Posts

Dyan - Guerilla Toss - Lewisburg

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Dyan - Absence. Background - "Absence is about leaving, but not before inquiring about doubt." the band explain. "It could be about being in love with a person whose loyalty is to someone or something else, realizing it, and then you move on. Or holding on to what you want to hold on to, even if it's painful."  Minimal, inventive, and introspective, Dyan’s music offers more than you’d typically expect from the now-common guitar/synths/drums trio - which makes sense, as the trio is about as uncommon as you’ll find. Dyan was started by Alexis Marsh (singer/guitarist/bassist) and Sam Jones (guitarist/synths), a film scoring duo who fell in love and got married...and then, perhaps unexpectedly, got divorced. The growing and healing from those divides fueled the songs on what became the group’s debut album, Looking For Knives, which the two continued to create despite the fraught emotional territory. But the real twist was the addition of the third member: Dan D

Treetop Flyers - Super Paradise - Andy Pratt - Delta Will

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Treetop Flyers - Sweet Greens & Blues. Background - "Sweet Greens and Blues" is the new single by Treetop Flyers, which is taken from their forthcoming eponymous third album, due out on 24 August via Loose. The video, directed by long-time collaborator Sam Ford, was shared by Folk Radio, who said;“The video has that vintage look and feel and it perfectly encapsulates that glorious 60s tinged West Coast Americana with a British twist. With warm, rich harmonies, and a summery groove, the song oozes soulfulness." Originally formed by Reid Morrison, Laurie Sherman and Sam Beer, in recent years Treetop Flyers have settled in to a refreshed band line-up. “Sweet Greens & Blues” was initially recorded for their previous album Palamino, but it never really quite came together until new drummer Rupert Shreeve came on board and they were able to capture the feel of the song that they had been searching for. On the new record they are also joined by saxophonist Geoff Th

Calva Louise - Lucky 757

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Calva Louise - Outrageous Background - Raucous garage rockers Calva Louise share the visuals for their deafening anthem Outrageous, further reiterating their unbridled potential ahead of a series of eagerly anticipated dates on the festival circuit throughout the summer months. Having feverishly honed their craft within London’s thriving punk scene, the trio (one part Venezuelan, one part Māori and another part English) have since toured with Spring King and Anteros, receiving widespread praise for their tenacious live shows in addition to considerable BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music airplay. Crammed full with skyscraping riffs, sumptuous harmonies and frontwoman Jess Allanic’s biting vocals, the band have earned plaudits throughout the online community for their latest effort and will be supporting Albert Hammond Jr in London this September. “The video for Outrageous shows (sort of) what it’s like to be in a band for us”, the three-piece stated. “As a band with no money but with a lo

Jeen O'Brien - Alabama Rose - Logan Archer

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Jeen O'Brien - Any Moment (radio mix). Background from Jeen - “Any Moment” is the only song off my forthcoming record, Gift Shop, that I didn’t self-produce in my attic. Ian Blurton, who also plays guitar on the track and mixed the entire LP, co-produced/recorded ‘Any Moment’ at his studio, Pro Gold in Toronto (with musical great Tom Szczesniak on organ + radio mix courtesy of Jeff Dalziel). The other eight songs from Gift Shop are pretty diy... I played most of the guitars and as mentioned, produced it myself in my attic. My husband played drums, and my brother, who was living with us at the time, was conveniently recruited as our bass player. One of our oldest friends, Griffin, laid down some additional guitars throughout the album. I was a lot harder on myself with this record than I had been with previous albums. In retrospect, it was quite therapeutic. I never intended to produce my own stuff –that was born of necessity – and I’m still learning as I go along. I really tri

Fine Points - Frøkedal - Rue Snider

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Fine Points - Ready & Able Background - San Francisco's Fine Points release ​their​ sophomore full-length​, '​Take Shape.​' Since releasing their debut album, Hover, in 2015, Fine Points have continued to lay the brickwork of their narco-pop stylings.  After landing tours with hazy contemporaries such as White Fence, The Warlocks, and The Fresh & Onlys, the band returned to California to work on demos for their sophomore offering. Somewhere along the way producer Jason Carmer reached out to the band and they recorded the tracks heard on Take Shape at Carmer's Berkeley studio. FACEBOOK . Performance Dates: July 17 - Olympia, WA  @ Le Voyeur Cafe July 18 - Seattle, WA  @ Sunset Tavern July 19 - Portland, OR  @ White Owl Social Club July 20 - Berkeley, CA  @ The Starry Plough July 21 - Visalia, CA  @ Cellar Door July 22 - Los Angeles, CA  @ HiHat 'Ready & Able' opens in a mild, unassuming manner, where melodic vocals and music gradually develops

Linda Em - School Damage - Quiet Hollers

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Linda Em - Wild Fire. Background - London-based Irish-born songstress Linda Em has announced her new ‘London Irish’ EP, to be released this fall via Talking Elephant Records. Ahead of that, ‘Wild Fire’ is the first single from this release – a sultry song that is as much of an earworm as it is seductive. This EP is the first step in a different direction for Linda, towards a more atmospheric and spacious sound and vocal performance. It is both poetic and storytelling while still being brutally honest and personal. Her pure and raw vocals beautifully convey a nostalgic lyrical narrative, her warm endearing vocals drawing the listener into her musical story telling. The ‘London Irish’ EP was recorded, produced and mastered at Orphan Recording, Dublin by Gavin Glass (Paul Brady, John Grant, Lisa Hannigan, Mundy), who is also music director for John Carney's film ‘Sing Street’). It was mixed by Scott Halliday (John Grant, Lisa Hannigan and previously guitar tech for Prince and Jam

