Peach Kelli Pop - Crawford Mack - Plants and Animals

Peach Kelli Pop returns just a month after sharing 'Cut Me Off' with her latest single 'Stupid Girl' and it's another bright and breezy two minutes+ blast of vibrant natural pop. === Crawford Mack has impressed us already this year with a couple of magnificent songs and his brand new release 'A Love I Can't Live Up To' is another exquisite and beautiful piece. === Plants and Animals share 'Love that Boy' ahead of 'The Jungle', their fifth studio album set to be released on October 23rd. The new single is highly original laid back indie rocker that gently ebbs and flows.

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Peach Kelli Pop - Stupid Girl.

Peach Kelli Pop is a musical project conceived of by songwriter Allie Hanlon. "Stupid Girl" is two minutes of pure guitar pop brilliance, but a self deprecating theme runs through the upbeat song.

"As a non-linear thinker and someone that always felt uncomfortable in school, I grew up thinking I was stupid. This is still ingrained in me to some extent." Hanlon says of the new single.

In 2009, in her hometown of Ottawa, Canada, Hanlon taught herself to play guitar and bass, arrange songs and record them. The band is now based in Southern California, after Hanlon relocated in 2013. 

Peach Kelli Pop has toured extensively both domestically and internationally, making frequent trips to Japan. With four full-length releases and a handful of singles under her belt, Peach Kelli Pop is back with her Lucky Star EP on October 7th via Lauren Records. The EP features 4 brand new songs, including a cover of "Sing And Pretty" by Tokyo's The Pat Pats.

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Crawford Mack - A Love I Can't Live Up To.

Intimately involved in all aspects of his art; Glaswegian composer Crawford Mack is not just a musician and lyricist, but a video and art director; the whole focused on the perfect expression of his musical vision.

Crossing genres from his original jazz background, through to rock, electronic, and classical music; Crawford has concocted a sound that he hopes will illustrate the conviction of an individual confronting their internal struggles, wrestling them to the ground but all the while waving a white flag of surrender.

Following on from his beguiling track ‘Depends On Where You Stand’ and the dark, vulnerable, yet defiant ‘Firing Squad’, Crawford returns with his confessional new single ‘A Love I Can’t Live Up To’; the third track to be taken from the artists forthcoming debut album ‘Bread and Circuses’.

New offering ‘A Love I Can’t Live Up To’ is a ‘how-not-to’ guide to happiness, featuring realisations that came too late. With a knack for merging a razor-sharp hook with a harmonious foray of orchestral strings, this genre-bending offering see’s Crawford deliver one of his most impactful releases yet.

Discussing the inspiration behind the track, the artist tells us: "I was set a challenge by Sir Ray Davies to write a song where the bridge would hold the main meaning of the song, and to use musical materials I hadn't found a place for yet. The song draws on different moments in my life… it started out as a reflection of carrying feelings of inadequacy from some early relationships, and eventually evolved into a reflection of how they affected my actions getting older."

Crawford Mack · A Love I Can't Live Up To

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Plants and Animals - Love that Boy.

Plants and Animals are releasing a brand new single and video for “Love That Boy,” an intimate song created out of childhood memories and reflection about the constant evolution of family. The Jungle, their fifth studio album, is set to be released on October 23rd via Secret City Records.

Warren shares the inspiration behind the song: “It’s a song about my family, present and past, but it feels more like a meditation. I was upset, frustrated and feeling like no one knew me—the kid me, the me I still feel I am. And then writing the song chilled me out and put me right. It was a way to connect with my dead parents and with my new life as a dad, and to give everyone a proper hug.”

The music video, directed by Yann-Manuel Hernandez, was also inspired by Warren’s early life memories. The singer-songwriter continues: “I have a strong memory of being a kid in the backseat of my parent's car driving down the road at night in Halifax. 

