Friday Three: Oddity - Nevruary - Grieving

Oddity - Ghost.

Background promo - Chicago trio Oddity are gearing up to release their debut album ‘Settle Down’, produced by Steve Albini. Talking of the track, the band say; “We wanted to expand on our sound and with that I thought that our production had to be different,” explain the band. “As soon as we can up with the riff for ‘Ghost’ I knew immediately that this was the sound we wanted to go for.” ‘Settle Down’ is due for release on 24th June;

“Wind me up, push me around, just don’t tell me to settle down.” That’s the sound of singer Oscar Baker’s voice as it pulsates through the title track of Chicago-based alt-rock trio Oddity’s debut album, Settle Down. Guided by the prolific producer Steve Albini, who steers the band’s sound in line with his own masterful résumé, he pieces together the band’s understanding of their own history, while giving them space to envisage on their own where that history might lead them. “Why fly like a monster, when you’re moving like a dancer,” Baker sings as he inaugurates his listeners to these 11 tracks.

Oddity formed around January of 2012 under the name Fletcher and released two EP’s, Open Arms and Thundersteps, which helped to establish their serrated rock credibility with audiences and critics across the U.S. In the opening months of 2016, the trio decided to go in a different direction artistically, and this change in approach eventually prompted the name change. “We changed our name because we are reinventing our sound, so we’d thought we should reinvent ourselves,” front man Oscar Baker elaborated.

Nice and powerful indie rock, with a raw no nonsense feel, is how I would describe 'Ghost'. A foretaste of the new album which sounds like it going to be a feisty affair.

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Nevruary - The Runner.

Background bio - In place of a screaming guitar, insert a melodic bass. When you think the verse is building into a stadium anthem, relax & settle into a groove with a swirling falsetto vocal hook. This track has both electronic beats & acoustic drums, hard hitting lyrics & gentle melodies, piano riffs & mesmerizing synths, verses that resemble Rap countered by Soul-inspired choruses, thoughtful guitar playing, and tight harmonies. This is Nevruary: a band rooted in rock but not limited to the genre.

Since their formation in 2013, this Los Angeles foursome has released their phonetically self-titled debut album, (Nev-Rü-Air-Ee), performed extensively at clubs in & around Hollywood (House of Blues, Universal Studios, Vaucluse Lounge, Amplyfi), and have recorded their second album, “Noegenesis”, which is to be released in the spring of 2016. Nevruary is comprised of J.M. Long, Josh Pryer, Cal Pryer, and David Myers, Jr.

'The Runner' is my personal introduction to Nevruary. That it's catchy is stating the obvious with hooks a plenty, what's extra pleasing is the band not feeling the need for a dominant guitar sound and playing to their strengths instead. Nice intro, it will be interesting to hear more.


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Grieving - Ownership.

Background promo - Grieving are a new band from Cambridge, playing direct, twisting indie-punk. The band played their first shows over the last couple of months, alongside the likes of Tellison, the much buzzed about Muncie Girls and Three Trapped Tigers and have recorded six songs set for release as an EP release, "Demonstrations", in July. The band have said of "Ownership":

“This was a big shift musically from our first track, No Sleep, and I'm sure we'll take another shift on the next. There’s definitely a Dischord / Touch & Go feel to some of those guitars and any imperfections here are what makes it what it is. The vocals were done in one or two takes, and were the last to be put to tape of the six demos we recorded, so you can hear that rawness in there. There are some dark themes lyrically but then there’s melody and warmth too. Hooks will always be an important part of what we do."

The band will play the following dates w/
Post War Glamour Girls at The Corner House, Cambridge on 27th May
F A L L S at The Old Blue Last, London on May 30th.

Second time on Beehive Candy for Grieving having featured their first song share a few weeks back on the 3rd April. The band continue to impress with 'Ownership' demonstrating they are far more than a one trick pony. Plenty of energy again along with passion in the vocals and music. The EP is teasingly not out until July, by which time I reckon there will be considerable interest.

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Quality Not Quantity: Major Leagues - Gregory Alan Isakov

Major Leagues - Someone Sometime.

Background promo - Since releasing their acclaimed debut EP in 2013, Brisbane four-piece Major Leagues have been busy touring throughout Australia with shows alongside the likes of Alvvays, Beach Fossils, Sebadoh, WIld Nothing and Wye Oak as well as local talents, The Preatures, San Cisco and DMAs. The band returns with their sophmore EP 'Dream States'.

Dream States was recorded in Brisbane by local producer/engineer Miro Mackie at Plutonium Studios, and mixed in Brooklyn by Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Blouse member, Jacob Portrait and Fergus Miller from Bored Nothing.

"With great pride, we're thrilled to be putting out this collection of songs that came together over the last eighteen months. It's been way too long between drinks, and in that void we've lived a world of goodbyes, fleeting romances and hard realities. Many of these stories have made their way onto this EP”- Jacob Knauth

The recent singles, ‘Someone Sometime’ and 'Better Off' were the band’s first music since their debut EP Weird Season, which was heavily supported by Australian radio in 2013 and 2014, achieving nearly six-months of continuous rotation airplay from triple j, a #3 position on the 2013 triple j Unearthed most played artist list, and support from community stations including FBi, Radio Adelaide, 4ZZZ, RTR, RRR, SYN and 2SER. The single achieved triple j high rotation and extensive support from community radio stations, while the band toured consistently with a headline tour in July, and alongside San Cisco on a 13-date national regional tour in September and October. Last month they also joined Canadian indie stars Alvvays on an east coast Australian tour.

'Someone Sometime' is one of six very good quality indie songs on 'Dream States'. The band deliver melodic indie rock music, which has clearly been honed over time, into a musically tight sound, which complements the dreamy vocals so very, very well.

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Gregory Alan Isakov - Liars.

Background promo - Gregory Alan Isakov is pleased to share his beautifully haunting new single, 'Liars' taken from his forthcoming album with the brilliant Colorado Symphony. The beauty of Gregory Alan Isakov’s latest album is realizing how much it surprises and rewards the listener. It burns slowly, not unlike a campfire that blazes one moment and then crackles the next. A song might begin with the barest of bones, with Isakov’s resonant voice closely synched to his acoustic guitar. But then the orchestral layers begin to pile up, transporting the songs to cinematic heights.

Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony marks a milestone for the singer-songwriter, who’s beloved for the spectral intimacy of his recordings and live shows. Set for release on June 10 on Isakov’s own Suitcase Town Music label, the album finds Isakov cracking his catalog wide open to see what else he—and we—can learn about them. The album features songs from Isakov’s previous three studios releases, along with the debut studio recording of “Liars,” a fan favorite that’s been a staple of his concerts for the past few years. The album will be released on limited-edition LP, CD, and digitally.

With orchestral arrangements by Tom Hagerman (DeVotchKa) and Jay Clifford (Jump Little Children) and with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra’s Scott O’Neil conducting nearly 70 clas-sical musicians, these are older songs cast in new and revelatory hues.

“I’ve always had this hunch that you can manifest whatever you really want if you dream hard,” Isakov says. “I think I wrote down this idea a bunch of times, thinking it would be so incredible. And when it finally happened, I was just over the moon.” - “It’s not that I thought these were better versions than the ones we put out before,” he adds, “but I think these versions are so different, and this collaboration with the symphony gave the songs a whole new angle.”

