Dead Naked Hippies - Hero Fisher - Linda Em

Dead Naked Hippies - Rare.

Background - With an angular opening riff that batters its way into your head and stays rattling around in there all day, Rare is the ferocious new offering from Leeds art-rock trio Dead Naked Hippies. Don't be fooled by the initial ferocity, Rare serves to empower others and front woman Lucy Jowett is not holding back:

“It is a song about self love. I think we're quick to judge the term & deem it laughable or irrelevant in fear of being arrogant, or weird. But if you take a hard look at the society we live in, it's clear to see why so many people struggle to feel content in their own minds and their own bodies. I've always struggled with myself and it sickens me to think that so many other people feel the same. It needs to change.”

Expanding more on the band’s mission, and where latest release Rare fits in – Lucy says: “We're used by advertising companies, so they can make money out of our discontentment. Bombarded with images of fake realities, only to make us feel like ours isn't enough. We're made to feel like our creativity and passion will never be as important as serving a functional purpose in society. It's dull, boring and I'm ..king mad about it. Most importantly, I want people to know that they're not alone.”

By creating a vehicle, alongside band mates Joe Clarke (guitar) and Jacob Marston (drums), through which Lucy can express and tackle her own internal issues, Dead Naked Hippies offer a space for others to do the same. Rare is a cathartic rallying call in the form of pounding drums, guttural guitars and righteous vocals. TWITTER.

Following on from the song 'Guillotine' which was our first taste of Dead Naked Hippies back in June we now have the chunky and somewhat rambunctious follow up track 'Rare'. A loud alt rocker that takes no prisoners, it's hard to ignore and easy to embrace.

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Hero Fisher - If I Die and Nothing Happens - (Warning - Flash Video).

Background - With it’s heavy dub bass and raw distorted vocals, the sound of ‘If I Die And Nothing Happens’ belies Hero’s playful lyricism. The dark spectral soundscape she builds evokes a deep volcanic winter as her ambient instrumentation facilitates the telling of a fundamentally human story. Hero’s lyrical quest for light also serves as an affirmation of life, and a recognition of the beauty around us. Moreover, it showcases Hero’s unique dynamism as a songwriter.

There are light moments within the dark, as in her canny layered vocals and the sublime motorik outro. The glacial production style shines with the same vitality that Hero has carried through all her work. Ultimately, ’If I Die And Nothing Happens’ is a heady reminder of the heights of alternative music and its limitless potential to tell new stories and explore new ideas. Hero’s influences are vast, but she distils them into a sound that feels both effortless and rare.

British-born, French-raised and London-based, Hero Fisher (yes, that’s her real name) is returning to release her sophomore LP Glue Moon. Hero’s career has so far seen her collaborate with Alison Mosshart and Boy George in the Mark Ronson-scored ballet Carbon Life, open for The Rolling Stones and Neil Young at Hyde Park, and get shortlisted for the 2014 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Prize. In 2015 she released her debut album, the critically-appraised Delivery which won her fans in The Horrors and Blur.

By turns a blistering rock and roller in the vein of Patti Smith and PJ Harvey, and an experimental folk storyteller à la Jeff Buckley, Hero Fisher resists easy generic categorisation with her protean and cinematic musical storytelling. Able to expertly strike a variety of different narrative poses, she is at once the spurned lover and the fired-up rabble rouser, predator and prey. With Glue Moon previous singles ‘Sylvie’, ‘Push The Boat Out’, ‘I Let Love’ and ‘Lonely’ Hero’s lyrical imagination proved unique and bountiful. ‘If I Die And Nothing Happens’ takes her sound into unchartered territory. It’s a testament to her resplendent artistry, and a display of her limitless potential to find new sonic avenues. WEBSITE. 

'If I Die and Nothing Happens' is our fourth feature for Hero Fisher who continues to impress with her imaginative and intriguing music. There are some clever melodic hooks that contrast well with the dub bass and ambient backdrop, and Hero Fisher's vocals once again are just so engaging, that it leaves me simply wanting to hear more.


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Linda Em - Two Hands.