The moon was bright and I watched it as it danced, interrupted by trees, like a strobe light or a stop-motion film. It followed us as we drove and I couldn’t figure out how it was doing that. Nothing else I could see out the window kept up. Why is the moon not moving? I hadn’t thought of that for a very long time, but somehow the song brought me back to that place.”

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The Silverbeets - Kim Bingham - Scenic Route To Alaska - Psymon Spine

The Silverbeets recently shared 'We Mattered Once Upon A Time' along with a video. The song is from their next album 'Halcyon Days' and gives a good feel for the bands desirable and distinctive indie art rock. ==== Kim Bingham hasn't wasted her lock down and along with Jolyon White has produced a fresh and highly entertaining video entitled "Sweet Irene: Escape from Lockdown" which comes from her UP! album. ==== Scenic Route To Alaska have just released 'Polarized' and the Edmonton-based indie pop trio are impressive with this powerful and hook filled song. ==== We featured 'Milk' by Psymon Spine back in July and they are back with 'Modmed' along with a video, the new track is a swirling psychedelic piece with some light disco vibes.

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The Silverbeets - We Mattered Once Upon A Time.

Australian indie art rockers The Silverbeets have announced they will be releasing their 'Halcyon Days' album this autumn. Offering a taste of things to come, the quartet present the lead track 'We Matted Once Upon a Time', along with accompanying video.

With a rich dark green sound interspersed with multi-coloured stems, their non-formulaic style is distinct. Like their forthcoming 8-track full-length album, this single evoke the spirit of artists such as Can, They Might be Giants and XTC.

Formed in 2014, The Silverbeets hail from Hobart, Tasmania - the small Australian island state at the bottom of the world. This relative isolation has led the band to craft an idiosyncratic sound that borrows from luminary rock acts like Pink Floyd, The Byrds, David Bowie, Radiohead, The Pixies, Queen, Fleet Foxes, Simon & Garfunkel, Nick Cave and Neil Young, among others.

The Silverbeets consist of Farnz Cordeaux (rhythm guitar, vocals), Jamie Scott (lead guitar, vocals), Nigel Hope (bass) and Bill O’Brien (drums) but their recorded sound is also heavily influenced by their “5th member”, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Ernie Oppenheimer.

"This is a song about how government, or people in power, once treated people with some common decency, like we mattered. However all semblance of caring seems to have completely gone by the wayside and all we have left is the greed of man, the greed of those in power who know how to use it against the 99% Viva la revolution!" says frontman Farnz Cordeaux.

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Kim Bingham - "Sweet Irene: Escape from Lockdown".

Catchy pop-rock track Sweet Irene first featured in Kim Bingham’s album “UP!”. Kim herself has had a long and diverse music career since she began in 1990, from being a member of third-wave ska group Me Mom and Morgentaler, to composing the soundtrack for TV trilogy Les Invincibles.

During lockdown, Kim and video director Jolyon White worked together in a long-distance digital collaboration to produce the video for Sweet Irene, entitling it “Sweet Irene – Escape from Lockdown”.

Kim says of the video: “The original concept was to produce a music video using only Instagram Filters. The story of the video developed into a science-fiction tale including a battle scene and victory dance.”

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Scenic Route To Alaska - Polarized.

Substance and accessibility. They’re often considered opposing forces when it comes to pop music, making it all the more impressive when a band like Scenic Route to Alaska so effortlessly delivers ample doses of both.

The heralded Edmonton-based indie pop trio – Trevor Mann on lead vocals and guitar, drummer Shea Connor, and bassist Murray Wood – have worked tirelessly scaling the summit of the Canadian and international music scenes. They dropped two acclaimed LPs – 2018’s Tough Luck and 2016’s Long Walk Home – that weave memorable melodies and catchy vocals through compelling, musically-rich arrangements and earned a slew of awards and accolades on their backs. They’ve toured relentlessly across North America, Europe, and Australia and have seen their global fanbase grow exponentially with each amplified chord.

