A band that continue to impress us is Talkboy who return for a fifth time here with their new single 'All Works Out'. This time the rock aspect of the band is more to the fore, with their ability to produce melodious material still underpinning the piece.
London's Chernobyl Sunshine Club have shared a video for 'Birthdayland' a creative mixture of Alt Folk and Indie Rock that combined result in a fabulous song.
There was a time when classic hard rock appealed to me and Reason Define and the song 'Reaper' has in part rekindled that enjoyment, the melodic female vocals are at the core of that attraction and a good few hooks along the way helps.
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Talkboy - All Works Out.
Hitting up the BBC Introducing stage at Reading & Leeds Festivals later this month and primed to take full advantage, fledgling six-piece Talkboy announce the arrival of their debut EP and share glistening new single All Works Out.
Joining forces with Leeds label Come Play With Me and LAB Records once more, the sextet’s latest offering showcases their trademark, gorgeous harmonies in full flow, shifting between playful songwriting and anthemic tendencies with aplomb, and expertly spotlighting the band’s unbridled potential ahead of their biggest shows to date.
With a full summer of festival appearances (incl. The Great Escape, Live At Leeds, Y Not) under their belts, alongside an array of impressive support slots (Our Girl, Another Sky, Bully), the Leeds risers continue to build on their early promise, with increased support across the BBC Radio 1 airwaves (Huw Stephens, Jack Saunders) and glittering praise throughout the tastemaker community.
Discussing their upcoming single, Talkboy detailed: “The song isn’t this blissful unawareness that everything will be alright in the end so just shut everything out. It’s more like, when stuff does go wrong, I’m here if you want. Being friends with someone is hard and something we are still learning how to do properly, but I think if you can just do the very basic thing of turning up and be there for whoever it is that you are close to, that’s a good start”.
Talkboy’s All Works Out is out 2nd August via Come Play With Me / LAB Records and will be available on all digital platforms.
Chernobyl Sunshine Club’s eclectic sound has echoes of Beck, Elbow, The National, The Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire, and comes with a boldness to their quirk that captivates the senses and purges the soul.
With a "topical" band name, and cracking live performance reputation, the band embodies a lost tribe from radioactive wastelands with shamanistic group vocals and a towering, bald headed front man who flails his arms and plays keyboards.
Chernobyl Sunshine Club are a group of Londoners whose cinematic Indie/Alt Folk, inspired by video game soundtracks and film scores, is an euphoric blend of beats and riffs that unashamedly borrows from rock, metal and jazz and even classical music. Originators and musical explorers, Chernobyl Sunshine Club set out to prove that when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Chernobyl Sunshine Club formed in late 2016, hit the London club scene and recorded their debut single, 'When Death Was A Boy (2017).’ Frequently playlisted in the UK and US, it was followed up by single 'Pelagius (2018)' which earned support from Tom Robinson on BBC 6 music among others.
US hard-rock outfit 'Reason Define' announce the arrival of their latest single and official music video for the explosively hook-heavy track 'Reaper'
Featuring a guest appearance from fellow Charlotte (NC) habitant and Never I frontman Jacob Peters - 'Reaper' is a fresh mix of the version featured on the all-female quintet's self-released 'In Memory' album unleashed earlier in 2019. Consisting of Paolina Massaro (Vocals), Caitlin Rutkowski (Bass/Vox), Sav Ruff (Guitar/Vox), Syd McVicker (Drums) and Shelby McVicker (Guitar).
The fast-rising Reason Define have drawn upon a myriad of influences to create music that brings together metal-edged guitar riffs, tension building dynamics and anthemic vocal lines. With an every growing army of fans around the world, the band possess the determination, talent and sheer ambition to reach greater heights of recognition outside their US homeland.
We have a couple of recent videos for Boy Scouts namely 'Expiration Date' and 'Get Well Soon'. There are seven other songs on her forthcoming album 'Free Company' due out at the end of this month. Whilst both songs give a good feel for the album, there are plenty more highlights in store ans some exquisite musical moments, I have a feeling this album will be getting plenty of attention.
