Dear Willow - Klammer - Nicholas Krgovich

Dear Willow - I Was Young.

Background - Following on from the cautionary lament of Hold, Dear Willow is pleased to announce the arrival of new single I Was Young, taken from her forthcoming EP Hold Yourself Down (out September 14). Beckoning tales from the past, I Was Young explores feelings of being trapped within situations similar to that of a somewhat manic pixie dream girl character. It bares the raw truth of consequences when breaking down that bubble.

Dear Willow is the creative voice of Sunshine Coast based artist Em-J Dau. Since 2012 Dear Willow has transformed from poet to a solo acoustic act and embraced her sound through a full band. A testament to its creator's talent, Dear Willow is both Em-J's nom de plume and her persona artistica: a vessel that can change shape and direction, allowing her to truly explore her creativity.

Dear Willow's first single, Father's House (2015) introduced Em-J’s uniquely smoky voice to the big wide world, capturing a beautiful sense of yearning that is often present in her lyrics. As her song writing developed, flourishes of indie-rock and post-grunge began to infiltrate her earthy tones. Upbeat and optimistic, yet delicate and vulnerable, Dear Willow's next single When It Burns (2016) proved that Em-J's songs had translated well and realised new heights as a full-band sound. It was time to hit the studio...

Through the evolution of her band building to a four piece, the upcoming songs marry Em-J’s sophisticated lyrics and signature sound with punchy guitars and solid groove. Dear Willow introduces a further refined style, staying true to the frankness and honesty that is present throughout much of her music but emerges a confident and demanding front woman with tales to tell and is supported by her fellow creatives Callan Holstein (drums), Melinda Huurdman (lead guitar) and Dean Genge (bass). FACEBOOK.

'I Was Young' has a melodic and easy going indie rock vibe with just a hint of modern folk sensibilities along the way. It's sincere and catchy, with the refined production gives the song additional depth and feeling.

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Klammer - Spiral Girl.

Background - Post-punk quartet Klammer are releasing their new album ‘You Have Been Processed’ on vinyl, CD and digitally through Under Dogz Records. Formed by UK Producer Steve Whitfield (The Cure, The Mission, Terrorvision, Jane Weaver) in 2014, Klammer's sound does thrive in the same ballpark as these particular bands.

Not long ago, the band unveiled their video for 'Spiral Girl', the second single from the album. Earlier, the band introduced us to ‘Modern God’ - both accompanying videos were directed by Steve Dutton.

Hailing from Leeds, Klammer draws from the members' shared love for all things angular, dark, loud and melodic. Previously described as the love child of XTC and Gang Of Four, Klammer offer an enticing twist on the post-punk attitude, blending in elements of goth rock, punk rock and dark wave, all with dark pop sensibilities. Here you'll find plenty of hooks and a dark and edgy broodiness coursing through their sound.

‘You Have Been Processed’ will be the band's third album, following up 'Auslane' and 'Klammer',  both released two albums via Under Dogz Records, and their debut 7” single 'Everything Depends Upon The King'.

Championed by Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music, Klammer’s music continues to excite with their dark themes allied to catchy riffs and anthemic choruses. Klammer have been consolidating their position as one of the country’s finest live post-punk acts, consistently playing up and down the country, both as a headliner and supporting other notable artists, including The Skids, The Undertones, Richie Ramone, Penetration and The Membranes. They've also played Rebellion Festival several times, including this year, as well as The Great British Alternative festival. WEBSITE.

Whilst we are a little late in featuring the music video for 'Spiral Girl' it's still appropriate as the bands new album 'You Have Been Processed' was released just a couple of days ago. One of twelve tracks on the new album, this is a consistently solid collection of songs, the bands post punk centred music occasionally drifts into bordering areas, the energy levels are sustained throughout, without ever overpowering the listener. Klammer carve out their own distinct sound, the vocals and instruments finely tuned together, and the constant flow of musical hooks gives them plenty of edge.


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Nicholas Krgovich - Rosemary.