The kernel for the album was a 2013 collaboration between Isakov and his band and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at Boettcher Hall in Denver. Since then, Isakov has performed again with the CSO at Red Rocks, as well as with the Seattle Symphony and the Oregon Symphony orchestras. This summer, he’ll collaborate with even more: the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra—all part of a tour that kicks off in early June.

The featured track 'Liars' is the only song I have heard from the forthcoming album. It's a beautiful piece from Gregory Alan Isakov, and from this song alone hearing the album becomes a must happen. The production balance between Gregory and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra is spot on, neither party dominates the other and yet both stand out with great clarity. That they complement each other is a must and by the sounds of it, they really do.

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Albums On There Way: Jake Morley - Dave Hanson - Ziemba

Jake Morley - Watch Yourself.

Background promo - The London-born singer called Jake Morley, is no stranger to a spotlight of national & international tours, festival performances, glowing press reviews or being supported by the likes of BBC Radio 2 and 6Music. Things were once happening for him with the release of his debut album ‘Many Fish To Fry’. Many individuals were beginning to take notice, people were getting behind Jake, attended his shows, the word kept spreading and things were looking up.

That was until a severe mental obsession over the follow-up album swallowed Jake whole. Lost and feeling the absence of his father, Jake withdrew from his life by entering the fearful, doubtful and dangerous inner reality. In that dark frame of mind the voices in his head were all-consuming and no song of his was good enough…

Taken from the upcoming album The Manual, (3rd June on Sandwich Emporium Records) the new single 'Watch Yourself’ brings us openly straight into Jake’s anxious and frightened mind. He duets with a choir of his subconscious, berating himself for being “a beautiful shambles, barely holding it together” whilst his unconscious mind says otherwise.

Luckily Jake has held it together by exploring his emotions far beyond anywhere he’s been to before, and then being able to express them as frankly as the likes of Gotye, Peter Gabriel and Hozier. Across all the complex layers of Calum McColl’s production and Jake’s most touching vocal performance to date, 'Watch Yourself’ is an intimate yet relatable soundtrack of every broken human mind out there simply trying to piece it all back together.

I probably use the expression "just a taste of what's on the album" or words to that effect, way to often. With the fascinating featured track 'Watch Yourself' it's more of an understatement. The Manual is a superb album, with eleven differing songs put together with consistent quality and natural passion. I am in danger of boring you to death with superlatives, rather lets just say check out the album, it's something very special.

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Dave Hanson - Midday Sun.

Background promo - After touring with Mumford and Sons and Sheryl Crow as well as performing on The Tonight Show, Dave Hanson decided to leave his successful band The Dunwells to pursue his dream of making his own music. Whilst spending the last 5 years travelling across America, these moments provided Dave with inspiration to write and create his new album. He is certainly not a new artist, but this is a new direction in the music we may associate with his former band. The treble has been toned down on his guitar to leave a rather smooth sounding end product…

After being told he was “so laid back he was almost horizontal” this explains Dave’s cleverly titled debut album Almost Horizontal- which not only provides us with an insight onto his experiences, but demonstrations his abilities as a new re-invented singer-songwriter. His debut album is made up with eleven songs, in which he not only plays guitar, but also writes all the lyrics and takes up lead vocal duties himself. Notable tracks include 2015’s single Blind Faith, along with Midday Sun and Joanna, whilst Small Town Sinner and Make Hay offer a different twist from guitarist turned front man’s song writing skills.

Throughout Midday Sun there is a clear bluesy rhythm and vibe. It’s completely unique how Hanson fuses the genres of blues and reggae whilst leaving a modern edge. The lyrics provide us with an insight into his time in the States, the listener almost feels like can relate to moments along the long and windy roads of a career in music. His vocals have been likened to those of John Mayer, however, with a more British twist. The indie guitarist is still in there (somewhere), but each song shows a strong influence of the blues and it comes across clearly in the delivery.

Interestingly, Dave uses storytelling in his lyrics, for example throughout Por Favor Senor- where the listener is left to decide themselves whether it’s true. Moreover, in Small Town Sinner Hanson expresses his (bad) experiences of Internet dating through the lyrics. Joanna has simultaneously modern feel; sonic comparisons to The Black Keys can definitely be made. With relaxed and cool vocals in the verses joined with a catchy and groovy chorus-this track will have anyone tapping along feeling like they’re the mean streets of America. Every track on the album feels like a different part of his journey, whilst he showcases his musical spectre of sound throughout. Dave Hanson’s Almost Horizontal album will be available in all the usual places on the 3rd June 2016. 

If you happen to find yourself in Café Nero sometime in June, checkout the live dates below and you might get to see Dave playing the album live. 

Tour dates (CN – Café Nero):

26th May – Album Launch, The Bedford London
31st May - CN Heathrow terminal 2     
1st June - CN Heathrow terminal 2
2nd June - CN Heathrow terminal 2
3rd June Album Launch – Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton Leeds 
6th June - CN Edinburgh
7th June - CN Newcastle
8th June - CN Leeds
9th June - CN Manchester
10th June - CN Sheffield
11th June - CN Birmingham
13th June - CN Cardiff
14th June - CN Bristol
15th June – CN Brighton
16th June - CN London
19th June - Southampton Notes Café (JJ Nichols support)
21st June - Birmingham, The cellar (JJ Nichols support)
22 June - Grimsby Yardbirds club (JJ Nichols support)
23 June - Chester, Live Rooms (JJ Nichols support)
25 June - Milton Keynes, Craufurd Arms (JJ Nichols support)
25 June - CN Old Compton St - Gay Pride Festival
28 June - Piano Works, Farringdon - CN promoted show
10 July - Cornbury Festival - 11am on CN Stage

'Midday Sun' is the new single from former guitarist of The Dunwells, Dave Hanson. It's melodic and deep reggae vibes, provide an excellent backdrop for Dave's bluesy vocals. Musically the song builds in content, whilst the background harmonies are delightful. As a foretaste of the new album, this has grabbed my attention.

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Ziemba - With The Fire.

Background promo - Ziemba is the performance moniker of René Kladzyk, a NYC-based artist and musician. Yesterday she shared "With The Fire," the 2nd single from her forthcoming debut LP.

"With the Fire" features a forthcoming music video that was shot in the ruins of Kladzyk's childhood home in Forestville, Michigan. This house has sat abandoned for 20 years, but is still filled with all the things that were there when Kladzyk was a small child, now in an extreme state of dilapidation. Its become a sort of nostalgia museum, inhabited by small animals, bees, and mold that have slowly transformed the furniture, toys, and artifacts of Kladzyk's youth. There's a magic in seeing the passage of time so viscerally; Kladzyk's sandbox now has a 30 foot tree growing out of it, the flaking paint hangs from doorways in lace-like chandeliers, the barn has been completely swallowed by ivy.  The house reveals the death of Kladzyk's childhood through these explosions of life and growth. Kladzyk's house provides a bittersweet encapsulation of the song and the album themes, demonstrating the passage of time through objects and traces.  In this vein, her debut album will be accompanied by the release of a limited batch incense, created with cedar, lilacs, and other plants harvested from the verdant yard of Kladzyk's childhood home.  Created in partnership with bio dynamic herbalist & perfumier Pretty Hole Collective, this incense will be something to burn while listening, a material reminder of the creative capacity of destruction.

