A Million Machines - OxenFree - Year of October

A Million Machines - Come Tonight.

Background - LA-based synth pop outfit A Million Machines have announced they will release their first full-length self-titled record in November 2017, preceded by the single ‘Come Tonight’. Featuring 11 tracks, this album is a synth pop kaleidoscope, densely layered in clean, modular synthesizers and a heavy melodic aesthetic between light and darkness. 

‘Come Tonight’ is a pulsating electronic burner that echoes Depeche Mode in its technical attack of modular synths, coupled with passionate male vocals. "This song encourages an awakening to the state of the world. An awakening to prejudice, corruption and human rights. An awakening to a revolution," says vocalist Fate Fatal. 

The entire debut album is, in essence, a blast of heart-thumping beats, stomping propulsion and intoxicating melodies. Fatal injects his gloomy obsessions with an ultra melodic harmony, abetted by MIG, a conscientious technician with an understanding of the inner workings of modular technology and exploring the abyss of self-made modular circuitry. 

Recording at their own studio in Los Angeles, A Million Machines use modular synths to make some of the most human sounds around. Based in Silver Lake, California, A Million Machines is a duo comprised of producer/multi-instrumentalist MIG (The New Room) and vocalist Fate Fatal (The Deep Eynde, Kittens for Christians). They formed in 2014 when MIG and Fate were separately called into an audition with an upcoming LA underground band and, while waiting, dived into discussion about their passion for electronic music.

The result is output that is rooted in raw analog synths and punchy vocals, using low-res electronic noise and pop hooks. After being showcased on local college radio stations, including LA’s KXLU, A Million Machines’ sound quickly progressed to incorporate various areas of electronic music; electroclash, shoegazing, electropunk and electropop. Website here, Facebook here.

Right from the opening moments, some rhythmic synths and lo-fi vocals ensure ‘Come Tonight’ has plenty of atmosphere. Add in a layer or two more of vibrant synths and energise the vocals and we arrive with a notable & already very noticed tune. It's the last of eleven tracks on the forthcoming album, & judging by the interest so far, it would appear mighty likely, that a large number of music lovers, are about to add another superb album to their collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OxenFree - Caterpillar.

Background -  “Caterpillar” is the excellent second single from OxenFree’s upcoming Another Land EP, which will be coming out through Sneaky Bear Records on October 13th.

The video was directed by Diane Russo and stars the talented kickboxers Venus Providence Smith, Stoney Morales and Mariana Firestone defining their home. While it might appear to be a a violent home on the surface, it's also filled with happiness and love for self and each other. Doyle felt that that dichotomy is reflective of the world we live in, and represented the song’s core themes.

OxenFree’s new EP Another Land was recorded with producer Andrija Tokic in his Nashville studio, whose other credits include Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Benjamin Booker and Clear Plastic Masks. The band credits Andrija with harnessing the vitality of the record, and bringing a sense of experimentation to the band, pulling the right gear from his stacks of organs and amps to get the live sound right in the room. The result on Another Land rears whirling organs, vocals playing in delay, fuzzy guitar leads, and a punchy rhythm section.

Jeff Doyle, the front man and primary songwriter was born in DC and reared in Virginia. Living in Charlottesville, he recorded his first EP with Mike Bishop of GWAR (the original Beefcake the Mighty and current Blothar), before moving to New York and starting OxenFree. He resurrected two of those songs when he moved to Brooklyn and recruited Christopher Burns (drums, Sydney), Sam Ghitelman (guitar, New York), Sean Padden (bass, New York), and Emilie Soffe (vocals and keys, Alabama) to round out the band. Jeff, Christopher and Sam grew up playing punk music at house shows, while Emilie grew up in the theatre (she recently co-created and appeared in the acclaimed play Ski End). Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

With feedback & reverb 'Caterpillar' unfolds into a feisty and expansive rocker, where the vocals dominate above a decidedly robust musical arrangement. The harmonies add another layer of beautifully emotive sounds, and the rhythm changes just add more.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Year of October - Come & Get It.

Background - Year of October just unveiled their lead-single “Come & Get It”, from the impending 3rd studio LP Trouble Comes, out in October. Following the release of their critically acclaimed 2nd album Golden Days, Year of October built up a loyal fan-base, and received raving media attention from a number of outlets.

