Moon Panda - Gun.
Moon Panda, the moniker under which Californian songwriter Maddy Myers and Danish guitarist Gustav Moltke collaborate - have announced a brand new single 'Gun' to follow their critically acclaimed debut track 'Rabbit' released earlier in the year.
The lyrics on new track, 'Gun', outline the darker thoughts within "the capricious human mind", says Myers. 'Gun' was produced by established engineer Tom Biller who has worked on records such as Warpaint’s The Fool and Fiona Apple’s Extraordinary Machine, to Elliott Smith’s From a Basement on a Hill, and Beck’s track Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime from the OST of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
“To help represent the ever-changing, ever-fickle human mind we used a changing time signature - the verse is in 6/8 and the chorus switches to 4/4. It's not incredibly noticeable but I think it disrupts the sway of the song a bit and switches you into a new rhythm," says songwriter Myers.
The sounds of Portishead, Men I Trust, Mitski, Beach House, and Angel Olsen have been key to the formation of Moon Panda, as well as the idea of a "big, lush forest surrounded by the cosmos, filled with giant creatures - a space jungle", which remains a intriguing, evocative image to songwriter Myers.
Animals have always been an important presence in her life, as Myers actually grew up on a ranch, "raising lambs, pigs, steer, horses, etc and I'd always bring my guitar. I definitely spent more of my youth hanging out with animals than with people." WEBSITE.
Back in July we featured 'Rabbit' by Moon Panda and the new single 'Gun' makes for a welcome and pleasing return. The distinct vocals are once again alluring and the music imaginative with plenty of creative thought clearly present.
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Jacko Hooper - The Long Road.
Together We’re Lost is the third EP release from Brighton singer-songwriter Jacko Hooper. Following a year of writing and taking a step back from performing live, Jacko returns with an EP written and recorded from his bedroom with the help from life long friend and Producer, Josh Trinnaman (Whose mixing credits include Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, RY X and his own Brighton-based IDM/Jazz/Electronic outfit Luo).
With a limited edition run of CDRs being made available via Jacko’s boutique record label and promotions company Folklore Sessions, there will, as always with Hooper’s releases be an opportunity to not just stream the record digitally but get something much more personal which his devoted army of followers will enjoy once again.
Recorded off the back of Folklore Vol.1, a 4-track EP released with fellow musicians and friends Bess Atwell, George Ogilvie & Oktoba, Together We’re Lost tells a story of personifying emotions and situations that Jacko has found himself in, especially over the last year. A constant inner dialogue between his fears, anxieties and ‘logical thinking’ soon turned into words and melody that found themselves needing to be expressed, sticking with what Hooper is most well known for - true emotion and honesty. Essentially, the record covers two primary topics, loneliness and frustration. As ever Jacko’s own brutally honest experiences form the forward drive throughout, however the true purpose of his music isn’t ever his own story but the new ones created from it.
“I don’t feel that the original story of why I wrote the song is necessarily the most important thing, I think the fact people can listen to it and all of a sudden it becomes a different story with a totally different meaning is the best thing of all, to be able to connect to it people need it to be their story, not mine”, Says Jacko. With Together We’re Lost showcasing true emotion and honesty, Jacko Hopes that more stories are created for his very own. TWITTER.
A gentle folk song 'The Long Road' demonstrates that Jacko Hooper can really sing, in this case with notable sensitivity and feeling. Enriched even further by a musical arrangement that develops slowly into something quite special, my only complaint is that this track could have gone on for a whole lot longer.
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Emma Charles - Comfort in The Chaos.
Just released is a new video for the Doug Schadt-produced song by up and coming singer songwriter Emma Charles. Titled “Comfort in the Chaos,” the new single is the follow up to her recent song “Far From Here” (also produced by Schadt).
The mid-tempo song pairs Charles’ soaring vocals over a sophisticatedly minimal acoustic accompaniment. Emma Charles’ striking vocal clarity and sophisticated songwriting chops pair perfectly with Schadt’s trademark dynamic production. Schadt is best known for his work with rock pop phenom Maggie Rogers.
Emma Charles, a newly relocated resident of Los Angeles, began her career with a slew of well-received singles as Emma Charleston early on as she studied at the Berklee College of Music. Says Atwood Magazine of her 2017 single “Volcano”: “There’s an airy warmth erupting from Emma Charleston’s ‘Volcano,’ its subtle hues and subdued musical flavors gently twisting together as the artist opens her soul and lets words and emotion spill forth.”
Emma Charles recently graduated and is now honing her image and style for a full time music career based out of LA. She’ll continue working with Schadt on new songs in 2019 and will be embarking on a spring tour.
With a sensitive and beautifully arranged musical backdrop Emma Charles vocals have room to shine and they do that with stylish grace on 'Comfort in The Chaos'. A natural pop song that is both catchy and exudes real talent, it's paired with a refined video that does justice to the track.
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Saturday, 17 November 2018
Friday, 16 November 2018
Jana & The Lanterns - The Room in the Wood - Rina Mushonga - Elvyn Rhud - Cape Weather
Jana & The Lanterns - Birdhouse.
London-based singer-songwriter Jana (originally from Slovakia) - a voice reminiscent of Joni Mitchell is self-releasing her debut single ‘Birdhouse’ along with the music video on 16th November 2018. A personal folk-rock anthem of a traveller who finds freedom looking for a ‘piece of home’.
Recorded by Luke Oldfield at Tilehouse Studios, originally built for Mike Oldfield, Jana teamed up with top musicians on London jazz scene. Their versatile musicianship and exceptional craft brought special flavour to the music. Jana & The Lanterns arranged and produced 5 songs for an EP that will be released in 2019. The debut single will be accompanied by a new music video with a hint of 70’s nostalgia.
Jana is a classically trained musician with a wide spectrum of genres. In her native Slovakia she was a member of ‘Persona Grata’ – a band, that was invited to perform at ‘Progressive Nation at Sea 2014’ in Miami, organised by Mike Portnoy (Dream Theatre). In the same year, she moved to London and started writing her own songs.
‘Jana & The Lanterns’ is an eclectic musical experience. Inspiration for this project came from Sting’s music, 70’s folk-rock greats, country and classical – a mix that creates a unique ‘Lanterns’ style. They performed at London’s leading venues like The Troubadour, PizzaExpress Live and The Hospital Club (opening for Gypsyfingers). FACEBOOK.
Both the refined and sophisticated musicianship and gorgeous vocals vie for attention on 'Birdhouse' a song that is hard to put into any specific genre. Whilst the vocals have more than a hint of seventies folk style, they are more than that, and the band go from low key jazz funk through to indie rock, or pop, it's that kind of song, and yet it's coherent, catchy and above all high class.
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The Room in the Wood - Mars (Won't Save Us).
Liverpool-based The Room in the Wood will be releasing their 'The Mars EP' on November 23 digitally and on limited-edition CD. Lead track 'Mars (Won't Save Us)' is a riff-based psyche rocker focused on the foolishness of Elon Musk’s ideas about colonising the Red Planet. We are reminded "Mars won't save us. Mars has no air." It is accompanied by a psychedelic video composition by ex-Send No Flowers and Moongoose collaborator Mark Jordan.
"We went in the studio to record some tracks and came up with 'Mars (Won’t Save Us)', which was a riffy departure from most of our debut album. Lyrically it’s a flat statement that Mars is not a viable option for emigration," says Dave Jackson.
Released via A Turntable Friend Records, this album follows their debut album 'The Room in the Wood' and the 'Magical Thinking' EP prior to that, both of which were released earlier in 2018.
Band members Paul Cavanagh and Dave Jackson are once again working together after a huge gap since their post-punk band The Room split back in 1985. After reuniting, this past year has seen them write over 30 new songs. TWITTER.
Back in July we featured 'Greedy Stars' describing that track as "a song that straddles genres, doing so with heart and feeling." Now we can share 'Mars (Won't Save Us)' where the vocals are a delight with just a touch of the sinister about them. Backed by some feisty natural rock, this is another superb song form this talented duo.
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Rina Mushonga - Hey Coach.
London-based Dutch-Zimbabwean pop innovator Rina Mushonga reveals details of her new album In A Galaxy – inspired by a year of transformation, the eagerly awaited follow-up to her debut, 2014’s The Wild, The Wilderness.
The twelve-track In A Galaxy is released on February 15th, 2019 through [PIAS] Recordings and today Rina Mushonga shares new track Hey Coach. Written from a personal perspective, this song is about responsibility and ownership and she explains; it’s about motivation, career-wise, no-one’s gonna fight for your ‘art’ as hard as you are ,nobody has invested what you have in the same way and it’s about self-reliance and getting on with it…even when the odds appear to be stacked against you.”
Having read Metamorphoses for the first time Rina Mushonga’s self-confessed year of transformation ensued drawing upon a myriad of ideas and personal experiences. Full of reflections on the cosmos and our place within it, In A Galaxy is the musical embodiment of these musings whilst Mushonga also admits there’s more than a passing nod to the opening text on Star Wars, but on the whole refers to how relative space and time are in how we interact – “Earth viewed as part of a galaxy binds us in humanity.”
In A Galaxy buzzes with an eclecticism that might be traced back to heritage and history of having moving around at various points in her life - having lived in India, Zimbabwe and the Netherlands before settling in London – her father always proudly referred to their family as “global citizens, we belonged everywhere” she explains, further adding; “I loved and identified with that, and it’s that genre- hopping that best represents me, how I see things and experience the world.”
Four years in the making, In A Galaxy is the result of Mushonga filtering out her distractions and relying/focusing on her own ability and instinct. Mushonga recorded the album in her adopted home in South London’s Peckham with producer Brett Shaw whilst having laid much of the foundations of the tracks together with musical bestie and synth whisperer Frans Verburg in his Rotterdam basement studio. The resultant cornucopia of intelligent, diverse pop that Mushonga herself describes as sounding like “Paul Simon in a sweaty, African dancehall club” is a welcome introduction to 2019. FACEBOOK.
Rina Mushonga impressed us in a big way back in September and the new song share 'Hey Coach' continues that trend. Last time around we describe her music as "a melting pot of musical styles that are given a cohesive overall sound as they musically morph around". The latest track hopefully makes a little more sense of that statement, whatever I was driving at, it's fabulous and massively addictive.
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Elvyn Rhud - Orange Is For Love.
Trippy neo-psych rockers Elvyn Rhud are the like the french equivalent to The Brian Jonestown Massacre, effortlessly channeling the dark corners of the 60's with songs drenched in jangling guitars, droning vocals, and layers of percussion.
The sepia-colored video for their new single invites the viewer into a dystopian artistic vision that compliments their trance-inducing music.
Elvyn Rhud is Cassandre Arpin and Léo Puy. "Orange Is For Love" is off a shared 7" split between Elvyn Rhud & Alpha Du Centaure, which has been released by Pyrrhic Victory Records. BANDCAMP.
'Orange Is For Love' opens with plenty of sixties psychedelic overtones, before expanding into a more modern soundscape where the overall feel is hypnotic and beautiful. The video adds to the theme and at less than three minutes duration, listening again is pretty much compulsive.
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Cape Weather - Big Time.
LA-based Cape Weather follows in suit with their nostalgic pop sound on new single "Big Time". The bands first few tracks have done really well being covered by outlets such as NPR Music, The Line of Best Fit and Wonderland while also receiving a huge amount of editorial support from Spotify. Cape Weather is a collaboration between Natalie Smith and Eric Jackowitz.