'Forget' by Theo Bard is a fascinating song, where electronic textures weave around his distinctive vocals which at times seem like a further musical layer within the piece, it's also a tad addictive.
Lillimure has a new album out from which we have selected 'I Feel' and 'Lady In A Mirror' to share. Whether she is in Soul, Folk or Pop mode or even a mixture of all three, her music is melodic often very catchy and the attention to musical detail behind her refined vocals is notable.
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Boy Scouts - Expiration Date / Get Well Soon.
As Boy Scouts, Oakland-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Taylor Vick makes the kind of music that hits like good advice from a beloved friend. It's generously warm and inviting, built atop her open, searching voice, but it doesn't shy away from tough emotional truths.
Vick's songs survey the damage that can come from loving other people with curiosity and grace. Her new album, Free Company – her first for ANTI- Records set for an August 30th release - is her most vital and incisive work yet, a stunningly tuneful rumination on heartbreak and loss that is always galloping toward the horizon. So far, two singles have been released as tasters of the record to come.
Watch Taylor perform “Get Well Soon” on a couch floating through Los Angeles via balloons; the video was directed by Ramez Silyan (Lil Peep). Watch Taylor celebrate her birthday surrounded by friends in the new music video for “Expiration Date”. Her producer Stephen Steinbrink joins her in the clip, contributing harmony vocals to the song; Madeline Kenney (Hand Habits) directed the video.
The album’s opener, "Get Well Soon" reckons with the difficult epiphany that comes when you've worked overtime to help someone you love, only to realize they won't meet you in the middle and help themselves. "It's a hard thing to say. You're hoping somebody will eventually feel better, but there's also this weird new distance between you. You can't do anything else, but you still really hope that they're OK," Vick says.
With its jangly electric guitar chords and sky-high vocal melodies, "Expiration Date" tackles that universal human quandary of impermanence. "Everything changes all the time. Nothing will last forever," says Vick. "It's such a hard concept to grasp because we just get so attached to things and people and situations. But stuff can't stay how it is forever. That's also to be said about bad stuff that happens. It won't weigh you down forever."
Her tightest and most cohesive collection of songs, Vick recorded Free Company in a tiny studio her friend Stephen Steinbrink set up inside a rented shipping container--a unique spot that ended up being perfect for her. "It's a windowless little room, but that made me feel really comfortable," she says. "We did it in the comfort of a weird, atypical recording space."
After first introducing himself to us with his beautifully composed debut EP ‘You Give’ in 2015, Theo Bard has spent the intervening years pushing his music further into electronic realms than ever before. Inspired by a new generation of songwriters augmenting their music with electronic sounds, he has developed a unique voice as both producer and songwriter and has returned to reveal his new brand of dark, experimental pop.
With a thunderous opening, new single ‘Forget’ is a haunting exploration of lost love that demonstrates Bard’s artistic prowess. Eerie synths and melancholic lyrics portray a sentiment that seethes with sincerity. Though distorted vocals are often devoid of expression, Bard injects them with the depth of emotion you’d expect from a song that laments the realisation that an ex has well and truly moved on. The processed effects only work to heighten the track’s unnerving atmosphere and perfectly complement the experimental instrumental. The sonic space that would typically be occupied by traditional snares and drums is filled with inventive alternatives (sampled from ice and snow), making Bard’s creative intention clear as every element of ‘Forget’ strives to standout.