Formed at University of Kentucky in 2010, Year of October is the passion-project of Phlecia and Josh Sullivan. Mixing their diverse influences of Led Zeppelin and The Beatles for Josh, and Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald for Phlecia, Year of October stands out for their clawing Nashville-rock edge, and soulful, swirling vocals. 

Previously, the band has released debut LP Stories and sophomore album Golden Days. Year of October has played over 250 shows across the South, and has built up a devoted community of fans with their cohesive and genre-elusive style. Website here, Facebook here.

'Come & Get It' is a bluesy rocker, where passion infused vocals are equally matched by some fabulous & timeless rock riffs.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pageants - Whitney Rose - Oddnesse

Pageants - Chai (חַי‎).

Background - Pageants' (members of Avi Buffalo, Cherry Glazzer & Best Coast) first single "Chai ( חַי)" has just been released. This teases their upcoming album 'Forever' which will be dropping November 3rd.

Pageants was formed by Rebecca Coleman in the aftermath of leaving Avi Buffalo (Sub Pop) in 2010, a band in which she was a founding member at the age of sixteen. Frustrated with clashing personalities and differences in musical sensibility, she, along with two other Avi Buffalo defectors, set out to revive the simplicity and spirit of earlier days. Diaristic yet dreamy and abstract in nature, her songs merge pop levity with melancholic lyrical undercurrents. 

Collaborating with boyfriend Devin O’Brien to flush out demos, their debut LP, ‘Forever’ was close to completion in 2015. When label interest around the album hit a wall, the band decided to hold off on finishing the record while pursuing other opportunities. 

Coleman continued to write, O’Brien focused on engineering and producing, while also being picked up by Cherry Glazerr (Secretly Canadian) to tour as their bassist and drummer Dylan Wood went on to play with Best Coast (Harvest). Inspired by fresh material and perspectives, Pageants decided to finish ‘Forever’ earlier this year and will be releasing their debut album via Eye•Dull Records. Website here.

'Chai (חַי‎)' is a gorgeous dream pop song with hints of indie rock. An attractive & emotional vibe runs throughout the song, giving it that play again feel, very impressive.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whitney Rose - Can't Stop Shakin'.

Background - Six months ago, Rose was primed to release South Texas Suite, a countrypolitan valentine to Austin, Texas. Days before the EP hit the streets and Rose kicked off a 4-month worldwide tour, the burgeoning songwriting force (and ‘country hair’ disciple) packed her boots for Nashville, where she entered BlackBird Studio A to reconvene with The Mavericks’ Raul Malo. In one short week, Rose, Malo and co-producer Niko Bolas channelled the tumult, turbulence and tension outside of the studio into Rose’s sophomore worldwide release, which includes nine self-penned songs. Playful yet uncompromising, Whitney Rose reminds us of popular music’s rich history of strong female voices and perspectives, and on Rule 62, Whitney Rose channels her inner Nancy Sinatra, Bobbie Gentry and Françoise Hardy.

Rule 62 finds Rose “breaking up with patriarchy”; a break-up evidenced by new songs that show verve, swagger and self-assurance in Rose’s instinctive sense of tone, broadened scope and attention to detail.  Rule 62’s ‘break up’ theme can be felt in songs like “Arizona” and “Time To Cry,” two fiery, merciless tunes that show Rose at the end of her rope with the manipulation and discrimination of women in the music business and beyond.

First single, “Can’t Stop Shakin’” was originally written as an anti-anxiety treatment in Memphis soul dance party form; however, recorded against an ominous political backdrop, the song now reverberates with an undercurrent of uncertainty and anger that reframes the self-calming shimmy as an act of protest.

Rule 62 is Rose’s second release of 2017, and sees the songwriter’s increased output matched by increased distinction. With so much touring now under the tires throughout North America, Europe and the UK, it’s no surprise that Rose’s best work yet often explores her journey woman’s experience. A move from her native Canada for a two month residency in Austin’s famed Americana bastion, the Continental Club, Rose describes as ‘lighting a fire in her’ and she felt compelled to stay. Smitten with Texas and the two-step dance culture, Rose found herself writing non-stop leading to the creation of both the self-produced EP South Texas Suite and Rule 62. Website here.

'Can't Stop Shakin' typifies the 'Rule 62' album, a collection of eleven modern country songs, that sometimes expand into other genres, broadening the appeal for this fine album. Centre to all of this are Whitney Rose's vocals, both melodic and interpretive, they have an impressive interchange with the musical arrangements, in fact the overall production of this album really does help all the key ingredients stand out.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oddnesse - Are You Down.

