Guy Verlinde - Hogleg Band

Guy Verlinde - Up on the Mountain.

Today is the release of the new single Up on the Mountain by #1 Belgian blues and roots artist Guy Verlinde. It is an Americana song about the "circle of life" with  a river as a metaphor. Just as a small river at its source carries already all the power to flood a valley, everyone has everything inside to become the person he or she should be. 

The rhythm of the drums, percussion and banjo symbolizes the rippling and flowing of the river that rises more and more towards the end of the song.

When there is no budget for shooting videos, you need to be creative. This video has a unique concept as it was filmed by the audience from every corner of the Minard theatre. It is disturbing for an artist when people try to film during a concert. 

But at the end of the concert by Guy Verlinde & The Artisans of Solace in the Ghent Minard Theater, the audience was explicitly asked to film the performance during the song "Up on the Mountain" with their phones. The more than 100 videos were edited into one video clip by the young filmmaker Erno Baelus. Beehive Candy say's - This is a really fine live video for a highly notable song.

==========================================================================

Hogleg Band - How It Feels To Be A Cowboy.

Hogleg Band, reckon they are Louisiana's own "country super group" and their new release 'How It Feels To Be A Cowboy' suggests they might have a point. 

The core band consists of Grammy award winning drummer Brian Brignac, on lead guitar one Dr Mullet; keys stands Corban Barnes. "Lightnin" Lucho Bolivar from Barranquilla, Colombia on lead guitar two. 

Chris Roberts, legendary bassist for Blues king Johnathon "Boogie" Long on bass guitar. Gram Rae fiddler & Harmonica player from Mississippi, with Richard Comeaux on Steel guitar Lance Woolie on lead vocals.

The band tell us that the initial release from this record is a "fast driving song called "How It Feels To Be A Cowboy" . This is a very upbeat rocking country ditty. How It Feels To Be A Cowboy is a true story told in song about being hard headed and living the outlaw life. This song rides fast and raw and has the grit and goods to back it up." We have to say, we agree!

==========================================================================

Render Sisters - Eliyanah - Parks N' Rec

Render Sisters - I Don't Wanna Know.

Pop-country duo Render Sisters, composed of best friends and sisters Mary-Keaton and Stella Render, continues their blossoming maturation and obvious sisterly kinship on their new single, “I Don’t Wanna Know.” The new tune finds the sisters singing about the unpredictable nature of relationships in the modern world. Releasing everywhere digital music is available today Monday, November 29, “I Don’t Wanna Know” is the sixth single the teen duo has released since their emergence in 2020.

Mary-Keaton and Stella wrote the song with Nashville-based songwriter Doug Kahan (Trick Pony, Clay Walker, Jon Pardi) on a recent trip to Nashville, but the idea behind the song came from an actual relationship which Mary-Keaton had recently been involved in back in their hometown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

“I knew that I really liked this guy at the time, but I was scared that if I knew his past that I may not like him anymore,” Mary-Keaton admitted. “I wanted to get to know him for who he was, and give him a chance, but I have always been the type of person that gives someone the benefit of the doubt, too. Until they betray me, or prove me wrong in some way."

Stella was also cautious about the guy's past, and encouraged her sister to remain the same way. However, the younger of the two was the primary instigator for turning her older sister’s relationship scenario into a song.

“Every single time I tried to talk to her about it, Mary-Keaton would always reply, ‘I don't wanna know,’” Stella recalled. “So one day while songwriting, and talking about this guy again, Mary-Keaton again repeated ‘I don't wanna know,’ and then I knew we had to find a way to spin this into a song about her situation.”

==========================================================================

Lauren Marsh Photography

Eliyanah - Somebody Else.

Alt-pop artist Eliyanah's latest raw and cathartic offering, 'Somebody Else', delves into what it's like to handle the painful end of a long-term relationship as well as adapting to life after it. Soft grooving percussion echoes through nostalgic keys, angelic vocals, ethereal harmonies and bouncing basslines, as she blends the very best of indie, pop, alternative and electronic elements.