Elaborating on his new release, he explains, “‘Forget’ is a dark, raw confessional about a traumatic experience. I was still in love with my ex-girlfriend when a big group of our friends were going away on holiday together. I wanted to be part of it. She was going to be there with her new man, but I didn't want to miss out and anyway, there were lots of other people I could hang out with. I could give them a wide berth and it would be fine, right? One night I woke to the unmistakable sound of their voices coming through the wall. I tried to cover my ears, wanting more than anything to 'unhear' the sound, but it was too late. Completely upset and spun out, I left the next morning, returning to London as fast as I could. All I wanted was to forget what I'd heard and what it meant. At the time, I was pushing my music in the direction of a new sound, telling people my new music was 'melancholic electronic' and I realised how perfect the story was for the new vibe. Once I had the concept of the song in my head it came out so easily.”
We have a brand new album from Alternative Folk/Soul Pop Singer/Songwriter Lillimure. Lillimure has been writing and singing songs since as long as she can remember and is is proud to finally release her first debut full length album simply entitled “Lillimure”.
Lillimure never considered songwriting her career path until a life-altering gymnastics injury. After tearing a ligament in her wrist, she found that making music was the only thing that emotionally satisfied her. Previously releasing singles,including the songs "WDYTM" and also “Something” earlier this year, she is particularly excited to share this collection of work in its entirety now. Iit has been a dream of hers to have live musicians on every track, and to be able to work with the same musicians she plays with live also in the recording studio.
"This project has been a dream come true. From getting all the players on the track, to finalizing the art. This album represents different parts of my life in summation and I'm so excited for it to finally be out in the world. It is a continuation my musical journey, and I am thrilled to share."
Lillimure is a 20 year-old Indie artist from Westchester, New York. Her music follows her honestly through her experiences, creating an intimate vibe with the listener. Combining hip-hop music's fast-paced lyricism, folk music's storytelling, and soul music's intimate vocals, Lillimure offers a brand new, personal sound. She hopes her music can make people laugh, cry, and feel everything in between.
Her experience includes gigging locally and nationally in venues such as The Bitter End (NYC), Rockwood Music Hall (NYC), The Viper Room (LA) and The Bistro (SF). You may also have seen her at the New York Botanical Garden's 2019 Spring Uncorked Festival, and the 2019 Pleasantville Music Festival.
Dry Cleaning have released a video for 'Magic of Meghan' ahead of their debut E.P due out in a couple of weeks. Influences there may be but this band still carve out a unique style and sound, kind of indie pop meets garage rock with this song.
Classic Americana with plenty of humorous twists and the juxtaposition of still feeling fresh, somehow Bug Martin has the knack of mixing timeless and modern together, within this really fine new album 'Gutterball'.
Despite coming from the East Coast of Ireland Konrad Sheane is decidedly in touch with Texan rock on 'The Devil's Whiskey' and we are reliably informed that this is just one stopping off point for this musicians repertoire of styles.
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Dry Cleaning - Magic of Meghan.
London's Dry Cleaning today announce their much-anticipated debut EP - "Sweet Princess" - set for release August 16th on the It's OK imprint.
It continues a period of fervent activity from the band who despite having no music online, and have already seen significant interest as early headline shows and a tour in support of NYC's Bodega quickly marked out Dry Cleaning as possessing something entirely different to the rest of the pack - their wiry, excitable post-punk and new-wave paired as it is to surreal, detached vocal narratives in the form of a predominantly spoken word delivery.
Firm friends for years, the band (Lewis Maynard, Tom Dowse, Florence Shaw & Nick Buxton) only started making music after a karaoke party in 2017 inspired a collaboration. They wrote instrumentally to begin with and six months later Shaw, a university lecturer and picture researcher by day, joined on vocals with no prior musical experience. They recorded the six-track Sweet Princess EP before playing their first show only last year.
When they started they knew they wanted to make simple music, direct and uncomplicated. The musical influences were clear - the Feelies, the Necessaries, the B52s and Pylon as a starting point. The garage / rehearsal space had a huge influence on the sound as it was so small and intimate; anything unnecessary was to be left behind. A discussion among the four band members about how to make the prospect of performing as comfortable as possible for Florence (a first timer) ahead of the band’s first rehearsal as a four piece, led to her using her speaking voice. There were several references for this; Will Powers, The Anaemic Boyfriends and Grace Jones among others.