Background - London-based Irish-born songstress Linda Em presents her new single 'Two Hands' ahead of her ‘London Irish’ EP, to be released on September 21 via Talking Elephant Records. This new single comes on the trail of her blazing ‘Wild Fire’, a sultry earworm of an EP teaser.

This EP is the first step in a different direction for Linda, towards a more atmospheric and spacious sound and vocal performance. It is both poetic and storytelling while still being brutally honest and personal. Her pure and raw vocals beautifully convey a nostalgic lyrical narrative, her warm endearing vocals drawing the listener into her musical story telling.

The ‘London Irish’ EP was recorded, produced and mastered at Orphan Recording, Dublin by Gavin Glass (Paul Brady, John Grant, Lisa Hannigan, Mundy), who is also music director for John Carney's film ‘Sing Street’). It was mixed by Scott Halliday (John Grant, Lisa Hannigan and previously guitar tech for Prince and James Vincent Mcmorrow). 

‘Two Hands’ is about seeking a safe, quiet space in which to gather strength when the trials of your everyday life feel overwhelming. Linda Em co-wrote this song with Ian Montague.

“There was a particular point in my life where I felt very alone just been kicked out of college and my mum and brother were both in hospital. I was the main caregiver. I went into the church at the end of the road and sat asking for something (I didn’t know what). You light a candle and expect god to be at the end of the bed that very night. I used to search for churches in-between the madness” is me reflecting on those moments. When we cannot fix something, we always try to go to a higher place for help and as a young person whose family was not “normal”, I looked for that more often,” says Linda Em.

“As we grow and work on self, we realise that the higher powers we are seeking are not some greater godlike figure but something within ourselves, even if it’s just simple acceptance. That’s why the end of the song refers to that “bitter sweet surrender” of letting go and letting go of ego “humiliate me slowly” of being willingly open to vulnerability and letting go of pride. And also of being reborn spiritually “open me unholy again and again“, each able to become our own superhero.” WEBSITE.

We featured 'Wild Fire' back in the middle of July and the second single from the 'London Irish' E.P. due later this month is 'Two Hands'. It's another gorgeous modern folk song where Linda Em's vocals are so full of emotion and personal feeling. The musical arrangement is sublime giving even more passion to this truly beautiful song.

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Tom Auton - Shane Guerrette - Stonefield

Tom Auton - Stay.

Background - Self taught musician, Tom Auton will be releasing his highly anticipated EP Big Little Glass Bowl on September 14th.

“I spent months hitting my head against the wall. How on earth do you build a colossal fanbase overnight?! Then I realised; it’s useless being a ‘small fish in a big pond’, I need to be a ‘BIG fish in a SMALL pond’. I’m wasting time splashing about, trying to be heard from every single person on the planet, It’s my hometown I need to pour myself back into. A crowd draws a crowd. It’s this new mindset that inspired me to plunge back into Cardiff, put on my first headline show which subsequently sold out at 150 capacity.

Big Little Glass Bowl is for not only my pond, but all the other musicians who are trying to be a small fish.” - Tom Auton.

Influenced by Royal Blood and John Mayer, the singer-songwriter has already made his mark, breaking the top 8 in Fender’s Undiscovered Artist of the Year Award, showcasing himself to an audience of over 5 million. Tom also achieved first place at both Open Mic UK and Future Music Songwriting competition. After supporting the likes of Jack Savoretti and touring with Galaxies Collide, Tom has been highly supported by BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Kent and Radio Cardiff. WEBSITE.

My first impression of 'Stay' is that it exudes confidence, something that comes through with both the distinct vocals and sturdy musical arrangement. There's a little bit of soulfulness, even something of a blues vibe here and there, but it's the whole thing, lyrics, performance and even the flowing video that connect beautifully, it's no wonder Tom Auton is gaining attention on a local level, further afield now beckons.


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Shane Guerrette - Nomadic Soul.

Background - A fresh 21 year old singer/songwriter with big dreams and an ever-expanding fan base, artist Shane Guerrette's future as a performer looks quite promising. 

Drawing influences from the blues/rock genres, Shane is reinventing these sounds into a style uniquely his own.