Background - The project began as a studio collaboration between musician Rebeca Arango and producer Grey Goon. The two east-coast expats had arrived independently in Los Angeles plagued by ghosts of old bands, with many gigs at the Cake Shop under their belts and expensive degrees in music on their linked-ins. 

They both shared a vision for infectious beautiful music with a dark, heavy groove and as friends occasionally dropped by the studio with contributions, Oddnesse was born. 

“I call this my “Pina Colada” song (in reference to the Rupert Holmes ditty). It’s a very confident and laid-back anticipation of my next lover, where I’m getting specific about calling in someone who can match my energy and approach to life. The question of going “slow” isn’t about romantic pacing per se (though that is important), it’s more about generally moving slow, never rushing to pack in too much all at once or getting anxious about “missing out,”  and preferring to sink in and explore the depths of all things.” - Rebeca Arango Website here, Facebook here.

Our third feature for Oddnesse this year, this time we have the new track 'Are You Down'. Consistently imaginative, Oddnesse up the stakes with each song they release, the ability to sound both powerful and yet uncomplicated is increasingly becoming a hallmark of their dreamy and passionate music.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Desert Mountain Tribe - Michael Malarkey

Desert  Mountain Tribe - Interstellar.

Background - London based alternative/indie rock trio Desert Mountain Tribe are releasing the song ‘Interstellar’ from their 2016 debut album ‘Either That Or The Moon’ as a new single. It coincides with the band’s appearance at Manchester Psych Fest 2017 on 2nd September.
    
Edited from its original nine minute duration to just under five, the BVB Version of this epic track also boasts a superb video directed by Daniel Turner of Sound & Colour.

Turner explains the extraordinary camera method employed on the promo clip as follows : “It is effectively made to look like one single shot - going from wide to super close up, with the band rotating on a stage, speeding up and slowing down in a sort of ‘Matrix’ effect, with lights flashing and streaking in sync with the music. Together with my Director of Photography, I have developed a way to use multiple cameras to make a super-huge frame that we can zoom in and out of, and a way to time all the effects to the music.”

‘Interstellar’ follows a pair of digital EP’s, ‘If You Don’t Know Can You Don’t Know Köln’ and ‘Live At St. Pancras Old Church’, plus the single ‘Enos In Space (Top Of The World)’, which was mixed by Youth. The band have also spent much of 2017 on the road, including an extensive spring tour of North America and summer festivals in mainland Europe. 

Formed in 2012, Desert Mountain Tribe released their debut album ‘Either That Or The Moon’ in the spring of 2016 to positive reviews from UK publications such as Shindig, Classic Rock, Louder Than War, Drowned In Sound and The Arts Desk. The album achieved heavy rotation at US college radio, while their latest single has received support across BBC 6 Music. Facebook here.

Powerful and expansive ‘Interstellar’ teases the listener on first listen, with it's beautiful refrains and moments of high energy. In between this, there are some superb vocals and the wonderfully epic guitar solo's, just add to the bands sense of drama.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael Malarkey - Uncomfortably Numb.

Background - Vampire Diaries actor Michael Malarkey’s has just dropped a new single called Uncomfortably Numb, written about the overbearing expectations placed on an artist thrust into the spotlight, it’s pretty fitting to the man behind the music.

Michael is about to release his debut album called Mongrels this September followed but a full set of EU/UK Tour dates booked in (below). Described as “folktronica” by Metro, the new record is a modern mash up of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds with Tom Waits.

Quote from Michael: It is about disconnectedness to this society but being forced to participate in it anyway, the contrast in the music and the lyrics reflects the unpredictability of mood swings and depression, the subconscious games we play with ourselves, how we react to that feeling of flight or fight when neither are appropriate, the love/hate relationship with addiction. 

Whatever crutches people turn to out of desperation or habit when walking through this world becomes tiresome - and the sometimes overbearing expectations placed on the reclusive artist thrust into the spotlight and forced to deal with the unquenchable thirst of the public. All of which magnifies the internal battle of lightness and darkness, the animal vs the man, the reclusive artist vs the public performer. It’s a fight song for the soul. This struggle is one of the main themes of the record. What does it take to be man? Is that even the right question? Facebook here.