The Soft Underground - Earth Girl Helen Brown - Silent Forum

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The Soft Underground - Ghosts. Background - NYC-based The Soft Underground may hail from the outskirts of Manhattan, but have been hailed as modern decedents of the touchtone bands from Seattle’s 90’s alternative scene. Formed in 2010 by drummer, Andrew McCarty and guitarist, Charlie Hickey, the band quickly began to write, perform and record original music. Their mode of working involved perfecting their musical beds and then casting the correct guest vocalist for each song, working in the rock genre in a similar way that French electro innovators Air recruit collaborators for their tracks. Guests have included Nick Redmond (Star & Micey), Brannon Barnett (The StoneCoats) and Rick Steff (Lucero, The Afghan Whigs, Hank Williams Jr.) What emerged from these collaborations was unique yet accessible to the mainstream, and their debut album, 2015’s Lost in Translation, garnered positives nods from The Big Takeover, Music Street Journal and Alt Nation. The latter was quick to nail

The West Coast Feed - Chantitown - The Pressure Kids - Heather O'Neill - Jason Isbell

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The West Coast Feed - You Belong To Me. Background - Honoring the collective legacies of Memphis, Muscle Shoals and New Orleans, The West Coast Feed – eight members strong -- generates a modern and electrifying swagger rock/soul experience. The tight backbeat of the rhythm section, a vibrant three-man horn section, tandem electric guitars and a soaring violin set the stage for the commanding voice of charismatic front man, Jesse Butterworth. Since the Seattle, WA-based band’s formation one short year ago, The West Coast Feed has filled clubs and theaters by word of mouth, drawing audiences to an experience of sound and sensation that makes sitting still impossible. With their highly anticipated self-titled full-length debut, founding member/guitarist and accomplished recording engineer Matt Woll polishes the sweat, grit and energy of the band into a sonic studio shimmer. Jesse Butterworth’s résumé includes fronting an award winning, label- signed band with a #1 radio hit, on the

Frontperson - Winters End

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Frontperson – Tick-Tock (Frontrunner) Background - Frontperson is the new project from Kathryn Calder (vocalist and keyboardist for The New Pornographers) and Mark Andrew Hamilton (who has released six albums as Woodpigeon). The duo are pleased to share the video for “Tick - Tock (Frontrunner)” the first single from their debut album, Frontrunner, out 21 September on Calder’s own Oscar St. Records label. The video shows a track and field event shot backwards in slow motion, which is also reflected in the album artwork. For the making of their debut album, Frontperson were joined by Melissa McWilliams (drums, drum machine), Jen Sévertson (bass, also of Peach Pyramid), Clea Foofat (cello, also of Raleigh and Dojo Workhorse), Foon Yap (violin), Marek Tyler (percussion, also of nêhiyawak), and producer Colin Stewart (The Cave Singers, Dan Mangan, Black Mountain). BANDCAMP . 'Tick-Tock (Frontrunner)' opens with an understated vibe, the melody gently creating some refreshing h

Favours - Maybe April - The Room In The Wood

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Favours - In The Night. Background - Favours are a band that that you will never hear from…unless we need something. Born out of personal rediscovery, we sing of the delightful fantasies and harsh realities of adulthood. How fitting that we practice in an office space after hours. “In The Night” is a ballad for those stuck in an unfulfilling cycle of repetition. Recorded with Josh Korody (Dilly Dally, Weaves) at Candle Recording Studio, it’s about escaping from the banality of the day and longing for the dreams that seem just out of reach. Dreams of star-crossed lovers destined to meet in another world, or those who do meet and cannot be together, tearing them apart at the seams. The eerie, cult vibes of “In The Night” were brought to life in a house abandoned for over two decades. Having a blank canvas and the ability to conjure up any world we wanted allowed us to dream up the weirdest one possible. Influenced by stills from our favourite Criterion films and the Sannyasins o

The Callas With Lee Ranaldo - NewTown - Mother Mink

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The Callas With Lee Ranaldo - Acid Books. Background - The Callas' latest single with Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo, "Acid Books" is out this week with its taut, post-punk grooves and hypnotic, scuzzed-up guitar lines, The Callas will find favor with fans of The Velvet Underground, The Horrors, and Neu!. Meet The Callas…Led by brothers Lakis and Aris Ionas, the pair helm a Greek-based art, film and music collective, as well as hosting art and music events at their studio/performance space in Athens–the Velvet Room. As a band, The Callas feature Aris on guitar/vocals, Lakis on bass/vocals, as well as Chrysanthi Tsoukala on drums/vocals and Marilena Petridou on percussion. In 2016, the group collaborated with Lee Renaldo (Sonic Youth) on a soundtrack for their film The Great Eastern, and they have teamed up once again on The Callas upcoming LP Trouble and Desire due out October 26th via Inner Ear Records/Dirty Water Records. Discussing their work together, Ranaldo exp