A blues/rock influenced singer/songwriter based out of New York, has amassing millions of Youtube plays, & gaining nearly 100k subscribers on the platform. 

Shane Guerrette will be releasing his debut self-titled EP, Shane Guerrette, - produced by Bob Cutarella (Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Beck) - on September 7th.

The first single, Nomadic Soul has now been shared. WEBSITE.

'Nomadic Soul' gently opens with some gorgeous acoustic guitar playing before the layers of blues rock are added. Vocals are rich and full of experience and feeling that belies Shane's age, his guitar work in sublime, collectively this all helps to explain how the listening statistics are all stacking up.


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Stonefield - Through The Storm.

Background - Australian psych band Stonefield -- who released their third LP earlier this year via King Gizzard's Flightless Records -- has announced a North American tour, kicking off on September 20th. It includes a performance at Desert Daze in October, stops at Toronto's Night Owl Fest & Mexico City's Hipnosis Festival, and a 7" release show at NYC's Baby's All Right.

This week, the band shares a video for their song "Through The Storm," which appears on both their latest full-length, Far From Earth, and a new 7" coming out this fall on Greenway Records. The video features footage from Stonefield's previous LA residency at the Bootleg Theater.

Made up of sisters Amy, Hannah, Sarah, and Holly Findlay, Stonefield's sound pays homage to the prog, metal, and psych powerhouses of the '70s while remaining uniquely their own. Their latest album was produced by Stephen McBean (Black Mountain) and features Rob Campanella (Brian Jonestown Massacre) and Gregg Forman (Cat Power.) FACEBOOK.

 Stonefield on Tour:
** with Frankie and the Witch Fingers
9/20 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Griffin**
9/21 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room**
9/22 - Denver, CO @ The Hi-Dive**
9/23 - Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge**
9/24 - Davenport, IA @ The Raccoon Motel**
9/25 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen**
9/26 - Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Bar**
9/27 - Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx**
9/28 - Toronto, ON @ Night Owl Fest**
9/29 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right (Greenway 7” release show)**
9/30 - Winooski, VT @ The Monkey House
10/2 - New York, NY @ Berlin
10/3 - New York, NY @ Berlin
10/6 - Mexico City, Mexico @ Hipnosis Festival
10/10- Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon
10/12-10/14 - Moreno Beach, Lake Perris, CA @ Desert Daze
11/10 - Tijuana, Mexico @ Marko Disko (w/ King Gizzard)

At the end of last year we featured 'Delusion from Stonefield describing that song as a "full on rock & roll song oozing power and passion." Now we have 'Through The Storm' a track that pretty much explains that this is something this potent rock outfit are good at. The concert footage within the video simply ups the desire to see them perform live!


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Foxhole - Vaureen

Foxhole - After The Walk.

Background - “After the Walk” is the soaring second single that Foxhole is sharing ahead of the release of Well Kept Thing, the post-rock band’s first new album since 2006’s Push/Pull EP. Written under one of the live oaks that pepper Austin, TX, album opener “After the Walk” (which was mixed by the Grammy-winner Stephen Roessner and mastered by Bob Weston from Shellac) is an attempt to bring joy and elation to post-rock, a genre not exactly known for its bright side. A close listen reveals coins dropping to the floor as the song empties out, as well as a misplaced chuckle in a guitar mic at the break. It’s a celebration of friendship — the sort of excitement that comes not from swelling cymbals and cinematic guitars, but from being in the same room as old friends, who remember parts of you that you’d nearly forgotten.

Written across 12 years, five states and three countries, Well Kept Thing is a sonic autobiography, telling the story of a band growing up and journeying apart, while fighting against distance and the demands of adulthood to preserve their friendship. It's the culmination of more than a decade of writing, recording, revising and waiting. As members started new careers (as a coffee shop owner, a farmer and commercial fisherman, a creative director, an admission to MIT’s Media Lab), married, had children and continued their nomadic tendencies, with members living around the globe, each change brought a new perspective on a growing repository of ideas.