The video for "Magic of Meghan" was made by Sheffield based artist Lucy Vann. Vann investigates, records and reinterprets overlooked behaviours and occurrences in the everyday, in this case through moving image, but she also works with photography, writing, sound, objects and performance. Her work balances between a state of tedium and interest, and attempts to reveal something beyond the immediate surface of daily life.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bug Martin - Gutterball (Album).
Philadelphia-based roots man Bug Martin delivers twangy alt-folk stylings
which evoke classic dust bowl Americana, injecting the genre with modern
storytelling and more.
Bug Martin is a storyteller. Born in the basement of New Jersey, Bug is a singer-songwriter who explores inner space to create moody, twangy alt-music conscious of americana, blues, roots, and folk.
Bug's tunes evoke existential and confessional themes, often with tongue planted firmly in cheek. After spending several years germinating in Baltimore's bizarre arts scene where Bug wrote and recorded several self-released albums and EPs, a course has been set northbound once more to a new homestead in Philadelphia.
The new Gutterball, travels cross-genre relaying tales of hapless love and drunken wisdom stumbled upon along the way.
Konrad Sheane is a singer/songwriter born to a farming family on the east coast of southern Ireland. With an impressive two-decade drumming background, he moved to the UK to embark on his solo career.
His music is steeped in the blues with four on the floor bass drums, electronica and great pop hooks. Taking influence from a plethora of rock and blues legends, including artists such as Johnny Cash, Yelawolf, Pink Floyd, his style of blending blues and EDM influences shapes his sound uniquely making work both cinematic and syncable.
Konrad’s latest single, ‘Devil’s Whiskey’ has the ability to transport you from drinking whiskey at your local pub to speeding down a Texan highway on a Harley. The bold and repetitive chorus ‘suck on my gasoline,’ represents a punk/ anti-establishment notion of doing what’s right for yourself and disregarding others disapproval, scepticism, or criticism. Konrad’s husky yet sensitive baritone tells tales of his country upbringing, city life and lust for freedom, his voice digging crevices rich with heartbreak, homeland, and heritage.
The Promised debut single 'We Could Be In Love' has just been released. It's a vibrant and upbeat roots meets country piece where every element sparkles with style.
Shannon and Susannah Davey's song 'We've All Got Our Story' mixes folk and blues together so well, that at just over two and a quarter minutes duration my first instinct was to play it again (and again).
'Like Everyone' by The Be Positives is a striking rocker of a song, from a band who are certainly not trapped in any one particular genre, with this track they just happen to be in full garage rock mode.
Just a couple of weeks back we first featured Katrina Parker and the title track for her new album 'Stars.' We now have the only cover song on the album, the classic 'Ring Of Fire' and she really does take the piece in a very different and imaginative direction!
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The Promised - We Could Be In Love.
The Promised started out as a roots/country duo consisting of Jesse and Noelle Burch. The pair met in 2018 while performing with their respective bands at the Cloverdale Rodeo. A mutual respect for music sparked a writing session, where it became clear their musical chemistry was undeniable. Blending genres and experimenting with their different influences created a synergy for writing catchy and original songs.
Spending most of their time together writing for the next 4 months created an interesting dynamic, and in September of 2018, they were married, and their dreams of playing music together started to take shape.
The two teamed up with an incredible group of musicians from across western Canada and The Promised was born. They were accepted into the 2019 Breakthrough Country music project Top 12 with only one live show under their belt and after two rounds of competitions they were named 1st Place Grand Prize winners.
Working with Bailey Way Entertainment at the Warehouse Studios, their debut single “We Could Be in Love” was released July 29th, 2019. The Promised has a busy summer ahead playing at Sunfest on Friday, August 2nd and the Southern Alberta Music Festival August 10th.
With tight harmonies and a powerful sound, their music captures you within it's story. Their chemistry on and off stage is undeniable and their energy will keep you wanting more.
