Background - Wild Earp & The Free for Alls have released their first full-length, self titled album which is available now on all major streaming sites and digital music stores.
The album is a blend of old school country & western, rockabilly, and folk, and the band breathes new energy into a classic sound. Their new release takes you on a road trip across Americana, borrowing liberally from influences that span several decades and thousands of miles. Listeners might hear hints of Jerry Lee Lewis, June Carter Cash, Loretta Lynn, Dwight Yoakam, and Roger Miller, among other past masters.
Wild Earp has been performing old school, new fangled, funky country western rocknrollabilly since 2014. He’s assembled a talented and handsome team of musicians from various musical backgrounds in the Chicago music scene. They tour often all around the country, and can be found every month at the California Clipper. The new album showcases 10 original examples of their wild Americana music. WEBSITE.
Sometimes when I listen to a band one of the first things that strikes me is that they love what they are doing and want you to share that enjoyment too. 'Killin' Time' the second of ten tracks on the new album conveys that feeling. The band are up-skilled, confident and absolutely immersed in their own sublime take on all things Americana, so much so that pretty much every song is infectious. Classic old time sounds with a modern twist for good measure, if your not sure about the genres they cover, dive in and hang around for a while, and enjoy the show!
Background - The Triple J-tipped, Sydney-based indie-rock duo, Micra, have just shared their scintillating debut single, ‘Plastic’. Following support in their home country based upon debut performances and early demos, the band, comprised of Bulgarian born and raised singer-guitarist, Ivana Kay and Australian multi-instrumentalist, Robbie Cain are making their debut proper with ‘Plastic’ ahead of more new music and UK live dates in early 2019.
Co-produced by the band alongside emerging Sydney producer/mixer, James Christowski, ‘Plastic’ mines wistful atmospherics that cut between Air and Zero 7, whilst turning head to dream-pop sensibilities attuned to the likes of Ariel Pink and fellow Australian, Kevin Parker. Speaking about ‘Plastic’, Cain says: “‘Plastic’ was the original piece of music I sent to Ivana as a demo over email, convincing her to work on music with me. We tracked the initial vocals in our friend’s basement after meeting in a cafe for the second time.”
The pair initially met - as if by serendipitous fortune - when were coincidentally sat beside each other at an Unknown Mortal Orchestra show after both arriving alone. That chance encounter would blossom into a musical alliance that culminated in the formation of Micra in early 2018. TWITTER.
Opening with a dreamy feel 'Plastic' adds depth as layers of synth's and an intriguing rhythmic backdrop unfolds. The result is a dream pop song which occasionally moves towards shoegaze, as the duo explore and create a luscious sound.
Background - KAYAM is the musical duo of siblings Kim and Mike Rauss, playing what they affectionately label Falafel Pop; a fusion of the genres they enjoy, a near obsession for chickpeas and much love. The brother and sister enjoyed a cross-cultural upbringing living at various stages in England, Germany and Israel and the wanderlust they experienced in their early years has no doubt left an impression on their approach to music making and live performance. Kim sings and plays the Celtic Harp, Mike plays guitar, sings and builds the loops with guitar percussion and the occasional beatboxing. KAYAM’s songs are atmospheric and instantly compelling offering room for improvisation on stage and a poised studio approach that makes their songs stick out. “Midnight” is the first release from their upcoming debut album and represents a great introduction to KAYAM’s imaginative and sincere sound. BANDCAMP.
Before I started listening to 'Midnight' I was already curious as to what the duo meant by Falafel Pop. Well this might not be a Middle Eastern dish as such, but it is appetising (if you excuse the awful pun). There is a clever mixture of singing and spoken word and the musical backdrop is uncomplicated, yet it increases the richness of the piece considerably. Imaginative and beautiful, KAYAM have set expectations high with this song.
Background - Brooklyn duo Belle Mare is gearing up for the release of their new EP, Liars, next Friday, October 19th. It features five tracks of shimmering, mid-tempo dream-pop from longtime collaborators Thomas Servidone and Amelia Bushell, showcasing Bushell's etherial vocals above lush layers of instrumentation. The band previously shared a taste of the EP with two of its singles, "Liars" and "Spain."
While they await the new release, Belle Mare is sharing a cover of the Q Lazzarus hit "Goodbye Horses," a favorite of Servidone's. He was inspired by the recent news on Lazzarus -- who emerged after two decades of silence -- finding it refreshing that she's chosen to live a life of relative obscurity in a culture obsessed with endless self-promotion.
From their humble beginnings recording songs in the confines of a Brooklyn bedroom to the expansive sounds produced at the famed Electric Lady Studios, Belle Mare has managed to maintain their stark minimalism in conjunction with the sincerity and fragility of Bushell’s vocals. Their dreamy guitar-pop has racked up praise from the likes of SPIN, Interview Magazine, T Magazine, and more, and they've shared stages with acts like Night Beds, Widowspeak, and Savoir
The band will celebrate the release of their new EP at Brooklyn's Baby's All Right on October 24th. TWITTER.
We don't feature many cover versions on Beehive Candy but Belle Mare's take on 'Goodbye Horses' is just to good to let pass. Dream pop with a distinct and lovable vibe, the duel vocals are sublime, and the E.P. is only days away.
Background - Elza is a true maverick spirit who writes and produces all her own work, and isn't afraid to venture to the dark side seeking wisdom and sonic communion. Russian-born, Elza relocated to Israel at the age of 15. It was there she discovered her passion for singing and playing guitar, inspired by a litany of genres mainly composed of 90s alternative acts that fuel her sound today, mixed in seamlessly with her classical piano training in her arrangements.
While in Tel Aviv, she studied audio engineering and sound design while developing her guitar and vocal style inspired by artists like Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, Beth Gibbons, and Anneke van Giersbergen. After moving to Vancouver, British Columbia in 2011, Elza began exploring the vibrant local open mic scene, where her music received a warm welcome. She also began experimenting with recording at home with a small computer setup, producing demos and developing her sound, musicianship, and vision gradually and organically.
Finally, though, Elza decided to commit some of her explorations of texture and composition to physical form, spending six months writing, arranging and producing each and every part of her five-song debut EP entitled ‘Glories’, a deeply intimate and personal exploration of harmony and rhythm, with dark melodies haunting each track like chain-rattling ghosts desperate for release from their unfinished business.
‘Glories’ was released in September 2014 to glowing reviews from the local press and showed up on community and college radio charts soon after. From there, she assembled a 7-piece live band to bring her studio-born dreams to audiences around Vancouver, dazzling crowds with her rich, dark grooves. In June 2017 Elza debuted her first instrumental single 'Clear' - an ethereal composition layered with lush strings, keys and guitar effects.
Elza's debut full-length album is the boldly titled "Nothing's Wrong", due Nov 2nd, 2018. Elza went through an involved process creating the record to achieve her specific vision for the songs. WEBSITE.
'Endeavor' is one of ten tracks on 'Nothing Wrong' Elza's debut album set for release early next month. The featured song gives some insight into the album, the musical production is consistently pleasing, with plenty of variety in the arrangements and a constant flow of melodic hooks. Above all of that are the vocals, which ooze feeling, sometimes with emotional sensitivity, other times with charm or more upbeat energy. Expect originality, intrigue, lyrics to ponder over and more, the album promises all of that.
