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Globetrotting: Matt Townsend - The Proper Ornaments - Kamaliza - The Insatiables

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Matt Townsend - Came Down From The Mountain. Background - The Drifter and the Dream (Part I) is the first installment of a two-part EP series. It features some of Western North Caroli-na’s finest musicians, such as Bill Berg (Drums on Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks) River Guerguerian, Kat Williams, Franklin Keel, Jackson Dulaney, Carly Taich, Charles Gately (Doc Aquatic), Ryan Burns. With his distinctive voice, and a world weary insight, Matt Townsend delivers his original songs, formed in the wells of Folk music, 60’s rock and pop, indie rock, ambient music and the American songwriting tradition.Live, his band flows from high energy rock and roll, to quiet folk tunes and back. Bob Dylan, Neutral Milk Hotel, Neil Young are counted among some of his musical guiding lights. The Asheville, North Carolina-based musician has been performing across the country since 2012. 2016 marks the anticipated release of Townsend’s latest work, The Drifter and the Dream (Part I), a five-track EP, whi

Midweek Muse: Nice Motor - The Amazons - Lionfly Secrets - Cocoa Futures

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Nice Motor - Duck And Cover. Background - Nice Motor is a Rock n' Soul band from Chicago, forming in late 2014. With Brian Webb on Vocals and Guitar, Seth Webb on Drums, Dave Swick on Guitar, and Neil Krajenta on bass, the band began recording music during the summer of 2015. Their first releases, "All the Neighbors" and "Turn to Stone" were made available for free on Soundcloud in the fall of that same year. Nice Motor formed after the break-up of Chicago veteran band "Jonny Rumble", freeing up Brian and Seth for new adventures, and Dave's departure from another Chicago band, "Super Happy Fun Club". Neil was waiting in the wings, bought a bass, and off they went. Beginning with acoustic writing sessions on a balcony, and impromptu electric noise-making, the band quickly began to write tunes as a well-orchestrated unit. After pocketing a hand or two full of songs, the band began recording in May with their good friend Chris Mason manni

Genre Wander: Happyness - Country Lips - Teen Daze - Juliana LaChance

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Happyness - Falling Down. Background - When Happyness first burst into the public conscience with 2013’s debut single It’s On You, their spirited take on US college rock was as big a surprise as it was an instant hit. The resulting full length, Weird Little Birthday, went on to feature in many of 2014’s End of Year album lists. Worldwide tours, an NME Award, a re-issue on the much-loved labels Moshi Moshi Recordings (Bar/None in US), and millions of Spotify plays later, it is with some anticipation that news of album number two begins to surface. Currently only two things remain certain: Spring 2017 will see the release of Weird Little Birthday’s successor, and today they share the first taste of what the album will sound like in the form of new single Falling Down. Following news that their YALA club night headline show for The Maccabees’ Felix White sold out within two hours, the band also announce today their biggest London headline show to date: 28th April, The Dome, Tufnell Par

Triple Treasure: Satellite Mode - Taylor Noelle - Oparu

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Satellite Mode - Warm Fire Lightning. Background - Continuing their momentum of clock-work single releases throughout 2016, "Warm Fire Lightening" is Satellite Mode’s most gritty, rock influenced track to date. The song’s production is based around a loosely tuned Rickenbacker guitar riff, coupled with psychedelic synth loops and naked, one take, vocal melodies. With a soundscape inspired by the NYC noise pollution relentlessly carrying on outside producer Alex Marko’s home studio, the track’s lyrics recount the all familiar tale of the ambiguous dating scene in a busy city where games are played and truth, love and serendipity all come into play. The track was written and recorded in Alex’s closet sized NYC apartment and mixed in Berlin by the talented Damian Press. Founded in New York City, Satellite Mode is composed of artists Jess Carvo (Vocals) and Alex Marko (Production / Instrumentation).  The duo has become most known for their blend of haunting vocals with electro

Alternative Take: Yeomans - Spencer Arbuckle - Yassassin - OhBoy!