Shannon and Susannah Davey - We've All Got Our Story.
Songwriter and author, Shannon Davey is a storyteller of great investigative spirit, together with his wife Susannah, Shannon and Susannah Davey are releasing We’ve All Got Our Story - a song of grit and integrity.
We’ve All Got Our Story is an eye witness account of the current ‘Poverty Street’ zeitgeist as observed walking the streets across Australia and northern America.
‘At one level it is about our attitudes to the poor but it goes deeper, to what is the heart of our contested civilisation.’ - Shannon Davey
Shannon’s musical DNA is from the ancestral, Irish convict blues memes of the Van Diemen’s hinterland, growing up on the high unemployment coast where gospel met surf culture. He spent decades grafting music in disadvantaged schools as a way up for kids.
In the wake of his book Spirit of Tasmania, Shannon has more to share as a songwriter, and uses the fuzzy slide of the ‘dirty south’, blues harp and aching vocals, alongside Susannah on mandolin and backing vocals with Col ‘Shore Break Barrel’ Clay on lead, to push a message of social justice, grass-roots power and life lived conviction.
We’ve All Got Our Story was recorded by megatoneproductions in Australia’s oldest Congregational Church, a small, privately owned, somewhat decrepit, 1833 sandstone chapel, home to a mass burial of convicts.
We’ve All Got Our Story’ is an anthem for our times, an ear to the engine room of the West, a ride on the horns of the crossroads dilemma, a cry for mercy in the wilderness of populism, a summary of the law and prophets, ... a justice boogie!
The Be Positives is a northern conundrum. Consisting of Mike Seal (Guitar, Piano & Vocals), Rob Hatton (Bass & Vocals), Simon Mayne (Lead Guitar & Vocals) and Callum Darley (Drums & Vocals), they were splayed across Merseyside to Sheffield, all sharing an affinity for McCartney, Dylan, Kinks and Nick Lowe, and later, converging on Manchester, they hankered for gigging at grotty pubs across the city. Now united, the four-piece invoke mad-pop affirmation through berserk instrumentation laced with smart lyricism.
Two of the members are also of the Slovenly Records garage-rock outfit Proto Idiot, who’ve been supported by the likes of Dork, Loud And Quiet, Louder Than War and VICE – the latter described them as “[sounding] like The Kinks, Soft Boys, and TV Personalities all at once—and they're stupid and stompingly brilliant”. The dim-witted moniker made way for The Be Positives’ nonsensical debut ‘Monkey (Cheetah)’, which received praise from Louder Than War – and now they return, accepting societal homogeneity through second-slice ‘Like Everyone’.
Of the same vein as Cut Worms, filled with Lemon Twigs-esque zest, second slice ‘Like Everyone’ flaps about with math-rock melodies and striking signatures – you never know quite where you stand – aligning it both musically and conceptually, feeding into Mike’s howls of “we’re like everyone…”
The band elaborates; “Like Everyone was originally intended for Proto Idiot but the weird timing of it threw us and it got shelved. I'm glad we revived it for The Be Positives as it’s understated and simple, yet the concept behind it is far from…. It was also one of those rare occasions where a song falls out of the guitar fully-formed, which doesn't happen often. We’re like everyone…”
The quartet’s self-titled album encapsulates their varied musical influences, from their garage fueled opening track ‘Like Everyone’ to the Nilsson tinged mad-pop of new single ‘Monkey. The Be Positives certainly don’t attach themselves to one genre. Expanding on ‘Like Everyone’, the band said “The song was written very quickly on acoustic guitar in Mike and Callum's kitchen. It was originally intended for Proto Idiot. You could sum the theme of the song up by simply saying, we all make mistakes; we're all the same.”
The Be Positives release ‘Like Everyone’ on the 30th July and the debut full-length will be out on all platforms from the 3rd September 2019 via White Zoo Records.
Many have thrown their hat into the ring with the unconventional country classic "I'm One Fire."