Tour Dates 
05/29 - Brooklyn, NY - Trans Pecos 
05/31 - Detroit, MI - Lo & Behold release party 
06/01 - Detroit, MI - El Club 
06/02 - Ann Arbor, MI - Arbor Vitae 
06/03 - Chicago, IL - Cafe Mustache 
06/04 - Madison, WI - Arts & Literature Lab 
06/05 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry 
06/09 - Seattle, WA - Barboza* 
06/10 - Portland, OR- Lacuna* 
06/11 - Portland, OR - Valentines* 
06/12 - Sacramento, CA- Red Museum* 
06/13 - Reno, NV- Holland Project* 
06/14 - Oakland, CA - The Night Light*
06/15 - San Francisco, CA - Vacation* 
06/17 - Los Angeles, CA - Basic Flowers*
06/18 - Flagstaff, AZ - Firecreek
06/21 - Tucson, AZ - Hotel Congress
06/24 - El Paso, TX - Warszawa
06/26 - Austin, TX - Hotel Vegas
06/28 - Nashville, TN - Fond Object
06/30 - Atlanta, GA - Mammal Gallery
07/02 - Richmond, VA - The Sour Haus
07/03 - Baltimore, MD - The Crown
* = w/ Sam Mickens 

Last month we featured Ziemba with 'It Curls Itself' and described the song as "a vocal piece of beauty and originality". 'With The Fire' is another song from the forthcoming ten track album. By comparison this song showcases Ziemba against a more comprehensive musical background and continues to impress. It takes me from interested to must hear, wonderful!

Tuesday &: The Burning Hell - Of Clocks and Clouds

The Burning Hell - Men Without Hats.

Background promo - The seventh Burning Hell album is a collection of eight short stories drawn from different sections of the bookshelf of the brain. A murder mystery rubs shoulders with a biography, while a romance leans against a prison diary. There’s a killer priest, a nameless band lost in Yorkshire, and Elvis and Michael Jackson moon walking their way into space and/or global annihilation. Despair and hope go hand in hand here, and although Mathias Kom’s song writing has never been wordier, the stories never stranger, and the band never louder, the essence of The Burning Hell remains constant: life is not really so bad, as long as you can laugh a little and you have something decent to read.

The Burning Hell is the alter-ego of Canadian songwriter Mathias Kom, and the band has been on the road in one form or another since 2007, playing everywhere from festivals like Glastonbury and Dawson City to bars, living rooms, abandoned bunkers, and a mental asylum in rural France. Musically, The Burning Hell runs the gamut from introspective folk to hyperactive rock and roll, and so the band can adapt to its surroundings like a karma of anthropomorphic chameleons, taking the audience on a supermarket-cart ride through hooky, upbeat pop songs, dark ballads about pet euthanasia, and anthems for barbarians, economic conferences, and love.

On occasion, Mathias goes on the road as a duo with clarinetist Ariel Sharratt, and their debut album “Ariel Sharratt & Mathias Kom: Don’t Believe The Hyperreal” came out in November 2015. More often, Mathias and Ariel are joined by bassist Nick Ferrio, drummer Jake Nicoll and guitarist Darren Browne. The Burning Hell released Public Library, a new album of distorted story-songs, in April 2016, and they’ll spend the better part of the spring and summer in their natural habitat: the tour van.

Wed 11th May - DeBarras, Clonakilty, Ireland
Thu 12th May - Start The Bus, Bristol, UK 
Fri 13th May - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, UK
Sat 14th May (Matinee) - Eagle Inn, Salford 
Sat 14th May (Evening) - Eagle Inn, Salford 
Mon 16th May - Arden Road Social Club, Halifax, UK
Tue 17th May - The Crescent, York, UK
Wed 18th May - The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, UK 
Thu 19th May - The Drouthy Cobbler, Elgin, UK
Fri 20th May - The Hug & Pint, Glasgpw, UK 
Sat 21st May - Village Hall, Mickleton, Durham
Sun 22nd May - Spanky van Dykes, Nottingham, UK
Mon 23rd May - MIMA, Nottingham, UK  (FREE show at Institute of Modern Art www.visitmima.com) 
Tue 24th May - Oslo Hackney, London, UK
Wed 25th May - Hope & Ruin, Brighton, UK 

Thu 26th May - Moshi Moshi @ Tom Thum Theatre, Margate, UK

'Men Without Hats' is a lyrical wonder, and gives a hint of what you will hear on the album. Musically it's as tight as anything and the melody will get you if the words don't. The band are a bit of a challenge for our 'family friendly' format (hmmm) but that's the nature of rock'n'roll, it's no surprise that they are getting noticed either.

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Of Clocks and Clouds - She Had To Go.

Background bio - Named one of the Top 25 New Music Critiques by music Connection, Of Clocks and Clouds have been praised for their “enchanting arrangements, intensifying interludes and attention grabbing guitar riffs.”(Artsy Magazine)

Founded in 2013, Joe Salgo and Ross Procaccio were born and raised in Brooklyn, a borough that has become an international brand. The pair pride themselves on standing apart from the shoegaze indie rock scene, which has erupted throughout their hometown, crafting a sound that pays homage to the days of L'amours, CBGB's and Coney Island High.

Inspired by acts like The Black Keys, Pink Floyd, Beck and Queens of the Stone Age, OCAC combine classic and modern rock with tinges of electronic and psychedelic influences. “She Had to Go” from their forthcoming, self-produced album, Better Off, due out July 15th, - Vocals, guitar, electronics / Joe Salgo - Drums, vocals, electronics / Ross Procaccio.

'She Had To Go' is a punchy piece of Alt rock and no mistake. The power, rock duo's can create in is notable, however this pair pay attention to the detail and composition, rather than compensate with a wall of noise. The song should put the forthcoming album on plenty of folks radar.

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Monday & Guitars At The Ready: Great Outdoors - Maths And The Moon

Great Outdoors - Dad's Oasis.

Background promo - Guitars have been with us for so long now, it's hard to feel refreshed by them, but it still happens from time to time. With the warmth of a technicolour cartoon comes 'Dad's Oasis', the debut release from Great Outdoors. Amidst working on releases with Totally Mild, Full Ugly, Lehmann B Smith and Free Time, productive overachiever Zachary Schneider has used up his spare time to slowly chip away at a solo LP. Since the bands conception in 2011 the group have remained incredibly selfish, with no releases.

Dad's Oasis was recorded by engineer/house mate Rhys Corr then mixed at Phaedra Studio's with the masterful John Lee (Lost Animal, Pikelet), the album pokes its head and shoulders above the tarpit of guitar-pop emanating from Melbourne, Australia. Rich refreshing textures swell in your speakers with a mercurial nature. These sounds all brought forth by the width and movement of Lehmann Smith's bass, the skewed and warped sound of Schneider's guitars and the lyrical drumming of Johathan Mendelovits. Almost bordering on chamber pop, we hear from old friends like Bass Clarinet, Saxophone and Marimba. However, we're left with enough space to absorb everything in our own time, as the group do away with Phil Spector's wall of sound.