Background - Vancouver artist Nicholas Krgovich possesses an unswerving back catalogue of sleek ‘future-pop’ releases. His solo work has seen him collaborate with the likes of Mount Eerie, Nite Jewel, Amber Coffman (Dirty Projectors) and Dear Nora, and his wildly diverse discography shows an unmistakable and deep commitment to exploring the endless possibilities of pop. On Krgovich’s new record however, after experiencing heart-break for the first time at 35, all goes out the window. What is left is a vivid and candid account of love gone sideways and the songs that poured out, all written and recorded out of necessity before anything else. Announced last Friday, “OUCH” is released on 26th October via revered indie label Tin Angel Records.

The first single from the stunning new album, melancholy ballad Rosemary. The lyrics describe the scent of Rosemary in the air and the winter sun “beating down peversely” whilst Nicholas walks past his recent ex’s house, having a realisation of powerlessness in that moment. “Trying to handle new love with white gloves / Is as reckless and foolhardy as anything / Anything, anything new / It’s just gonna do what it’s gonna do / And decisions might be made that don’t include you.”

Talking about the new album, Krgovich explains; “I didn't mean to write songs, I just started hearing them, and I couldn't stop. I wasn't even thinking while I was doing it. The tap turned on. I'm sure that happens to a bunch of people, but that's never happened to me in this particular way before.”

He continues; “I got dumped in the spring of 2017, in a way that made the whole, brief but potent relationship all of a sudden seem like a bit of a joke.  But then some deep churning and real feelings started to happen, and life became hilariously heavy and impossible feeling.  The next morning, I remember waking myself up before my alarm sobbing and wailing.  I was in hell but was also somewhere rolling my eyes at the absurdity of how “on the nose” all this was.  I couldn’t help it.  It was also interesting having to grapple with these primal, teenager-y feelings as a person in their mid 30s!  A person that in many ways knows who they are!  A person that’s already had their Saturn Return!  All of it! 

“Thinking about it now the whole thing was a pretty damn heartening experience.  Having this recording project haphazardly happen out of necessity, constantly doing, not really thinking, spacing out, having friends pop over to sing and play and drink gin and bring their gentle wisdom while I whined about my feelings.  I felt very loved and supported during a time where I could not have been harder on myself or felt more grotesque or impossibly unlovable.  Making this album in a way was a vessel for everything, it gave shape to a life event that just felt like this big sad unanswerable blob." TWITTER.

With a simple and pleasing melody 'Rosemary' is one of those songs that quickly works it's way into your life. Whilst the subject matter might not put you in a party mood, this is no bout of "poor me" or self pity, rather a reflective and moving track that relaxes and moves the listener rather than descend into an abyss.

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Walter Lure & The Waldos - Habberdash - Haley Blais

Walter Lure & The Waldos - Damn Your Soul / Crazy Kids.

Background - Walter Lure & The Waldos present 'Damn Your Soul' aheads of releasing their new album 'Wacka Lacka Boom Bop A Loom Bam Boo'. This is the first new album in 2 1/2 decades from legendary guitarist-vocalist Walter Lure, an original member of The Heartbreakers, who spearheaded the first wave of punk rock, and also long-time collaborator with The Ramones. The Heartbreakers were also the band that supported the Sex Pistols on their 1976 Anarchy Tour just as the UK punk scene was building momentum.

"This is my first release of new songs in 25 years or so since the last Waldo’s album. That might seem like a long time but it really only feels like a few years-life seems to contract over long periods for some reason," says Walter Lure. Earlier, Walter Lure & The Waldos previewed the lead track 'Crazy Kids', which will be featured in the forthcoming full-length film 'Thunders: Room 37', dramatizing the final days of Lure’s former bandmate Johnny Thunders. Their new full-length also features other new tunes, as well as killer new versions of Heartbreakers classics 'London Boys' and 'Take A Chance On Me'.