They’ve both played in bands for years; Eric playing drums for Nick Waterhouse, and Natalie bouncing around the Oakland scene while silently releasing music under solo monikers before moving to Los Angeles. After both feeling like it was time to make something their own, the two best friends who attended Berklee College of Music together decided to start writing songs over the internet while Eric was on tour with Waterhouse and thus Cape Weather was born.
Their live band is a rotating cast and currently, consist of members from M83 and Ryan Adams band. Cape Weather's newest single "Big Time" which is being released via Yes Plz (a new coffee subscription-based service and weekly zine). BANDCAMP.
Dreamy and full of timeless pop sensibilities 'Big Time' is so full of hooks, it's gonna be played a good few times by myself, and I would be so bold to say - plenty of other folk as well.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London-based singer-songwriter Jana (originally from Slovakia) - a voice reminiscent of Joni Mitchell is self-releasing her debut single ‘Birdhouse’ along with the music video on 16th November 2018. A personal folk-rock anthem of a traveller who finds freedom looking for a ‘piece of home’.
Recorded by Luke Oldfield at Tilehouse Studios, originally built for Mike Oldfield, Jana teamed up with top musicians on London jazz scene. Their versatile musicianship and exceptional craft brought special flavour to the music. Jana & The Lanterns arranged and produced 5 songs for an EP that will be released in 2019. The debut single will be accompanied by a new music video with a hint of 70’s nostalgia.
Jana is a classically trained musician with a wide spectrum of genres. In her native Slovakia she was a member of ‘Persona Grata’ – a band, that was invited to perform at ‘Progressive Nation at Sea 2014’ in Miami, organised by Mike Portnoy (Dream Theatre). In the same year, she moved to London and started writing her own songs.
‘Jana & The Lanterns’ is an eclectic musical experience. Inspiration for this project came from Sting’s music, 70’s folk-rock greats, country and classical – a mix that creates a unique ‘Lanterns’ style. They performed at London’s leading venues like The Troubadour, PizzaExpress Live and The Hospital Club (opening for Gypsyfingers). FACEBOOK.
Both the refined and sophisticated musicianship and gorgeous vocals vie for attention on 'Birdhouse' a song that is hard to put into any specific genre. Whilst the vocals have more than a hint of seventies folk style, they are more than that, and the band go from low key jazz funk through to indie rock, or pop, it's that kind of song, and yet it's coherent, catchy and above all high class.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Room in the Wood - Mars (Won't Save Us).
Liverpool-based The Room in the Wood will be releasing their 'The Mars EP' on November 23 digitally and on limited-edition CD. Lead track 'Mars (Won't Save Us)' is a riff-based psyche rocker focused on the foolishness of Elon Musk’s ideas about colonising the Red Planet. We are reminded "Mars won't save us. Mars has no air." It is accompanied by a psychedelic video composition by ex-Send No Flowers and Moongoose collaborator Mark Jordan.
"We went in the studio to record some tracks and came up with 'Mars (Won’t Save Us)', which was a riffy departure from most of our debut album. Lyrically it’s a flat statement that Mars is not a viable option for emigration," says Dave Jackson.
Released via A Turntable Friend Records, this album follows their debut album 'The Room in the Wood' and the 'Magical Thinking' EP prior to that, both of which were released earlier in 2018.
Band members Paul Cavanagh and Dave Jackson are once again working together after a huge gap since their post-punk band The Room split back in 1985. After reuniting, this past year has seen them write over 30 new songs. TWITTER.
Back in July we featured 'Greedy Stars' describing that track as "a song that straddles genres, doing so with heart and feeling." Now we can share 'Mars (Won't Save Us)' where the vocals are a delight with just a touch of the sinister about them. Backed by some feisty natural rock, this is another superb song form this talented duo.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rina Mushonga - Hey Coach.
London-based Dutch-Zimbabwean pop innovator Rina Mushonga reveals details of her new album In A Galaxy – inspired by a year of transformation, the eagerly awaited follow-up to her debut, 2014’s The Wild, The Wilderness.
The twelve-track In A Galaxy is released on February 15th, 2019 through [PIAS] Recordings and today Rina Mushonga shares new track Hey Coach. Written from a personal perspective, this song is about responsibility and ownership and she explains; it’s about motivation, career-wise, no-one’s gonna fight for your ‘art’ as hard as you are ,nobody has invested what you have in the same way and it’s about self-reliance and getting on with it…even when the odds appear to be stacked against you.”
Having read Metamorphoses for the first time Rina Mushonga’s self-confessed year of transformation ensued drawing upon a myriad of ideas and personal experiences. Full of reflections on the cosmos and our place within it, In A Galaxy is the musical embodiment of these musings whilst Mushonga also admits there’s more than a passing nod to the opening text on Star Wars, but on the whole refers to how relative space and time are in how we interact – “Earth viewed as part of a galaxy binds us in humanity.”
In A Galaxy buzzes with an eclecticism that might be traced back to heritage and history of having moving around at various points in her life - having lived in India, Zimbabwe and the Netherlands before settling in London – her father always proudly referred to their family as “global citizens, we belonged everywhere” she explains, further adding; “I loved and identified with that, and it’s that genre- hopping that best represents me, how I see things and experience the world.”
Four years in the making, In A Galaxy is the result of Mushonga filtering out her distractions and relying/focusing on her own ability and instinct. Mushonga recorded the album in her adopted home in South London’s Peckham with producer Brett Shaw whilst having laid much of the foundations of the tracks together with musical bestie and synth whisperer Frans Verburg in his Rotterdam basement studio. The resultant cornucopia of intelligent, diverse pop that Mushonga herself describes as sounding like “Paul Simon in a sweaty, African dancehall club” is a welcome introduction to 2019. FACEBOOK.
Rina Mushonga impressed us in a big way back in September and the new song share 'Hey Coach' continues that trend. Last time around we describe her music as "a melting pot of musical styles that are given a cohesive overall sound as they musically morph around". The latest track hopefully makes a little more sense of that statement, whatever I was driving at, it's fabulous and massively addictive.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elvyn Rhud - Orange Is For Love.
Trippy neo-psych rockers Elvyn Rhud are the like the french equivalent to The Brian Jonestown Massacre, effortlessly channeling the dark corners of the 60's with songs drenched in jangling guitars, droning vocals, and layers of percussion.
The sepia-colored video for their new single invites the viewer into a dystopian artistic vision that compliments their trance-inducing music.
Elvyn Rhud is Cassandre Arpin and Léo Puy. "Orange Is For Love" is off a shared 7" split between Elvyn Rhud & Alpha Du Centaure, which has been released by Pyrrhic Victory Records. BANDCAMP.
'Orange Is For Love' opens with plenty of sixties psychedelic overtones, before expanding into a more modern soundscape where the overall feel is hypnotic and beautiful. The video adds to the theme and at less than three minutes duration, listening again is pretty much compulsive.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cape Weather - Big Time.
LA-based Cape Weather follows in suit with their nostalgic pop sound on new single "Big Time". The bands first few tracks have done really well being covered by outlets such as NPR Music, The Line of Best Fit and Wonderland while also receiving a huge amount of editorial support from Spotify. Cape Weather is a collaboration between Natalie Smith and Eric Jackowitz.
They’ve both played in bands for years; Eric playing drums for Nick Waterhouse, and Natalie bouncing around the Oakland scene while silently releasing music under solo monikers before moving to Los Angeles. After both feeling like it was time to make something their own, the two best friends who attended Berklee College of Music together decided to start writing songs over the internet while Eric was on tour with Waterhouse and thus Cape Weather was born.
Their live band is a rotating cast and currently, consist of members from M83 and Ryan Adams band. Cape Weather's newest single "Big Time" which is being released via Yes Plz (a new coffee subscription-based service and weekly zine). BANDCAMP.
Dreamy and full of timeless pop sensibilities 'Big Time' is so full of hooks, it's gonna be played a good few times by myself, and I would be so bold to say - plenty of other folk as well.
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Wednesday, 14 November 2018
Black Cat Biscuit - Jane's Party
Black Cat Biscuit - Parrot Women.
Black Cat Biscuit, no well-trodden paths or worn-out covers, but a surprisingly foxy cocktail of fresh songs, marinated in a special gumbo hot sauce. Five driven musicians, who earned their stripes by playing in different bands over the years, decided to get together in 2015.
The band was selected for the finals of the Belgian Blues Challenge in 2017 and won the Belgian Blues Challenge in 2018. They will represent Belgium on the European Blues Challenge in 2019. This single “Parrot Woman” gives you an idea what to expect on their forthcoming first full album ‘That’s How the Cookie Crumbles’, bound to be released on 22 February 2019.
Influences of West Coast Swing, Shuffle, Jazz, Boogie, raw Slide and Texas Blues to name a few, are definitely present in their music. On top of that, writing and playing honest songs, coming straight from the heart, is the main red thread within Black Cat Biscuit. So strong the audience experiences these energetic vibes. Even if blues ain’t your cup of tea, you will be moved for sure! Now sit tight, hold on to your socks and enjoy! WEBSITE.
Exquisite and timeless blues with a simmering level of natural rock and roll tension, is having given this some thought regarding 'Parrot Woman', my best attempt at trying to describe this feast of a song. The video captures the mood, I'm new to Black cat Biscuit, however I'm guessing they are superb to see live, and listen to for ages.
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Jane's Party - Wait For You.
Janes Party tell us - “Wait For You” was written in the months following our return from opening Tom Odell’s “No Bad Days” tour in Europe. There’s a real vulnerability in coming home from a huge tour and not knowing what the future has in store.
Writing the song was a sort of therapy that helped us come to terms with how we were feeling, and turning that into inspiration and excitement for what’s to come.
The energy that emanates from a packed venue is exhilarating, and the whole tour we wished for something simple to sing at the top of our lungs that could be shouted back, no matter the language barrier.
While driving home from a show one eerie night this past summer, we asked Devon to throw on the Drive soundtrack to help set the mood. Instead, he mistakenly (or with clairvoyance) put on the song "Drive" by Cars. Right away we knew that we had to try recording the song with a dreamy, synthwave inspired feel.
Our friend Kirty agreed to jump on board and instantly brought “Drive” to life, singing lead on the second verse and harmonies on the choruses. FACEBOOK.
'Wait For You' is a breezy and melodic indie rocker that packs plenty of upbeat energy. It's one of those catchy songs that are hard to resist giving a few more (& more) listens...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Cat Biscuit, no well-trodden paths or worn-out covers, but a surprisingly foxy cocktail of fresh songs, marinated in a special gumbo hot sauce. Five driven musicians, who earned their stripes by playing in different bands over the years, decided to get together in 2015.
The band was selected for the finals of the Belgian Blues Challenge in 2017 and won the Belgian Blues Challenge in 2018. They will represent Belgium on the European Blues Challenge in 2019. This single “Parrot Woman” gives you an idea what to expect on their forthcoming first full album ‘That’s How the Cookie Crumbles’, bound to be released on 22 February 2019.
Influences of West Coast Swing, Shuffle, Jazz, Boogie, raw Slide and Texas Blues to name a few, are definitely present in their music. On top of that, writing and playing honest songs, coming straight from the heart, is the main red thread within Black Cat Biscuit. So strong the audience experiences these energetic vibes. Even if blues ain’t your cup of tea, you will be moved for sure! Now sit tight, hold on to your socks and enjoy! WEBSITE.