Lyrically, we hear the perspective of a person ducking and weaving their way through relationships in this post-internet generation of 20-somethings ready to call out anything and everything. Themes of betrayal and relationships based on depression and abuse are the perfect juxtaposition to this sunny, bright and uplifting record. Maybe it's because that's how it feels to be in one. We are left with an overall feeling of buoyancy, the album being a real time gestation of a relationship and its release being the break up.  

'Dad's Oasis' is the title track and one of nine thoughtfully developed songs on the album. It's a collection of indie pop and rock music, laden with melodic songs, intriguing lyrics, and exceptional production. Every song has character, there are no passengers on this album, and the featured track is a worthy introduction.


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Maths And The Moon - Futurist.

Background promo - Maths And The Moon are back with their second full-length album 'Familiar Strange'.  Lost in the forest with nothing but shadows, memories and strangely familiar characters, Maths And The Moon present the listener with a collection of thrilling new songs. Brand new tracks 'Magic' and 'Boomerang' sit in full-tilt alt-rock territory alongside recent single 'Futurist' (09.03.16), whilst 'Amongst Trees' and 'Psych-Seeing' weave the listener down a more obscure path into the woods.

The band generate a direct and focussed noise throughout the album, whilst keeping it fuzzy at every opportunity. Catch them live at selected UK shows this Summer "Familiar strangely comes to greet me, I shake his hand but he’s a hologram" 'Boomerang'

Recorded and produced by the band in their Southampton studio, the album will be available directly from their bandcamp page (Here) and across all major digital stores. Maths And The Moon are Andy Fielder (guitar/vocals), Luke Taplin (drums) and Matt Hirst (bass), and formed 2010.

The album 'Familiar Strange' comprises of nine enticing songs, that will appeal to those who enjoy the flavours of Alt Rock music, and quite probably to many more people as well. The band mix up the styles, there's some slow builders, full on rock pieces and even some softer material. Featured song and opening track on the album 'Futurist' gives an idea of what's in store, in what is a pretty cool album.

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Genre Wander: LiquidLight - Jamie Berry (ft. Octavia Rose) - SKYES

LiquidLight - You Never Remember.

Background promo - Selected as Portland Oregon’s 2015 Best Emerging Alt Rock Band, LiquidLight has momentum and they aren’t stopping any time soon. Their newly released first full length album, Uninitiated showcases a band with tremendous potential as a pop-rock powerhouse. Referencing post-punk and alternative bands such as Husker Du and The Replacements, LiquidLight has been described as “melodic, thoughtful and jingle-jangly as well as shred-crazy and powerful”. Founder Anthony Medici’s catchy song writing style and lead vocals steer the tight musicianship obvious in the band. LiquidLight has managed to produce an album that is not quite like anything else hitting your ear drums lately, pursuing balance and clarity with respect to great rock tradition and a sound uniquely their own.

In an age where popular culture pushes to “out-extreme” the latest and greatest, LiquidLight pursues balance and clarity with respect to great rock tradition. With a high standard of execution, strong melodies and elements of psychedelic and alternative influences, the music conveys a new, yet referential optimism.

Songwriters Anthony Medici and Cory West, the leading forces of LiquidLight, are each highly accomplished multi-instrumentalists backed by an explosive and versatile rhythm section - drummer Zack Rodrigues and bassist Gage Dean. Medici's lead vocals lend a cryptic yet powerful element to the sound and structure of the band, echoing the melodic sensibilities of the college/alternative era.

The songs and album have been around for a few months, however they must have passed me by first time around. Anyhow, catching up on them has been more than worthwhile. The featured song 'You Never Remember' has an addictive laid back melodic, indie rock feel to it. The band are more than able to deliver more punchy material along the way, as demonstrated on the current album 'Uninitiated' which mixes up the rock'n'roll, keeping the listener in expectation of what's to follow.

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Jamie Berry - Lost In The Rhythm ft. Octavia Rose (Original Mix).

Background words - They last recorded together back in 2012 creating the electro-swing classic Delight. Now, this year Jamie Berry (Electro-Swing producer & DJ from Leeds), teams up again with enigmatic singer Octavia Rose with their new single through Flak Records 'Lost In the Rhythm', which will feature on their upcoming debut album later on this year!

Fusing original vintage style vocals, horns, and Gypsy guitar, with contemporary analogue bass synths and energetic beats Lost In the Rhythm is Jamie’s biggest production yet, and is the start to a very exciting first album!

This is such a fine song, what's not to love about it. Octavia Rose's vocals are so well suited to this style of song, whilst Jamie Berry delivers a wonderfully rich take on swing. Vibrant throughout the song is a roller-coaster of  swirling musical vibes that non dancers will struggle to stay still to.


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SKYES - Quarks.

Background promo - SKYES releases their highly anticipated Quarks EP. The EP release follows the success of SKYES first few singles, "Quarks" "Dry" and "Give Me More." The hauntingly brilliant tracks showcase lead singer Dallin's vocal ability and range, as well as the bands overall original and unique style. The band had a massively successful SXSW run, having performed two official showcases and opening for band, X Ambassadors.

"Quarks" has achieved massive viral success as it was featured on Spotify's New Music Friday and Weekend Buzz play lists last week with over 149K listens to date. The three members of SKYES like to say that their band was born in the back of a van, somewhere in the middle of America.  More specifically, they describe, “where the drive from New York City to Los Angeles really starts to take hold, right around Joshua Tree.”  So, maybe, SKYES is a perfectly appropriate name, illustrative of an endlessly talented trio whose music the 405 has called “a mysterious, holy-like experience.”

Formed in 2010, SKYES is comprised of Dallin Knightly (vocals/piano), Dan Tirer (guitar) and Artie Fleischmann (bass). Dallin and Dan grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, while Artie’s first musical playground was about 150 miles up 1-95, in Long Island.  After playing together in bands like Funky Butter and Emanuel and the Fear, Dallin and Dan joined rocker Ryan Star’s touring band, where they met Artie.

Since their inception, SKYES has evolved from a ragtag sleepless rock and roll rebel rousers to an experimental synth-pop powerhouse, releasing several acclaimed digital singles and an eponymous EP along the way.  Drawing on influences like Tom Waits, Talking Heads and Radiohead, SKYES has perfected a sound that is as powerful as it is ethereal, highlighted by buoyant rhythms and Dallin’s seductive, silky vocals.

Title track from the EP and previous single release, 'Quarks' is a good indicator of the fine quality of material contained on this five track EP. The band can mix up the energy, moods and rhythms, and are not afraid to experiment within what is broadly synth-pop music. It's a good collection of songs, from a band who have clearly honed their skills and know how to write and produce some very good material.

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Saturday &: Juke Ross - David Ellington

Juke Ross - Not A Blade Of Grass.

Background - For over 100 years Venezuela has tried to claim that a vast swathe of Guyana, an area west of the Essequibo River that is home to indigenous villages and mining camps, abundant with deposits of gold, diamonds, bauxite and other minerals, belongs within its borders. Last year tensions escalated once again after Exxon Mobil, conducting work on behalf of the Guyanese government, discovered oil off the shores of the disputed land; Venezuela tried to stake a claim to the oil.