Today Walter Lure & The Waldos is Walter Lure (guitar and vocals), along with Takanori Ichiuji (bass and vocals), Tak Nakai a.k.a. Takto (guitar and vocals), and Joe Rizzo (drums and vocals). In 1975, Walter Lure became an original member of The Heartbreakers as guitarist and vocalist, joining Johnny Thunders, Jerry Nolan (of the New York Dolls), and Richard Hell (of Television), who was later replaced by Billy Rath. Lure was playing with glam-punk band The Demons when he joined The Heartbreakers and earlier played with anarchic Bronx hard rock group Bloodbath in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.

In 1977, The Heartbreakers released their only studio album ‘L.A.M.F.’ The band’s 1977 song ‘London Boys’ is a swipe at the Sex Pistols, in response to the Pistols' song ‘New York’, which put down the New York Dolls. After The Heartbreakers' "official" breakup in 1977, the band would often reform, continuing to play the occasional gig right up until Johnny Thunders' death in 1991. The Heartbreakers final show was for the Johnny Thunders Memorial Concert. In 1994, three Heartbreakers - Walter Lure, Tony Coiro and Joey Pinter – were joined by Jeff West in releasing ‘Rent Party’, The Waldos’ debut album.

Lure worked with The Ramones on their albums 'Subterranean Jungle' (1983), 'Too Tough To Die' (1984) and 'Animal Boy' (1986), released a single with The Blessed, and also started a number of bands, including The Hurricanes and The Heroes, before ultimately founding The Waldos.  In 1997, Walter Lure also played a set of shows for the 40th anniversary of The Heartbreakers 'L.A.M.F.' album, joined by Blondie's Clem Burke, Sex Pistols’ bassist Glen Matlock and Social Distortion’s Mike Ness.

'Wacka Lacka Boom Bop A Loom Bam Boo' will be released on August 17, but it is already available for pre-order via Bandcamp on both CD and red vinyl with reverse-board jackets. On September 6, Walter Lure & The Waldos will hold their record release party at Bowery Electric in New York. FACEBOOK.

'Damn Your Soul' and 'Crazy Kids' are the first two tracks on 'Wacka Lacka Boom Bop A Loom Bam Boo' the imminent new album from Walter Lure & The Waldos which includes a further ten songs. With all the urgency of classic punk rock and the maturity of a rock and roll stalwart this pair of full on rockers are both fresh and potent. This is clearly a class act, whose natural sense of what makes a great rock song is evident from the opening riffs and an attitude that appears to make age simply  immaterial.


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Habberdash - What Do We Know.

Background - Pushing forward with the 2nd release from their 'Morning After The Madness' EP, the South Yorkshire (UK) outfit unveil their 'What Do We Know' official video single.

With their previous track 'Like A Lover' parading their ability to conjure up accessible pop-soaked alt-rock ; 'What Do We Know' ramps up the intensity with the hard-hitting modern rock leanings akin to Don Broco, Twin Atlantic and Deaf Havana. 

Confirmed for release on 25th Oct 2018, the 'Morning After The Madness' EP is a record that builds upon the bands early promise and takes their melodic impulses into much more ambitious terrains. Bringing in Treehouse Studios producer Daniel Jeffery to facilitate the bands creative process, Habberdash are soon to unearth what they hope to be an enticing introduction to a band who still have a lot more to offer.

Habberdash members Kriss Stainton (Vocals), Hayden Marshall (Bass), Ashley Houlden (Guitar) and Andrew Holland (Drums) will be launching their EP with a headline show at Diamond in Doncaster (UK) on 25th October. TWITTER.

Buzzing with energy and emotion 'What Do We Know' is a fabulous alt rocker that takes no prisoners, as the aural assault cracks on from the very first moments. The band are infused with commitment and yet allow room for some vital hooks that give the song some notable edge.


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Haley Blais - Seventeen.

Background from Haley Blais - My sometimes self-deprecating, yet always self-loving relatability earned me a pretty massive online following where I racked in millions of views on my YouTube channel. Kicking off my musical career as a solo folk artist in 2016, I was pulled offline and into the real world with the release of my Late Bloomer EP, and a successful tour.

“Seventeen,” the new single off my Let Yourself Go EP, is an homage to my painfully average adolescence. Everyone goes through different phases growing up, trying to figure themselves out, and mine could easily be categorised as boring. 