Slowly, a new writing process emerged, and with it, a new aesthetic. Emails and MP3’s were exchanged with scraps of ideas captured on phones and laptops. As those scraps became songs, they graduated to a server where a version control system tracked every change — syncing them to all five members and bridging disparate locations, time zones and work schedules. It was a rhythm that a different band might have found frustratingly slow, but played to the strengths of a group committed as much to each other as their music. Blistering drums, masterful melodic interplay, dynamic composition and a distinct smattering of brass — these are the defining qualities of Foxhole, a post-rock group of limited output but surprising longevity. And on their third proper album Well Kept Thing, the band builds on their diverse foundation to deliver a (mostly) instrumental album for the ages. WEBSITE.  

The first of eleven tracks on next months album release 'Well Kept Thing' is 'After The Walk'. Foxhole might base themselves on mainly instrumental pieces however there is nothing lacking on this album. As the featured second single demonstrates, the bands ability to develop melodic and epic music focused around a post rock core is something they do with flourishing style. Sometimes it's the momentum and sheer power that stands out, then again it might be the more sensitive and pristine moments that grab you. What is certain is that the level of imagination and musical diversity ensures that with this collection of songs, there is never a dull moment.

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Vaureen - Stare Into The Sun.

Background - Brooklyn trio Vaureen share their new single 'Stare Into The Sun' and announce the new album 'Extraterra' due out 26th October via Rising Pulse Records. Formed in 2011 in Brooklyn, New York, three-piece Vaureen are anything but straight-forward. Combining the off-kilter fuzz of mid-90’s grunge aligned against abreactive passages of noise, left-of-centre shoegaze and the bleak doom of psych-infused stoner rock, Vaureen create a brooding, nihilistic sound, steeped in a raw energy and honesty that could shake even the most apathetic listener. With an acclaimed EP behind them along with a number of US live dates under their belt, the band are now set to release their debut album ‘Extraterra’.

Vaureen’s forthcoming album exhibits their unique brand of ethereal yet intensely foreboding alt-rock, which could be equated to the sound of early-The Breeders meets Fugazi meets Chelsea Wolfe meets The Sword. Tracks such as ‘Stare Into The Sun’ showcase vocalist Andrea Horne’s sonorous and dynamic vocals while stripped back instrumentation seamlessly transforms into atmospheric shoegaze infused post-rock, driven forward by a powerful rhythm section. The entire album is flooded with progressive moments like this with songs evolving at every opportunity. You’d be forgiven for thinking the band might have some affiliation with Sargent House, but despite having these moments of beguiling familiarity their music remains entirely distinctive. Elsewhere, you can hear a much heavier set of influences such as on ‘Forms Beyond My Own’, where fuzz laced guitars descend into doom-inspired riffs, becoming more caustic, whilst also hinting at their more experimental influences.

Recorded by long-time friend and esteemed producer Aaron Bastinelli (Fun Sound Studio), ‘Extraterra’ sees Vaureen release their most dynamic and consummate material to date. Speaking about the album, Andrea Horne (vocals/guitar) says, “I came to music from an art background and I have a form of synesthesia. For me the album is highly visual. The title comes from my personal interest in spaces beyond direct perception, both within and without… like Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot and Charles & Ray Eames’ Powers Of Ten.”

Debut albums boasting the dexterity of ‘Extraterra’ are extremely rare. Vaureen refuse strict categorisation and in doing so have produced an incredibly textured record, which is all at once dark, pensive, expansive and airy, and will appeal to many both on and beneath the surface. WEBSITE.

'Stare Into The Sun' is dramatic and powerful to start with, it then proceeds to build with potency and intensity to a thunderous finale. A genre shifting rocker that is hard to pigeonhole, Vaureen have something very addictive going on here, I sense that the awaited album might pack some formidable material.

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Mars Motel - Telefones

Mars Motel - Green (The Eclipse Sessions - Live).

Background - Mars Motel is a dream-rock band from Brooklyn, NY presenting an explosive and immersive sound which originates from melodic elements of 1990’s Brit-Pop as well as the raw, driving rhythms of the early 2000’s NYC rock scene.