Since taking time to write and workshop new material earlier in 2019, Scenic Route to Alaska have released a pair of singles “Give a Little” in October 2019 and “Daydreaming” in Feb 2020 and played a nearly sold out tour throughout Canada. These singles will soon be featured on a limited edition 7″ vinyl.

Despite the nearly non-stop touring and unwavering determination throughout their time together, the three musicians have enjoyed every step of the journey. That was especially the case with their packed 2019 hometown performance on the main stage of the world-renowned Edmonton Folk Music Festival – a definite career highlight thus far. They’ve also racked up handfuls of awards, including a SOCAN #1 distinction for the single “Love Keeps” and a Western Canadian Music Award for Best Rock Act.

The recordings effortlessly capture the excitement of the band’s live performance, where the energy is palpable and the fun contagious. Always locked in with a syncopation that can only stem from a long collective history, the boys bounce from ballads to bangers with ease, leaving a lasting impression on any kind of audience in front of them. The band is perhaps best defined through dichotomy: young but mature, curious but collected, accessible but substantial. Such balance is all too rare in this scene, but thankfully, Scenic Route to Alaska strikes it with a style all their own.

Scenic Route to Alaska · Polarized

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Psymon Spine - Modmed.

If the story of Psymon Spine in 2020 began with “Milk” featuring Barrie Lindsay (Noah and Sabine’s former bandmate), it only makes sense to follow that with “Modmed,” a song inspired by Noah and Sabine’s decision to split with Barrie and focus their energy on Psymon Spine. The lyrics to Modmed channel the complex mix of frustration, doubt, and relief that surrounded their final days in Barrie.

Featuring production and writing contributions from their friend Andrew VanWyngarden of MGMT, “Modmed” is heavily disco-inspired, fusing those sounds with a left-field pop sensibility. “Psymon Spine invited me into the studio one winter’s day and we had a fun and funky time ripping Juno basslines and dialing in lush tones,” says VanWyngarden. “I like that their dj and record digging knowledge comes through distinctly on this track.” With squishy synth lines nodding to ABBA, drums that call to mind Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love,” and a bass line inspired by Larry Levan, the bands’ love for classic disco and house is on full display.

Psymon Spine fuse psychedelic pop and the deep grooves of dance music, the Brooklyn electronic pop outfit's origins date back to core members Noah Prebish and Peter Spears meeting in college and finding common ground in their artistic aims and influences. Eventually, Brother Michael joined Psymon Spine, as the trio hashed out the demos for what would become their 2017 debut and continued on that aesthetic mission by becoming figures in the Brooklyn dance scene through throwing the immersive art and dance parties via their Secret Friend series. Meanwhile, Prebish's work in dream-pop band Barrie—who broke out last year with the excellent debut Happy to Be Here following a string of buzz-making singles—led him to meet singer and multi-instrumentalist Sabine Holler, who also eventually joined Psymon Spine.

Psymon Spine's glimmering melodies bear resemblance to the pop smarts of Barrie—but Psymon Spine are on a whole different journey too, embracing and exploring left-field electronic sounds ranging from disco's high-energy rhythmic breakdowns to the upward build of early techno and motorik's indelibly incessant pulse. Psymon Spine put their own loopy and addictive stamp on the sounds of the past throughout, with surprises at every turn and the type of lush synth work that could only come from such brilliant students of dance music.

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Gianna Lauren - Samana

Gianna Lauren is a singer songwriter based in Nova Scotia and she has just released 'Spark' as a foretaste of the E.P 'Vanity Metrics' due in November. 'Spark' is a mellow and melodic piece that gradually builds in power, something of a journey from indie pop to indie rock. === Earlier this month we featured 'Passing Me By' from Samana describing that track as "pristine and breathtaking." They have followed that up with the new single 'The Glory Of Love' where their creativity and unique style is again, something very special.

 

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Gianna Lauren - Spark.