Exquisite and timeless blues with a simmering level of natural rock and roll tension, is having given this some thought regarding 'Parrot Woman', my best attempt at trying to describe this feast of a song. The video captures the mood, I'm new to Black cat Biscuit, however I'm guessing they are superb to see live, and listen to for ages.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jane's Party - Wait For You.
Janes Party tell us - “Wait For You” was written in the months following our return from opening Tom Odell’s “No Bad Days” tour in Europe. There’s a real vulnerability in coming home from a huge tour and not knowing what the future has in store.
Writing the song was a sort of therapy that helped us come to terms with how we were feeling, and turning that into inspiration and excitement for what’s to come.
The energy that emanates from a packed venue is exhilarating, and the whole tour we wished for something simple to sing at the top of our lungs that could be shouted back, no matter the language barrier.
While driving home from a show one eerie night this past summer, we asked Devon to throw on the Drive soundtrack to help set the mood. Instead, he mistakenly (or with clairvoyance) put on the song "Drive" by Cars. Right away we knew that we had to try recording the song with a dreamy, synthwave inspired feel.
Our friend Kirty agreed to jump on board and instantly brought “Drive” to life, singing lead on the second verse and harmonies on the choruses. FACEBOOK.
'Wait For You' is a breezy and melodic indie rocker that packs plenty of upbeat energy. It's one of those catchy songs that are hard to resist giving a few more (& more) listens...
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Tuesday, 13 November 2018
LeBarons - Frederick The Younger - YOWL

With LeBarons debut full-length Summer Of Death, Chris MacDonald dares you to keep your grip or let loose, either way you’re in for a trip. Summer Of Death (2018) is a milestone almost two years in the making. Production started in January, 2017 at John Dinsmore’s Lincoln County Social Club recording studio where previous magic was made by artists like The Strumbellas, Timber Timbre, The Wooden Sky, and Elliott Brood. This unhurried approach allowed the band imbue each song with its own unique character. The result is a rich, complex album that reveals itself with each listen.
Working with two JUNO-nominated and award winning producers John Dinsmore (Timber Timbre, The Strumbellas, PUP, NQ Arbuckle, Donovan Woods, Sarah Harmer); and Jason “Cone” McCaslin (Sun K, Operation MD, The Strumbellas, Sum 41), LeBarons have distilled their sound into a versatile spirit. Accessible, radio-friendly arrangements like “Quiet” and “Brand New Sound” mix seamlessly with moody cocktails like “Waste,” the title track “Summer Of Death,” and the lead single “Long Highway.” Both veteran producers are long-time collaborators with the band and each has carved a unique niche in the band’s sound: Dinsmore, dark and brooding; McCaslin, large and anthemic.
LeBarons are 100% independent and have never been involved with a record label or professional management. Dinsmore and McCaslin are long-time collaborators whose involvement arose from organic relationships and a mutual love of the music being created. Music at its best is a craft of passion.
This is LeBarons’ full-length album and takes the band into new territory as they push the boundaries of alt-country. Chris MacDonald’s lyrical storytelling is still center-stage, but now framed by arrangements soaked in reverb and drenched in feedback. The result is a dynamic album full of visceral emotion and tense with potential energy.
Summer Of Death is the sound of highways at night; passing cars in the rain; the wind blowing past an open window. Summer Of Death is the sound of a song fading out in the distance at the start of a long, strange trip. These are the sounds restless souls hear when everything else grows quiet. BANDCAMP.
'Brand New Sound' is one of eleven tracks on the new 'Summer Of Death' album. The band register somewhere on the Americana scale, with Alt Country being one suggestion. As the featured song demonstrates they can and do up the energy levels on occasion with some vibrant rockers.
The musicianship is superb throughout, and the vocals, dual vocals and harmonies are gorgeous and so in keeping with the genres and styles the band present. You can head over to Bandcamp (link above) for the whole album, it's packed with great tunes and deserves a listen at the very least.
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Frederick The Younger - Everybody Wants To Take You For A Ride.
Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, some of Jenni Cochran’s earliest memories are of writing songs. Returning to the USA after working in Vietnam for a few years, she met Aaron Craker (guitar, keys, vocals) who was performing with his band Dr. Vitamin.
The two immediately bonded over their shared love of Elliott Smith and The Beatles. They formed Frederick The Younger a few years later, releasing their first full length record “Human Child” in 2017.
The band is their bond, formed on groovy garage pop, soulful vocals, a hint of Broadcast and 60s pop with a modern twist. There is an earnestness to their newest songs on a forthcoming EP, due out early 2019, that rings true - the kind of sincerity born from experience.
These songs feel alive and well-lived, tragic, nostalgic, beautiful, and contemplative, all with a solid hook. “Everybody Wants To Take You For A Ride”, the first track taken from that EP, is a beautifully delivered, moody alt-pop piece that introduces a slower sound aesthetic to what they have to offer - the track is officially out now. TWITTER.
The new song 'Everybody Wants To Take You For A Ride' is our fourth feature for Frederick The Younger as the duo once again impress Beehive Candy. Melodic, atmospheric and moving, this is a beautiful song that simmers with emotion and feeling.
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YOWL - John the Collector.
Peckham five-piece YOWL have announced their new single 'John the Collector'. The single follows the release of YOWL's third single for ‘Warm (In The Soft White Fire Of Modern Living)’ and is being released with DIY for Jäger Curtain Call ahead of their headline show, which will be taking place on 15th November at The Lexington, London (with support from Sister Talk and Lumer).
The single was recorded at London’s Tileyard Education Studios. Speaking about the single, singer Gabriel Byrde says: “It’s a loose delve into the male psyche. It’s about a guy who tries to open up a little more and realises the only way he can do that is to murder his friends and stick their faces onto his walls so he has someone to talk to at all times.”
Following Jäger Curtain Call the band have two more shows lined up for 2018 including a show at Rough Trade Bristol on 8th December alongside Hotel Lux, Squid and more, as well as a sold-out end of year IDLES AF Gang Xmas party at Record Junkee in Sheffield on 15th December with John, Heavy Lungs and an IDLES DJ set from Joe Talbot.
'John The Collector' serves as a taster for what's to come from the YOWL in 2019, FACEBOOK.
Now this really is something to write home about! 'John the Collector' is the second song we have shared from YOWL (you have to go back to April for the other one), and it's a sublime, feisty and massively catchy affair. The vocals are phenomenal, the band are tight and funky, it's a little like Talking Heads merged with Devo, and the South London boys have done themselves proud with this song.
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Monday, 12 November 2018
Amanda Tenfjord - Mel Parsons - Silent Forum - Tellico - Deanna Petcoff
Amanda Tenfjord - First Impression EP.
Norwegian 21-year-old Amanda Tenfjord releases her debut EP ‘First Impression’, unveiling brand new track ‘Pick a Card’.
After phenomenally received first three singles, ‘First Impression’, ‘No Thanks’, and ‘Let Me Think’, Amanda has gained a reputation for herself as a bit of a sass-pot. From calling out shallow personalities on ‘First Impression’, (with lines such as) “I like you better out of site ‘cos you’re a social parasite”, to saying ‘No Thanks’ to time-wasters, Amanda’s not afraid of making a statement. Her third single ‘Let Me Think’, about taking a minute to stop and evaluate how happy you are with a situation, continues to exhibit her playful nature and her ability to create pop bangers. Her final track from the EP, ‘Pick a Card’ rounds off the EP with a slower melody showcasing Amanda’s outstanding vocals, while covering the deeper subject of making choices.
First Impression EP is “a very special ride” Amanda says. “I have gotten to know myself in a different way musically - more playful and fun than in my previous work - which has been really interesting”. Regarding the final unreleased track, ‘Pick A Card’ was another song co-written with Askjell, one of Norway’s hottest writers.
“It's been great working with Askjell. ‘Pick a Card’ is a very personal song, about making choices in life - something I'm very bad at, and it felt really good to put that into words. It's been exciting to work on this EP, but I can't wait to start working on the next one.” TWITTER.
The 'First Impression' E.P. comprises of four tracks. It's gorgeous uncomplicated pop that's crammed full of hooks. Add in the intelligent lyrics and an individual style that sets Amanda Tenfjord so apart from, the artificial sounding production line chart music of today, and you have a really impressive collection of material.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mel Parsons - Just 'Cause You Don't Want Me.
Mel Parsons has been at the forefront of the indie-folk movement in New Zealand, forging her own path as an independent, self-managed artist. Coming off the new album Glass Heart, "Just ‘Cause You Don’t Want Me" is a break-up song that cuts through with hard-hitting lyrics but deceptive sonic simplicity, reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. Alternating between both heartbreaking and triumphant, "Just ‘Cause You Don’t Want Me" sees Parsons opening up about the end of a relationship through sweeping big drums and upbeat, catchy melodies.
With a stunningly simplistic and crisp video to match, Mel Parsons is entering the competitive realm of indie-twinged folk with guns blazing, establishing herself not only as an expert songwriter and performer, but as a person with a genuine story to share.
Mel Parsons, on her upcoming album Glass Heart: "It was a particularly fertile writing period... songs were falling out all over the place, and I have learnt over the years that when that feeling of inspiration comes knocking you really have to drop everything and get that shit down.”
Glass Heart is an extension of Parsons’ previous work, while still retaining her trademark poignant storytelling. Parsons takes on a with bigger and fuller sound with a darker vibe under the guidance of legendary American producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Suzanne Vega, Elvis Costello, Missy Higgins, Randy Newman, Lindsay Buckingham/Christine McVie) and a talented cast of musicians. They include bass player Kaveh Rastegar (John Legend, Sia), guitarist Adam Levy (Norah Jones), drummer Ted Poor (Andrew Bird) along-side Froom on keyboards. WEBSITE.
The video is clever, that said, the song 'Just 'Cause You Don't Want Me' is fabulous. Indie folk meets indie rock on this extremely catchy track, where Mel Parson's vocals are perfect for the style.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Silent Forum - Robot
'Robot' is the second single to be taken from the eagerly anticipated debut album by Cardiff's Post-Punk / New Wave trailblazers Silent Forum.
Robot is a jittering, adrenaline fuelled shot of energy. The song speaks from the perspective of a jaded and stressed office employee against an unlikely dance punk backdrop. "I feel a shortage of high pressure in my life/ I need the office chair/ I need spreadsheets I hold dear/ I love coffee, I hate beer".
“Robot is a fun character piece. The world already has enough breakup songs, or songs about partying - I thought it'd be funny to write something about a disgruntled office worker. Its not a song about me - I have a far more positive outlook than whoever this song is about.” Richard, singer of Silent Forum. BANDCAMP.
Back in July we featured 'How I Faked The Moon Landing' from Silent Forum (it didn't seem that long ago) and the new song 'Robot' is another fine song, in fact last time around we said that the band has "one engaging and resplendent sound", I think this new piece pretty much proves we were not exaggerating.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tellico - Woven Waters (album).
With honest, heartfelt songwriting and an unmistakable sound, Asheville-based Tellico has crafted Woven Waters, an album that blends the group’s bluegrass sensibilities with British Isles influences, creating an eclectic collection of poignant folk songs. The album is available now from Organic Records.