Background - Brooklyn-based musician Pearla has released two new singles. The songstress enchanted a packed house at New York City's Mercury Lounge earlier this week and will play Rockwood Music Hall on November 4. Today's offerings follows "Somewhere," an independent debut that organically stirred a slew of Hype Machine praise for Pearla's gentle power. Pearla is currently working with producer Tyler Postiglione (Rektagon, Strange Loops, Mizuna) and mixer and producer Phil Joly (The Strokes, Ryan Adams and Lana Del Rey) on a full-length album. News to come. Pearla is the music project of Nicole Rodriguez; she cites her late grandfather, musician Jeff Pearl, as the source of her homage-paying moniker. Fresh but deliberate, she blends elements of tender folk, infectious indie pop and playful psychedelia to create a vivid soundscape for listeners. Her dynamic voice delivers dreamlike lyrics with a delicate whisper one moment and an unwavering belt the next. Equal parts personal experience and imagination, her inventive approach incorporates sonic artifacts from all edges of the world — Tibetan sheep bells, screaming baboons, lap steels, synths and more. The result is a whirling balance of whimsy and emotion, a new world all her own. WEBSITE.
'Forgive Yourself' the first of the two singles is gentle, uncluttered and allows Pearla's vocals to shine and enchant as they melodically flow before the piece adds layers of sound and power. 'Pumpkin' is intimate, peaceful and slowly develops with a gorgeous musical backdrop, this really is a delightful pair of songs.
Background - Following up on the release of their dark but strangely sweet previous single "Evil Plans", LA Dynamite Duo Magic Bronson is back with a powerful new release by the name of "Electrify". The song itself deals with the intensity and conflicting emotions of fully falling in love while confronting the idea that this new relationship could just sink at any minute; all punctuated by the music in such a way this might as well be party anthem.
Michael Nicastro, from Thousand Oaks, has been Matt Lieberman’s musical other half since they ran into each other at a neighborhood dive bar in 2012. They knew each other by sight: Matt, raised in Agoura Hills, had been playing in a hip hop band, and Michael, a drummer by trade, was in another local group. “We were both looking for something new to do, and his dad is a musician and had a home studio, so we decided to get together and use his dad’s jam room,” Lieberman says.
Together, they turned out to be greater than the sum of their parts. A classic pairing of opposites, they’re a match made in music heaven. Nicastro is the eternal optimist, and bubbling over with ideas; Lieberman is “grumpy and sensitive” and plays devil’s advocate. “I always tell Michael, ‘Just show up and look pretty’,” Lieberman laughs. Influenced by a gaggle of artists, from Kanye West and The Strokes to Bear Hands and breezy Brit popsters Years & Years, their policy from the start was to ignore genre boundaries. (Even the band name is a mash-up: “Magic”, from Magic Johnson and “Bronson”, from Charles Bronson – not the actor, Lieberman hastens to explain, but the English criminal.) FACEBOOK.
Fabulous vocals that immediately register with energy and commitment ensure that 'Electrify' is off to a potent start. Rather than ease off the track just builds with passion, intensity and feeling.
Background - The new single from indie rock singer/songwriter Velvet Starlings, is entitled "Sold Down The River". The track features 60s inspired Hammond B3 organ, jangly guitars and raw blues inspired vocals.
Velvet Starlings is Christian Gisborne a 15 year-old indie rock singer/songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for a powerful 60s era Eric Burdon influenced vocal style combined with a commanding stage presence. Velvet Starling's unique performance style has invited media and industry insider comparisons to Jack White, Cage The Elephant, Alex Turner and Ty Segal. Grisborne's early musical influences were The Beatles, The Who, The Doors, The Kinks and the Rolling Stones which is apparent in his music. Already making a name for himself at such a young age, Velvet Starlings has garnered attention from Los Angeles powerhouse KROQ as well as Sirius XM. His fusion of gritty garage blues coupled with Brit inspired rock has led to high profile festival bookings including SXSW and Summerfest Milwaukee.
Velvet Starlings’ long awaited self-titled EP on Sound x 3 Records is set for release Fall 2018 and is co written by producer Roger Gisborne and mastered by Brian Lucey Cage The Elephant, Artic Monkeys, Beck, Black Keys. The six track EP kicks off with leading single and video, “If Life Ain’t Getting You High”. The single features vintage guitar sounds, driving drums and hard hitting rock vocals. With introspective lyricism detailing living in the moment, "If Life Ain't Getting You High" is an anthem for the youth of today. Second single, "Sold Down The River” showcases soulful Hammond B3 organ, gritty guitars and raw blues inspired vocals. TWITTER.
With a spectacularly sixties Hammond B3 organ sound (think The Doors earlier material) 'Sold Down the River' hints that we are in for a retro ride. Well cancel that and think powerful anthem, bags of emotion and a chorus line that will drill deep into your head. Two words - mightily impressive!
Background - Cello-shredding rock siren Polly Panic is back with her third studio album 'Losing Form', to be released on CD and digitally via Write Hook Records on November 20. This is Polly Panic's first album in six years, following 'Fragment' (2012) and 'Painkiller' (2006).
Polly Panic is Jenette Mackie, who wrote and recorded the 10 songs comprising this album in 2016-2017, sandwiching the process around time spent rehearsing and touring both coasts with her cello-driven band Rasputina, founded by Melora Creager and formerly including Zoë Keating and Julia Kent.
Arguably the best Polly Panic album yet, this also represents a turning point for this artist, having joined forces with Write Hook Records on the heels of touring as part of Rasputina. Inspired by PJ Harvey, Tom Waits, Tori Amos and Nirvana, this is cello-driven art rock with intense, powerful vocals and lyrics that take center stage.
Driven by a nucleus of cello, drums and vocals, these tunes are woven from tales of lustful obsession ('Side Piece'), co-dependent addiction ('Losing Form'), joy in realizing you don’t need who and what you thought you needed ('Hollows'), and a scorned lover’s lethal revenge (the anthemic rocker 'Annie', an ode to Annie Oakley and to women everywhere who live life and experience love on their own terms).
Polly Panic's uniquely dark and theatrical chamber rock has a sound that’s much larger than one would expect from just one vocalist playing a cello along with a drummer.
“I knew the cello could be everything. Of all the instruments, the cello is closest to the human voice and its capacity for expressing emotion is unparalleled. It was the most fierce and yet the softest most sorrowful instrument I had ever heard," says Polly Panic. WEBSITE.
Raw, determined, committed and with varying levels of passion that at times seem to indicate we are heading for a full meltdown, 'Losing Form' is a roller-coaster of musical imagination that is hard not to be swept away by. The title track goes someway to explaining what I am on about, as the cello and vocals demand you stop everything and engage with Polly Panic.
Background - London-based anti-music collective Moderate Rebels – whose members include Mo, Kate, Chris, Nick, Emma, Susan, Bob, Beth, Joe and more (crucially, not all at the same time) – present their new song ‘Faith & Science’ as a further preview of their second album ‘Shared Values’, which is released on 30th November on Everyday Life Recordings.
