Tel Avivian-based electronic music project, their new single is "She's So Untouchable." Signed with BLDG5 records, Garden City Movement first made waves last fall with the release of their debut EP Entertainment, which garnered early press champions as numerous Hype Machine influential blogs, Pitchfork, Clash, The Fader, Stereogum and Fact which featured the band in a short documentary about "The rising stars of Tel Aviv."

With videos reaching 1M hits and screenings at the LA film festival, GCM scored support slots for acts such as Alt-J, Cults, SOHN & Rufus and their debut appearance on Boiler Room. The trio intensively toured Europe and was on festival bills such as Primavera, Pukkelpop, Glastonbury & Fusion festival.

Bengali Cinema, the second EP, continued Entertainment's media praise. They dominated Hype Machine's top 3 for three days straight with "Terracotta," and were named by many as a "band to watch." Radio stations such as BBC6, KEXP & Sirius XM(to name a few) picked up tracks from both EP's as well as reaching #21 on CMJ's RPM chart.

In April, the band has teamed up with The Vinyl Factory and released Modern West, Garden City Movement's 3rd and final EP in the trilogy. The Vinyl Factory encompasses a record label that worked before with artists such as xx, Massive Attack and Roisin Murphy.

'She's So Untouchable' is a cool, smooth and very catchy song. The vocals are so very well delivered and compliment what is a top notch electronic soundtrack. It's a natural listen again piece.

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Alasdair Roberts - Scarce Of Fishing.

Background words - The second track from the 'Refugee' compilation album has surfaced.

'Scarce of Fishing' is the contributed track from Scottish singer/songwriter Alasdair Roberts. The folk artist has had previous support from the likes of Uncut, Pitchfork, BBC, The Observer, The Times, and much more, before joining the 'Refugee' project, spearheaded by fellow musician Robin Adams.

The project got it's first exposure with the first track which dropped a few weeks back - 'Most People' is the contribution from Bonnie 'Prince Billy. Featuring Richard Dawson, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Linda Thompson, Alasdair Roberts, Ricky Ross, BMX Bandits and many more, the 'Refugee' album is a united effort from some of folk’s most esteemed and cult figures, who’ve contributed an original or unreleased song each to the ‘Refugee’ project.

‘Refugee’ (out digitally on July 5th through Brainfog) is a highly significant collaborative recording project which reflects, through song, the issue of the refugee crisis in its many forms, from Syria and beyond. It’s been curated by Scottish folk artist Robin Adams, who called on his close friends and musical colleagues from around the world to contribute to the project.

Each track is an unreleased original song, with contributions from the likes of the above artists. All proceeds go to the MOAS organisation (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) who’ve saved more than 13,000 lives since 2013 in the Mediterranean Sea. Read more on them at www.moas.eu. 

We featured Bonnie Prince Billy's contribution to this charitable fund raiser a few weeks back. It's a pleasure to do the same with this wonderful contribution by Alasdair Roberts. The album 'Refugee' is out July 5th, 2016 via Brainfog Records. 'Scarce Of Fishing' is a wonderful rootsy folk song, the album is shaping up to be something very special.

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