“The song explores the complicated and painful twists of navigating a long-term relationship's end, as well as confronting yourself in its wake.” Eliyanah shares

The song was co-written with Eliyanah’s brother Simon Woodley as well as musician Ben Scott (Tom Walker, Mahalia, Ed Sheeran). Eliyanah then worked alongside producer Hugh Fogerhill and mastering engineer James Birt to bring the track to life, Eliyanah succeeds at creating a nostalgic and introspective track that resonates with all who listen.

Eliyanah · Somebody Else

==========================================================================

Parks N' Rec - the year that everything changed.

Background from Parks N' Rec: I am telling the story of reflection and acceptance; adaption and redefinition.

After spending nine months in remote parts of Central and South America, I landed in New York City this fall. The shock of that transition combined with witnessing a metropolis hoping for a revival was interesting. I wanted to capture that recalibration of human behaviour, and the beauty of that challenge. You'll hear a melancholic mood that comes from a place of strength.

The single artwork is taken from the Hubble Space Telescope of stars populating globular clusters. The video was produced with edits of that celestial footage. The video hopes to encourage the journey and offer new perspective.

==========================================================================

Georgia Lines - Bonnie

Georgia Lines - I Got You.

Captivating singer-songwriter Georgia Lines has unveiled her stunningly emotive new single and video "I Got You." Layered in dreamy, atmospheric strings which floats over a chilled groove, "I Got You" is hook-laden in melody, performed by Georgia’s uniquely soaring vocals. The Tauranga-based artist is compelling in her storytelling, reflecting on change, loss, acceptance and letting go.

“At the time there were so many things in my world that were changing, including dealing with the grief of losing a family member,” says Georgia. “It felt like life was becoming a game of giant jenga with so many pieces being pulled out from under me, whilst trying to hold everything together. ‘I Got You’ is about the process of learning to let go, whilst continuing to hold onto the few things that you know to be true.”

Co-written and produced by Djeisan Suskov (BENEE, Matthew Young, Mitch James, LEISURE), "I Got You" is the very first song the now prolific duo wrote together in 2020. Written fresh out of Aotearoa’s first lockdown, the track is reflective of Georgia’s growth mindset in navigating the challenges of pursuing a career in music during a pandemic.

“Covid has required loads of adaptability, positivity and constant changes in perspective,” says Georgia. “The biggest mindset shift that has helped me navigate this unknown, has been the conscious decision to make sure that every part of the journey is enjoyable. For me, keeping this perspective along with having an incredible support network, has helped me navigate through the hard yards and all the challenges that Covid has brought to pursuing a career in music.”

Also released is the stunning new music video to accompany the single, directed and produced by Georgia Lines herself. Drawing on nature’s elements and spaces where all is falling apart, Georgia crafted the video to sit in the same visual space as the music does sonically. “Conceptually I loved the idea of creating a video that had aspects of the elements in it (water/sand/nature/grain),” says Georgia. “I loved the idea of creating beautiful graceful movements mixed with static poses amongst these big piles, and loved the idea of creating different spaces within the giant warehouse we filmed in, to bring different ideas visually to the video.”

“Working with Chelsea Jade on the Choreography over zoom was also such a highlight. I loved working with her for "No One Knows," and was so pumped to get to work with her again for this one.” With a number of upcoming live shows and tours, including performing as a headlining act at Festival One and supporting Dave Dobbyn at Black Barn, Georgia Lines is showing no signs of slowing down.

==========================================================================

Bonnie - 8000 Miles.

Love can fill the whole universe but sometimes it can be the size of a pinhead. Bonnie has just releasesd her new song “8000 Miles”.

This rhythmic and danceable song moves stylish between Triphop and Pop and can best be described as a love song without the happy ever after. A true rollercoaster of emotions just as real life itself.