It follows recent singles ‘I Love Today’ and ‘Beyond Hidden Words’. Moderate Rebels say: “Faith & Science seems to be about the romance of feeling doubts and recognising that there can be mysteries in life… Which is a good thing. We actively have no intentions when writing; music just forms and we guess about any meanings, along with, hopefully, the listener. Language is inclined to be tricksy, and can be looked at from a number of angles. Less chords and words; simple and complicated; direct and vague. We have our mottos.”
As with all Moderate Rebels music so far, Shared Values was recorded in a small studio in South Bermondsey, London, where “you can hear church choirs through the walls – people looking to lift up each other’s spirits. We hope somehow that seeps into the racket we make.” TWITTER.
Upcoming live shows (more to be added soon): 24th Oct @ The Finsbury Manor House, London (For The Rabbits night) 2nd Nov @ The Cause, London 10th Nov @ Sebright Arms, London (w/ Olden Yolk) 25th Nov @ Broadcast, Glasgow.
'Faith & Science' is the brand new Moderate Rebels track and the last single before the album is released on Nov 30th. This is the third track we have shared from the bands the highly anticipated 'Shared Values' album, once again the bands distinct and hypnotic sound is highly compelling, their approach to writing, developing and recording music might be a little nonconformist, but oh boy does it work!
Background - Leeds, England, quartet Far Caspian unveil new single Blue, the latest cut taken from their forthcoming debut EP Between Days, out via UK label Dance To The Radio. Following on from the majestic Holding On, which turned heads when it drifted into the online sphere’s consciousness, and following singles Let’s Go Outside and The Place, Blue reaffirms the band’s knack for hazy, infectious dream-pop.
Whilst Far Caspian have been based in Leeds since formation, frontman and guitarist Joel Johnston has only recently moved over to England from his native Ireland, and themes of isolation born of relocation pervade his writing.
Blue however tackles a more intimate theme, yet just as universal. “The track itself is about unrequited love, and being consumed by being so close to a person, yet knowing that your feelings wouldn't be reciprocated” Johnston says, before revealing “My good pal Milhouse Van Houten was the main inspiration for the song.”
Referencing the dichotomy between the often gloomy themes in the lyircs and breeziness of the music with the playful self-nominated tag of ‘melanjolly’, Far Caspian’s wistful sound calls to mind the likes of Local Natives, Real Estate, Grizzly Bear or Band of Horses. However where those bands’ textures lean on the symphonic side, the lo-fi origins of the project in Johnston’s university house, before Nath Sayers (guitar), Alessio Scozzaro (bass) and Jof Cabedo (drums) came in to complete the line-up, lends Far Caspian’s sound a comforting, insular edge. TWITTER.
Our third feature for Far Caspian this year is the new song 'Blue'. The band are consistently producing fabulous indie pop that is crammed full of melodic hooks and delivered with refreshingly bright production and dreamy vibes.
Background - Lightfoils have announced their new album Chambers (Bandcamp pre-order, out November 16th), which is their first taste of new music since the release of their acclaimed 2014 album Hierarchy. To coincide with the long-awaited announcement, Lightfoils is sharing the album’s mesmerizing lead single “Summer Nights”. The song is a gorgeous, richly layered shoegaze track with a calculated build-up that pairs melodic bass with alternately chiming and blanketing guitars, while Lightfoils’ lead singer Jane Zabeth Nicholson's vocals float longingly above.
Formed in 2010, Lightfoils’ sound is decidedly shoegaze, although the band subtly stretches the auditory boundaries of what the term embodies, honing in on a more cosmopolitan and ethereal sound. Their forthcoming album Chambers (advance below) represents a band that has mastered the atmospheric tone they've become synonymous with and continue to occupy, almost a decade after formation. The band is self-releasing the album, both for the autonomy and for the ability to be intimately involved in all aspects of the album’s production and subsequent roll-out. The first track on the album “The Bitter Over” opens with dream-like guitars, transporting the listener away - it's the sound of Lightfoils taking the listener by the hand and leading them into the unknown. Zabeth’s vocals both echo in the background, and dance in the front.
“Duende” sounds like a surf rock wave rolling onto darker shores, with the rhythm section keeping an upbeat tempo, keeping one grounded, while the vocals and guitars provide a loss of gravitational control. This mix of rhythm and reverb-laden guitars, combined with the right amount of bite from classic fuzz distortion is what Lightfoils does best. “This Time is Up” speeds things up with a faster tempo and swirling, distorted guitars, and rattling bass. Zabeth’s vocal melodies are reminiscent of classic 90s rock that has a touch of shoegaze, a touch of grunge, and channels the softness of singers of earlier alternative rock bands. It has an easy comedown, changing in tempo to seduce the listener into the next track. “Honeydew” draws on whirring guitars and crashing cymbals, carrying Zabeth’s vocals through an experience of senses. The track enters an intermittent key change midway, and continues to soar toward a more upbeat, crashing close. WEBSITE.
'Summer Nights' is a combination of atmospheric shoegaze and lush dream pop. The vocals are set perfectly within the mix allowing their melodic beauty to shine through, the music is creatively textured. As a taster for the album, this ticks pretty much all the right boxes.
Background - The Ophelias have just shared their "Moon Like Sour Candy" video ahead of fall tour dates with WHY? "Moon Like Sour Candy is based on Midwestern longing and all four of the elements. The video takes everyday textures and pushes them into surreal territory." - Spencer and Jo. Through a blend of understated rock, baroque pop and wide-skied atmospheres, The Ophelias explore the juxtapositions of youth on their album, Almost.
Having formed the band while still in high school, bassist Grace Weir, guitarist/lyricist Spencer Peppet, percussionist Micaela Adams, and violinist Andrea Gutmann Fuentes first met at a time when each were independently serving as the “token girl” in various dude-bands from their hometown of Cincinnati, OH. Coming from varied musical backgrounds (ranging from garage-rock, to surf, to opera), the distinct talents and influences of each member collided in unexpected ways at the band’s first rehearsal. It was here the band discovered that their chemistry wasn’t rooted in a shared musical reference point, but in the creative relief from the expected censorship of being a sideperson.
“In the past we had all kind of been the ‘girl in the band,’ in some capacity,” Peppet said. “Having a band of all women eradicates that possibility logistically, but also makes for a really creative environment without the patronization that often comes along with being the ‘girl in the band.’”
Produced by Yoni Wolf (WHY?), the new album Almost glides between palatial assuredness and pallid introspection, looking back on youthful yearning — the uncertainties, the traumas, the anxieties — without discounting its soft beauty. The Ophelias steer Almost through the lineage of coming-of-age confessionals, and affectionately document their growth into a warm, fractured adulthood. TWITTER.
Tour Dates: 02 Nov. Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland (OH) * 03 Nov. Bottom Lounge, Chicago (IL) * 04 Nov. Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (MN) * 23 Nov. The Loving Touch, Fernadale (MI) * 24 Nov. Spirit Hall, Pittsburgh (PA) * 25 Nov. MOTR Pub, Cincinnati (OH).
We have already shared three tracks from The Ophelias 'Almost' album released a short while back, however with a tour scheduled they have just presented the video for 'Moon Like Sour Candy' and I'm not about to pass up on featuring another enticing song from this very fine collection.