I was lazy and dull with awful taste in music. Now, I’m in a band with my friends touring the country, playing the music that I love – as a job! That’s the opposite of boring to me. The video for “Seventeen” encapsulates how I’m exactly where I’ve always wanted to be. WEBSITE.

The video has that road trip imagery that never ceases to gain my attention and makes a perfect companion for 'Seventeen' a gently melodic indie rock meets pop type of song. There is a level of feel good vibes that are amplified by the film and yet an element of reflection makes it's way to the surface.


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Healyum - Shapes On Tape - John Mohead

Healyum - Cheap Alcohol.

Background - Newcomers Healyum have delivered on early promise with new single ‘Cheap Alcohol’.  Previous singles ‘Lies’, ‘Three Months’ and ‘Fools Eyes’ have been supported by Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing, and Radio X (where all three have appeared on the evening playlist). 

‘Cheap Alcohol’ will join those earlier singles on the bands debut ‘Join The Party EP’ (released on July 27th).  Combining London Grammar-like minimalism with a shimmering, pop-tronica edge inspired by Lorde, they’ve received glowing reviews.  The music has also found it’s way onto various BBC Drama & Channel 4 TV shows, and they won the ‘Breakout Artist Award’ at the NMG Awards last year. The band’s BBC Introducing support led to them being filmed live in-session and they recently played alongside fellow Bedford-boy Tom Grennan as well as Fickle Friends and Circa Waves.

Singer-songwriter Jeaná Healy explains that if she threw a party, ‘Cheap Alcohol’ would be the soundtrack. Video director Sam Kinsella said he “wanted to capture the essence of a small London house party and some of the city's unique residential areas. 

Obviously we weren't reliant on any kind of big production or location budget but it was important for that realness to translate as well... which essentially led to the guys getting really drunk on a Tuesday night and we managed to capture the night as it unfolded!” ‘Cheap Alcohol’ and the ‘Join The Party EP’ was produced and mixed by band collaborator Kristofer Harris (Belle & Sebastian, Ghostpoet, Indoor Pets). FACEBOOK. 

The comparisons with Lorde and London Grammar make sense but don't let that take anything away from Healyum, 'Cheap Alcohol' is a first class song, that stands on it's own merit. Atmospheric and soulful modern indie pop, the lyrics cut to the chase, and the bands desire to capture a small London house party (it's been a good while since I have been to one of those) comes through very well with the video imagery.


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Shapes On Tape - So Much.

Background - Shapes on Tape returns with the rugged bubble gum of "So Much." With this vintage track, S on T brought it all back in house. For the first time since their classic, "Personal Enemy #1," Shapes has released a jam that was entirely written and produced by the band.

When it's Shapes on Tape, you know it's all about the hooks. Written in a evening at their rehearsal studio, the song opens with dueling hooks that combine to be more than the sum of their parts. Adam lays down an earworm of a synth line that intertwines Jason's instantly catchy guitar riff. Then Jason's unique vocals deliver an impassioned ode to his pup, Lucinda, until Adam brings all back home on the bridge.

Shapes on Tape is a Brooklyn-based Brew-Wave/Ultrapop group whose infectious hook-laden three-minute bangers represent a new era where loud guitars and synthesizers can coexist and even party together. A band that once made L Magazine implore U2 to "move over and let Shapes on Tape seize the thrown(sic)," Shapes on Tape asks the question, "What if Walter Mondale had won?"

Genre-hopping producer/multi-instrumentalist/90s groovebox enthusiast Adam Kruckenberg, formerly of Midwest glam legend Vibralux, and guitarist/poet Jason Matuskiewicz, a veteran of beloved Lexington, KY band Candidate, began collaborating in 2014, but they didn't complete their sound, best described as a sonic assault of feels, until they expanded S on T to include drum savant and overall swell guy Justin Heaverin of Noisebody and The Silver Tongues.