Nova Scotia songwriter Gianna Lauren has just released the single "Spark" and  announces her 'Vanity Metric's EP on Forward Music Group due on Nov 13th. Gianna Lauren's new EP Vanity Metrics, is a deeply felt and dreamy set of songs recorded live in the studio, taking advantage of the tour-tightness of her band after a two week run to catch lightning in a bottle. Gianna's vocals are deeply felt and beautifully controlled, and the band supports her perfectly, surging and receding at the exact right moment. A lot to love here for fans of Mitski, Big Thief, Lucy Dacus.

About the album - “It’s the same old story that I can’t tell,” sings Gianna Lauren over and over on “Closed Chapter,” at the midpoint of Vanity Metrics, abandoning the jaunty melody she began with for a pulsing, dramatic drumbeat and expansive horns. Her own voice joins, then other voices, calling back on a loop, mimicking the patterns of a doomed relationship she’s finally learned to let go of—and you hear that exact moment, because the jaunty melody comes back for the final seconds, a bookend, maybe a kiss-off.

The same old story one can’t tell is also the act of art itself. Perhaps a coincidence, then, that here on her fourth release Lauren is at her art-rockiest, but that also may be in part thanks to the artists she was listening to as she weaved through the fog of Nova Scotia’s south shore to produce this EP: Some of indie-rock’s boldest voices and most insightful perspectives, like the heart-rending Mitski, the dramatics of Weyes Blood, the intimacy of Big Thief.

Lauren and her cohort of Ontarians stepped into the studio immediately after a two-week tour to make Vanity Metrics in four days, and that includes a pair of songs—“Closed Chapter” and the opener “Spark”—written that week. With the artist as bandleader, much of the album was recorded live off the floor, capturing an electricity fuelled by collaboration (and a touch of exhaustion).

forwardmusic · Gianna Lauren - Spark

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Samana - The Glory Of Love.

Call it experimental, call it art rock, call it alt-folk or folk rock; however you personally classify Samana’s music, it is an unequivocally compelling reflection of humanity.

Following the release of earlier singles ‘Harvest’ and August’s ‘Passing Me By’, which saw support from BBC 6Music, BBC Introducing and Radio X, Wales-based duo Samana return with their latest single ’The Glory Of Love’.  It is taken from their forthcoming ’The Spirit Moving’ EP (set for release on October 22nd).

Self-produced, recorded and mixed whilst holed-up in a remote part of France while the world was locked down earlier in the year, the band explain "‘The Glory Of Love’ is a mantra, stripping away the veneer of everything in life that distracts and overwhelms; to realign the soul with the importance of what it is to be rooted. This song marks the value of connection, returning one to the fundamental principle that lies at the heart of all things - the profundity of what it is to truly love, and to be loved."

“The Glory Of Love” is the second of new a new series of releases from the band who have just received support from the Arts Council Of Wales.

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The Sonder Bombs - Ashley Barron

The Sonder Bombs have just released their feisty two minute plus alt rocker 'What Are Friends For?' and it's packed with some refreshingly "play me again" hooks. === Ashley Barron shares 'Let Me Go' where country rock and quality pop creatively rub shoulders within this determined and passionately delivered song.

 

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The Sonder Bombs - What Are Friends For?

Midwesterner upstarts The Sonder Bombs have just announced signing to Big Scary Monsters in the UK/EU with new track ‘What Are Friends For?’ Produced in Philadelphia during quarantine with Joe Reinhart (Hop Along, Beach Bunny), their new track captures a band burning at both ends. The Sonder Bombs are often at their most direct and dynamic when they get mad, but here they’re getting even before toppling the scale. Lead singer Willow Hawks entertains the question ‘What Are Friends For?’ while the background smoulders around the punctuation – Hawks’ agile vocal line trailing like an asteroid collision.