Second song this month from Michael Malarkey this time with 'Uncomfortably Numb'. We stated last time that "The album comprises a fine mixture of material, occasionally dark in nature (but only occasionally), the refined melodies and desirable feel of each song, makes for a rich and pleasing listen. This deserves to be heard not because of The Vampire Diaries, but because it is a very affecting album". This song I hope endorses our opinion, enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Giant Flying Turtles - The Mining Co. - Julia P. - Anna Coogan

Giant Flying Turtles - Waltz To The World (4 song selection).

Background - With a sound about as unique as their name, Giant Flying Turtles are carving a place for themselves in, and beyond, the thriving Brooklyn, New York indie music scene. Their genre bending music has no bounds, inspired by rock, folk, jazz, bluegrass, and blues this high energy jam trio will blow you away. They have the uncanny ability to capture audiences small and large, young and old.

Johnny and Calvin met while playing in Kreisor on Teepee Records. They soon found they had a lot in common and started playing as a duo in bars around Brooklyn. It was then that this Maryland Jazz cat and Kansas born Dead Head came to be the musical force they are today. Soon they met drummer Jim Toscano and the chemistry between the three was obvious. In 2016, virtuoso guitarist TJ Jordan joined the group making the sound complete.

Their song Raven Hair is featured in the festival favourite One Wall – Kings of Coney Island. Their song Keep My Dream Alive is the theme of the film Shining In The Dark which was nominated in The Moscow International Film Festival, and they were invited to perform it there. Giant Flying Turtles are staunch advocates of music played well, from the heart, and their passionate performances are garnering them a consistently growing fan base in and around the east coast and beyond. Website here, Facebook here.

Here we have the first four of the eleven tracks that make up the very fine 'Waltz To The World' album. The band have something pretty special going on here, there is a consistent level of energy and imagination centred around an overall band sound, however their skill in switching genres or just mixing them up in one song, makes for some fabulous variety. As a tease I would also add that the seven other songs are equal to, or even better than those shared here!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mining Co. - Mountain Fires.

Background - The Mining Co.’s debut album ‘Burning Sun and The Atomic Powers Within’ released in 2016 was an intriguing collection of downbeat Americana and alt-folk tracks which signalled the arrival of a new artist to challenge the current status quo of artists in those genres. Gaining attention from the likes of The Guardian, Gigslutz and Amazing Radio and key taste makers germinating what now is a band that are set to prove themselves.

The Mining Co.’s sophomore album ‘Mountain Fires’ should do just this with principal member Michael Gallagher returning to the studio in Spain in which their debut was recorded to fully hone his craft with songs that were creatively spurred on by the processes involved in the release of the first album. It’s an album that looks back to a different time, a time of total freedom, a wild childhood, long days and nights spent listening to radio stations like Radio Luxembourg, before the internet and before mobile phone communication and the start of a love for music: Elvis, Springsteen, New Wave: the soundtrack to love - come, gone and missed - a celebration to the past that still shines brightly.

From the minimal opening of ‘Julie’s Song’, Gallagher’s voice sounds deeper and more refined echoing in a distinct reverb and comforting with its angst and melancholy and the production seems polished and spacious. ‘Closer’ rattles with piano and retro organ with a darkness, Gallagher’s voice cracking from its deadpan style occasionally and reaching high notes offering an accomplished sound that yearns in histories coffee stained pages and sepia photographs and London’s grey streets and empty rooms and bars, recalling Nick Cave and Tom Waits perhaps with its darkness.

Stand out track ‘Against The Grain’, is just what Gallagher is. A maverick music obsessive who is heading backwards and forwards at the same time, perfectly crafting his tracks in 2017 with a caution and care like the best 50’s and 60’s singers. He laments that he is ‘always against the grain’ as the track escalates with gorgeous strings and glockenspiel and shuffling drums. ‘Valentine To Write’ is another highlight with its instant upbeat moods and sweeping organ as Gallagher ponders on another ‘valentine to write to’ and that he can’t believe another year has passed him by. It’s a daydream of a song that deals with lost time and dreams and indecisiveness in love.

It’s a superb collection of tracks that are rooted enough in traditions to be engaging but with enough quirk and eccentricities to find a place above the rest of Americana and folk’s recent bands and to cherish for years to come and to warrant continued listening. Gallagher is laid plain in some lyrics alongside other lyrics left veiled in metaphor and profundities. The Mining Co. are back with an album that should stand shoulder to shoulder with the best new alt-folk music around, so let yourself be taken on their gentle and psychedelic ride into glorious sounds. Facebook here.