During another border dispute flare up in the 1970s one of Guyana's favourite musical sons - Dave Martins, was inspired by a Native American Chief's speech refusing to bow to the white man's invasion of their land and wrote a resistance song for his countrymen. It instantly connected with his people and became part of Guyanese folklore.

"The Chief spoke about his people’s love for their land," recalls Dave Martins, leader of the legendary Tradewinds. "That they would not give up one river, not one buffalo, not one valley, not even one blade of grass. In a flash, it hit me; that was the way to write the border song – it should talk about Guyanese love for Guyana and not mention Venezuela at all."

The lyrics are simply incredible. Beautifully crafted, defiant and relevant today to Guyana and just about anyone else who ain't into backing down. Guyana has also produced another musical son - Juke Ross, who possesses a voice that God took special time to pour out when he was depositing the gold, diamond and oil in the depths of Guyana. The universe will undoubtedly be hearing a lot more from Juke Ross in the future, but until such time he has, with Dave Martins' blessing, recorded a cover of Not A Blade Of Grass. The 2016 iteration sees Serani commanding the production and is being released in time for Guyana's 50th Independence Anniversary.

This is such a beautiful song, whether you know of the history behind it or not. Juke has an infectious voice, and the delicate harmonies and finely structured music that sit behind his vocals are a delight.

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David Ellington - Goin' To Church.

Background promo - Blue Canoe Records has released “Marbles From A Drawer”, from versatile keyboard player David Ellington. “Marbles From A Drawer”,produced by Coy Bowles of Zac Brown Band, features many acclaimed guests and focuses on smoky, keyboard-based blues that is contemporary while still maintaining an old school presence. David Ellington grew up in Connecticut learning in as many musical situations as possible. From garage bands to church and school bands, he viewed all of these musical experiences as  ways to learn. After high school, Mr. Ellington continued his education in Boston at Berklee College of Music. 

He moved to New Orleans,Louisiana in 1983 where he played and recorded with many local legends including Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Troi Bechet among others. Mr. Ellington also created afro cuban jazz group Chevere during his time in New Orleans. Cheer recording “Baila Mi Ritmo”was chosen by Times Picayune music critic Keith Spera as one of the Top 20 recordings of 2001. During this time, he continued learning as he studied under Ellis Marsalis.“Marbles From A Drawer” begins in sultry fashion with “Goin’ To Church”. Mr. Ellington captures the listener’s ear with an expanding groove that gets deeper and funkier as the track breathes. It fills senses while remaining simple at heart. As the keyboard foundation gives way to a sizzling guitar solo, the interplay between players gets bigger while maintaining its simplicity and catchy feel. At the end, the audience is left wanting more while their feet are still tapping.

On “98 Bottles”, Mr. Ellington features Clay Cook on vocals. Mr. Cook is famous for co writing hits with John Mayer including “No Such Thing” which won the 2003 ASCAP award for Most Performed Song. “98 Bottles” is a melancholy song about waiting remorsefully for a lost love. The haunting keyboard textures add to the wistful regret as the vocals build and fade. Ellington and Cook combine to move the listener as the track ends in a dream-like fade.

Not the whole song sadly but a flavour of what are eight fine songs on the recent album 'Marbles From A Drawer'. Worth a mention at the very least, and a style of music popular with a good number of our regular visitors.
 
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Friday Double: Penny for the Workhouse - Charlie Haley

Penny for the Workhouse - Smoker At The Window.

Background promo - Formed in 2012, the band's unique ‘Folk ‘n’ Roll’ style marries the energy of Indie rock with the captivating storytelling of Folk. With catchy lyrics and toe tapping drum beats, Penny For The Workhouse are bursting with personality, always making their audience feel part of their performance. 

Their self-released debut EP “Coins and Cards” (2012) was met with 5 star reviews on iTunes and also by Paul Weller, the Modfather himself!
In 2014, the band’s follow up EP “Jack The Gun Slinger and Other Tales” was recorded at The Animal Farm in London. Along with a sold out successful launch night at The Camden Enterprise, tracks from the EP were picked up for radio play and the band also donated the title track “Jack The Gun Slinger, Country Singer” to feature alongside the likes of Noel Gallagher on The Pete Quaife Foundation Charity CD, “Legends; Shoulder to Shoulder”. Later in 2014, the band were lucky enough to support folk legends Slim Chance at Dingwalls, Camden, celebrating the release of Ronnie Lane’s Greatest Hits Album. As well as this, the band was asked to support P.P. Arnold who was playing for the Christmas Mod Ball at The 100 club in London.

The Band have caused quite a stir on YouTube with their Punk cover of “Pick a Pocket” from the musical Oliver, by amassing nearly 10,000 views of the music video in just a couple of months thus collecting many new fans from across the globe.

2015 saw the band push forward with new material and have recorded their 3rd EP Live at SoundLab Studios, Essex and continued to gig throughout the UK showcasing their unique “Folk’n’Roll” style. Summer 2015 saw them perform at their first festival, Livestock Longdon in Gloucestershire alongside the likes of The Feeling, Scouting For Girls and The Hoosiers. The band continues to pick up new fans at every stop along the way, getting the world ready to start the Workhouse revolution!

Live Dates:

24th June - EP Launch, The Good Ship, Kilburn, London

There's something quite fun and mischievous about Penny For The Workhouse. Featured song 'Smoker At The Window' gives a good example of the energy that abounds in their music, which can be really hard to pin down into any one style. Upbeat and different a little bit punk and folk and country and rock'n'roll, the band deserves to be noticed.

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Charlie Haley - Today.

Background bio - Charlie Haley spent most of his young life playing live music, bouncing his clarion voice off the walls of college campuses, churches, coffee houses and even prisons around Illinois, long before he thought about recording his material for posterity. It is this old fashioned sense of craft that makes Haley’s sound appropriate for the times and also timeless.

Keeping his head down and focusing on his developing talent didn’t negate the opportunities that seemed to seek him out. His live performances drew invitations to play the Boone County Fair as well as the ICM awards in Nashville and after years of honing his chops on the road, Haley was ready to work his way into tracking his music. Reflecting on the steep learning curve the recording environment presented, Charlie asserts “the studio process is definitely an art form unto itself and I spent a long time capturing the emotional nuances I wanted in my vocal takes.”

His debut LP Soul Searching was released in 2013, which resulted in a groundswell of support from local fans and musicians, and Haley was soon backed by a dedicated rhythm section who began supporting him for an unmarked string of shows that stretched into the new year. In June of 2015 the whole band had a near death experience when their tour van’s cruise control shaft got stuck and the brakes froze. They flew through a construction zone going 90 miles per hour and almost crashed before Charlie flung it into neutral and pulled the key out.

After the smoke cleared from the accident, Charlie felt it was time to get off the road and back in the studio. The close call seemed to influence the new material, recorded in St. Charles at Skyblynde Studios with producer Gregory Hyde, and the resulting LP was titled Today - a call to not let life pass you by. “People are capable of so much more than we realize and we are often meant for infinitely more than we accomplish” says the songwriter.