Well before the official name and creation of Mars Motel, the music began as a series of psychedelic, Brit-Pop-inspired bedroom demos written by singer/guitarist Sarik Kumar during his last year of high school. For almost 10 years, the demos were left on an old computer and almost forgotten until the summer of 2016, when Kumar rediscovered them while visiting his childhood home on Long Island.

After a couple of successful singles being released in the last two years since Mars Motel was formed, including “Green” and “Living in the Moment”, The Eclipse Sessions live EP was released in late July of this year.

Recorded on August 21, 2017 at Mission Sound during the first solar eclipse the contiguous United States saw in 38 years, and released during yet another eclipse this year, the EP features three live tracks from Mars Motel’s first wave of singles, “The Enemy”, “Green”, and “It’s Here Tonight”, as well as two unreleased B -sides (“Hit The Floor” and “City Streets”). FACEBOOK. 

The Eclipse Session live version of 'Green' exudes calmness, quality and charm. The bands dream rock is confidently delivered, the musicianship is totally engaging and the melodic hooks do the rest.   


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Telefones - Castle Factory.

Background - Nashville-based, post-punk band Telefones share their new single, "Castle Factory," the A-Side off their forthcoming 7-inch. Telefones' Castle Factory/Vitamins 7" is due out 9/21 on Banana Tapes & Cold Lunch Recordings.

The 7-inch release is an experiment on the wide spectrum of the punk genre. A-Side, "Castle Factory" adopts more conventional pop/rock ideas, inspired by The Stooges' early work. The track pays homage to the proto-punk era, subverting traditional blues rock sensibilities with distorted guitars, unhinged vocals and raw production. B-Side, "Vitamins," is a more bombastic, noise rock song, with Boredoms-eque repetitive, percussion, driving the song through the fuzzed out, screeching noise and wily vocal performance.

Telefones consists of Wes Salton (Guitar, Vocals), Jason Chiarella (Bass, Synthesizer), Adam Reeve (Drums, Vocals) and Jack Faulkner (Guitar, Synthesizer). They are a post-punk outfit based out of Nashville. The band was formed by longtime grade school friends Wes and Jason when they were in high-school in Atlanta. Later, they relocated to Nashville, where they picked up Jack and Adam to join the group. 

The band makes eclectic punk music, with inspirations ranging from Fugazi to The Modern Lovers and The Buzzcocks. Their heavy energetic set is short, sweet and to the point, with their recorded material attempting to recreate their live, raw sound. BANDCAMP.  

'Castle Factory' opens with some chunky riffs in this cut to the chase rocker. The vocals are deep in the mix, occasionally powering up and demanding to be noticed, as the band just pile on the rock grooves with a sense of angst and urgency.

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Martin Van Ruin - Calvin Johnson - Arthur Nasson

Martin Van Ruin - Current Day (album).

Background - Current Day is the follow-up release to Martin Van Ruin’s critically-acclaimed debut, Every Man a King. A collective project from some familiar Chicago faces (members of Derek Nelson & The Musicians, Jenny Dragon, Planetsexploder).

The seven-piece’s new album sees the group exploring increasingly modern sounds while building upon the ideas that led critic Jessica Hopper to write that their debut was “one of the best local albums of the year; a sprawling folk-rock work with vintage country and chamber elements … an album in a classic sense.”

Also for American Songwriter to say that “fans looking for Chicago’s next Wilco may want to check out Martin Van Ruin,” and for the Chicago Sun-Times to write that “The Bob Dylan and Neil Young comparisons are inescapable for this new folk rock supergroup.” Current Day was recorded over a series of sessions in 2017 at the Music Garage in Chicago and was engineered by Mike Lust (Tight Phantomz).

Martin Van Ruin is: Alex Winter: bass, Brian Sharpe: lead guitars, piano, Cathy Starr: violin, Derek Nelson: vocals, guitars, Sarah Jane Goldstein: vocals, percussion, melodica, Pete Falknor: drums, synth, guitars, Philip Vickers: lap steel, guitars, trumpet. WEBSITE.