Matuskiewicz’s lyrics and straightforward style walk the line between high and low concept with an abrupt 3-chord frankness that never takes itself seriously, while Kruckenberg’s powerful vocals and synthetic re-imaginings take the songs to epic proportions. Combined with Heaverin's unstoppable groove, you could be forgiven for wondering when The Boss had time to do a secret collaboration with Erasure. With the help of Grammy-nominated producer and Hedwig alum Justin Craig, SoT's forthcoming album Legends in The Process is sure to be a supersonic, beer-fueled dreamscape littered with the carcasses of waves and cores. WEBSITE.

We featured Shapes On Tape a couple of times back in 2016 and then they disappeared off our radar until now. 'So Much' mixes gloriously unique vocals against a rich synth laden backdrop. Full of hooks (something this band seem to deliver consistently) this is a fabulous song with character, energy and style.

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John Mohead - Son Of The South.

Background - The name alone evokes soul. And the person behind the name does as well. John Mohead is a veteran of the music scene. A story teller that can jam. He has toured with Bob Dylan, the Allman Brothers and Little Feat.  On the folk side, he has worked with Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Shakey Graves just to name a few.

Starting his carreer  as a Nashville staff writer, landing a record deal distributed by Rounder Records, touring the world but never losing his Mississippi roots. His duck and punch vocal style is very reminiscent of Van Morrison or Lowel George. Country soul is what they call it in Muscle Shoals. He takes the William Faulkner approach and writes what he knows.  This sound comes from the Mississippi. Not the mud, but the water. The blues had another baby and called it Americana from Mohead.

When John Mohead released his debut album Lula City Limits on the Rounder Records subsidiary label Okra Tone, All Music wrote: John Mohead's debut record establishes the singer/songwriter as a contemporary heir to the Delta blues. Updating traditional Mississippi blues with Southern rock and country influences, Mohead makes some intriguing music and he's a promising songwriter, as demonstrated by the overall consistency of the record.

2018 sees the release of a new full grown album with a title that really says it all, Mohead is a true “Son Of The South”.  His rootsy, Delta blues-rock tunes go down like good bourbon on a summer night. His slide work dances like moths around a porch light and his original songs take the listener to a beloved, homey place.

Mohead’s music is deeply rooted in Mississippi where he makes his home. It is imbued with the inevitable influences of the blues masters who seem to sprout from the Delta as if planted by some unseen hand. A hand that loves the blues. Mohead is a homeboy, rich in Southern charm with a natural storytelling gift. He plays with passion and respect for the masters who came before him, carrying the torch with pride and purpose. WEBSITE.

Featuring the title track from the new album 'Son Of The South' this collection of music really should appeal to a wide range of music lovers. The vocal comparisons with Van Morrison are down to nature rather than any attempt to copy the man, and the musical arrangements take us on a grand tour of Americana at it's finest and all it's connotations. Let the player below continue and you will hear three more tracks from the forthcoming album, in my opinion this is a very special one.

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Tomberlin - Caezar

Tomberlin - Any Other Way.

Background - Tomberlin, the rising Louisville, KY-based artist, has released a video for "Any Other Way," the opener from her anticipated Saddle Creek debut album, At Weddings. On her deeply moving debut album At Weddings, Sarah Beth Tomberlin writes with the clarity and wisdom of an artist well beyond her years. Immeasurable space circulates within the album's ten songs, which set Tomberlin's searching voice against lush backdrops of piano and guitar. Like Julien Baker and Sufjan Stevens, she has a knack for transforming the personal into parable. Like Grouper, she has a feel for the transcendent within the ordinary.

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, and now based in Louisville, Kentucky, Tomberlin wrote most of At Weddings while living with her family in southern Illinois during her late teens and early twenties. At 16, she finished her homeschooling curriculum and went to college at a private Christian school she describes, only half-jokingly, as a "cult." By 17, she had dropped out of school, returned home, and begun to face a period of difficult transition in her life. The daughter of a Baptist pastor, Tomberlin found herself questioning not only her faith, but her identity, her purpose, and her place in the world.