While Haley is admittedly a bit of an introvert, he readily recognizes the strength music gives him to communicate. “I’m not the greatest orator but a switch goes on when I play music that allows me to express myself more fluidly” he notes. “I feel music is the perfect form of communication... If done right.” Today EP Release date: May 27, 2016.

Title track and one of six songs on the new EP 'Today' lets you in on Charlie Haley's music which centres around a mixture of rock and power pop. Ironically considering the road accident mentioned above, I would describe the EP as great driving music, probably because of the pace and energy. It's straight down the line sound works well, making for a fine collection of songs.

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Genre Wander: Sinderins - We Are Bandicoot - The Fontaines - TheROAMies

Sinderins - Fayre.

Background promo - The band’s name is taken from a confluence of roads in the band’s home town of Dundee.  Very appropriate this is too, since this band is truly the result of a meeting and a meshing of talents and minds. Producer Matt Lawrence allowed the band to capture the essence of what makes the music special, distilling not only the foam and the energy, but also the eeriness and otherness that sits at the heart of their sound. With hundreds of gigs already chalked up, and the schedule for 2016 filling fast–don’t doubt their commitment.

The single is energetic and cheerful, with an uplifting tone. Vocalist, David, manages to highlight the incredible ability to his vocal range and it’s clear to see the amount of talent that Sinderins have is extraordinary.

On Fayre, David Webster hits and sustains a high note across four bars. Initial attempts to record this fell short so, channelling something he had read about Thom Yorke leaping into a fjord, Webster asked his band mates to douse him in ice water before he ran to the mic.  That first take is the one that was used on the final record…

With Fayre the band have created something that draws on tradition; the tradition of the Folk scene, sure, and on their own personal histories. It is where ideas, techniques, traditions and friends – old and new – come together. Fayre is taken from Sinderins upcoming album and will be available at all the usual places from 13th May with the album to drop in June.

Tour Dates:
Tues 17th May – The Groucho Club, London
Wed 22nd June – Mad Hatters, Inverness
Thur 23rd June – Café Drummond, Aberdeen
Fri 24th June – Venue TBC, Dundee?
Sat 25th June – King Tuts, Glasgow
Sun 26th June– King Tut’s, Glasgow

'Fayre' may well be dominated by the incredible vocals of David Webster, however that is in part down to the superb musicianship, that provides such a professional and powerful backdrop. What a fantastic song, yet another must have album beckons.

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We Are Bandicoot - The Reason.

Background promo - Kent five-piece We Are Bandicoot have been topping the lists of Indie taste makers throughout 2016. The raucous new single “The Reason” out Monday 16th May shows just why the young experimental muso’s are causing such a song and dance, literally.

God only knows how many amps We Are Bandicoot must have blown up in the making of “The Reason”, the grooving, fuzz-heavy powerhouse of an indie-rock banger. The downright erotic guitars pulled straight from the top shelf of guitar tones, crashing drums and inventive vocal hooks and harmonies have secured the attention of more than just the Internet’s most revered bloggers.

Not content with invading our screens, We Are Bandicoot are now attacking the airwaves with multiple spins on BBC Introducing from Tom Robinson and plays coming from far and wide with the likes of Radio Kaos Caribou in France and The Justin Wayne Show in Montana, both champions of the band.

Following shows with Broken Records, Moullettes and Heg & The Wolf Chorus, the trendsetters from the South East will be on the road throughout May & June including a special show at The Great Escape Festival. “The Reason” is released by Blizzard Records on 16th May 2016.

19/05      Brighton, The Great Escape
20/05      Milton Keynes, The Stables - Supporting Heg & The Wolf Chorus
02/06      London, Dublin Castle
05/06      London, Slaughtered Lamb
07/06      London, Alley Cat Bar
23/06      Maidstone, Earls - Single Release Show
25/06      London, The Garage - Supporting The Phantom Sound

We Are Bandicoot have created something quite wonderful with the song 'The Reason'. Vocals and harmonies are carefree yet powerful and the band play with equal cheer and swagger, it's a good one.

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The Fontaines - Cold.

Background promo - If, after listening to The Fontaines’ debut EP, you find yourself at a loss for how to describe them, don’t worry. The brother-sister duo (Charlotte, 21, sings; Hank, 26, plays guitar) don’t want to make music that’s easy to pin down. “We call it New-Wop,” Hank says, adding that the he really wants his music to be “swoon-worthy,” to have that indescribable sense of a song taking over your heart, a feeling he’s had when listening to Miles Davis...and Beach House. For Charlotte, it was hearing The Drifters in grade school that made her realise what kind of sound she wanted to play with in her own music.

Hank moved to Los Angeles in 2008; partially for his health, but also, he adds, because he “wanted to live in a culturally important city where I could be in warm weather and still go out and hear rock n' roll at night.” Charlotte, who always knew she wanted to sing (perhaps because she shares a birthday with Frank Sinatra), followed suit after she graduated high school, determined to follow her brother into the music business.  Charlotte found herself inspired as she watched him “play every dive bar and small social gathering in town.”  Hank says of the early years, “She and I both knew that getting up on stage to perform always beats sitting around and then regretting it afterward.”  It simply made sense to join forces.

Charlotte came up with the name, chosen for reasons as eclectic as their music: she was inspired by Trip Fontaine, a gentlemanly but troubled character from Jeffrey Eugenidies’ 'The Virgin Suicides'; the French poet Jean de la Fontaine; and, finally, Johnny Fontaine, the Frank Sinatra pastiche from 'The Godfather', because she loved his “over the-top persona”.

 By 2015, The Fontaines were playing wherever and whenever they could.  “We try to make our shows as unpredictable and spontaneous as possible; we’re constantly pushing ourselves to step it up.”  They also began to write compulsively. Hank estimates they’ve written over 300 songs in two years.  'Dusty Springfield', which is set to be the group’s fourth single, was written the night before it was recorded. “We actually already had a different song with the name ‘Dusty Springfield’,” Hank explained.  “We didn't like it, but we still wanted to record a song inspired by her.  The other guys in the band were shocked when we showed up to record a new song with the same title.”  The Fontaines’ self-produced new songs were recorded in downtown L.A. and mixed by Matt Linesch (Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes).

'The Fontaines EP' recently reached #121 on the CMJ college radio charts, #14 on the KKBB specialty radio charts, and #48 on the FMQB specialty radio charts.  In addition, "Paul Newman" was recently debuted as "Today's Top Tune" on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.  The band made their CMJ debut in 2015 and will be appearing at this year's Canadian Music Week and other international festivals. The Fontaines will release their second EP, 'II' on June 24th 2016.

The featured song 'Cold' showcases The Fontaines "new wop" sound pretty well. There's one softer, gentler song on the new EP the other two tracks have the positive spontaneous vibes of 'Cold' which really does come across as having a modern twist, on a timeless classic sound.

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TheROAMies - Me and My Shadow.

Background bio - The ROAMies are a refreshing listening experience and an adventure for your soul. This fun duo/band's music is a playful marriage of Alexa James' hooky melodies, upbeat lyrics and unique vocals with Rory Partin's soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics fused into a one of a kind sound. After touring together, fans continually asked them to combine their sound into one. Honoring that request, The ROAMies was formed. Deeply rooted by their passion for travel, adventure and people, they’re a duo that you will definitely want to "follow," "like," and "subscribe" to as they ROAM around the world.

