Posts

Lifestyles - Amy Rigby - Wild Child - Kaia Kater

Image
Lifestyles - Wail. Background - Chicago punk band Lifestyles take aim at Scientology on their ripping new single “Wail” that came out late last week. It’s out digitally now ahead of its physical release on 10/26 as part of a split 7” EP with Meat Wave, which their fellow Chicagoans No Trend Records is releasing on October 26th. The lyrics behind "Wail" came out of Lifestyles' endless obsession with cults and in this case specifically, Scientology. It's about how any written contract among friends or practitioners of a shared belief is inherently a negative and suspicious thing - if one requires a signed contract to prove trust, then that person is clearly indicating they have no trust. It's also one of Lifestyles' faster songs, with the band dedicating it to the memory of Hüsker Dü’s Grant Hart. Lifestyles' sound is reminiscent of the grungy noise that was blasting its way out of the Puget Sound in the late 80’s and early 90’s... and while often compa

Frankie Davies - Sofie Winterson - Paige Stark

Image
Frankie Davies - High On Love. Background - Frankie Davies has shared the new video for her latest single 'High On Love' which sees Frankie meandering home ‘the morning after’ around her local streets with the gorgeous landscape of Jersey as a backdrop. “Wherever I Go is me, encapsulated,” says Frankie Davies, Jersey-born songwriter, on her highly anticipated debut album. This is an important release for Davies, in fact, she has said that “this represents me, my journey and experiences over the last 4 years.” First single, 'High On Love', is a brilliantly addictive tune that showcases Frankie's exceptional songwriting and heartwarming voice. Frankie has explained the story within the song: "High on Love is an unusual take on a love story, one that follows an optimist with the ability to conjure up a connection that wasn’t there in the first place. By misreading gestures of kindness for ones of affection, we see just how easy it is to run away with our ideas

Lauran Hibberd - Wooing - ElectroBluesSociety feat Michel Peters

Image
Lauran Hibberd - What Do Girls Want? / Call Shotgun. Background - Fresh off the back of her heavily coveted single ‘Call Shotgun’, a release that landed her praise at The Line Of Best Fit, Clash, BBC Radio 1, 6Music as well as a spot as BBC Introducing’s Track Of The Week, Isle Of Wight native Lauran Hibberd returns with the release of her new cut ‘What Do Girls Want?’ out now via Be-Known Music. Continuing her brand of off-kilter indie-pop, ‘What Do Girls Want?’ channels the tongue-in-cheek lyrical flow of Courtney Barnett, as she soars through energetic guitar riffs and ironical content to deliver a wonderfully catchy return to the scene. With influences stemming from bands like Weezer, the frontwoman’s latest single is a stern slap in the face for conventional attitudes. Treading her own path in the industry, this latest release cements her as one of the most exciting and divisive new names in British’s indie music. Speaking about the new single, Lauran explained, “For me, ‘Wha

Leonie Kingdom - Mr. Koifish - Rosie Carney - The Trials of Cato

Image
Leonie Kingdom - So Much More. Background - So Much More is the second track from Leonie Kingdom’s debut EP Night Terror’s. So Much More is exactly how it sounds. It’s a song written to remind people that although times may feel unbearable and dark, you will get through it and there is so much more to keep going for. So Much More is about learning from mistakes and life experiences, learning and growing along the way. “I’ve always taken experience from the darker side of life. This is where most of my experience in song writing comes from. I like to write about things that are important, and people can relate to. I thought it would be refreshing to put a bit of a lighter and positive feel into a song with a big meaning. Encouraging people to keep going when life gets tough and remember there are other people going through their own struggles in life. We are not alone”. – Leonie Kingdom The song structure for So Much More is quite simple with guitar picking and simple piano. The tr

Wild Earp & The Free for Alls - Micra - KAYAM - Belle Mare

Image
Wild Earp & The Free for Alls - Killin' Time. 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 showc

Elza - Pearla - Magic Bronson - Velvet Starlings - Polly Panic

Image
Elza - Endeavor. 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

Moderate Rebels - Far Caspian - Lightfoils - The Ophelias

Image
Moderate Rebels - Faith & Science. 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 recor

The Control Freaks - Fauvely - Jason Ewald

Image
The Control Freaks - Double Dose of Hate. 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 Co

BirdPen - Bijou Noir - Big Bliss

Image
BirdPen - Eyes In The Sky. 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 h