Background - Wait, The Control Freaks are putting out another single? How about that: I am the bearer of good news! Their last single, "I Am Crime", just came out last month. Next up is Double Dose of Hate, due out November 2. This single literally IS a double dose of hate, as both tracks are odes to...you guessed it...hate!
Who can't get behind that?! Sherrilynn Nelson (formerly keyboardist for The Omens) loved The Control Freaks so much that she learned guitar just so she could join the band. "Time's Up" from the last single was her CF songwriting debut. Double Dose of Hate opens with another song she penned called "I Hate Your Face". That's a damn fine title, and sure enough, the song lives up to it! I can never get enough of this sort of old-style catchy punk rock, and I really dig the back-and-forth exchange between Nelson and Greg Ripoff.
When it comes to garage punk in the year 2018, The Control Freaks are showing everyone how it's done. Double Dose of Hate is their fourth single - and in my opinion their best yet. I say this because of the impossible time I'm having trying to determine which of these two tracks is "the hit". One song can be played at max volume while you curse the name of significant others past and present. The other will feed your abhorrence for just about everyone else. Arguments over which track is superior could very well lead to drunken fist fights and ruined friendships. Do we really want that? So let's just call it a tie and agree that a double dose of hate is exactly what this world needs. FACEBOOK.
In 1967 we had the summer of love, fast track a decade and in 1977 we had the summer of hate thanks to the growing dissolution with anything that, well Er, needed to be hated. 'Double Dose of Hate' has plenty of the original punk vibes, reminding me in part of Scotland's deliciously punk The Rezillos, it's catchy, energised and as a contradiction - fun.
Background - Fauvely is the project of Chicago-based singer-guitarist Sophie Brochu, who creates deeply personal dream-pop music. After completing her master’s in fiction writing and feeling frustrated with the constraints of her craft, Sophie turned to music for its raw and immediate release.
The title of her debut EP, Watch Me Over complicate This (Midwest Action, 2017), speaks to the confessional tone of songs that range from delicately self-effacing to hauntingly sad.
Fauvely’s forthcoming LP, Tides, transports listeners to the salty coast of Sophie’s hometown, Savannah, GA. Louder and bolder than her EP, these intensely brooding songs are the result of a new confidence possessed by Sophie, and the desire to come to terms with haunting memories in a place revered for its beauty.
Fauvely has cultivated a strong presence in Chicago, sharing the stage with internationally acclaimed artists Stella Donnelly, Gemma Ray, Ryley Walker, and Ultimate Painting. WEBSITE.
Live - October 11 - Schubas ( supporting Laura Veirs) Chicago, IL.
'Savannah' quietly opens with soothing vocals and a gentle musical backdrop. The layers gradually build, bringing more melodic hooks and a lush landscape of rich and pleasing dream pop.
Background - A retro-modern reflection on the isolation and adversities of city life, Jason Ewald’s new single “Looking Everywhere” is a soulful homage to the pop songwriting of the ’60s and ’70s. The song’s rich arrangement belies its humble beginning, conceived on a friend’s upright piano at her Brooklyn apartment. It started as two-chord vamp, a simple bass line, and Ewald improvising whatever lyrics came to mind. After sitting idle for two years, the idea was rescued from a digital recorder, and construction began in earnest. Throughout the writing process, the song stayed true to the sounds he and the band grew up with and love. Horn arrangements and rich harmonies provide a canvas for a soulful, reflective—and palpably melancholy vocal performance.
Ewald recalled, “It wasn’t until after recording it that I realized how lonely I was at the time. It seemed my subconscious was at work right under my nose. Such is existing in New York. What you love about it—what fulfills and nourishes you—is exactly what grinds you down and tests your resolve. Living in a city of millions, yet alone. Navigating periods of doubt, but always emerging victorious.”
“Looking Everywhere” is available everywhere now, including Bandcamp, Spotify and Apple Music. Ewald is active in the NYC music scene through a number of projects, and continuing to record and release new music under his own name, as well as the duo Jase & Stace. WEBSITE.
Cool, smooth and timeless 'Looking Everywhere' is a fabulously soulful song that takes us back decades whilst having all the quality modern musical production offers. The arrangement is pristine, the natural soul vibes are everywhere, for me this is late night city music to devour.
Background - BirdPen is an alternative rock/electronic/prog act formed by Dave Pen (also the singer and guitarist in Archive) and Mike Bird. Their fifth studio album, ’There’s Something Wrong With Everything’, will be released in mid-October, immediately preceded by new single ‘Oh So Happy’.
Melding heavy/psychedelic guitars, rolling basslines, Krautrock drums and old school electronics to create a doom groove ambience, the duo draw inspiration from the likes of Deerhunter, Hookworms, Suuns, The Beta Band, Pink Floyd and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.
Families sit huddled together in front of their flatscreen TV’s peeking through their hands to see the new world leader being sworn in by a fading shadow of hope while criminals applaud. The world is crying and The End Is On TV. Outside, lost souls wander in a daze fixed on prescription drugs with Eyes In The Sky. This Is Your Life trying to escape advertising and takeaway menus and spending what you don’t have and looking perfect and trying to fit in and everyone and everything always being Oh So Happy.
Escape when and how you can, get off your knees and face the sun, find your groove and create an Easy Life for yourself as the screens keep the mind bombarded with grim tales, fear and sadness. Why can’t they bring us some Good News? Don’t let the Natural Rewardswe seek be diluted, fight the lies however you can because we realise and accept that there will always be Something Wrong With Everything. Never give up as you have everything to win the race, it’s beautiful with love and grace, keep moving on. WEBSITE.
Welcome to ‘There’s Something Wrong With Everything’. Welcome to the world of BirdPen. BirdPen will play an extensive European tour to promote the album, starting with two UK shows : 17.10.18 London The Islington 18.10.18 Southampton Joiners Arms
The third of ten tracks on the soon to be released 'There's Something Wrong With Everything' album is 'Eyes In The Sky'. It's a fine example of the quality and style of music BirdPen produce,as they explore a diverse range of genres with a well defined core sound. The influences are there, that's hard to avoid considering the sheer quality of those they are inspired by, that said though, they have carved out their own identity both in sound and with plenty of hooks that give each song that little extra.
Background - Bijou Noir Release "The Spine in Your Back" Music Video. We are pleased to present you with the latest visual from Bijou Noir's lauded debut We Are Alone Together.
The video was created with the critically acclaimed Croatian &M Dance Company, along with director Joseph Hyrkas.
Andrea Solomun and Ema Janković skillfully explore fractured identities, courage, rebellion and social pressure through the lens of powerful femininity.
Voyeuristically captured in gorgeous muted-tones using only natural light and minimal equipment, Director Joseph Hyrkas captures the raw emotion and the dancers' closeness with an air of sensitivity. WEBSITE.
The video that partners the song 'The Spine in Your Back' is an impressive and pretty intense piece. The song is hypnotic, equally dramatic and engaging. Put the two together and the result is quite compelling as music and dance collide and mesmerise, this is hard to ignore both visually and musically.
Background - Brooklyn-based, post-punk trio Big Bliss share their new single, "Duplicate," and share new Fall tour dates, including their NYC LP release show on October 20th at Alphaville. Their new LP, At Middle Distance, is due out October 19th on Exit Stencil Recordings.