Carried by an interchangeable rhythmus, groovy guitar and Bonnies warm, haunting voice it tells us about the highs and low of love.

Bonnie, who has found her style in Rhythm & Blues, Pop, Country and Rock best described as “Vintage Soul and Roll” releases her inner tragic diva and shows us a completely new facet as an artist.

The song has been written by Bonnie herself and Hoffi Hofstetter. It is produced by Rico Horber.

==========================================================================

Tacsidermi & Sister Wives - Swansea Sound - Suz Dorahy

Tacsidermi & Sister Wives - A Oes Heddwch / O Fy Nghof.

Sheffield bilingual psych/post-punk four-piece Sister Wives have teamed up with Carmarthenshire’s psych duo Tacsidermi for an exciting musical union. The Double A single 'O Fy Nghof' / 'A Oes Heddwch' will be released on limited edition lathe-cut vinyl on 17th December via Libertino Records, and is out now digitally. Both bands wrote the musical backbone to a song each independently, which was then sent over and Tacsidermi and Sister Wives added lyrics and melody to the other's compositions, a truly collaborative project.

"O Fy Nghof" and "A Oes Heddwch" musically reflect the darker subject matter of depression and the quest for peace as life ebbs away. Listen to the swirling "A Oes Heddwch" and darker "O Fy Nghof." 

Both bands go into detail about the lyrics they provided for each song... Tacsidermi on "A Oes Heddwch": “The song is about facing an armageddon and the panic of not knowing what to do in your final hours. There's no use hiding from the inevitable. There's no use trying to find peace. You must deal with the consequences of your actions.” 

Sister Wives on "O Fy Nghof": “The song is about being in a deep depression and the helplessness which is felt in that moment. This does eventually come to an end - the heaviness lifts. However, this is often cyclical and happens again, over time. This leaves us stuck in a constant cycle, which can be hard to accept.”

Tacsidermi are Gwenllian Anthony from the Welsh Music Prize winning band Adwaith and multi instrumentalist Matthew Kilgariff, who craft sublime, evocative Balearic pop-infused psych. Tacsidermi will be returning to the studio before the new year to finish work on their eagerly anticipated debut EP out in January 2021. Sister Wives are a Sheffield-based female four-piece whose sound encompasses prog-flecked psychedelia and post-punk. They recently played at Green Man, Sensoria, and Sŵn Festivals, with more dates in Sheffield and Manchester this winter. New music is coming soon. 

Libertino · Tacsidermi & Sister Wives - A Oes Heddwch

Libertino · Tacsidermi & Sister Wives - O Fy Nghof

==========================================================================

Swansea Sound - The Pooh Sticks.

Swansea Sound really just can't stop making music videos. They have a new video and single "The Pooh Sticks" off their debut album 'Live at the Rum Puncheon.' The fact that Hue and Amelia who were in The Pooh Sticks singing a song about how great The Pooh Sticks are / were is a bit next level. So enjoy a bit of green screen fun and let Swansea Sound brighten up the next 2 minutes and 30 seconds of your day.

Swansea Sound reunite Hue Williams with Pooh Sticks singing partner Amelia Fletcher (ex-Talulah Gosh, Heavenly). Rob Pursey (also ex-Heavenly) and Ian Button (ex-Death In Vegas) provide the noise.

Swansea Sound: a band that came into being during lockdown and decided that fast, loud, political indiepop punk was the answer to being stuck indoors.  Who needs introspection?

Hue Williams is reunited with Pooh Sticks singing partner Amelia Fletcher (ex- Talulah Gosh, Heavenly). Rob Pursey (also ex-Heavenly) and Ian Button (Wreckless Eric’s live collaborator) provide the noise.  Swansea Sound are the funny, angry, gleeful and savage past, present and future of indie.  The band has played just one gig in real life – but there will be more in 2022.

==========================================================================

Suz Dorahy - Tell You.