The group worked with noted Irish musician and producer John Doyle and Grammy-nominated engineer David Arnold, to record Woven Waters in Johnson City, Tennessee. With Doyle’s guidance, Tellico created and recorded arrangements in the studio. The practice brought the group to open, uncharted territory in their musical landscape. There, they built on their distinctive core sound and found a new level of awareness to texture and melody. Augmented by Doyle’s contribution on bouzouki, the chord choices and rhythmic dynamics intertwine to create a sense of weaving the natural flow of each song’s intent, inspiring the album’s title.
Tellico’s members Anya Hinkle on vocals, guitar and fiddle; Greg “Stig” Stiglets on vocals, upright bass and harmonica; Aaron Ballance on dobro and lap steel guitar; and Jed Willis on mandolin and telecaster, were also joined by drummer David Brewer. The effect of this studio line up offers a sound that is Appalachian Americana.
At Tellico’s core is the voice and guitar of Anya Hinkle, evoking tones of Gillian Welch. Her sound is rooted in the mountains of her native southwestern Virginia, but seasoned by travels across the world. With arresting honesty, her singing and songwriting comes from the heart. The foil to Hinkle can be found in fellow songwriter, vocalist, bass and harmonica player, Greg “Stig” Stiglets. Inspired from the stories and events of daily life, his attention to melody and groove help to further showcase the instrumental prowess of the band. WEBSITE.
The new 'Woven Waters' album is worthy of a listen by anyone who has a liking for modern bluegrass, British or Irish folk music and all stops in between. Excellently crafted music and enticing vocals, are just a part of Tellico's beauty, the lyrics are thoughtful and the bands natural sound transcends genres, pulling the varying styles together, in a talented and desirable manner.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deanna Petcoff - Stress.
Deanna Petcoff tells us - My new single “Stress” is about frustration, loss of hope and acceptance of a situation that will never be fixed.
The unbearable weight of not feeling good enough for the person you want; thinking they might want you back but can’t follow through with their flirtatious actions is a common feeling. I wanted to encapsulate the frustration that accompanies this.
Way too often, I find that feeling is described by leaning heavily on the sadness that it comes with, ignoring all of the anger in it, as well. I wanted to show the range of emotions women feel with the loss of love that aren’t just the sadness of heartbreak.
Ultimately, in the end of “Stress,” she’s done playing with this person and wants the situation to be over so they can both get on with their lives. Making the decision to be done with that kind of situation is difficult but often necessary. I decided it was worthy of a song. TWITTER.
It's apparently part of modern life to experience 'Stress' and although I am told that positive stress is good for us, I still can't help feeling that none at all would be just fine. Anyhow I guess this song is dealing with emotional stress and all that goes with it, particularly from a female perspective. From a male perspective I will just say it's one very fine song, that will be getting a good few more listens on my part.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norwegian 21-year-old Amanda Tenfjord releases her debut EP ‘First Impression’, unveiling brand new track ‘Pick a Card’.
After phenomenally received first three singles, ‘First Impression’, ‘No Thanks’, and ‘Let Me Think’, Amanda has gained a reputation for herself as a bit of a sass-pot. From calling out shallow personalities on ‘First Impression’, (with lines such as) “I like you better out of site ‘cos you’re a social parasite”, to saying ‘No Thanks’ to time-wasters, Amanda’s not afraid of making a statement. Her third single ‘Let Me Think’, about taking a minute to stop and evaluate how happy you are with a situation, continues to exhibit her playful nature and her ability to create pop bangers. Her final track from the EP, ‘Pick a Card’ rounds off the EP with a slower melody showcasing Amanda’s outstanding vocals, while covering the deeper subject of making choices.
First Impression EP is “a very special ride” Amanda says. “I have gotten to know myself in a different way musically - more playful and fun than in my previous work - which has been really interesting”. Regarding the final unreleased track, ‘Pick A Card’ was another song co-written with Askjell, one of Norway’s hottest writers.
“It's been great working with Askjell. ‘Pick a Card’ is a very personal song, about making choices in life - something I'm very bad at, and it felt really good to put that into words. It's been exciting to work on this EP, but I can't wait to start working on the next one.” TWITTER.
The 'First Impression' E.P. comprises of four tracks. It's gorgeous uncomplicated pop that's crammed full of hooks. Add in the intelligent lyrics and an individual style that sets Amanda Tenfjord so apart from, the artificial sounding production line chart music of today, and you have a really impressive collection of material.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mel Parsons - Just 'Cause You Don't Want Me.
Mel Parsons has been at the forefront of the indie-folk movement in New Zealand, forging her own path as an independent, self-managed artist. Coming off the new album Glass Heart, "Just ‘Cause You Don’t Want Me" is a break-up song that cuts through with hard-hitting lyrics but deceptive sonic simplicity, reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. Alternating between both heartbreaking and triumphant, "Just ‘Cause You Don’t Want Me" sees Parsons opening up about the end of a relationship through sweeping big drums and upbeat, catchy melodies.
With a stunningly simplistic and crisp video to match, Mel Parsons is entering the competitive realm of indie-twinged folk with guns blazing, establishing herself not only as an expert songwriter and performer, but as a person with a genuine story to share.
Mel Parsons, on her upcoming album Glass Heart: "It was a particularly fertile writing period... songs were falling out all over the place, and I have learnt over the years that when that feeling of inspiration comes knocking you really have to drop everything and get that shit down.”
Glass Heart is an extension of Parsons’ previous work, while still retaining her trademark poignant storytelling. Parsons takes on a with bigger and fuller sound with a darker vibe under the guidance of legendary American producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Suzanne Vega, Elvis Costello, Missy Higgins, Randy Newman, Lindsay Buckingham/Christine McVie) and a talented cast of musicians. They include bass player Kaveh Rastegar (John Legend, Sia), guitarist Adam Levy (Norah Jones), drummer Ted Poor (Andrew Bird) along-side Froom on keyboards. WEBSITE.
The video is clever, that said, the song 'Just 'Cause You Don't Want Me' is fabulous. Indie folk meets indie rock on this extremely catchy track, where Mel Parson's vocals are perfect for the style.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Silent Forum - Robot
'Robot' is the second single to be taken from the eagerly anticipated debut album by Cardiff's Post-Punk / New Wave trailblazers Silent Forum.
Robot is a jittering, adrenaline fuelled shot of energy. The song speaks from the perspective of a jaded and stressed office employee against an unlikely dance punk backdrop. "I feel a shortage of high pressure in my life/ I need the office chair/ I need spreadsheets I hold dear/ I love coffee, I hate beer".
“Robot is a fun character piece. The world already has enough breakup songs, or songs about partying - I thought it'd be funny to write something about a disgruntled office worker. Its not a song about me - I have a far more positive outlook than whoever this song is about.” Richard, singer of Silent Forum. BANDCAMP.
Back in July we featured 'How I Faked The Moon Landing' from Silent Forum (it didn't seem that long ago) and the new song 'Robot' is another fine song, in fact last time around we said that the band has "one engaging and resplendent sound", I think this new piece pretty much proves we were not exaggerating.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tellico - Woven Waters (album).
With honest, heartfelt songwriting and an unmistakable sound, Asheville-based Tellico has crafted Woven Waters, an album that blends the group’s bluegrass sensibilities with British Isles influences, creating an eclectic collection of poignant folk songs. The album is available now from Organic Records.
The group worked with noted Irish musician and producer John Doyle and Grammy-nominated engineer David Arnold, to record Woven Waters in Johnson City, Tennessee. With Doyle’s guidance, Tellico created and recorded arrangements in the studio. The practice brought the group to open, uncharted territory in their musical landscape. There, they built on their distinctive core sound and found a new level of awareness to texture and melody. Augmented by Doyle’s contribution on bouzouki, the chord choices and rhythmic dynamics intertwine to create a sense of weaving the natural flow of each song’s intent, inspiring the album’s title.
Tellico’s members Anya Hinkle on vocals, guitar and fiddle; Greg “Stig” Stiglets on vocals, upright bass and harmonica; Aaron Ballance on dobro and lap steel guitar; and Jed Willis on mandolin and telecaster, were also joined by drummer David Brewer. The effect of this studio line up offers a sound that is Appalachian Americana.
At Tellico’s core is the voice and guitar of Anya Hinkle, evoking tones of Gillian Welch. Her sound is rooted in the mountains of her native southwestern Virginia, but seasoned by travels across the world. With arresting honesty, her singing and songwriting comes from the heart. The foil to Hinkle can be found in fellow songwriter, vocalist, bass and harmonica player, Greg “Stig” Stiglets. Inspired from the stories and events of daily life, his attention to melody and groove help to further showcase the instrumental prowess of the band. WEBSITE.
The new 'Woven Waters' album is worthy of a listen by anyone who has a liking for modern bluegrass, British or Irish folk music and all stops in between. Excellently crafted music and enticing vocals, are just a part of Tellico's beauty, the lyrics are thoughtful and the bands natural sound transcends genres, pulling the varying styles together, in a talented and desirable manner.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deanna Petcoff - Stress.
Deanna Petcoff tells us - My new single “Stress” is about frustration, loss of hope and acceptance of a situation that will never be fixed.
The unbearable weight of not feeling good enough for the person you want; thinking they might want you back but can’t follow through with their flirtatious actions is a common feeling. I wanted to encapsulate the frustration that accompanies this.
Way too often, I find that feeling is described by leaning heavily on the sadness that it comes with, ignoring all of the anger in it, as well. I wanted to show the range of emotions women feel with the loss of love that aren’t just the sadness of heartbreak.
Ultimately, in the end of “Stress,” she’s done playing with this person and wants the situation to be over so they can both get on with their lives. Making the decision to be done with that kind of situation is difficult but often necessary. I decided it was worthy of a song. TWITTER.
It's apparently part of modern life to experience 'Stress' and although I am told that positive stress is good for us, I still can't help feeling that none at all would be just fine. Anyhow I guess this song is dealing with emotional stress and all that goes with it, particularly from a female perspective. From a male perspective I will just say it's one very fine song, that will be getting a good few more listens on my part.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, 10 November 2018
Molly Hanmer & The Midnight Tokers - Micra

Stuck in a Daydream, the debut album from Los Angeles based quartet Molly Hanmer & The Midnight Tokers, might be labeled Americana, and accurately so, but throughout are hints of blues, rock and roll, folk, psychedelia, even Bossa-Nova that makes it a unique sound in its own right.
Unlike albums where every track sounds the same, Stuck In A Daydream switches it up, making you stamp your boots on the floorboards and clap along on one track; and weep, pull out your journal and express bottled up feelings on the next.
The album is the product of Hanmer teaming with two industry pros who share her musical views, producer Marvin Etzioni (co-founder of Lone Justice) and engineer Sheldon Gomberg, a two-time Grammy winner, along with her talented band, The Midnight Tokers. BANDCAMP.
The first track I listened to on the new 'Stuck In A Daydream' album was 'Fool's Run (Different Song)'. It's the third of twelve songs in this collection (the rest should also play thereafter, if not the link above will do the trick).
Anyhow, it's a fine song to say the least, and one that provides a fairly representative feel for the album (in terms of quality and imagination), that said expect variety as the band comfortably settle into different genres, doing so with an eclectic mixture of emotions and styles.
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Micra - Child Grows Old.
The Triple J-tipped, Sydney-based atmospheric-pop duo, Micra, just shared their soaring new single, ‘Child Grows Old’. 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 will support the string of single releases with debut performances in the UK and US in 2019.