If the vocals don't just grab you & refuse to let go, then surely the musical arrangement will dig it's hooks in on 'Mountain Fires'. The timeless vibe that pours from this track is sublime, so it's time personally to back track on last years material whilst anticipating whats soon to follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Julia P. - Oleander Dreams.

Background - Julia P's jingle jangle sixties pop songs and her clear and unique voice have brought her international fame. New single Oleander Dreams is a sticky sweet and poppy song with the trademark casual West Coast sound and it's bursting with joy.

Oleander Dreams is the third single taken from her Summer EP. The previous singles did very well,  Big Beach was even featured in the Apple US Hot Tracks and landed on various Spotify Playlists. Both singles got picked up by radio stations from the US to New Zealand. 

Julia P. Hersheimer first got noticed in 1991 with her Twin Peaks Forever cassette. Thereafter many albums, EP's and projects followed. She shared the stage with Paul Weller, toured with dEUS and Daryll-Ann amongst other bands, was featured on the internationally acclaimed Eurosonic Noorderslag showcase festival, famous Dutch festivals Crossing Border and Lowlands, and on Dutch national TV.

Accompanied by backing band The Hengles, her international sound reminisces artists like Sharon van Etten and Courtney Barnett. Oleander Dreams is released on 1 September 2017. Website here.

It was only a few weeks back that we first featured Julia P. and the new song 'Oleander Dreams' really deserves a share as well. Unpretentious pop where the melody, vibrant music and delicious vocals and harmonies are all present & deliciously blended together.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anna Coogan - The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time.

Background - US singer-songwriter and former fisheries biologist, Anna Coogan, is excited to announce her return to the UK this October, following the release of her well received new record ‘The Lonely Cry of Space & Time’ in April. The live dates include a show at London’s Sound Lounge on Thursday October 19th.The album, a virtual two-person effort which features Willie B (Brian Wilson) on drums and Moog bass, combines Coogan’s three-octave soprano vocals, electric guitar soundscapes and pointed social commentary into a fierce cohesive piece which combines the personal and the political, in a musical hybrid of rock, country, pop and classical opera into a unique whole. Her new direction was born from her series of performances in her adopted hometown of Ithaca, NY, in which Anna and Willie B created live musical accompaniments
for vintage silent films.

Influenced by her classical opera training and her father’s protest albums by Phil Ochs andBob Dylan, The Lonely Cry Of Space &Time is a stylistic breakthrough for Anna. Call it operatic rock, a genre previously explored by the likes of Kate Bush, Jane Siberry, LeneLovich, Yoko Ono and Freddie Mercury, among others; there have been many attempts at rock opera in the past, but The Lonely Cry of Space & Time is something different.

A distinct stylistic change from her previous solo work (The Nocturnal Among Us, 2010; The Wasted Ocean, 2012; and Birth of the Stars, 2014); Coogan explains her shift from the acoustic Americana of her past to the jangly, electronic buzz of the new album could be described as her “Judas moment.”  As a guitarist, think of her rubbery, pneumatic, wah-wah sound like a combination of PJ Harvey, Courtney Barnett and her personal favourites, Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot.

A true independent, Anna releases her own albums and books her own tours, which have taken her all over the world, including international festivals like the Blue Ball in Lucerne, Switzerland, Maverick in Suffolk, UK, as well as the Glasgow Americana Festival and Celtic Connections in Scotland. She has also played extensively in Germany and the Netherlands, and toured as a member of the Johnny Dowd Band. Live dates are listed on Beehive Candy's tour news page, website here.

'The Lonely Cry Of Space And Time' is the third song we have featured by Anna Coogan this year. It's another powerful rock track where her vocals once again provide emotional commitment & drive the melody, whilst the music is straight down the line rock'n'roll.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Sweetheart Revue - SPC ECO - Talullah Ruff

The Sweetheart Revue - Civilised.

Background - The Sweetheart Revue came into being when lead singer Gerard Sampaio tried to impress a woman at a party by saying he was in a band (which he wasn’t) and inviting her to see them play. Gerard had plenty of songs scribbled in notebooks at this point, but had never actually sung a single one in public. Friends were called, favours were begged, a practise was scheduled and a few days later The Sweetheart Revue took to the stage.