Catherine Britt is excited to announce a brand new signing to her boutique independent label, Beverley Hillbilly Records – welcoming Suz Dorahy to the roster. “Not in my wildest dreams did I think at this point in my life would I be standing here with Catherine Britt being signed to her brand new record label. I’m so very excited for you to hear this new music”, says Suz Dorahy.

The first of an incredible batch of new songs is being unveiled today in the form Suz’s brand new single, “Tell You”. Produced by Catherine Britt, “Tell You”, is a story of betrayal that is laid out simply and strong while revealing much vulnerability. At its core is a sentiment that is instantly relatable and full of stone cold truth.

“It took a mighty blow to crack me to the core”, says Dorahy. “It's that moment of realisation where it turns out some folk are not who you thought they were”. Suz Dorahy is the real deal. An authentic and nuanced singer and songwriter that you need to hear. But that realness didn’t come easily. It had to be earnt, nourished and developed. There were roadblocks all along the highway that needed to be overcome.

Life so often takes a dark turn and nine years ago Dorahy was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and then depression and chronic fatigue. It was a debilitating time and the songwriter locked herself away and used music as a form of escape. “I spent seven years being a recluse and just tapping into my music because it took me to another place away from the darkness of depression and PTSD,” Dorahy explains. “Music was my saviour.”

Then Dorahy bumped into an old friend, Natalie Henry, who offered her the chance to travel to Tamworth and play with her group The Wayward Henrys. The opportunity was inspiration enough to bring Dorahy back into the light. “I honestly will be forever grateful to Nat, she brought me out of depression, made me believe in myself and changed my life,” Dorahy says.

Enter Catherine Britt who fell in love with Dorahy’s new songs and signed her to the new her boutique independent label, Beverley Hillbilly Records. Suz Dorahy has emerged as a singer and songwriter of remarkable strength and presence. In her music you’ll hear the influences of those  artists and styles that have inspired her. Think  Sheryl Crow, Lucinda Williams, Lori McKenna, Allison Krauss, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, old school country and western, Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Rogers, Hank Williams, Bill Monroe.

==========================================================================

Maya Isacowitz - Speak Easy Circus - Fieh - Great Lakes

Maya Isacowitz - Nature Is My Hood.

Maya Isacowitz releasing her heart-felt and powerful Electro-Pop infused single „Nature is my Hood“ (Helicon) on November 26th, 2021 coming with a beautiful video.

“This song is a love song for nature, it came out of wanting to be ok with being on my own. Finding the wholeness in myself and not depending on someone else to fill a void. It was recorded partly in my home studio (surrounded by nature), and produced together with my music partner Omry Amado. As a part of conveying a sense of freedom and innocence I recorded my nieces and nephews singing the line: "Nature is my hood, I'm alone but I'm good", and it became the main sample of the chorus.” - Maya Isacowitz

Maya Isacowitz is a singer songwriter, originally from Kibbutz Maayan Baruch, Israel, with South African roots. She initially made a name for herself performing with her guitar, capturing the ears of many, with her unique voice and vulnerable presence.

Maya grew up in a home filled with music, and a father who builds musical instruments. Her music combines a wide range of styles and influences- from acoustic folk and African groove, to edgy rock and electronic pop, all wrapped in her tender voice and poignant lyrics.

==========================================================================

Speak Easy Circus - Sewn Up.

Background from the band: We are Speak Easy Circus, an indie/funk band from Glasgow. We have been loving getting back out and playing gigs after so long and we wanted to end the year with a bang, so we have decided to release our latest single, ‘Sewn Up’ on the 26th of November.

The story of the song is really the story of my favourite pair of jeans, that ripped and left me heartbroken, until I watched a YouTube video to teach myself how to sew. From then on, instead of throwing clothes away I started to clumsily stitch them up. 