The new album 'Current Day' from Chicago band Martin Van Ruin really does deserve to get noticed way beyond the bands home city. Although they have been described as a folk rock band, that for me is too narrow, it's perhaps a starting point, however they morph comfortably beyond that doing so with a consistently engaging sound. The musicianship is high calibre as are the vocals, which add so much feeling and personality to the songs. Others have described the band as a super group, I would rather leave the listener to form opinions around that particular label, that they are musically superb, is something I would comfortably concur with.

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Calvin Johnson - Like You Do.

Background - The new Calvin Johnson album A Wonderful Beast [KLP269] is an experiment in sound. Calvin entered the Audio Eagle Studio in Nashville, TN. using the premise “Rock’n’roll Will Never Die” as a starting point. Working closely with Producer Patrick Carney and Chief Engineer Marc Whitmore, the team tested the resiliency of such time honored materials as the electric guitar, modular synthesizer and trap drum kit, combining them in various ratios with musical elements like chords A, C and Dm. The results are the Frankenstein’s monster of an album, A Wonderful Beast.

Following in the tradition of such Brill Building songwriting teams as Leiber-Stoller, Greenwich-Barry and Goffin-King, all the songs on A Wonderful Beast are a collaboration between Calvin Johnson and Patrick Carney. Carney, best known for his work as a member of the Akron, OH powerhouse The Black Keys, established Audio Eagle to further exactly this type of rock’n’roll workshopping, allowing the music and songwriting of Now to rocket launch into the Future.

Calvin first met Patrick in 2005 while touring the United States following the release of his second solo album Before the Dream Faded… [KLP170]. The two kept in touch over the years. Patrick suggesting some sort of collaboration; they got together with only the belief that music can ooze from the savage breast, and A Wonderful Beast emerged from the primal dross.

An important element of the sound success of A Wonderful Beast is the contribution of chanteuse Michelle Branch, who provides back-up harmony vocals on three songs. Ms. Branch, who score many hits in the early double-0 decade as a solo artist and as a member of the Wreckers, lives next door to Audio Eagle. Intrigued by the sounds ratcheting forth from the lonesome shack that houses the studio, she walked over to see for herself what all the hubbub was about. Before long she was singing like a bird, in three part harmony (Thanks, Michelle!). TWITTER.

There is something about the video that is strangely addictive, however it's the song that still stands out in a sizable way. 'Like You Do' is just a little "out there" with the vocals demanding your wholesale attention and the vibrant and energetic musical backdrop adding layers of gorgeous sounds. Just one track and the album is calling me for some serious attention.


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Arthur Nasson - Books About It Pt. 2.

Background - Prolific alternative rock artist Arthur Nasson shares "Books About It Pt. 2" off his forthcoming LP Whack Mythology, due out next Friday, August 31st. "The idea that mythology, whether personal or global and the social programming it instills in each of us, drives much about our actions and perception. In holding up this type of mirror both in personal and more broad ways, one can perhaps have a laugh and recognize some shared sense of what we go through in this life."

Whack Mythology will be the 10th full length release for the Arlington, Massachusettes alternative artist. Nasson's determination led him to build a critically acclaimed catalog of recordings starting out largely with one mic and an 8 track cassette deck. Following the release of the LP Nasson will release an additional bonus EP Basement Glitter, due out 9/14.

Speaking on Whack Mythology, Nasson says, "The idea that mythology, whether personal or global and the social programming it instills in each of us, drives much about our actions and perception. In holding up this type of mirror both in personal and more broad ways, one can perhaps have a laugh and recognize some shared sense of what we go through in this life."

Nasson recorded these tracks in his home studio, but the final product feels far from lofi. Nasson handles the songwriting, production, engineering, vocals, piano, guitar, bass, percussion and synthesizers largely on his own, and with assistance from his sons Graham Nasson (drums/rhythm guitar) and Colin Nasson (rhythm guitar/percussion). WEBSITE.

'Books About It Pt. 2' is a melodic alt rocker that has a relaxed swagger to it musically (the piano adding something of a bar room vibe). Arthur Nasson's vocals are a delight and as the song builds into a more strident rocker, he allows the music to carry the day.

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