"I was working, going to school, and experiencing heavy isolation," Tomberlin says of the time when she first began writing the songs on At Weddings. "It felt monotonous, like endless nothingness. It was a means to get through to the next step of life." In songwriting, Tomberlin found relief and lucidity she had trouble articulating otherwise. When she was 19, she wrote "Tornado" on her parents' piano, and began to develop confidence in her music. A year later, she had written enough songs to fill an album.

Throughout At Weddings, Tomberlin's lyrics yearn for stability and belonging, a near-universal desire among young people learning to define themselves on their own terms for the first time. "I am a tornado with big green eyes and a heartbeat," she sings on "Tornado," her voice stretching to the top of her range. Rich, idiosyncratic imagery - a fly killed with a self-help book, brown paper bags slashed violently open, clouds that weep over a lost love - sidle up to profound realizations about learning to be alive in this world. "To be a woman is to be in pain," Tomberlin notes on "I'm Not Scared." On "A Video Game," she muses, "I wish I was a hero with something beautiful to say."

At Weddings is laden with reverence for music itself, for the power it has to heal others and help people navigate their lives. It is a record about learning to love oneself and others without reservation, from a place of deep sincerity - a lifelong challenge whose tribulations Tomberlin articulates beautifully. "My number one goal with my music is for honesty and transparency that helps other people find ways to exist," she says. With At Weddings, this remarkable young songwriter offers up comfort and wonder in equal measure. WEBSITE.

Back in June we featured 'Seventeen' describing the song as "a seriously good singer, songwriter track, with gorgeous vocals and a beautifully crafted musical arrangement that adds even more emotion." Now we have a new video for 'Any Other Way' the opening song on 'At Weddings', a beautiful album, as is further evidenced by this adorable piece. If either of these songs have grabbed your attention, I would suggest that making a little time to explore the remaining material, will be both rewarding and delight you even more.


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Caezar - Hold On.

Background - UK natives Caezar have announced their much-anticipated debut EP ‘Hail!’ and have just shared their exciting new single with the world, titled ‘Hold On’. The group will be making their release through RG Records and have had the pleasure of having Justin Broad on board as the producer for this latest project, who has produced for names such as Jessie J, Emeli Sandé, Izzy Bizu and Corinne Bailey Rae. ‘Hail!’ also boasts mastering by formidable mastering engineer Stuart Hawkes, who’s work on artists such as Amy Winehouse, Clean Bandit, Rudimental and has been indispensable to pop music the world over. Playing alongside giant names such as Hozier, James Bay and Jack Garrett, Caezar can really hold their own in the scene and have had the pleasure of playing at the award-winning independent Barn on the Farm Festival as well as being featured on the acclaimed radio platform BBC Music Introducing, who have discovered many exceptional UK artists in the pop-rock genre such as Declan McKenna and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

Hailing from the unassuming town of Cheltenham, the two founding members of Caezar, Chris Quiqley and Rich Gills decided to take their passion for music to the next level when the pair found themselves both suffering from sports injuries that meant they would no longer be able to play rugby for their local club. It was under the lights of the rugby pitch where the two ex-players decided that they would take their previously hidden musical talents to the stage. When Zoe joined the band in 2017, the trio really found their niche. Her soft synths and sweet-as-honey backing vocals helped build on the unique crossover of pop, indie and rock elements that make up the band’s special sound.

Caezar’s single ‘Hold On’ starts off with an infectious guitar lick that sets the mood of the song - pensive but upbeat. When Chris Quigley’s vocals enter the mix, it’s easy to hear that the group can be likened to modern pop-rock heroes Imagine Dragons and Bastille. The band’s mix of skillfully-played live instruments and expertly produced electronic beats coupled with strong, melodic lead vocals creates an impressively versatile sound. While there is a clear thoughtfulness in the lyricism and delivery of ‘Hold On’, the track still manages to create an uplifting, anthemic mood, with a dash of funk thrown in, much like the work of Will Heard. The track is one that’ll touch the listener on an emotional level while still making sure that the dance floor is packed with bodies moving to the crisp, fun beats.