Folk pop songstress Katrina Parker is the latest to dig up the ominous textures of the fabled track. "It ended up taking a darker, more dramatic turn" Katrina notes. "A bit of a Westworld meets Deadwood meets The Andrews Sisters vibe."
The track is the only cover on Katrina's forthcoming desert folk pop-tinged LP Stars. Katrina Parker’s new album, Stars, reflects the duality of a childhood spent in rural North Carolina and an adulthood in LA, shifting between sinuous Southern roots and starry Laurel Canyon magic. Parker describes it as “Sparkling Desert Pop/Folk with a lot of warmth, a little bit of magic, and a touch of banjo.”
Producer Josh Doyle of 3 Theory Music knew it was important to not overwhelm the songs with ornamentation, leaving Parker’s rich and tender voice front and center. The resulting recordings are clearly made from a place of confidence, channeling the clear-eyed nuance of Gillian Welch, the emotionality of Hozier, and the deep-rooted Americana of Over the Rhine.
We have either the song '12x12' or the entire 'From Lucky Point To Pere Lachaise' album to choose from below as Brick Briscoe has given us a single taste or the whole collection to enjoy. Hard to categorise the whole album is anything from Rock to Americana and is intended to be listened to as a whole, personally I think it is thirty five minutes well spent.
We have to go back over three years for our only other feature for La Legacie however the latest single 'Darkness Of Light' makes for a welcome return, the soulful vocals of newest band member Lili adjust beautifully in a rock and roll setting, as this unique band once again hit our radar.
Indigo have released a video for their latest single 'La Luna' where the indie rockers create an addictive vibe, described as "80s 'driving at night" music it's all of that and oh so fine.
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Brick Briscoe - 12x12 / From Lucky Point To Pere Lachaise (Entire LP).
Petersburg, Indiana-based musician, radio and television personality Brick Briscoe recorded his upcoming release From Lucky Point to Père Lachaise after a life changing battle with cancer and the life affirming travels suggested by album’s title.
Thealbum, which was released on July 16, is intended (and should be listened to) as a continuous piece as its eleven tracks are linked thematically. “From Lucky Point to Père Lachaise” refers to the songwriter’s travels, specifically a trip to France to make a film and a visit to the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, the final resting place of Frederic Chopin, Max Ernst, Édith Piaf, Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde.
Briscoe was unsure if he had the energy to make the trip after being treated for cancer for over a year but returned to the states with a renewed vigor. He wrote about the journey of his life, but in reverse, taking inspiration from the Godard quote “A story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end...but not necessarily in that order.”
The album focuses on the romance and angst of life’s journey and is sprinkled with Midwestern pragmatism and a liberal dose of observations from his travels; from Petersburg, Indiana (Lucky Point) to Chicago, Boston, New York, Paris, Bordeaux and back. In the end, Briscoe realized that he likes the persona that he has become and embraces the struggle inherent to the process of writing and being a human in 2019.
This is our latest single Darkness Of Light. Also Lili, our new vocalist describes herself as a Soul Singer, well it didn't take us long to get her into Rock. It's a live recording so using headphones will benefit the listener.
La Legacie is an award winning band of 6 with Vermillion and SouFire. La Legacie is based out of Northern France and are all English except their drummer, Baptiste who is French and their Lead guitarist and Pro Engineer, Benoit (who is also French, but completely bilingual), making La Legacie a bilingual band.
La Legacie has their our own recording studio which they create classics out of. Originally setup purely for writing and recording songs for the band, but now they are opening it up for others to use.
Over the course of two EPs and a handful of singles, Mandurah five-piece Indigo have proven themselves to be as creative as they are hard-working. Typifying their tradition for exploring new territory with each release, their latest single La Luna is a tour de force: the deep waters of moody indie rock, balanced by the perfect amount of that '80s 'driving at night' vibe.