Co-produced by the band alongside emerging Sydney producer/mixer, James Christowski, the reflective ‘Child Grows Old’ draws on influences ranging from Ariel Pink through to Beach House and Zero 7, working with glittering soundscapes and rich atmospherics. Speaking about the new single, Cain says: “The song explores a time in life which felt like nothing had changed for too long. Waiting around for something to happen without knowing where to begin. It's an internal conversation about forcing yourself to jump into the next phase of life and facing the obstacles that come out of that.”
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. FACEBOOK.
Last month we featured 'Plastic' from Micra describing that track as "a dream pop song which occasionally moves towards shoegaze." They have quickly followed up with 'Child Grows Old' and it's another imaginative song. There's less shoegaze and a more feisty rhythm resulting in a catchy, electro rocker, with the vocals adding melody, clearly Micra are capable of differing styles and plenty of gorgeous hooks.
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Friday, 9 November 2018
Evi Vine - Sparkling - Hayes & Y - Saint Clair
Evi Vine - Sabbath (single edit) - Featuring Simon Gallup.
Ethereal alt-rock outfit Evi Vine presents 'Sabbath', a sweet and heavy preview of their long-awaited long-play 'Black Light White Dark', due out in early 2019 on vinyl and CD, as well as digitally. This powerhouse track features Evi Vine's gossamer vocals and precise orchestration, cleverly woven together with bass guitar by Simon Gallup of The Cure and guitar by Peter Yates of Fields of the Nephilim.
Produced by Dave Izumi (Nordic Giants, Ed Harcourt, Magic Numbers) and mixed by Phill Brown (Talk Talk, Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, John Martyn, Robert Palmer), this album also features contributions from several other celebrated artists. Apart from Simon Gallup (The Cure), this album also involves Martyn Barker (Shriekback, Billy Bragg, Marianne Faithfull, Goldfrapp), Peter Yates (Fields of the Nephilim), and Geraldine Swayne (Faust).
As a group, Evi Vine is joined by Steven Hill, Matt Tye and David 'GB' Smith. Their music explores the dark elemental nature of the human heart, as well as environmental and post-apocalyptic themes. Evi Vine’s sound is both sublime and haunting. Creating a unique and uncompromising atmosphere, the effect is reverential, physical music, evoking a rare experience that is beautiful, sparse and deeply intimate.
“I know a lot of people are being shaped by experiences in our lives, ghosts of childhood, self-destructive pain and sorrow, all our personal struggles, doubt, and change. I can feel the earth dying and it makes me so sad. We write reflective songs about the circular patterns of man, and reflecting beauty and violence in the world,” says Evi Vine.
“We recorded live for the first time, which meant we were perhaps able to express the energy in the room together, vibing off one another and experimenting with new sounds, in a new space. Writing in the room was a new experience for us. Its the first time we’ve gone in with no finished songs. We had a few ideas and riffs but took the time to let them breath and worked on them until we felt we had captured a special moment. After producing two albums essentially at home, this feels like a re-birth for the band.” WEBSITE.
'Sabbath' opens with a wall of sound as fuzzy guitars and a powerful rhythm compete with each other. The music drops the energy and some atmospheric vocals enter the piece, but not for long as the music powers up again on this epic roller-coaster of an alt rock ride.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sparkling - Say Goodbye to the Ragged Tiger.
From the opening electronic bass hook, moving on to the epic chorus, and ending with the mesmerizing new wave ending, Sparkling emphasize their ability to write catchy and mature pop tunes set in a cool and powerful production.
The single is from their forthcoming album Felonious (coming in 2019). It’s a song about letting go of old demons - and most of all a song about the knots and beauty of life.
While working on the album the last couple of years, Sparkling have teamed up with renowned film festival CPH:PIX who has used excerpts from the duo’s cinematic pop music in the festival trailers screening in movie theaters all over Copenhagen.
They have toured intensively in Denmark incl. SPOT and Skanderborg Festivals, been artist of the week on Hitquarters.com, and collaborated with producer/remixer Dave ‘Rave’ Ogilvie (Bowie, N:I:N...).
On the forthcoming album, Sparkling have made new allied from the sparkling (pun intended) Copenhagen music scene. Besides Oliver Hoiness and Peter Buch, there are musical contributions from jazz saxophonist Jesper Løvdal, guitarist Anders Mathiasen (Murder, Vessel, etc.), guitarist David Rosenkilde, pianist Steen Rasmussen, and Benjamin Vinding on berimbau. FACEBOOK.
The vocals are distinctive and engaging on 'Say Goodbye to the Ragged Tiger' and when the chorus kicks in they are gorgeous. A refined electro pop song that is beautifully layered, this is extremely catchy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hayes & Y - Blue.
Hayes & Y have returned with a brand new single, 'Blue'. It follows recent track 'Always So Simple, Always So Cold' which was featured on Spotify's UK Viral Top 50 chart. Already picking up plays at BBC Introducing and BBC 6 Music, the group adds a little more insight into their latest creation;
"Blue is the first in a series of songs we've named after colours. It is about loneliness, insanity and imaginary friends. "Blue" is a song about longing, masquerading as a dance track. The most ambitious work we've done so far, challenging ourselves and hopefully, our audience."
With band members that hail from as far afield as Bulgaria and Finland before settling in Manchester, Hayes & Y collect their influences to create their very own sound. Their strong chemistry and rich musicality are manifest in their effortlessly sleek, immediate and addictive brand of pop - which has been compared to the likes of Jungle and Nile Rogers - with CLASH going on to comment on their "infectious funky yacht pop, their bleached out sound recalls everyone from Jungle to Kool & The Gang. 'Blue' will only serve to increase the hype around the quartet, an irresistible new single from the group." TWITTER.
Exuding style and sophistication 'Blue' refuses to sit in any one genre, as moments of funk, hints of stylish pop and a slick dance groove, come together and deliver a fresh, hook laden song.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint Clair - I'll Stay (Live).
Saint Clair is today sharing the live video for recent single ‘I’ll Stay’, directed by her sister, Tamsin Topolski. The new live clip trails the five-track EP, ‘D2’ - out now via her own Dearly Beloved imprint which takes its logo from a drawing sketched by her grandfather, the artist Feliks Topolski.
“‘I’ll Stay’ is a particularly dark, emotional song that I was keen to reimagine with my live band, especially with the addition of string players,” explains Saint Clair, “I enlisted the help of my sister Tam as director who has an amazing eye and knew exactly how to encapsulate the epic yet intimate nature of the song.” Speaking about the live video, director Tamsin says: “We wanted to expose and highlight the raw emotion at the core of this live version of the song. We wanted the music and the visual movements to build cohesively to a climax, moving out of darkness into hope and finally relief.”
Saint Clair - named after her mother’s Scottish ancestry - is the alias of French-speaking North Londoner Emma Topolski. The first in a family of painters, actors and journalists to pursue music, her professional trajectory began as a gigging jazz singer, as she puts it, “Playing three or four times a week, getting ignored in the corner of a five-star hotel”. A testing stint, it now more than repays itself in Saint Clair’s easy integration of a love for old standards, soul (Stevie Wonder) and classic rock (The Beatles), with her affinity for the electronica-rooted modern soul of the likes of Son Lux and James Blake.
‘D2 follows Saint Clair’s 2017 debut EP ‘D1’, and arrives alongside wilder collaborative projects which have taken her on the road as a backing vocalist for long-time friend Laura Marling (in whose Reversal Of The Muse project she also participated, alongside HAIM, Dolly Parton and Marika Hackman), and seen her sing BVs for Ghostpoet and Dua Lipa. Emma is also bassist and singer for infectious London 4-piece Childcare. FACEBOOK.
The new live version of 'I'll Stay' is beautifully performed. With a sparsely furnished room and light flooding into through the windows, the video puts the focus on the performers who are engrossed in this tender and passionate song, where quality and atmosphere smoothly rub shoulders.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ethereal alt-rock outfit Evi Vine presents 'Sabbath', a sweet and heavy preview of their long-awaited long-play 'Black Light White Dark', due out in early 2019 on vinyl and CD, as well as digitally. This powerhouse track features Evi Vine's gossamer vocals and precise orchestration, cleverly woven together with bass guitar by Simon Gallup of The Cure and guitar by Peter Yates of Fields of the Nephilim.
Produced by Dave Izumi (Nordic Giants, Ed Harcourt, Magic Numbers) and mixed by Phill Brown (Talk Talk, Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, John Martyn, Robert Palmer), this album also features contributions from several other celebrated artists. Apart from Simon Gallup (The Cure), this album also involves Martyn Barker (Shriekback, Billy Bragg, Marianne Faithfull, Goldfrapp), Peter Yates (Fields of the Nephilim), and Geraldine Swayne (Faust).
As a group, Evi Vine is joined by Steven Hill, Matt Tye and David 'GB' Smith. Their music explores the dark elemental nature of the human heart, as well as environmental and post-apocalyptic themes. Evi Vine’s sound is both sublime and haunting. Creating a unique and uncompromising atmosphere, the effect is reverential, physical music, evoking a rare experience that is beautiful, sparse and deeply intimate.
“I know a lot of people are being shaped by experiences in our lives, ghosts of childhood, self-destructive pain and sorrow, all our personal struggles, doubt, and change. I can feel the earth dying and it makes me so sad. We write reflective songs about the circular patterns of man, and reflecting beauty and violence in the world,” says Evi Vine.
“We recorded live for the first time, which meant we were perhaps able to express the energy in the room together, vibing off one another and experimenting with new sounds, in a new space. Writing in the room was a new experience for us. Its the first time we’ve gone in with no finished songs. We had a few ideas and riffs but took the time to let them breath and worked on them until we felt we had captured a special moment. After producing two albums essentially at home, this feels like a re-birth for the band.” WEBSITE.
'Sabbath' opens with a wall of sound as fuzzy guitars and a powerful rhythm compete with each other. The music drops the energy and some atmospheric vocals enter the piece, but not for long as the music powers up again on this epic roller-coaster of an alt rock ride.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sparkling - Say Goodbye to the Ragged Tiger.
From the opening electronic bass hook, moving on to the epic chorus, and ending with the mesmerizing new wave ending, Sparkling emphasize their ability to write catchy and mature pop tunes set in a cool and powerful production.
The single is from their forthcoming album Felonious (coming in 2019). It’s a song about letting go of old demons - and most of all a song about the knots and beauty of life.
While working on the album the last couple of years, Sparkling have teamed up with renowned film festival CPH:PIX who has used excerpts from the duo’s cinematic pop music in the festival trailers screening in movie theaters all over Copenhagen.
They have toured intensively in Denmark incl. SPOT and Skanderborg Festivals, been artist of the week on Hitquarters.com, and collaborated with producer/remixer Dave ‘Rave’ Ogilvie (Bowie, N:I:N...).
On the forthcoming album, Sparkling have made new allied from the sparkling (pun intended) Copenhagen music scene. Besides Oliver Hoiness and Peter Buch, there are musical contributions from jazz saxophonist Jesper Løvdal, guitarist Anders Mathiasen (Murder, Vessel, etc.), guitarist David Rosenkilde, pianist Steen Rasmussen, and Benjamin Vinding on berimbau. FACEBOOK.
The vocals are distinctive and engaging on 'Say Goodbye to the Ragged Tiger' and when the chorus kicks in they are gorgeous. A refined electro pop song that is beautifully layered, this is extremely catchy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hayes & Y - Blue.