The band explained that, “Just because you love someone, doesn't mean it's right. ‘Hold On’ was written out of the conflicted feelings of breaking up with someone who you still love. The track was one of the first songs the band wrote, and has since come to life after years of performing the track at festivals and finally in the studio with Justin Broad.” WEBSITE.

A sophisticated yet understated guitar opening on 'Hold On' is quickly joined by some addictive and captivating vocals and background harmonies. The song is undoubtedly cool and slick, what makes it stand out is the soulful delivery and the seemingly suppressed emotion within the vocals.

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Jen Awad - Hey Harriett - John Hiatt

Jen Awad - Break A Man.

Background - Grab the nearest fire extinguisher cos Jen Awad is about to set your wig alight. This half Egyptian, half Peruvian powerhouse delivers the kneecap melting soul and sass of Etta James combined with an in-your-face swagger reminiscent of Tina Turner. Self taught on vocals, piano, guitar and bass, Jen also pens the lyrics to all of her material.
  
Jen's ability to deliver cherubic, velvety vocals that effortlessly transition into the radical rumble of a runaway 18 wheeler doing 90 mph on an open highway is a feat in itself to witness live. Backed by an eight member band with a horn section, Jen Awad packs a combination punch that will leave your core ringing in the most delectable manner imaginable. Recently Jen Awad has been selected to play the Broke L.A. Festival, being 1 of 50 acts chosen out of 700 contenders. She has consistently filled her local L.A. venues to maximum capacity and is steadily gaining ground as a widely respected act in the L.A. music scene. 
  
When Jen is not writing and performing her music, she is designing for her self-titled label Jen Awad, as well as the urban men's line also out of Los Angeles called "900". It is not a rare sight to behold her 8 piece band donning metallic bomber jackets Jen designed from the "900" label. A few other clients who wear Jen Awad's fashions are: Kali Uchis, Bebe Rexha, Keyshia Cole, Madame Ghandi, Ivy LevIn, Daya, India Love, Christina Milian, Ashanti, Chanel West Coast, and Crystal Westbrooks. 
  
Jen Awad comments - "Break a Man was originally written about the fragility of men. I like to leave it up to interpretation of the listener and however they identify with the song. The origin of break a man was inspired by an article i read in esquire magazine title "100 ways to build a man". Reading the heartfelt article about men sharing their stories about their dads and those defining moments of what built them to be great men brought me to tears. Having been around so many damaged men i realized it took almost nothing to break a man. the song than progresses and discusses how sometimes a woman has to do what she has to do in order to break out of a toxic relationship even if it means hurting someone to set them selves free. its never the intent to destroy someone going in to a relationship..it just happens" - TWITTER.

With a deep breath or a sigh (I haven't quite figure out which yet) 'Break A Man' rapidly builds into a gorgeous and vital song. The passion simmers and then boils over into a classic full bodied soul masterpiece, the band and backing singers are majestic, and any fragile men had better watch out!


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Hey Harriett - Too Fast Too Soon.

Background - Forming in 2017, Hey Harriett is an indie/surf/rock band that has made leaps and bounds in the Adelaide music scene. To the outsider it may seem that Hey Harriett appeared out of nowhere but those closer to the project know that this has been a long time coming for front woman and singer/songwriter Georgy Rochow. Too Fast Too Soon is their latest single. Taking the heartache and uncertainty of young love and wrapping it in indie goodness, Too Fast Too Soon is soaked in positivity and one to get you on the dance floor. 

Hey Harriett released their debut single Old Parts in November 2017, just months after they formed, proving the hardworking passionate nature of this band family. Launching the single backyard gig style, saw a humble garden in Bowden full of happy faces dancing in moonlight, drunk off a full day line up of local music.

Following the release of Old Parts, Hey Harriett have been gigging non stop. Winning over audiences in Adelaide and Melbourne this band pulls on your heartstrings whilst getting your body moving to the music. The best way to describe this band is; soaked in positivity, a band full of believers and big thinkers. Hitting the road this year for a few sneaky interstate shows, Hey Harriett is spreading their positive vibe wherever they go. Aspiring towards bigger stages in 2019, this band sits solidly in the indie rock scene.