“Writing & recording ‘What Are Friends For?’ was some of the most fun that we’ve had as a band” says Willow Hawks. “From the very beginning we knew this was a song that we wanted people to shake their butts too! I was dancing my heart out while tracking vocals for this one and I think that hype energy really came through in the final product. I can’t wait to play it live someday!”

For The Sonder Bombs, self-confidence starts when it crosses paths with self-analysis. Their debut ‘Modern Female Rockstar’, which was released on Take This to Heart Records, defined a new era of socially conscious, unapologetic pop punk. An all-caps attack against a male-dominated scene brandishing a ukulele and dry wit as chosen weapons. The alt-folk quartet began as a duo in 2016, with Hawks and her writing partner Jimmy Wilkens trading off abrasive and melodic punches against a DIY universe which places gender politics at the bottom of a list of priorities.

Blending together the folksy and the fiery can be cartoonish if not executed properly. On paper, adding a ukulele to a pop-punk band’s arsenal seems like an eyebrow-raising proposition. Luckily for The Sonder Bombs, the uke enhances the band’s self-assured humour and balance, creating a dynamic, nuanced counterpoint to frontwoman Willow Hawks’ acrobatic vocals and shimmering guitars. Hawks assures her listener base that the ukulele isn’t the product of a cutesy bygone era, it’s a weapon in a battle to be taken seriously in a male-dominated scene.

bsmrocks · The Sonder Bombs - What Are Friends For?

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Ashley Barron - Let Me Go.

Ashley Barron embraces the independent and powerful country woman aura in her writing and music. Influenced by the country greats such as Johnny Cash and other modern stars like Miranda Lambert, she now incorporates her life experiences and stories into her writing, creating passionate, home-grown, and relatable music.

Before being a country rock star, Ashley encircled her music passion singing in her room, music lessons and the high school choir. Diagnosed with Linear Scleroderma and Celiac Disease, Ashley learned to gain courage and love herself when it came to performing—musically or with cheerleading. Used to a crazy lifestyle and giant family full of support her passion for music grew, and she declined an invitation to the University of Arizona to attend the local university and go full force into her music career—recording and performing wherever and whenever she could.

By persevering through some of her hardest moments, Ashley decided that her logo would be an Arrow, signifying to always push ahead and to never give up, even if it seems so easy to do. "Let Me Go" is a Country, Pop, Rock song. it's a mid tempo song about not being strong enough to let go

So Are We - FM Collective - Turkey The Bird - Jenny Banai - Elana Stone

So Are We have shared 'LA Love' today ahead of their new album, it's a refined and melodic Americana piece that exudes both warmth and feeling. === FM Collective have released a gem of a song entitled 'In My Backyard', their indie music is fabulously constructed and delivered. === Turkey The Bird have given us a beautiful, uplifting and refreshing track called 'Everybody Needs A Little Sunshine'. === Having already shared four tracks this year Jenny Banai returns with the full album 'Couchwalker' and I have to say the additional eight songs that make up the collection have all been worth the wait, this is a fabulous release. === Elana Stone has shared a video for 'Permanent Limbo' a rhythmic, catchy and melodic song.

 

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So Are We - LA Love.

So Are We’s long awaited album 'Piece of the Puzzle' is now ready for release! Warm, harmonic and beautiful Americana inspired pop music.

So Are We consists of songwriters Guro Vikingstad (vocal) and Stian Haslie (guitar), occasionally backed up by a band when songs call for it and when the stage is big enough. Their music is americana inspired pop with very personal lyrics, often based on their own lives. The duo is also a couple off-stage, and has a big collection of romantic, sad, happy and funny stories to provide inspiration.

Before the release of their upcoming album, they will release the fourth and last single track named LA Love, today September 25th.

So Are We had a shy start as a duo in 2015, and has since then released 2 singles and an EP, receiving great acclaim from critics. In 2018, So Are We toured around Norway doing 15 concerts, and during their 5th year as a duo built a big and devoted audience. Guro’s voice is often described as intimate and soulful, and Stian’s guitars sometimes sound like a variety of violins but then suddenly turn into the blues devil himself.