Hayes & Y have returned with a brand new single, 'Blue'. It follows recent track 'Always So Simple, Always So Cold' which was featured on Spotify's UK Viral Top 50 chart. Already picking up plays at BBC Introducing and BBC 6 Music, the group adds a little more insight into their latest creation;
"Blue is the first in a series of songs we've named after colours. It is about loneliness, insanity and imaginary friends. "Blue" is a song about longing, masquerading as a dance track. The most ambitious work we've done so far, challenging ourselves and hopefully, our audience."
With band members that hail from as far afield as Bulgaria and Finland before settling in Manchester, Hayes & Y collect their influences to create their very own sound. Their strong chemistry and rich musicality are manifest in their effortlessly sleek, immediate and addictive brand of pop - which has been compared to the likes of Jungle and Nile Rogers - with CLASH going on to comment on their "infectious funky yacht pop, their bleached out sound recalls everyone from Jungle to Kool & The Gang. 'Blue' will only serve to increase the hype around the quartet, an irresistible new single from the group." TWITTER.
Exuding style and sophistication 'Blue' refuses to sit in any one genre, as moments of funk, hints of stylish pop and a slick dance groove, come together and deliver a fresh, hook laden song.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint Clair - I'll Stay (Live).
Saint Clair is today sharing the live video for recent single ‘I’ll Stay’, directed by her sister, Tamsin Topolski. The new live clip trails the five-track EP, ‘D2’ - out now via her own Dearly Beloved imprint which takes its logo from a drawing sketched by her grandfather, the artist Feliks Topolski.
“‘I’ll Stay’ is a particularly dark, emotional song that I was keen to reimagine with my live band, especially with the addition of string players,” explains Saint Clair, “I enlisted the help of my sister Tam as director who has an amazing eye and knew exactly how to encapsulate the epic yet intimate nature of the song.” Speaking about the live video, director Tamsin says: “We wanted to expose and highlight the raw emotion at the core of this live version of the song. We wanted the music and the visual movements to build cohesively to a climax, moving out of darkness into hope and finally relief.”
Saint Clair - named after her mother’s Scottish ancestry - is the alias of French-speaking North Londoner Emma Topolski. The first in a family of painters, actors and journalists to pursue music, her professional trajectory began as a gigging jazz singer, as she puts it, “Playing three or four times a week, getting ignored in the corner of a five-star hotel”. A testing stint, it now more than repays itself in Saint Clair’s easy integration of a love for old standards, soul (Stevie Wonder) and classic rock (The Beatles), with her affinity for the electronica-rooted modern soul of the likes of Son Lux and James Blake.
‘D2 follows Saint Clair’s 2017 debut EP ‘D1’, and arrives alongside wilder collaborative projects which have taken her on the road as a backing vocalist for long-time friend Laura Marling (in whose Reversal Of The Muse project she also participated, alongside HAIM, Dolly Parton and Marika Hackman), and seen her sing BVs for Ghostpoet and Dua Lipa. Emma is also bassist and singer for infectious London 4-piece Childcare. FACEBOOK.
The new live version of 'I'll Stay' is beautifully performed. With a sparsely furnished room and light flooding into through the windows, the video puts the focus on the performers who are engrossed in this tender and passionate song, where quality and atmosphere smoothly rub shoulders.
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Thursday, 8 November 2018
Hero Fisher - Farewood - The Camino Side Project - Moscow Apartment - Malhini - Gabriella Rose
Hero Fisher - Life Through Closed Eyes.
Hero Fisher's new album has finally dropped and to accompany this excellent and long-awaited release Hero has made a video for one of the lead tracks called 'Life Through Closed Eyes'.
‘Glue Moon’, Hero says of her new album, (in part inspired by Marilynne Robinson’s 1980 novel Housekeeping,) ‘is the place in my mind I’d go to when I was writing a lot of the tracks on the album. For Hero, Glue Moon is an idyllic sense of mental calm, the image of a pale moon above a still lake at dawn. After a year of triumphant singles, including ‘I Let Love’, ‘If I Die And Nothing Happens’ and ‘Lonely’, she is now releasing her long-anticipated second album, and while she’s kept much of what worked about her debut album Delivery, including her collaboration with guitarist and musical director ‘Saul Wodak’, Glue Moon finds Hero wading into deeper creative waters.
The addition of rising Italian co-producer Marta Salogni (Sampha, The XX, and MIA) adds vibrant new sonic avenues to her expansive sound. From the spectral majesty of opener ‘Bird of Prey’ and the propulsive bass honking crawl of ‘Binder’ Glue Moon is a serious sonic and lyrical display of an artist arriving at the peak of her powers. With its expert production and wide emotional palette, on Glue Moon Hero Fisher channels the spontaneity and deep poeticism of narrative songwriters like PJ Harvey and Nick Cave while offering something new and vital. Glue Moon arrives with the video for her brilliantly atmospheric and ambient ‘Life Through Closed Eyes’.
British-born, French-raised and London-based, Hero Fisher (yes, that’s her real name) has had a career that has so far seen her collaborate with Alison Mosshart and Boy George in the Mark Ronson-scored ballet Carbon Life, open for The Rolling Stones and Neil Young at Hyde Park, and get shortlisted for the 2014 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Prize. In 2015 she released her debut album, the critically-appraised Delivery which won her fans in The Horrors and Blur. By turns a blistering rock and roller in the vein of Patti Smith and PJ Harvey, and an experimental folk storyteller à la Jeff Buckley, Hero Fisher resists easy generic categorisation with her protean and cinematic musical storytelling.
Able to expertly strike a variety of different narrative poses, she is at once the spurned lover and the fired-up rabble rouser, predator and prey. With Glue Moon previous singles ‘Sylvie’, ‘Push The Boat Out’, ‘I Let Love’ ‘If I Die And Nothing Happens’ and ‘Lonely’ Hero’s lyrical imagination proved unique and bountiful. Glue Moon adds to her magical body of work and takes her sound into uncharted territory. It’s a testament to her limitless artistic range as one of the most magnetising rising stars around. WEBSITE.
Over the last year and a half we have been mightily impressed by everything that's come our way from Hero Fisher. I have to say her brand new album entitled 'Glue Moon' is as spectacular as I had hoped for, the creativity, performance and production being top notch.
Having already featured the singles 'Sylvie', 'I Let Love', 'Lonely' and 'If I Die and Nothing Happens' we now have a new music video for 'Life Through Closed Eyes' that's five of the thirteen tracks on the album (yep, I know it only took one hand to work that out). So what of the rest? Well you can expect even more musical explorations, each song has impact and the variations in style or direction are given some consistency through Hero Fishers vocals and personal feelings that are there in abundance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Farewood - Under Burning Sun - Full Album.
Hailing from the "Silver City" of Meriden CT, the band Farewood has been cultivating their style of ethereal rock for almost two decades.
Led by the husband and wife songrwriting team of Lou (vocals, guitar) and Leah Lorenzo (vocals, bass), and bolstered by the propulsive rhythms of long time drummer Kyle McCarthy and guitarist Eric Ieraci.
Farewood have emerged again with a new album of dream weaving, ethereal rock. Compelling from start to end, 'Under Burning Sun', the group's latest offering is their boldest yet, and perhaps the high water mark of their career. WEBSITE.
If you like your rock music to have plenty of melodic hooks, intriguing lyrics and a distinctive musical arrangement that gives clarity to each musician, then 'Under Burning Sun' consistently delivers along those lines.
Described as ethereal rock, that's better than any overarching categorisation that I could come up with. The quality is constantly good, whilst there's enough feeling and passion to give the album a personal and emotional vibe.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Camino Side Project - Wheels.
To recap - Multi-instrumentalist Paul Farran originally hails from Montreal, Canada, and proficiently practices the poetic baritone of the city's patron saint, Leonard Cohen. But Farran’s influences extend far beyond his roots, having lived internationally and travelled extensively, including his work for the United Nations in Rwanda, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Viet Nam.
Paul began his music career in the alternative rock band Pacer which released two albums between 1998 and 2003, chalking up hundreds of shows each year. But balancing globe-trotting work and new family obligations made it hard to keep his role in the band rolling, and he reluctantly shelved his music ambitions to make room for new dreams. In 2008, Paul and his wife walked 400 miles of the “Camino de Santiago,” an ancient route that crosses Northern Spain, and tied the knot at the end of the journey. In 2016, they undertook another life-changing trip, both quitting their UN jobs to backpack with their young kids on a half year trip from Africa to South East Asia and back, then onwards to Europe.
It was during this journey that Paul revived his musical aspirations and conceived The Camino Side Project, with the Spanish word “Camino” meaning path or way. He put his master’s degree in international relations to good use, enlisting the musicians he met along the way and reviving musical links from his past to join him in documenting his travels, inspirations and introspections. This musical journal turned into 11 songs about 11 countries, each entry reflecting on the genuine experiences in life that impact one’s own perspectives and decisions. Often Paul’s guests provided an additional instrumental texture and on other tracks it led to full blown collaboration, like with Vietnamese hip hop artist Radical on “Highbeam”. WEBSITE.
We featured 'Vilma's Soundtrack' just a few days back and now we have another track to share called 'Wheels'. Then we said "The production is superb and refinement and quality are key elements, along with the heart and feeling that is always there", I reckon this adds weight to that summary of the album, if these couple of tracks have impressed you, check out 'of movement & music', it's got plenty more songs of this quality.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moscow Apartment - Orange.
“Orange” is about the weird twilight-zone feeling that happens sometimes at sunset – when things suddenly don’t feel real, like everything around you is a movie.
We originally submitted the demo for “Orange” (produced by Samantha Martin) to the Canadian Songwriting Competition and wound up winning in the Under 18 category. Joel Plaskett was one of the judges and we got to spend an afternoon with him in Halifax picking his brain about music, songwriting, and production. It was amazing.
We then went back into the studio and co-produced the final version with Guillermo Subauste who engineered two of the songs on our last EP and our last single, “Be You”. The recording experience was fun because we had really strong ideas of what we wanted “Orange” to sound like and we were able to manifest those ideas with Guillermo’s help.
We’re currently hard at work on our second EP which will be released in the future through Hidden Pony Records and are super lucky to be a part of the Slaight Music family after winning their It’s Your Shot competition. Thanks to that, Kevin Drew heard our music and really liked it – we were so excited when he came to one of our shows in Collingwood! TWITTER.
'Orange' is a superbly arranged song, where musical hooks (and there are a ton of those) compete with the gorgeous vocals and harmonies. It's my introduction to Moscow Apartment, and I am totally impressed by this piece, it's vibrant, catchy and reading the background from the duo above, gives some folk in the music industry a very positive thumbs up.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malhini - Hopefully, Again.
Lo-fi pop duo Malihini will release their debut album 'Hopefully, Again' through Memphis Industries on 8th March 2019. Produced by Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Ghostpoet, Darkstar), 'Hopefully, Again' was written in Sicily and recorded at the remote Giant Wafer Studios in Wales. Malihini, aka Rome-based couple Giampaolo Speziale and Federica Caiozzo, have unveiled the first single to be taken from the album, the soulful, superficially pretty ‘Hopefully Again’: its languid drums and woozy electric guitar hook-line usher in a sort of conversation between circling lovers – Caiozzo taking the first verse, Speziale the second, the two combining for the redemptive and addictive “Love is coming back” chorus line. “It’s about when you’re first really into one another”, explains Speziale. “When you try to be someone, as seen through the eyes of the other. It's about flirting, and the moment when you come back from the slowness of depression, you dress up and you’re ready to confront with the fastness of love/life again".