With budding sound engineers making up the band, they are tackling recording themselves. Self producing, recording and mixing takes a little extra time but the result is a recording that is 100% Hey Harriett from start to finish. With no limits for Hey Harriett, their latest single will be launched in Willunga as Georgy turns another property into a mini festival only this time think open fires, camping village, vintage clothes, and local food and beverages. Proving herself as a band leader and event manager, this band is getting a name for their backyard bonanzas.

Rising through the ranks, Hey Harriett is quickly becoming the word on the town. Led by a fierce woman with her eye on the prize, this band pumps out indie bangers quicker than you can say San Cisco. Less than a year in from their first release, it’s going to be an exciting, wild ride with these folk. FACEBOOK.

'Too Fast Too Soon' is a vibrant indie song that keeps things simple, allowing the upbeat melodic vocals and delightfully tight music to quickly work there way under your skin.

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John Hiatt - Cry To Me.

Background - John Hiatt is set to return with The Eclipse Sessions on October 12th, 2018 via New West Records. The 11-track set is the Grammy nominated legend’s first new album in four years. It was produced by Kevin McKendree (Delbert McClinton) and features Hiatt’s longtime drummer Kenneth Blevins and bassist Patrick O’Hearn, as well as Yates McKendree (Kevin’s then 16-year old wunderkind son, who also engineered). Hiatt places The Eclipse Sessions in a lineage alongside two of his greatest works -- 1987’s mainstream breakthrough Bring the Family, which sprung from an impulsive four-day session with an all-star combo led by Ry Cooder, and 2000’s Crossing Muddy Waters, an unplanned and largely unplugged effort that garnered a Grammy Award nomination and also set Hiatt on the rootsier path he’s still pursuing today. “The three albums are very connected in my mind,” Hiatt says. “They all have a vibe to them that was unexpected. I didn’t know where I was going when I started out on any of them. And each one wound up being a pleasant surprise.”

Since the release of Hiatt’s 1974 debut, Hangin’ Around the Observatory, rarely has more than a year or two passed without a new collection hitting the shelves. But after wrapping up a year of touring in support of 2014’s Terms of My Surrender -- the singer-songwriter’s 22nd studio effort overall -- he found himself, for the first time in a long time, unsure of what would come next. “I’ve been lost before,” Hiatt says. “Although usually I have some sort of notion or clue where to go. But this time? I had no sense whatsoever.” He continues, “I wanted to spend more time with my family (which includes his critically acclaimed singer-songwriter daughter Lilly). I was aging, with all that entails or doesn’t entail. Stuff was just happening.”

During this period of transition Hiatt did compose a new song that closes The Eclipse Sessions - a dusty, road-worn meditation titled “Robber’s Highway” with the ominously prophetic lyrics “I had words, chords and strings / now I don’t have any of these things.”  Hiatt explains, “I was just thinking in terms of somebody who’s out there hammerin’ away with his music, wondering what it’s all coming to.  And maybe the songs just aren’t there anymore…” Fast-forward a few years, however, and it’s clear the songs are still very much there as the 11 tracks presented here demonstrate that the singer-songwriter, now 66-years-old, is only getting better with age, his guitar playing more rugged and rootsy, his words wiser and more wry. 

True to its title, Hiatt and his band were hard at work on August 21st, 2017 when a solar eclipse traveled the length of the continental U.S. “I think we recorded three songs that day, and then we took a break to go outside and watch everything happen,” Hiatt says.  What he observed amongst his fellow Nashvillians during that moment of totality -- his city was one of a few spots in the U.S. to be plunged into near complete darkness -- did give him pause. “It seemed everything stopped for a minute or two,” he says. “It was like a magical little bit of time, a harmonic convergence or something. Like everybody was on the same page.” NEW WEST RECORDS.

I am always pleased to feature new music from an artist or band that are older than me (something that is becoming increasingly more of a challenge). Anyhow 'Cry To Me' sees John Hiatt demonstrating that he is not without fresh new musical ideas, and with years of experience and a fine gathering of musicians, his music remains engaging, honest and lovable.


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