Alexa James has recorded several professional studio albums, has had a #1 song and five other Top 10 songs. She was named Hot Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year with the L.A. Music Awards. Rory Partin has also garnered a #1 radio single and has performed in over 30 countries. His soulful vocals and piano-based grooves leave you wanting more! They recently won the award for Best Theme Song in a Comedy at the LA Webfest and Best Soundtrack at the Maverick Movie Awards. Once you see this duo live, you will know this is just the beginning of an enjoyable adventure.

May 7th @ Masia de la Vinya, Temecula, CA- 12:00-4:00
June 10th @Moonlight on The Mountain, Birmingham, AL
June 11th Rory Partin's Big Band plays at Centennial Park in Nashville, TN
June 12th @Chattanooga Farmers Market, Chattanooga, TN
June 13th @Blue Plate Special in Knoxville, TN  at noon!

Our official US 40-date summer tour starts June 30th- here are a few sneak peaks:
July 5th- Inside The Music Room Radio Show, Dallas, TX
July 20th- Rockwood Music Hall, New York City, NY
August 12th - Gray's on Main, Franklin, TN
August 13th- Smith's Olde Bar, Atlanta Room, Atlanta, GA
August 31st- Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO

The duo say of the song 'Me and My Shadow' - "It's a fun little ditty that we covered. Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. did a great version of the song (of course) We used their version to inspire our own. ". It's a fun version and what's more it's free to download, everyone's a winner with this charming version!

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Double Delights: Cerise - Popincourt

Cerise - St. Nick.

Background promo - LA by way of Chicago songstress Cerise is set to release her debut album 'Smoke Screen Dreams,' on June 24. 

Although music has been integral to Cerise's life since as far back as she can remember, it was her teenage days spent listening to such dark and romantic luminaries as The Cure, Bauhaus and Siouxsie And The Banshees that had the most dramatic effect. "That was the first time music really spoke to me," she remembers. "The darkness and beauty of those bands seduced me into this other world and having a big interest in music. But it always seemed like it was the hardest thing in the world to actually do. To me, being a musician in a band seemed like being a ballerina- like you had to be trained for it from the age of six to become this amazing artist."

With Cerise's interests in modelling and photography initially taking a front seat, any thoughts of being a musician were put on the back burner until she met Peter Gabriel protégé Joseph Arthur in 2003. The Ohioan singer-songwriter taught Cerise the key idea that anyone could be a musician, and there's never a better time to be a musician than right now. "He's happy to try anything and write a song with anyone if the inspiration is there. So I would hang out with him a lot and just help with some vocals or whatever else he needed at the time. That got me interested in how music is created. Before that, it was a process that was hidden from me." It was a laissezfaire attitude to creativity that Cerise put into practise herself when she decided to buy a guitar as a present for herself. Within three weeks, she was writing her own songs under the continued encouragement and mentorship of Arthur. It was then that Cerise began to realise that even if you do put your favourite artists on a pedestal, trying to clamber up to that level yourself is the most challenging and exciting journey that anyone can ever undertake.

Some of the songs on Cerise's upcoming album have been crafted over a period of several years but her decision to work long and hard before unveiling her music publicly is already paying off. Helped by the mixing talents of Matt Boynton (Bat For Lashes/MGMT), layers of sound and texture gives her music a cryptic, dreamlike allure while Cerise's voice also helps enhance the ethereal feel by managing to inhabit a starkly beautiful place somewhere between Nico and Hope Sandoval. That otherworldly feel is something that Cerise is determined to bring to her live performance too. "I'm trying to create an atmosphere when I'm on stage," she concludes. "I like it when a live show has a feeling that envelops you and takes you to another place entirely. That's the thing I loved about the bands I heard growing up- the way they could transport you without you even realising."

The song 'St. Nick' is one of two songs I have heard from the forthcoming nine track album, and both bode well for the release. With the featured song there is a darker brooding feel within the music that makes for an excellent backdrop to Cerise's vocals. My impression across the two songs is that of dream pop with some deeper vibes, all good so far.

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Popincourt - I Found Out.

Background promo - Some try all their lives to record the new “Village Green” (The Kinks) or the new “Never mind the bollocks”‘ (The Sex Pistols). Popincourt would prefer a follow up to “Café bleu” (The Style Council). The project might seem less ambitious but it is certainly more original, probably more realistic and no less genuine for someone who has always been influenced by Paul Weller. A man not only attached to the heritage of Small Faces, The Herd, and The Jam, but one who also lives in the 21st century – without dismissing the 80s, or at least what remains worth listening in 2016, such as The Style Council therefore, Elvis Costello, XTC or Aztec Camera (the aerial guitars of ‘The Risk of losing you’ or ‘I found out’); the 90s and the touch of British jazz that the trumpets bring to ‘A new dimension to modern love’, acid jazz maybe, he would rather call it ‘Blue eyed soul’; the 2000s and a Burgalat production, full of vintage keyboards (wurlitzer, philicorda…) and sophisticated cords like on ‘The First flower of spring’.

Popincourt was created over several years. From the first bands in Rouen, Nantes, Bordeaux and Paris, before a formative exile to London, where he founded ‘les Hommes Responsables’ with Phil King, ex bass player of Lush and Jesus & Mary Chain, followed a return to France where he will collaborate with Perio and play the organ in concert with French Boutik. During all these years, the man himself had time to appreciate what makes a difference: an entire devotion to the verse/chorus/transition above and beyond technical virtuosity; the overall importance of melodies; the groove in the service of the songs, not the other way round. The repertoire is built over a decade. An unreleased EP to taste the water in 2013, before moving to the next level. A small team is formed with people met at concerts. Hervé Bouétard, the drummer of Bertrand Burgalat, is behind the drums . Ken Stringfellow on the bass following his time with the Posies, Big Star and R.E.M. Gabriela Giacoman, the singer of French Boutik, is doing the backing vocals. Sébastien Souchois, the composer of the soundtracks for ‘Candidat’ and ‘Mes amis, mes amours’, arranged the brass and supervises the production. Finally it is at the studios of Nicolas Dufournet, ex-business partner of Michel Gondry and Etienne Charry at the heart of Oui Oui, that the Popincourt’s album is recorded.

To sing about love stories is not always easy, but here is someone who has lived more than 25 years without succumbing to the model that so often makes French rock ridiculous. In fact he sings in English claiming “It is easier and more natural in terms of what I listen to”. A French album for the British maybe, but certainly not a revival album!

The above comment in the final paragraph "A French album for the British maybe" brought an instant smile to my face. OK so we Brits and our neighbours have a little bit of history, but why not? The song 'I Found Out' certainly has the influences of some fine British bands, and stands on it's own right, as one very catchy melodic pop/rock song. I shall return the complement and play some fine Françoise Hardy or possibly even Serge Gainsbourg songs later today...

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Quality Not Quantity: Monk Tamony - Post Death Soundtrack

Monk Tamony - Leaders.

Background promo - NYC indie duo, Monk Tamony, officially releases the next instalment off their forthcoming self-titled debut EP, Monk Tamony.