“Duplicate” is the record’s thesis. It informed many of the other songs’ thematic content, as well as Ana Becker’s album art (reflection, duality.) The song centers on conflicting and frustrated identities. It’s so easy to value yourself based on self identity, like social constructs and occupation, but that’s a slippery slope. That will inevitably lead to comparing yourself to your peers to measure self-worth, that can be a painful, distorted way of dealing with life. One will only see what they can’t control or don’t have, leaving little space for basic gratitude and contentment. - Tim Race, Big Bliss
At Middle Distance marks a new, unprecedented milestone for the band. Recorded and mixed at Tony Maimone’s (Pere Ubu) Studio G and Thump Recordings in Brooklyn, producer Jeff Berner (Psychic TV) evokes the tonal clarity and emotive noise that constitutes Big Bliss’s special brand of dark-tinged melodic euphoria. Songs successively ebb and flow in tempo and mania, alternating the spotlight on each player. Cory Race's fervent drumming is simultaneously unwavering and creative, as May’s fluid, leading bass lines offer clarity and resolve in every hook. Tim Race’s ethereal guitar shimmers like spurts of heat lightning during summer’s thick humidity, and the thundering rhythm section only compliments its brilliance. Their instruments alone are enough to fill any room, no matter the size. Tim's effectual and guttural vocals can either hover above the mix, or swoop through it, giving an actual tangibility to this “feelings” thing on which you can’t quite put your finger.
Lyrically, it is a challenge to Race’s notions of identity ("Duplicate"), a hidden history of addiction ("RTK"), and in the record’s opening salvo (“Constants”), the destruction left in the wake of a twenty-something person selfishly chasing “constant, eternal bliss,” and alienating the ones they love. He asks how we cope with events that shift our concepts of ourselves, like the death of an alcoholic uncle ("Richard Race"), or the end of a devoted companionship ("High Ideal"). He’s both looking inward and reaching out, hoping to find solid ground somewhere in between, a place from which he can be a better friend, a better lover, a place from where he can meet you.
At Middle Distance speaks in urgent tongues, desperate to convey unknowable longing, like every great post-punk artist who came before. Moments of joy, moments of unspeakable sadness, moments of rage, all rub shoulders through these songs, and by the record’s end, you’ve undoubtedly run the gauntlet. TWITTER.
Tour Dates 10/20 - Brooklyn, NY @ Alphaville (At Middle Distance LP Release Show) 11/03 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall 11/27 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Rock Room 11/28 - Detroit, MI @ Kelly’s Bar 11/29 Grand - Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme 11/30 - Chicago, IL @ Burlington Bar 12/01 - Bloomington, IN @ Blockhouse Bar 12/02 - Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR 12/03 - Muncie, IN @ BHN 12/04 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups 12/05 - Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s 12/06 - Boston, MA @ O’Brien’s
The vocals are everything post punk needs as they convey passion, urgency and a sense of desperate concern. 'Duplicate' is a powerful rocker with plenty of subtle hooks to pull the listener in further, the clarity of each element is notable, the album is sounding promising on the strength of this song.
Background - Me and My Friends have announced their new album 'Look Up' the release date as December 6th via Split Shift Records. Album highlight, ‘High As The Sun’, has been released as a first taster. It's a gorgeous sun-drenched track with a chorus that’ll keep you warm throughout winter. The band are also playing several live dates beginning later this month, including a newly announced show on Thursday 6th December at Rich Mix in London which promises to be a wonderful evening.
Me and My Friends play soulful, poignant, and gloriously danceable music, subtly referencing many styles, including vintage Ghanaian highlife, Jamaican roots and Afro-Brazilian folk. The UK-based quintet create a timeless sound with a global outlook, performed with an infectious energy, and the result is instantly recognisable, highly original and truly genre-defying.
On their new album ‘Look Up’, coming December 6th via Split Shift, the elegant voice and West African finger-picking guitar style of songwriter Nick Rasle is cradled by stunning vocal harmonies and the evocative combination of cello and clarinet, all underpinned by a rhythm section with a deep sense of groove. ‘Look Up’ draws heavily on early 70s acoustic soul, as well as the modal ‘Ethiopiques’ of Mulatu Astatke and the minimalism of the Penguin Café Orchestra.
Built on deceptively simple, yet richly satisfying grooves, the songs explore timeless themes of friendship (‘Another Lifetime’), commitment (‘Promise Me This Much’) and nostalgia (‘High As The Sun’). Having worked in a volunteer kitchen on the Greek island of Lesbos at the height of the refugee crisis in 2016, Nick Rasle recounts a tale he heard over and over on the haunting roots reggae track 'Good Life'. Drawing on the determination of the people he encountered to feel hope, to look forward and to be acknowledged, the song is a call for empathy and understanding in our increasingly intolerant society.
From the title track ‘Look Up’ with its energetic afro-beat, addictive melody, and jazzy breakdown, to the atmospheric ‘All Of This I Know’ that has clear influences from avant-garde British folk, the album takes the listener on a journey through many genres and cultures. WEBSITE.
Euro + UK live dates: Friday 5th Oct - The Marshall Rooms, Stroud Saturday 6th Oct - The Jam Jar, Bristol Friday 12th Oct - Franz Mehlhose, Erfurt, Germany Friday 26th Oct, Old Abbey Taphouse, Manchester Saturday 27th Oct - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds Friday 2nd Nov - Y Plas, Machynlleth Saturday 3rd Nov - Assembly Rooms, Presteigne Thursday 6th Dec, Rich Mix, London Saturday 8th Dec - Cobalt Studios, Newcastle
The mixture of genres that Me and My Friends explore and engage in is just wonderful as witnessed by 'High As The Sun' a fabulously rich and uplifting song. This unique and outward looking track is sophisticated and yet very accessible, in fact it's adorable and very catchy.
Background - Tara-Lynn Sharrock is a self-taught, versatile artist with a voice to match any genre, any style, any occasion - with the power of Celine Dion, and the delicacy of Enya. Tunnel of Love is a joint project written by Patrice Larkin and sung by Tara-Lynn Sharrock.
Tunnel of Love is an upbeat love Song. The words describe the feelings that two people have, when they first meet and fall in love. When writing the song, Patrice created the beat throughout the bass then the words Tunnel of Love, and from there the song flowed on.
Tunnel Of Love was written by Patrice Larkin and sung by Tara-Lynn Sharrock. It was Recorded by Michael Gerrish at Starmist Studio in Chernside Park, Melbourne. The final mix was completed by Andrew Kerridge.
Patrice Larkin comes from a musical background, she started playing the piano at the age of four and at the age of 18 she attended The Conservatorium Of Music at Melbourne University. Patrice taught piano for years, but in her late 20’s she decided she needed a change and worked various different jobs. Nine years ago when Patrice lost her 16 year old daughter Gabby from a rare cancer, she returned to playing the piano which she hadn’t touched for years and started writing songs. The Tunnel Of Love is a fairly recent song from Patrice.