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Yeomans - My Fish Got Drunk. Background - Garage rock bands always tend to weigh heavily on the retro vibe and Toronto’s Yeomans are no exception, naming themselves after the hardworking farmers of colonial America. However, their music isn’t quite that ancient. Glimmers of 60s fuzz pedals, melodic surf, psych grooves and reverb soaked vocals haunt the Yeomans’ sound. The band formed in 2013, during the height of the Rob Ford crack scandal. Guitarist Kieran Heilbron met then Yeomans’ drummer Jocelyn while selling “Rob Ford Smokes Crack” t-shirts to raise money for the Gawker "Crackstarter" campaign. Realizing they were both into psych and both looking for a new project they started jamming and Yeomans was born, joined by Calgarian Ian Kilburn on vocals & guitar. They do their heroes proud, throwing nods to The Chocolate Watchband, The 13th Floor Elevators and The Masters Apprentices. Yeomans released their first EP in 2014, recorded in a ghostly church in a small town

Genre Mix: Silver Rose - Leitvox - King Washington - Polly Baker

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Silver Rose - Take Me Home. Background - The genesis of Carla Sariñana’s Silver Rose project originates in Los Angeles in the spring and summer months of 2015. In thrall to shoegaze and dream pop and the iconography of the 1970s, Carla set to work rendering her unique take on these influences through Silver Rose. No veteran to the indie scene, Carla has been playing bass and writing songs for successful all-female Mexican rock band Ruido Rosa since 2005. By playing every battle of the bands competition they could find and every venue that would have them, they grew a loyal fanbase through their raw and energetic live shows. Silver Rose is a way for Carla to express her more vulnerable and romantic side; her songs wear their heart on their sleeve. Birthed out of a love for glamour and melancholy and nostalgia, Silver Rose is an empowering and vital project that resonates with and inspires anyone who laments the faded glamour of rock and roll. Her new material was refined in live perf

Weekend Wonders: Mick Clarke - Deltawerk - Andrew Johnston - Slothrust - Wild Domestic

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Mick Clarke - Tailgater. Background -  Two new digital singles from Mick Clarke are now available. Begging Bowl - From the Shake It Up album this  a funkier remix which was done for the 3 CD re-issue, coming soon on BGO Records. Tailgater - Also originally recorded for the Shake It Up album but not included on the final track list - now available as a digital single iTunes etc. Mick began his career with Killing Floor part of the British blues boom of the late 60s. The band backed Texas blues guitar star Freddie King and toured with legends such as Howlin' Wolf and Otis Spann. In the 70s Mick co-formed Salt, a powerful four piece band which was a big hit on the UK club and college scene, opened for Muddy Waters in London and played at the Reading Festival. The Mick Clarke Band was formed in the early 80s and Mick has become an established name on the European scene, touring regularly in every country from Finland down to Italy, plus tours in the USA and Asia. Praised for his fie

Genre Wander: Enemies - War Nurse - Walpurgis Family - Desert Mountain Tribe

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Enemies - Glow (feat. Louise Gaffney). Background - Enemies will release their third and final album entitled Valuables on December 9th via Topshelf Records. Valuables documents a turbulent time for the band — intensive writing, recording and touring, coupled with a lack of shared vision, led to a decision that harmony in ending is ultimately more valuable than discord in continuing. On "Glow," the final single to be released from Valuables, Enemies provide the ethereal backing track for the haunting vocals of guest vocalist Louise Gaffney of Come On Live Long. Formed in 2007, Enemies, an experimental/indie-rock four-piece from Kilcoole, Ireland, have spent almost a decade writing, recording and producing their own records. Having travelled the world with tours in Asia, North America and Europe, the band has continuously developed their sound, remaining incredibly distinct within Ireland’s experimental music scene. Enemies surprise their listeners with every release by con