That was pretty much the last time The Sweetheart Revue did anything in a hurry. They’ve been working on this album, their debut, for years, too many to mention, recording songs here and there, getting distracted by day jobs, having kids, that sort of thing. Along the way, they’ve played at Celtic Connections, The Kelvingrove Bandstand and The Grand Ole Opry (the one in their hometown of Glasgow). They’ve ventured as far North as Elgin, as far south as Pollokshields, and had a song featured in a Hollywood movie.

The result of this unhurried approach, of making music purely for the love of it, is a beautiful and diverse collection of songs, rich in warmth, texture and finely-honed lyricism. The album blends indie, rock, folk and country; real delicacy, gorgeous harmonies, grit and noise. All good things to those who wait. Facebook here.

'Civilised' is a clutter free melodic song where each musical element has it place without hogging the limelight. Vocals are bright, smooth and add an extra layer of energy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPC ECO - Calm (album).

Background - SPC ECO has released their new album 'Calm', which follows their 'Under My Skin' EP, released earlier this year.

If the demise of ground-breaking duo Curve was a storm-cloud in the musical skies of the 90’s, the silver lining was that Dean Garcia went on to form SPC ECO with Rose Berlin. This a coming together of an electronic musical maverick and a vulnerable yet tender vocal style and even more endearing is the fact that this is informed by the bond of a father and daughter exploring their relationship and the world around them through music.

This bond lies at the heart of the music, and is something that goes beyond two musicians creating heartfelt sounds and becomes the language of their very souls, a conversation that is often too difficult to be encapsulated by mere words. Like many worthy conversations, Dean and Rose choose their words and make their plans carefully.

“When we started this record in early January 2017, we knew we wanted to take our time with it, no need to rush it out and go with the first ten songs we recorded, I think we made almost 3 albums worth of songs with this one so there are some cool outtakes to add or use as the album gets underway,“ says Dean Garcia. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured SPC ECO back in January with their 'Under My Skin' EP describing that collection of material as "an aural feast of quality." Now we have the new album 'Calm', which carries on from where the EP left off. Powerful and with rich layers of stunning music, the vocals are deep within the mix but not lost, rather embedded and merging with the music that swirls around them.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Talullah Ruff - What Is Honest / I Am Not.

Background - NYC-based, alt-rock singer-songwriter, Talullah Ruff, shares her debut, self-produced EP, What Is Honest. What Is Honest was self-recorded in various locations - Ruff's apartment, her friends' NYU dorm room, the studio at Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and Brooklyn DIY studio space, Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen. The EP was mastered by Grammy nominated Tom Waltz. Talullah Ruff shared her lastest single, "Anger Is An Acid," on PopCrush's #NewMusicFriday, who praised the track's "gloomy, jazzy production colors" and "emotive, full-bodied vocal."

Reflection lies at the core of Ruff's art, her lyrics acting as mirrors for what she internalizes about herself and her experiences of dejection. She seeks to create sonic worlds for her listeners, while also attempting to forge refuge and connection. With over 200 unreleased songs and 2 unpublished novels to her name, What Is Honest represents a curated collection of her works from freshman year of high school to her sophomore year in college. Blending 1970s-esque production with 1990s alt-rock songwriting and aesthetics, Ruff has built her own brand of art rock, in which she seeks to blend each eclectic side of herself. Using piano and vocals to drive forward her heart-rendering lyrics, her music suggests a nostalgic nod to her inspirations, such as Fiona Apple, Jeff Buckley and Tori Amos. 

The album artwork, drawn and painted by Ruff herself, evokes a sense of rawness and honesty. The image of a half naked women with a flower head - with no intention to instill any level of shock-value - was meant to embody the simplistic beauty of the human body and the natural forms taken for granted or warped by our own misconceptions. The red rose symbolizes the stigmas that come with womanhood and others' expectations and projections onto Ruff. EP tracks such as, "I Am Not," and title track, "What Is Honest" touch on these influences - both external and internal - that evoke negativity and anxiety, but push through the issues with intricate lyrics and brazen vocal melodies. Facebook here.

We have a couple of songs from the new EP 'What Is Honest' and 'I Am Not'. Talullah Ruff's vocals are distinct, sometimes sombre & perhaps a little mysterious, but always engaging. The music finely matches the feel of her voice, with each composition beautifully thought through and delivered in an outstanding manner.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------