It made me think of all the previous clothes I had thrown out. Why didn’t we fix more things? Why weren’t we taught to sew at school? Why was sewing seen as feminine? It seemed to me there were no downsides. So, we decided to write a song in honour of my favourite pair of jeans - heavy on the horns and heavy on the funk.

 

User 460127902 · Sewn Up

==========================================================================

Fieh - Telephone Girl.

The rural Norwegian countryside might not be where you’d expect to discover your new favourite neo-soul collective, but that is where 7-piece band Fieh originated from. Founded by front-woman Sofie Tollefsbøl, Fieh stormed into prominence through the release of their debut single ‘Glu’ back in 2017, earning the band early support from the likes of The Fader, DIY, Clash, The Line Of Best Fit and eventually a spot on the Fifa 20 soundtrack. In 2019 they released their debut album Cold Water Burning Skin, on which the group established their unique blend of jazz, R&B and soul. Now, they are ready to unleash new LP In The Sun In The Rain, which is slated for release on March 4th, 2022 via Jansen Records.

In the Sun in the Rain was recorded with famed Norwegian musician and producer Lars Horntveth (Jaga Jazzist, Susanne Sundfør, The Staves, Kimbra) and mixed by the legendary “Analog Ninja” Russell Elevado (D’Angelo, Angélique Kidjo, The Roots). Centered around groove, Fieh’s new album integrates the funk bangers that initially introduced the band with more experimental and orchestral songs. Citing inspirations as diverse as D’Angelo’s The Vanguard, The Roots, Joni Mitchell, Erykah Badu, The Beatles and Solange, Fieh’s new album is brimming with creativity. Much like their debut album, the song remains at In The Sun In The Rain’s core, with lyrics that revolve around everyday life, people and love – real stories from real life.

Standout single ‘Telephone Girl’ is a minimalistic soul banger dedicated to the very modern phenomenon of telephobia. “I’m not a telephone girl, that’s why I never reply when you call me” sings Tollefsbøl. “This song is a public apology to everyone who’s ever tried to call me. It’s not you, it’s me” she jokes. "I came up with the bass line in the shower back in 2019 and had a clear vision of a minimalistic soul banger. We’ve played several versions of this one live but went for a minimalistic approach in the studio," she continues.

Jansen Records · Fieh - Telephone Girl

==========================================================================

Great Lakes - Baby's Breath.

Ben Crum doesn’t need to contend for anything; the leader of the long-running Great Lakes proved himself two decades ago on his very first outing. Contenders, the band’s seventh album, finds Crum basking in a keen sense of roots-y psychedelic Americana that recalls the fertile grounds of Upstate New York. Yet the music itself is a warm, sunny soundtrack that brings to mind road trips across the dusty Midwest and miles and miles of nothing in between. Fans of Built To Spill, My Morning Jacket, Luna, and Deserters Songs-era Mercury Rev will find much to love in Contender’s grooves.

But don’t think that because the music ambles along dirt roads that the music isn’t cerebral; Contenders’ subject matter includes philosophical wonderings on love, sex, the temporal nature of man, the frustrations of creative partnerships, and the heady, hopeful times of your late teens and early twenties, where the world seems full of endless possibilities. Contenders offers up some of the finest songs you’ll hear that take inspiration in things such as The Band, the free youth of South Africa, and “The Gambler.”

“it’s easy when you know how,” Crum sings, and it’s no boast; Great Lakes make it look and seem so easy, so seamless. In other words, they’re just being themselves.

For Contenders, Ben Crum is joined by longtime collaborators Kevin Shea on drums and Suzanne Nienaber on vocals, with contributions from The Essex Green’s Chris Ziter (vocals) , Louis Schefano (drums), Petter Folkedal (piano), Ray Rizzo (vocals) and Dave Gould (synths). The album was produced by Ben Crum, mixed by Luis Leal, and mastered by Jen Munson.

HHBTM Records · Great Lakes - Baby's Breath

==========================================================================