'Hopefully, Again' is accompanied by a video filmed and spliced together by the band themselves from footage of their travels to Rome, Portugal, Sicily, Iceland and London.
Their name may mean ‘newcomers’ in Hawaiian, but Malihini deal exclusively in the music of lived experience and time-honed emotional intelligence, their disarming musical universe never less than distinctive, yet resonating with a confessional, modern European pop sophistication of a kind elsewhere purveyed by the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jose Gonzalez and Our Broken Garden. Listening to the ten co-written songs that grace Malihini’s exquisite debut long-player, 'Hopefully, Again', can sometimes feel like eavesdropping on a couple’s intimate emotional dialogues, such is the ingenuous honesty of the duo’s writing. Yet combined with their minimal, yet opulently textured arrangements (“classic songwriting matched with pared-down electronics”, according to Clash), crammed with subtle melodic hooks and an embarrassment of earworm choruses, they transform the personal into the universal with a delightfully unforced eloquence. FACEBOOK.
Warm and sensitive 'Hopefully, Again' has tender duel vocals that work beautifully together. The video makes everything personal to Malhini, adding a level of intimacy, whilst the song charms and works it's way into your own world.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gabriella Rose - Lost In Translation.
Gabriella Rose is based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (outside of Spokane), and her forthcoming Lost In Translation EP was produced by Chris Molitor. The songs on the EP wander through the secluded halls of her mind, as she glides through memories of her late grandmother whose life came to an abruptly devastating end, her own journey into adulthood, and much larger social issues facing the world. Molded in the raw poeticism of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, Rose’s stories come from a deeply broken place. Her grandmother’s appetite for literature clearly rubbed off on Rose, whose own rich storytelling is plentiful across her new EP. In Gabriella’s words regarding her debut single, “The song is a wistful melody about how I wish I could reach people around me,” framing imagery of the Greek myth Icarus as an impetus for the story’s revelations. “I see others sometimes like that: the ideal of what I would like to be. But then I see them fly too close to the sun and melt their wings. So I don’t know if I want to be like them completely, it's a dilemma.”
Rose was homeschooled until sixth grade, and coming from an early dysfunctional family life resulting from her parents divorce, she became hyper-aware of relationships and her place within them. Rose is quick to acknowledge that despite the familial turmoil of the past, her entire family has banded together around her music. Over the years, when visiting her rather eccentric father in North Hollywood, she recalls late night recording sessions just for fun then diving into such popular films as Clockwork Orange, Pulp Fiction and Blue Velvet with a cup of coffee at midnight.
Of course, things weren’t always so rose-colored, and she remains tight-lipped on those not-so-perfect circumstances. Her roots inject even more piercing context to her forthcoming Lost in Translation EP. Her voice houses her turbulent past, the loneliness, the uncertainty, and the gloom. But in analyzing her truth, she comes to shine a light for those who continue to fight for their lives in the shroud of darkness. When left to such devices, Rose is a vision and an artist ready to turn pop music on its head. FACEBOOK.
'Lost In Translation' is fabulous, maybe that's all that needs to be said. It's atmospheric, catchy, there is a level of emotion that courses throughout and like I said, it's just fabulous...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hero Fisher's new album has finally dropped and to accompany this excellent and long-awaited release Hero has made a video for one of the lead tracks called 'Life Through Closed Eyes'.
‘Glue Moon’, Hero says of her new album, (in part inspired by Marilynne Robinson’s 1980 novel Housekeeping,) ‘is the place in my mind I’d go to when I was writing a lot of the tracks on the album. For Hero, Glue Moon is an idyllic sense of mental calm, the image of a pale moon above a still lake at dawn. After a year of triumphant singles, including ‘I Let Love’, ‘If I Die And Nothing Happens’ and ‘Lonely’, she is now releasing her long-anticipated second album, and while she’s kept much of what worked about her debut album Delivery, including her collaboration with guitarist and musical director ‘Saul Wodak’, Glue Moon finds Hero wading into deeper creative waters.
The addition of rising Italian co-producer Marta Salogni (Sampha, The XX, and MIA) adds vibrant new sonic avenues to her expansive sound. From the spectral majesty of opener ‘Bird of Prey’ and the propulsive bass honking crawl of ‘Binder’ Glue Moon is a serious sonic and lyrical display of an artist arriving at the peak of her powers. With its expert production and wide emotional palette, on Glue Moon Hero Fisher channels the spontaneity and deep poeticism of narrative songwriters like PJ Harvey and Nick Cave while offering something new and vital. Glue Moon arrives with the video for her brilliantly atmospheric and ambient ‘Life Through Closed Eyes’.
British-born, French-raised and London-based, Hero Fisher (yes, that’s her real name) has had a career that has so far seen her collaborate with Alison Mosshart and Boy George in the Mark Ronson-scored ballet Carbon Life, open for The Rolling Stones and Neil Young at Hyde Park, and get shortlisted for the 2014 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Prize. In 2015 she released her debut album, the critically-appraised Delivery which won her fans in The Horrors and Blur. By turns a blistering rock and roller in the vein of Patti Smith and PJ Harvey, and an experimental folk storyteller à la Jeff Buckley, Hero Fisher resists easy generic categorisation with her protean and cinematic musical storytelling.
Able to expertly strike a variety of different narrative poses, she is at once the spurned lover and the fired-up rabble rouser, predator and prey. With Glue Moon previous singles ‘Sylvie’, ‘Push The Boat Out’, ‘I Let Love’ ‘If I Die And Nothing Happens’ and ‘Lonely’ Hero’s lyrical imagination proved unique and bountiful. Glue Moon adds to her magical body of work and takes her sound into uncharted territory. It’s a testament to her limitless artistic range as one of the most magnetising rising stars around. WEBSITE.
Over the last year and a half we have been mightily impressed by everything that's come our way from Hero Fisher. I have to say her brand new album entitled 'Glue Moon' is as spectacular as I had hoped for, the creativity, performance and production being top notch.
Having already featured the singles 'Sylvie', 'I Let Love', 'Lonely' and 'If I Die and Nothing Happens' we now have a new music video for 'Life Through Closed Eyes' that's five of the thirteen tracks on the album (yep, I know it only took one hand to work that out). So what of the rest? Well you can expect even more musical explorations, each song has impact and the variations in style or direction are given some consistency through Hero Fishers vocals and personal feelings that are there in abundance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Farewood - Under Burning Sun - Full Album.
Hailing from the "Silver City" of Meriden CT, the band Farewood has been cultivating their style of ethereal rock for almost two decades.
Led by the husband and wife songrwriting team of Lou (vocals, guitar) and Leah Lorenzo (vocals, bass), and bolstered by the propulsive rhythms of long time drummer Kyle McCarthy and guitarist Eric Ieraci.
Farewood have emerged again with a new album of dream weaving, ethereal rock. Compelling from start to end, 'Under Burning Sun', the group's latest offering is their boldest yet, and perhaps the high water mark of their career. WEBSITE.
If you like your rock music to have plenty of melodic hooks, intriguing lyrics and a distinctive musical arrangement that gives clarity to each musician, then 'Under Burning Sun' consistently delivers along those lines.
Described as ethereal rock, that's better than any overarching categorisation that I could come up with. The quality is constantly good, whilst there's enough feeling and passion to give the album a personal and emotional vibe.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Camino Side Project - Wheels.
To recap - Multi-instrumentalist Paul Farran originally hails from Montreal, Canada, and proficiently practices the poetic baritone of the city's patron saint, Leonard Cohen. But Farran’s influences extend far beyond his roots, having lived internationally and travelled extensively, including his work for the United Nations in Rwanda, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Viet Nam.
Paul began his music career in the alternative rock band Pacer which released two albums between 1998 and 2003, chalking up hundreds of shows each year. But balancing globe-trotting work and new family obligations made it hard to keep his role in the band rolling, and he reluctantly shelved his music ambitions to make room for new dreams. In 2008, Paul and his wife walked 400 miles of the “Camino de Santiago,” an ancient route that crosses Northern Spain, and tied the knot at the end of the journey. In 2016, they undertook another life-changing trip, both quitting their UN jobs to backpack with their young kids on a half year trip from Africa to South East Asia and back, then onwards to Europe.
It was during this journey that Paul revived his musical aspirations and conceived The Camino Side Project, with the Spanish word “Camino” meaning path or way. He put his master’s degree in international relations to good use, enlisting the musicians he met along the way and reviving musical links from his past to join him in documenting his travels, inspirations and introspections. This musical journal turned into 11 songs about 11 countries, each entry reflecting on the genuine experiences in life that impact one’s own perspectives and decisions. Often Paul’s guests provided an additional instrumental texture and on other tracks it led to full blown collaboration, like with Vietnamese hip hop artist Radical on “Highbeam”. WEBSITE.
We featured 'Vilma's Soundtrack' just a few days back and now we have another track to share called 'Wheels'. Then we said "The production is superb and refinement and quality are key elements, along with the heart and feeling that is always there", I reckon this adds weight to that summary of the album, if these couple of tracks have impressed you, check out 'of movement & music', it's got plenty more songs of this quality.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moscow Apartment - Orange.
“Orange” is about the weird twilight-zone feeling that happens sometimes at sunset – when things suddenly don’t feel real, like everything around you is a movie.
We originally submitted the demo for “Orange” (produced by Samantha Martin) to the Canadian Songwriting Competition and wound up winning in the Under 18 category. Joel Plaskett was one of the judges and we got to spend an afternoon with him in Halifax picking his brain about music, songwriting, and production. It was amazing.
We then went back into the studio and co-produced the final version with Guillermo Subauste who engineered two of the songs on our last EP and our last single, “Be You”. The recording experience was fun because we had really strong ideas of what we wanted “Orange” to sound like and we were able to manifest those ideas with Guillermo’s help.
We’re currently hard at work on our second EP which will be released in the future through Hidden Pony Records and are super lucky to be a part of the Slaight Music family after winning their It’s Your Shot competition. Thanks to that, Kevin Drew heard our music and really liked it – we were so excited when he came to one of our shows in Collingwood! TWITTER.
'Orange' is a superbly arranged song, where musical hooks (and there are a ton of those) compete with the gorgeous vocals and harmonies. It's my introduction to Moscow Apartment, and I am totally impressed by this piece, it's vibrant, catchy and reading the background from the duo above, gives some folk in the music industry a very positive thumbs up.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malhini - Hopefully, Again.
Lo-fi pop duo Malihini will release their debut album 'Hopefully, Again' through Memphis Industries on 8th March 2019. Produced by Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Ghostpoet, Darkstar), 'Hopefully, Again' was written in Sicily and recorded at the remote Giant Wafer Studios in Wales. Malihini, aka Rome-based couple Giampaolo Speziale and Federica Caiozzo, have unveiled the first single to be taken from the album, the soulful, superficially pretty ‘Hopefully Again’: its languid drums and woozy electric guitar hook-line usher in a sort of conversation between circling lovers – Caiozzo taking the first verse, Speziale the second, the two combining for the redemptive and addictive “Love is coming back” chorus line. “It’s about when you’re first really into one another”, explains Speziale. “When you try to be someone, as seen through the eyes of the other. It's about flirting, and the moment when you come back from the slowness of depression, you dress up and you’re ready to confront with the fastness of love/life again".
'Hopefully, Again' is accompanied by a video filmed and spliced together by the band themselves from footage of their travels to Rome, Portugal, Sicily, Iceland and London.