Tara-Lynn Sharrock was born in South Africa, 1986. Her love of music was first apparent when her mother noticed her bopping in time to the radio at six months old. After turning the music off, discovering that this saddened Tara-Lynn, her mother turned it back on and Tara-Lynn continued bopping in time, to the beat of a different song. Tara-Lynn moved to Australia, aged five, where her love of music continued to grow. She taught herself to sing by singing along to every English Celine Dion album ever released and aurally picking up the same techniques as used by the well-known vocalist. FACEBOOK.
'Tunnel of Love' is dreamy and serene contemporary pop which is full of melodic hooks. The beautiful vocals just blend perfectly with the music, as the warmth and love flows into your life.
Background - Anglo-Norwegian artist Frigga (FKA Sasha Siem) returns with another Robyn-esqe inspired electronic-pop track, ‘Fiercely Fearless’ out now via Tiferet Records. Following the same writing schedule as last month’s ‘Flower Flower’, the track was written at Siem’s home studio in Brooklyn, New York and produced by Danton Supple in London this year.
Describing her latest work, Siem explains; “This song is born from my story, my family, my life. Having been brought down to my knees by circumstances which as devastating as they may have appeared to be to me – have become my greatest teachers; the rubble from which a new reality is born. This is a song for all those brave souls who know deep inside that no matter what, everything can be overcome, and new worlds can be built.”
Frigga studied music and poetry at Cambridge University and Harvard University. She has written music for the London Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Opera House, The London Philharmonic Orchestra and was the youngest person to receive a ‘British Composer Award.
Her first two critically acclaimed albums – ‘Most of the Boys’ and ‘Bird Burning’ - were recorded in Iceland with renowned producer Valgeir Sigurðsson and have been remixed by the likes of Matthew Herbert, Susanne Sundfør, Highasakite, East India Youth, and Rabit. She has performed at festivals and sold-out shows across Europe and the US, including; The Forum, The Ultima Festival, (Le) Poisson Rouge, Latitude Festival, by:Larm, Barbican & Southbank Centre as well as a special album premier performance at Sadlers Wells this year. WEBSITE.
A song that is based on struggle and being determined to overcome 'Fiercely Fearless' nonetheless has something quite tranquil about it at the same time. The vocals add passionate determination and the electro pop musical backdrop is a refined companion for this gorgeous song.
Background - Tenth Electric announce the release of their upcoming single, Brighter, out on Friday 12th October. The band, who offer a gritty blend of electronic rock with powerful lyrics and guitar riffs deliver a message of empowerment, hope and faith in this new track and forthcoming EP.
The upcoming EP, out this Autumn, draws attention to the stigma surrounding mental health issues conveys positive ways to combat this together. Whether it is focusing on the little things in life or taking a moment to breathe, Tenth Electric believes music is a gateway to breaking down barriers that so many of us face.
Pain doesn’t discriminate; none of us are okay all the time and we should not be afraid to talk about our issues and share the burdens. Building on lead singer Luke Mitchell’s experience personally, spiritually, and as an advocate for vulnerable individuals, Tenth Electric want to unify people and encourage people to speak up and say ‘it’s ok to not be ok’. We are all in this together and change is around the corner.
Brighter is a song about seeking joy in the little things of life but within a bigger perspective; A moment in singer Luke Mitchell’s life at Glastonbury festival and its inspirational power. In a world where we are all travelling at 100 miles an hour it is important to learn to love the little things as these are what ultimately really matter. WEBSITE.
Powerful, genuine and vibrant 'Brighter' is a solid rocker with some delicious vocals and harmonies that make the song ascend, take shape and begin to really stand out. Add in the rich and dazzling musical backdrop and all aspects of Tenth Electric are in alignment and pretty much on fire.
Background - Following the release of her fourth studio album The Loneliest Girl last month, New Zealand subversive pop artist Princess Chelsea (Chelsea Nikkel) shares the home grown music video for the album single "Growing Older."
"All of these shots i've included are particularly special moments with my grandparents, family and of course, my sister who is two years younger. It features my first instrument, a Yamaha keytar, which was left behind in a house we moved into when I was a kid. Also pictured are holidays at theme parks that capture the excitement but also frustration of being a teenager and feeling isolated. Sometimes you can feel trapped like the Orca's at Seaworld but then excited to be riding the Wipeout!" - Princess Chelsea
Princess Chelsea's The Loneliest Girl album, out now via Lil' Chief Records, examines the loneliness and ultimately the artistic satisfaction a strong work ethic can bring. The result is this eclectic collection of pop songs. The Loneliest Girl captures moments of inspiration and madness, with lyrics that show Chelsea isn't afraid to ask the deeper questions while still maintaining a playful nature about it all. "I can’t be bothered with subscribing to any kind of 'sound,'" Chelsea says.
As well as sharing an album trailer similar to her recent video for "Wasting Time", Chelsea shared an official fan video for the track "I Miss My Man" directed by the same director, Anastasia Doniants. This time she uses footage from the 1976 Soviet movie Little Mermaid. As Chelsea explains, "Unlike the fairy tale we’re all used to the Russian version is really sad - she gives up her legs and voice for this prince but he doesn’t fall in love with her at the end. She gives up everything for him for one day and then it’s all over!" TWITTER.
Having already featured and enjoyed 'I Love My Boyfriend' and 'Wasting Time' over the last few months the new single 'Growing Older' is another much welcome song to share. Sharing clips from her families home movies adds a further dimension as we see glimpses of Princess Chelsea literally growing up (or older), the song itself has all the creativity and imagination that she consistently achieves.
Background - Leeds upstarts Party Hardly share their newest fuzzy anthem Football, the second track taken from their forthcoming debut EP Cycle Of Life out this autumn.
Holed up in MJ of Hookworms’ Suburban Home Studio recording their latest material, the indie rockers show clear variations in their distinctive sound with gritty vocals, vibrant hooks and hazy guitars encompassing their most forward-thinking release to date.
Having already supported the likes of INHEAVEN and The Magic Gang, the four-piece continue to adopt a key role in the city’s thriving music scene and will be playing alongside Trudy and the Romance and Gengahr in the coming months.
Discussing the release, the band stated: “Football was written about general gender inequality, referring to how the unequal treatment or perception of individuals – wholly or partly due to their gender – is still very much prevalent in our western, spangled society. With our women’s national and club teams not receiving anywhere near the amount of pay/coverage that the men’s do, the future of our beloved sport depends on the effort we put in now”. FACEBOOK.
Back in August we first featured Party Hardly with impressive song 'Terry Shure'. With their second track 'Football' we have a further glimpse of the forthcoming E.P. which is shaping up to be a rather exciting affair, as these indie rockers carve out a definitive sound.
Background - DIY pop punks Fightmilk share their new video for the single "How You Move On", which is the blistering opening track on their forthcoming debut Not With That Attitude, due out via Reckless Yes on 2 November.
On "How You Move On", Lily Rae sings about a man she was dating who was so incensed whey they split up that he got a tattoo of an ugly tree over his heart to commemmorate the relationship – turns out he had a gallery of bad tattoos of previous conquests. Lily says; “I like to try and write songs that I'd want to sing at karaoke whilst drunk which explains the chorus. It's entirely designed for post-breakup girls-night-out karaoke.”