“Leaders” follows debut single, “Back Of The Building." Pancakes & Whiskey raved of “Back Of The Building," The track is rife with rolling guitar riffs and a solid back beat which gets our blood pumping for more from this new exciting duo.” Comprised of TJ Rosenthal (Vocals, Guitar) and Joe Zdaa (Drum, Vocals), the stellar, two-piece band produces super charged, hard-driving rock with unmistakable New York City attitude.

Zdaa and Rosenthal first met in 2002 at Dark Room, a discreetly hidden bar on Ludlow Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. “Joe was a bartender,” describes Rosenthal. “And I was a DJ and a regular patron. It was always a scene, and I’d go some nights just make sure I wasn’t missing anything.”

In the fall of 2015, Monk Tamony put the finishing touches on their debut EP. The dynamic duo has already garnered new fans along both coasts and while Zdaa and Rosenthal might call Monk Tamony a happy accident, it’s clear that they’re purposeful about their craft. Their EP is coming later this summer and will be available for purchase on vinyl.

“I can’t wait to see where the Monk Tamony story goes,” shares Rosenthal. “The fun part is not knowing. But, as long as we continue to make songs that mean something to us, we’ll continue to put them out there.”

With deep drums and a bass line that resonates 'Leaders' has a full on rock vibe throughout. There's a modern slant within the track, accompanied by a striking classic riff and vocals that plead for your attention. Good old solid rock, done well.

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Post Death Soundtrack - You Can't Go Back.

Background bio - Post Death Soundtrack is a Canadian inter-city music collective consisting of Kenneth Buck, Steve Moore and Jon Ireson. Founded in Calgary in 2007 by Buck and Moore, the band now operates out of Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto using the magic of the internet to collaborate across the country. The group creates thought-provoking music by weaving together electronic, industrial, pop and rock sounds. Side-line.com calls their sound “indefinable" while Reflections of Darkness calls them "by no means music for simple minds”.

On September 16, 2008, founding members Buck and Moore released Post Death Soundtrack’s debut full length album Music as Weaponry. Taking influence from bands like Massive Attack and Skinny Puppy, ‘Music as Weaponry’ earned top reviews from publications such as Industrial.org, Side-line Magazine and Sphere Magazine who called the record "a chaotic concoction of crossover madness" adding "this is the soundtrack to your escape from the average". Their popular cover of Dead Can Dance's ‘Anywhere Out Of The World’ was met with praise overseas in Europe.

Also that year, the group recruited bassist and producer Jon Ireson with whom Buck and Moore had shared various stages with in previous incarnations. Jon, in turn brought on Colin Everall to help out on piano and drums. In 2010, Post Death Soundtrack released their single ‘Ultraviolence’ with accompanying video, directed by Jeevin Johal. Along with the release of new music (‘Little Alice’ and ‘Our Time Is Now’) and a series of remixes from Music as Weaponry, the band assembled for a rare live performance opening for industrial pioneers Front Line Assembly.

Now after a 3 year hiatus, Post Death Soundtrack is back with The Unlearning Curve. The latest 9 track collection is an eclectic narrative about dropping concepts, healing and venturing into the unknown. Equal parts Alice in Wonderland, J. Krishnamurti and dream language, The Unlearning Curve pulls as much from psych era Beatles and David Bowie as it does from modern industrial rock. The record was recorded at a number of studios, primarily in Vancouver. It was mastered at Suite Sound Labs, Vancouver and the album cover is an original painting by Toronto artist Kayla Aileen Brown. The album is available as a free download as well as in limited edition vinyl format.

The featured track 'You Can't Go Back' gives some feel of the depth and creativity from the new album (Release date: May 27, 2016). That said the album takes off in so many different and wonderful directions, it's hard to think where to begin to describe it. As an indicator think of an album that travels from psychedelic rock to trip hop, via electronic and other places and your headed somewhere in the right direction. Whatever the categories, it's got me hooked.

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Three Good Ones: Winters End - Bad Sounds - Joana Serrat

Winters End - Thoughts.

Background promo - Winters End have released their new single Thoughts, the follow-up single to their critically acclaimed 2015 single Mayfair. Comprised of siblings Marissa and Christopher Pinto, Winters End are a Sydney-based indie, electronic duo. Formed in October 2011, they have toured twice internationally for the Indie Week Music Festival in Canada and the Youbloom Music Festival in Los Angeles in 2014.

Winters End's follow-up release to their critically acclaimed 2015 single Mayfair, comes in the form of Thoughts. Thoughts was recorded in Sydney at A Sharp studios and Studios 301 with esteemed record producer Lachlan Mitchell (The Jezabels, The Whitlams, The Vines).

 If you combined the wistful synth sounds of Stevie Nicks, Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush and added an Adele-like narrative, complete with heart wrenching and honest lyrics, the result would be Thoughts.
Thoughts is a beautiful piano-based track which starts sparsely and progresses with layers of synths and strings, expressive drumming, and a soaring lead vocal. This progression results in the creation of the 'big' sound that Winters End have become known for.

It was last August that we had the pleasure of featuring Winters End for the first time, back then we described the track Mayfair as "a powerful and stirring song". New single 'Thoughts' continues to see the duo develop and produce high quality indie pop, the latest offering is both melodic and powerful, if anything surpassing their previous work.
 
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Bad Sounds - Avalanche.

Background promo - Following debut single 'I Feel' in December 2015, and receiving praise from everyone from The Line Of Best Fit to Noisey and radio spins from Zane Lowe (Next Hype), Phil Taggart, Annie Mac and Huw Stephens at Radio 1, Bad Sounds return with the release of new single ‘Avalanche', out 29th April via Killing Moon Records.

Co-produced by Duncan Mills (Peace/Spector), the Bath based 5-piece take their upbeat-pop sound to new levels; fusing cheerful pop hooks, fuzzy guitar lines and an undeniably addictive chorus, bringing sounds of the 70's and 80's into the 90's Brit-Pop era, with a twist.

Bad Sounds play a run of UK festivals in support of the single including appearances at Field Day, Dot To Dot and The Great Escape.

UK Tour Dates are as follows:

20 May - The Great Escape, Brighton
28 May - Dot To Dot, Bristol
12 June - Field Day, London
2 September - Festival No. 6, Portmeirion.

This is one of those instantly addictive songs. In fact the above promo has pretty much used up all the immediately apparent descriptions of what is such an uplifting song. If you have not got the energy to dance to it, then just enjoy the enormous smile it puts on your face.

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Joana Serrat - Cloudy Heart ft. Neil Halstead.

Background - Joana Serrat on Cloudy Heart - "Cloudy Heart was built together by David Giménez and myself. The song talks about the very moment when a couple feels like strangers, after coming out of a long journey through darkness together. I like the light that chorus spreads around and the strength that suddenly appears in this part. I feel that it's a generous and genuine song.

While we were writing it, we knew Neil Halstead (Slowdive / Mojave 3) should sing in this song. We met whilst playing in the same festival in Barcelona few years ago. Neil listened to the demo version and said yes immediately. He then went on to play electric guitars on two other tracks on the album - Lonely Heart Reverb and Lover."

It's not surprising that Joana has already received considerable attention both in the mainstream music press and on radio. This is such a gorgeous song, simple as that really, a gorgeous song.

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