Their name may mean ‘newcomers’ in Hawaiian, but Malihini deal exclusively in the music of lived experience and time-honed emotional intelligence, their disarming musical universe never less than distinctive, yet resonating with a confessional, modern European pop sophistication of a kind elsewhere purveyed by the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jose Gonzalez and Our Broken Garden. Listening to the ten co-written songs that grace Malihini’s exquisite debut long-player, 'Hopefully, Again', can sometimes feel like eavesdropping on a couple’s intimate emotional dialogues, such is the ingenuous honesty of the duo’s writing. Yet combined with their minimal, yet opulently textured arrangements (“classic songwriting matched with pared-down electronics”, according to Clash), crammed with subtle melodic hooks and an embarrassment of earworm choruses, they transform the personal into the universal with a delightfully unforced eloquence. FACEBOOK.
Warm and sensitive 'Hopefully, Again' has tender duel vocals that work beautifully together. The video makes everything personal to Malhini, adding a level of intimacy, whilst the song charms and works it's way into your own world.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gabriella Rose - Lost In Translation.
Gabriella Rose is based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (outside of Spokane), and her forthcoming Lost In Translation EP was produced by Chris Molitor. The songs on the EP wander through the secluded halls of her mind, as she glides through memories of her late grandmother whose life came to an abruptly devastating end, her own journey into adulthood, and much larger social issues facing the world. Molded in the raw poeticism of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, Rose’s stories come from a deeply broken place. Her grandmother’s appetite for literature clearly rubbed off on Rose, whose own rich storytelling is plentiful across her new EP. In Gabriella’s words regarding her debut single, “The song is a wistful melody about how I wish I could reach people around me,” framing imagery of the Greek myth Icarus as an impetus for the story’s revelations. “I see others sometimes like that: the ideal of what I would like to be. But then I see them fly too close to the sun and melt their wings. So I don’t know if I want to be like them completely, it's a dilemma.”
Rose was homeschooled until sixth grade, and coming from an early dysfunctional family life resulting from her parents divorce, she became hyper-aware of relationships and her place within them. Rose is quick to acknowledge that despite the familial turmoil of the past, her entire family has banded together around her music. Over the years, when visiting her rather eccentric father in North Hollywood, she recalls late night recording sessions just for fun then diving into such popular films as Clockwork Orange, Pulp Fiction and Blue Velvet with a cup of coffee at midnight.
Of course, things weren’t always so rose-colored, and she remains tight-lipped on those not-so-perfect circumstances. Her roots inject even more piercing context to her forthcoming Lost in Translation EP. Her voice houses her turbulent past, the loneliness, the uncertainty, and the gloom. But in analyzing her truth, she comes to shine a light for those who continue to fight for their lives in the shroud of darkness. When left to such devices, Rose is a vision and an artist ready to turn pop music on its head. FACEBOOK.
'Lost In Translation' is fabulous, maybe that's all that needs to be said. It's atmospheric, catchy, there is a level of emotion that courses throughout and like I said, it's just fabulous...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 6 November 2018
Foxton Kings - BlackieBlueBird - GRDNS
Foxton Kings - Burn.
Following on from their single Money Money, Perth's Foxton Kings have added yet another smouldering rock song to their arsenal with the fittingly-titled Burn. Full of rhythmic swagger, Burn oozes confidence and charm as it delivers a banquet of meaty riffs and catchy melodies.
Honing the turbulent, all-consuming emotion of falling in love with a complete stranger, Burn sounds as enchantingly lustful as it should.
Produced by Andy Lawson, Burn is taken from Foxton Kings' 2019 EP offering With Love. Full of yearning and desire, Burn pays homage to the age-old ache of unrequited romance... a song written for lonely lovers everywhere.
The combination of Joel Stevens, Cliff Johnson, Dane Koek and Alex Barker brings out the best in all of them. The band's chemistry, both in writing and performance, is their biggest asset, and reveals itself in everything they do. Bringing pop sensibilities to stirring rock songs without diluting them, Foxton Kings will be showcasing their new material this November with a series of single launches across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. FACEBOOK.
'Burn' is a feisty, high energy piece with plenty of rock and roll attitude coursing through it's veins. A sub three minute blast, this is a mighty tease for their E.P.
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BlackieBlueBird - Flying Too Close To The Ground.
BlackieBlueBird are the vocalist Heidi Lindahl and the composer Nils Lassen; together they create delicate torch songs of reverb and echo that captivate the listener with resonating guitars, lap steels, mandolins and a choir of mermaids that sporadically embraces Heidi’s golden voice. The echoes of love and longing, hellos and deceiving goodbyes live within her unique and clear vibrato.
Ghost River symbolizes a subterranean river of memories that flows beneath our cities while on the surface we live our lives behind walls, among buildings and clamorous streets, ever pursuing our hopes and dreams. Unaware that deep within we are influenced by the Ghost River, we fulfill what lies in our destinies as tiny twigs floating along the flow of a gentle water stream.
Resembling a dream, Ghost River is an album that dwells in a drumless, cinematic atmosphere filled with romantic soundscapes of yearning desire and melodic choruses that caress the ear in a liberating and cathartic way.
All songs are written and produced by Nils Lassen. The album is a cooperation between T&E Records, Poisonic, and afmusic. Ghost River will be released on Vinyl, CD and as a download on 23rd of November. BANDCAMP.
The third of twelve tracks on the forthcoming 'Ghost River' album is the delectable song 'Flying Too Close To The Ground' a piece that well demonstrates the sheer creative quality that is present in every song.
This is a fabulously refined collection of music, with some beautifully crafted material that might be termed dream pop, although the depth and sophistication of the album doesn't feel conveyed enough through just that one label. If the featured track appeals to you, then make sure you you check out the album, it really is that good!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GRDNS - Hydraulic Lover.
Bradford’s resident desert rockers GRDNS showcase Hydraulic Lover, a masterful slice of psych-pop taken from their debut EP, released via UK label Dance To The Radio later this month.
Marking their boldest exploration into psychedelia to date, the band’s newest effort builds on widespread plaudits throughout the blogosphere (DIY, Clash, Dork), debut festival appearances at Live At Leeds/Gold Sounds and numerous support slots alongside fellow rising acts including Gengahr, Husky Loops and whenyoung.
Discussing their upcoming release, frontman Jacob Lyons stated: “Hydraulic Lover is about accepting all the bad attitudes, stupid shit and low vibe activities you get up to when you’re young. It’s the idea that song people treat each other like sexbots and the action of love is more hydraulic than passionate”.
Produced by James Kenosha (Pulled Apart By Horses, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Rhodes) GRDNS’ Hydraulic Lover is out 15th November via Dance To The Radio and will be available on all digital platforms. GRDNS is Jacob Lyons (vocals/guitar), Sam Gledhill (guitar), Cameron Harrison (bass) and John Fitzpatrick (drums)
Live Date: 15 Nov – Salt Beer Factory, Shipley (supporting PINS) TWITTER.
GRDNS are clearly doing something right especially if you measure that, by the number of appearances they have made on Beehive Candy this year, with the latest track 'Hydraulic Lover' notching them up to four features since February. Opening with some fuzzy guitar riffs, the band are soon into their vibrant and catchy alt rock style with those gorgeous psychedelic overtones adding some real edge.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Following on from their single Money Money, Perth's Foxton Kings have added yet another smouldering rock song to their arsenal with the fittingly-titled Burn. Full of rhythmic swagger, Burn oozes confidence and charm as it delivers a banquet of meaty riffs and catchy melodies.
Honing the turbulent, all-consuming emotion of falling in love with a complete stranger, Burn sounds as enchantingly lustful as it should.
Produced by Andy Lawson, Burn is taken from Foxton Kings' 2019 EP offering With Love. Full of yearning and desire, Burn pays homage to the age-old ache of unrequited romance... a song written for lonely lovers everywhere.
The combination of Joel Stevens, Cliff Johnson, Dane Koek and Alex Barker brings out the best in all of them. The band's chemistry, both in writing and performance, is their biggest asset, and reveals itself in everything they do. Bringing pop sensibilities to stirring rock songs without diluting them, Foxton Kings will be showcasing their new material this November with a series of single launches across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. FACEBOOK.
'Burn' is a feisty, high energy piece with plenty of rock and roll attitude coursing through it's veins. A sub three minute blast, this is a mighty tease for their E.P.
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BlackieBlueBird - Flying Too Close To The Ground.
BlackieBlueBird are the vocalist Heidi Lindahl and the composer Nils Lassen; together they create delicate torch songs of reverb and echo that captivate the listener with resonating guitars, lap steels, mandolins and a choir of mermaids that sporadically embraces Heidi’s golden voice. The echoes of love and longing, hellos and deceiving goodbyes live within her unique and clear vibrato.
Ghost River symbolizes a subterranean river of memories that flows beneath our cities while on the surface we live our lives behind walls, among buildings and clamorous streets, ever pursuing our hopes and dreams. Unaware that deep within we are influenced by the Ghost River, we fulfill what lies in our destinies as tiny twigs floating along the flow of a gentle water stream.
Resembling a dream, Ghost River is an album that dwells in a drumless, cinematic atmosphere filled with romantic soundscapes of yearning desire and melodic choruses that caress the ear in a liberating and cathartic way.
All songs are written and produced by Nils Lassen. The album is a cooperation between T&E Records, Poisonic, and afmusic. Ghost River will be released on Vinyl, CD and as a download on 23rd of November. BANDCAMP.
The third of twelve tracks on the forthcoming 'Ghost River' album is the delectable song 'Flying Too Close To The Ground' a piece that well demonstrates the sheer creative quality that is present in every song.
This is a fabulously refined collection of music, with some beautifully crafted material that might be termed dream pop, although the depth and sophistication of the album doesn't feel conveyed enough through just that one label. If the featured track appeals to you, then make sure you you check out the album, it really is that good!
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GRDNS - Hydraulic Lover.
Bradford’s resident desert rockers GRDNS showcase Hydraulic Lover, a masterful slice of psych-pop taken from their debut EP, released via UK label Dance To The Radio later this month.
Marking their boldest exploration into psychedelia to date, the band’s newest effort builds on widespread plaudits throughout the blogosphere (DIY, Clash, Dork), debut festival appearances at Live At Leeds/Gold Sounds and numerous support slots alongside fellow rising acts including Gengahr, Husky Loops and whenyoung.
Discussing their upcoming release, frontman Jacob Lyons stated: “Hydraulic Lover is about accepting all the bad attitudes, stupid shit and low vibe activities you get up to when you’re young. It’s the idea that song people treat each other like sexbots and the action of love is more hydraulic than passionate”.
Produced by James Kenosha (Pulled Apart By Horses, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Rhodes) GRDNS’ Hydraulic Lover is out 15th November via Dance To The Radio and will be available on all digital platforms. GRDNS is Jacob Lyons (vocals/guitar), Sam Gledhill (guitar), Cameron Harrison (bass) and John Fitzpatrick (drums)
Live Date: 15 Nov – Salt Beer Factory, Shipley (supporting PINS) TWITTER.
GRDNS are clearly doing something right especially if you measure that, by the number of appearances they have made on Beehive Candy this year, with the latest track 'Hydraulic Lover' notching them up to four features since February. Opening with some fuzzy guitar riffs, the band are soon into their vibrant and catchy alt rock style with those gorgeous psychedelic overtones adding some real edge.
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