Lily explains further about the video: "It was directed by our friend Gemma Grange and in a nutshell: when we started chatting to Gemma I explained that the song was inspired by an ex who, in a very committed expression of dismay, decided he'd get a tattoo to commemorate our relationship after we split up. It was awful. Gemma came up with the concept of having our miserable antagonist as a life-drawing model, delighted at the opportunity to strut his junk in front of a room full of people to impress, only to discover that everyone hates him and is out for revenge. It's kind of like Kill Bill but with Luke (@beardynoise on Twitter)'s naked butt instead of the Crazy 88."
The band formed in 2015 when lifelong friends Lily Rae and Alex Wisgard were both made romantically redundant at the same time. In the wake of broken relationships and an uncomfortable year spent living at their respective homes at the age of 25, they realised there was too much angst, too much Kirsty MacColl, and too many drunk nights of making up fake band names for them not to be in a band together. They began writing songs, partly as a way to work out some of their issues and partly so that they could reference It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Moving on from just the two of them and a drum machine called Elton that they couldn’t figure out how to operate, they were joined by Nick Kiddle on drums and Adam Wainwright on bass (who was also handy at piano, cooking dinner and making electronic music in his bedroom under the name of Future Wife). BANDCAMP.
'How You Move On' is our second song share for Fightmilk after they impressed Beehive Candy with 'Four Star Hotel' back in August. Another hook laden indie rocker with some intriguing lyrics, Fightmilk are just teasing us with goodies ahead of Novembers debut release.
Background from For Esme - Whenever I find myself down in the well of self-loathing or in desperate need of affirmations, I always return to Joan Didion’s 1961 essay “On Self Respect”. It is a bible of sorts for me — a map that leads back to myself. I wanted to create a similar sign post, for myself and others, to look at ourselves in the mirror and know: I am complete, I am in charge of my own life, I am responsible for my own mistakes and my own victories.
“The dismal fact is that self-respect has nothing to do with the approval of others—who are, after all, deceived easily enough.” - Joan Didion, ‘On Self Respect’
When Director Nick Tiringer approached me about making the video, the concept of a great cast of womxn singing the affirmations to themselves in the mirror was perfect. The imagery was exactly on point with how I’d written the song: a note to self — a post-it on the bathroom mirror not to forget: “You are the one you’ve got to live with.
We live in a culture that places a great deal of emphasis on self-care and self-love, while simultaneously making those things feel impossible to do well. While I see the good behind these concepts, they’ve never sat easily with me. The incline from self-care to self indulgence feels too slippery— a cliff one risks falling over the edge of. Self respect on the other hand is more bonafide — something that we can all cultivate and nurture that involves taking responsibility for oneself. WEBSITE.
There is a rich electronic musical backdrop on 'Modern Love' that is absolutely engaging in itself. Adding in the melodic and beautifully matched vocals pretty much completes the circle, however on top of that we have superb video that drives home the songs passionately delivered message.
Background - There is a timeless quality an other-worldly melancholic sadness that hangs on every passing note from Cardiff's most exciting psychedelic night urchins Red Telephone latest single 'Victoria Park'. It could be a long lost song from the 1966 'Blow-Up' soundtrack, The Yardbirds covering Syd Barrett in the minor key!
Yet 'Victoria Park' is very much about today, the sound of a band transcending their influences to create a confident and thrilling world within their songwriting. As the bands singer Declan Andrews explains of the recording process. "we wanted to create a striking and recognisable landscape of sounds without overwhelming the core song. It could have easily ended up full of baroque-sounding parts but in the end we found ourselves taking parts away and opening up space"
The song itself "was written around loose recollections of Victoria Park in Cardiff, where I used to go every now and again as a child. I didn’t set out to write about that place but the core song and lyrics came out quickly. It’s mainly just a rumination over the passing of time condensed into a song and Victoria Park just happens to be the place used as a springboard to explore those ideas. It’s probably because
Victoria Park has quite recognisable monuments such as the pool and bandstand which are easy to recall, even if they were peripheral to my experiences there when I was younger. There’s something romantic about parks anyway and there seems to be a strong relationship between parks and time too, especially with the memorandum benches and how a lot of them don’t change all that much compared to the people who visit them." TWITTER.
'Victoria Park' is a cascading psychedelic song that is immersed in sixties cultural musical charm and yet some how it manages to be both fresh and relevant today. Having fond childhood memories of summer holidays in the latter half of the sixties, this track could have easily been on Radio Caroline or Big L in those British golden offshore radio days. That bands like Red Telephone are putting their own stamp and interpretations out there, leaves me very content and pleased.
Background - Gumshoe debut first single "Barking at Shadows" off their upcoming album "The Governor's Brother" due out November 16th . The music of Athens GA's Gumshoe is an ever-changing structure built on the foundation of frontman Andy Dixon's "weirdo-as-Everyman lyrics" (Flagpole Magazine). Formed in 2011, the band its debut album The Bad Route Down in 2014, and was nominated for an Athens Music Award in the Americana category the following year. With the addition of free jazz drummer John Norris in late 2014, Gumshoe took on a sharper edge, pumping out "lean, darkly evocative rock songs with vivid imagery" (Flagpole). Bassist Jef Whatley came on board in 2017, rounding out the current trio formation.
Dixon honed his writing with short fiction and long poetry, along with a half decade as a sports journalist at newspapers from south Georgia to Philadelphia. He stumbled into music by making several albums of sound collage and experimental electronic under the name monkE. At age 28, he picked up a friend's guitar and began to put words and music together.
Informed by his compulsive reading of crime noir novels, his extended stays in Zen monasteries, and a habit of hiking in the Georgia woods that dates back to his days as an Eagle Scout, Dixon's lyrics cover a "schizophrenic landscape so full of split personality that Tom Waits seems reasonable in comparison" (Flagpole). Topics range from questioning one's own sanity amid dizzying celestial math, to tragic, drugged-up rural misadventures and a woman whose dreams are not-unpleasantly frequented by the ghost of the scoundrel Richard Nixon. FACEBOOK.
Laid back and cool 'Barking At Shadows' is a bluesy alt rocker, with plenty of Americana overtones. it's slick, relaxed and the lyrics are intriguing and delivered just as these genre styles should be.
Background - Twenty-three year-old Toronto born, Los Angeles based artist Jessie Munro has been mesmerizing audiences worldwide, with her stunning soulful vocals and sleek, modern-electro R&B/pop. Finding her start in classical music and musical theatre, Munro went on to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music, propelling her songwriting abilities and giving her the musical maturity which is evident throughout her music. The soulful songstress is now preparing to release her Debut EP On My Own, a six-track release which tackles the stages of post break-up.
On My Own tells the story of living through bleak heartbreak, with relatable honest lyricism and beautifully poetic melodies, it’s an EP of reflection and contemplation. Narrating the feeling of being alone, the pain of unrequited love and finding courage and confidence to move on, the release is an authentic story of a lost love. Influenced by artists such as Carole King, Daniel Caesar and Charlotte Day Wilson, Munro describes “we were trying to harness old school classic sounds and marry them with modern sounds”.