So Are We · La Love

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FM Collective - In My Backyard.

FM Collective is the Seattle-based music project of Mike Lucero, a multimedia producer known for his work in music, street art and public installations. Lucero has collaborated with many of Seattle’s most prominent artists, including members of The Posies, REM, Macklemore, Heart, Hey Marseilles, Portugal the Man, and The Head and the Heart.

Fittingly, FM Collective was born as a collaborative effort, namely with Ken Stringfellow (Posies, REM, Big Star) on vocals, bass, production, and mixing duties along with a rotating cast of fellow Seattle artists. On their latest single “In My Backyard,” the duo looked to create a romping country song with protest charging through its lyrics, enlisting the help of Andrew Joslyn (Macklemore), Colin Richey (Hey Marseilles, Cloud Nothings, Cataldo) and Kyle Zantos (Head and the Heart). The protest in question was centered on the political deterioration within Lucero’s own community in the wake of Trump.

“This song was inspired by an act of vandalism that occurred at the Jewish temple that I am affiliated with in Seattle,” Lucero says in a press release. “The incident occurred in the spring of 2017 right after the election of Donald Trump which had stoked the flames of thugs across America, including anti-Semites. While Seattle is one of the most progressive cities in the country, it was evidence that, even in the most modern, forward-thinking and tolerant cities, darkness lurks in the shadows. Today, the message resonates stronger than ever.”

All of the proceeds that FM Collective have raised thus far has been donated to Grammy’s Musicares program, raising nearly $20K to date.

Mike Lucero 2 · FM Collective - In My Backyard - V1

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Turkey The Bird - Everybody Needs A Little Sunshine.

Weird times. We're not supposed to travel at the moment, for example to the sea. But no worries, now the sea comes to your home, thanks to Turkey The Bird. The trio has packed sunshine and vacation-feelings into a big box and send them over.

Their songs: enlightening stories about life and love. Their melodies: three-part catchy tunes. The rhythm: leaves you at least tapping your feet. And the beards: the trademark of the band fronted by Swiss musician Andre Manella.

Well then, spread the towel! Song into the Boombox! Relax! And you'll discover that Turkey The Bird are Switzerland's answer to Simon & Garfunkel.

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Jenny Banai - Couchwalker (Album).

This album was a hard one for me to write. I felt uncomfortable often, stretched, if you will, lingering in the in-between. 

I don’t know if there has been a more honest and weak time in my life than now (but I only say that now) and I believe in the importance of sharing, in equal parts, both the consolation and desolation of this strange and beautiful tent I walk around in.

Jenny Banai is an old soul and a child of the nineties, and as such, has inherited both the contemplative wonder and the wardrobe of her parents. She is a fresh and authentic voice who pairs powerhouse vocal abilities with unique and clever pop arrangements. 

She blends jazz, folk, and rock into sophisticated pop music that both celebrates and laments the dynamic of human relationships and the relationship with one’s self.

Jenny Banai · couchwalker

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Elana Stone - Permanent Limbo.

Following the success of her single release, Elana Stone returns today with a charming and colourful animated video clip for 'Permanent Limbo'.

Created by a Melbourne artist Luna Tunes, the video premiered earlier this week via Music Feeds. Fun and explorative in nature, the video clip cleverly depicts the narrative of the intertwining of human relationships, and more specifically how we relate through technology.

When explaining the vision of her video Elana explains she was "In the midst of recording the song I had an idea for an accompanying music video. It was essentially about the merging of humans and technology - the many pitfalls and wonders of this emerging industry.

I decided to reach out to a Melbourne based artist that I came across who made beautiful caricatures of robots and cats and dogs for AIME - the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience. We set about bringing his beautiful colourful robot characters to life. The story shifted again and the result is an incredibly optimistic depiction of robots steadily gaining intelligence, personality and enlightenment."

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