Leading single 'Under Fire’ features a strong, melodic bassline which rides fluidly atop the driving drums and Munro’s soulful, dreamlike vocals. Thematically, the song focuses on the pressures of social expectations and constantly feeling scrutinized by others. Munro reflects on how she felt she was “under fire” from everyone in her life and the song is the realization that other peoples opinions aren’t always definitive. Inspired by Lianne La Havas and her technique of fusing lyrics with melody, Munro explains “the intent of the lyric is brought to life with a melody that evokes that same emotion” and this is clearly apparent throughout the single.
‘If Your Eyes Could Talk’ showcases ethereal soundscapes and minimalistic melodies, which still pack an impact through Munro’s smokey vocals, delivering a song of quiet intensity. Featuring notes of jazz and pop all underpinned by a soul underscore, the track is brought to life with it’s refreshingly vibrant chorus. The single succeeds in sonically portraying the emotions of a relationship and is a truthful depiction of a breakup, which establishes Munro's signature sound and sets the tone for the rest of the EP.
Munro has come a long way from coming in sixth place in CBC’s search for Dorothy in its 2012 Over the Rainbow series, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Having already performed to sold out audiences across the globe, as well as receiving critical acclaim, the singer is now ready for the next chapter of her musical endeavour, with On My Own currently available worldwide. TWITTER.
The third of six tracks on the new E.P. 'On My Own' is the addictive 'I'd Like To'. Jessie Munro's is described as having "soulful vocals with sleek, modern-electro R&B and pop/rock instrumentation." That in fairness is both concise and accurate, and the E.P. really does explore differing musical directions in a cohesive and often catchy manner, so expect a whole lot more than just the featured piece.
Background from Ghost Caravan - Ghost Caravan is a group of collaborators lead by myself, Shaina Silver-Baird. My music is about dark places, but I focus on finding the light, the moment when you realize your own strength and ability to move forward.
I want to be proud to share my songs with young women. There are so many voices in the world telling women how to think and feel about themselves. I want to be the voice that celebrates women. I want empower and uplift people.
On my forthcoming record T.O. Confidential, I collaborated with members of the Weeknd, Grand Analog, Hill Kourkoutis of the Launch, Martha and the Muffins, the Four On The Floor String Quartet and many others.
There were so many amazing artists who collaborated on this project. It felt like a whole village came together to make this record and I’m so grateful to that community. I love creating music with other people. The end result is so much better because of the many points of view, different opinions and experiences that are woven into each song. FACEBOOK.
'Damn You' is a song brimming with character and a whole load of melodic hooks. Shaina Silver-Bairdare vocals are a delight as they engage and draw you into the atmosphere and feeling of the song. Upbeat, a little funky and overflowing with charm, it comes with a very fine video to round matters off.
Background - Piney Gir follows up her recent single “The Great Pretend” with another dose of bittersweet pop delight in “Dreamcatcher”. Written at a difficult time, it was inspired by the wilderness and freedom, using driving desert rock to celebrate dreams and warn of dangers ahead. The song is about taking risks and living life on the edge. Swirling psychedelic synths are punctuated by twanging guitar, riff-led basslines and punchy saxophones featuring dreamy vocals spinning to infinity. The track features members of Gaz Coombes’ band, with whom Piney has been touring over the past year, as well as Tom Greenhalf (Man Without Country) and Sweet Baboo on saxophone.
Piney explains more about the track: “I wrote Dreamcatcher when I was in a dark place, it seemed like absolutely everything had gone wrong, love, work, health, family “best friends” not being good friends, just general hard knocks and feeling pretty isolated while facing some pretty big life stuff. Outwardly I was projecting the usual cheery Piney because that’s what everyone expects from me, but I was the lowest of the low; the lowest I’ve ever been, pretending to be happy was making that isolation even worse. The only way I know how to cope with that emotion is to channel it into something creative and my default setting is hopeful, I am always looking for the silver lining no mater how dark the clouds are. Music is a healthy outlet for me. I feel the most myself when I’m doing music stuff. When I said this album was about mental health, it really was. Without wanting to sound dramatic, I think making this album saved me from utter breakdown. Music is my mental health stabiliser, I feel very lucky to have it as an outlet.”
London-based Piney Gir originally hails from Kansas and has for many years been a prolific and prodigious musician, spanning various genres from electro to alt-country to folktronic to 60’s retro pop to krautrock. She is currently working on album number seven and her new material lands at art pop with angles and creating a real world of sound with deliberate spaces and spikes. There are still echoes of the signature Piney sound, with strong melodies, tuneful riffs and twisted lyrics that sound sweet at first listen and evolve to some kind of dark twisted storytelling. Piney’s inner Laura Palmer emerges with a tender bitter-sweetness, reminiscent of post punk basement bars and cherry martinis.
Piney heads out on the road in October to play some of her new songs, with shows in Oxford and London. She has a headline, single-release show at Sebright Arms in Hackney as well as a demonstration of her new venture “Drunk Cookery”, a punk zine cookbook of healthy and quick recipes for those late nights when you get home from the pub in desperate need of sustenance, with loads of rock’n’roll references, including using songs instead of timings. WEBSITE.
We featured 'The Great Pretend' back in the middle of June and now we have 'Dreamcatcher'. A rhythmic alt rocker, there is something hypnotic and engrossing about this song, the music and vocals are intertwined, as it quickly develops a level of intrigue, that's hard to let go of.
Background - California’s soulful rock’n’roll artist MAWD has a new release an infectious blend of gritty guitars, soulful vocals and hard hitting melodies. Entitled ‘Wandering Eye’. MAWD is the moniker of Madeleine Mathews, a California singer songwriter and multi instrumentalist (piano, guitar, ukulele, bass, accordion & banjo), whose influences include, The Head and the Heart, The Staves, First Aid Kit, Nancy Sinatra, Lord Huron, and the Alabama Shakes. MAWD’s sound gravitates towards an eclectic mix of genres including indie rock, folk, folk rock, retro rock, and blues rock. The soulful, textured timbre of Madeleine's vocals is diverse and ranges anywhere from a breathy sultry folk/blues vibe to a powerful Janis Joplin-esque/Karen-O belt.
Born and bread in Northern California, Madeleine made her mark in her hometown of Placerville playing original songs at a weekly local open mic. She found an even larger audience in Chico, CA, where she attended CSU, Chico's music program. She quickly became a part of the blossoming local Nor Cal scene fronting and writing for various bands and winning local singer/songwriter competitions, resulting in TV and radio appearances and press. Madeleine's stunning live performances and the unique vulnerability, power and shear beauty of her voice caught the attention of Roger Gisborne of Los Angeles based indie label Sound x 3 Records, who immediately signed her and sent her to Scandinavia to tour. As a result, she was invited to perform for several international festivals, including the Irish, YouBloom Festival.
Gisborne produced and released MAWD's first EP during Madeleine's last semester of school and brought in Brian Lucey (Arctic Monkeys, Black Keys, Beck, Cage The Elephant, etc.) to master the record, which received critical acclaim from noteworthy tastemakers leading MAWD to SXSW and a southwest tour with a new line-up of top British, Irish and American musicians, known as the "MAWD Squad". TWITTER.
We go back to March of this year for our first taste of MAWD. With our second feature 'Wandering Eye' we have a music video that is full of sixties imagery. Close your eyes and you have a modern soulful and energised mixture of funky blues with hints of modern folk. It's also exceedingly catchy!