Produced by the band’s own guitarist Dylan Keirnan, La Luna displays exceptional chemistry in motion. Atmospheric and beautiful, newcomer Raurke George’s guitar also fills out the soundscape with ethereal riffs that seamlessly blend with frontman Chris Kinna's mesmerising vocals. Touching on themes of the eternal, Kinna is both the conscience and the voice of La Luna. Underneath the melody: the faultless rhythm section of bassist David Williams and drummer Josh Beaumont. Perfectly unwavering.
From the opening riffs, to the brooding verses, through each iteration of its uplifting chorus; La Luna is as much a powerful journey as it is a pop song. There is substance well beyond its catchy tune. With more than a touch of retro-pop nostalgia in the mix, La Luna is an emotional, often yearning ride, made grand by Kinna's heartfelt lyrics of empathy and humanity. "La Luna is about how we are endless and always in this moment..." he explains.
Following on from last year's singles Eclipse and Stay, La Luna adds a unique entry to Indigo's ever-expanding catalogue, just as their live profile continues to increase thanks to shows with The Jungle Giants and Tired Lion. Darker and more existential than its predecessors, La Luna takes the band's tried and trusted pop sensibilities and paints them with darker hues than ever before – escorting Indigo into an exhilarating new chapter of their career that they can now share with the world.
Swedish Indie band Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes have released a new single entitled 'Change of Heart'. The deep bass line drives the song, the vocals are both melodic and quiet dominant, whilst the overall arrangement is distinct and expansive.
'Work' is the third single from Emily Breeze ahead of the new album 'Rituals', it's a fine alt rock song with plenty of indie pop sensibilities that give the song real traction.
Van Houten have shared 'Moon' a fabulous song where the guitars remind me a little of the Cocteau Twins, however the vocals and harmonies take this song towards dream or indie pop, and the laid back vibe is gorgeous.
American rockers The Astronots have just released 'Wandering Eyes' which is described as a "quirky love song," it's also full of vibrant hooks and plenty of energy.
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Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes - Change of Heart.
Behind the odd name Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes you’ll find one of the most promising new bands on the blooming Swedish indie scene.
The band is now back with new single Change of Heart after 19 months of silence. The song is true to the original sound of Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes with instantly catchy bass lines, dreamy vocals and shimmering guitar riffs but with with a more filling sound than previous outputs.
Lyricist and singer Siri Sjöberg about the song: “I wrote the song last winter when there was a governmental crisis in Sweden. It’s up to each listener to interpret the lyrics but it’s definitely about swedish politics.”
The band - consisting of Siri Sjöberg, Tilde Hansen, Elias Mahfoud (Chez Ali) and Edvin Arleskär - formed in 2015 after bassist/vocalist Tilde tweeted out "Does anyone/anybody know someone who wants to play in a band together with a bassist and a singer that haven’t played in a band for a year and are dying of boredom?".
The third single from forthcoming Emily Breeze album Rituals is a shimmering indie pop anthem entitled “Work”. The glossy sonic exterior and radio friendly chorus act as a foil for the ice cold cynicism and pitch black humour of the lyrics which were inspired by Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) and Emily’s own experiences of hauling herself out of bed every morning to make a pointless profit for somebody else.
Emily’s first two singles “Limousines” and “Ego Death” received airplay from Radio X, BBC Introducing in the West, Tom Robinson (BBC Radio 6) and led to Emily being described as “Nancy Sinatra on Ketamine” (Louder than War) and “a 21st Century Patti Smith” (Tom Robinson BBC Radio 6).
Produced by Bristol luminary Stew Jackson writer, producer for Massive Attack, who has also worked with Tom Waits, Patti Smith and Nick Cave and performed by Emily’s Stellar Band of Rob Norbury (lead guitar), Andy Sutor (drums), Graham Dalzell (bass) and Duncan Fleming (keys/synth), “Work” is the soundtrack to the world gradually falling apart in an absurd state of late capitalism, insurmountable admin, antidepressants and unreachable targets.
Leeds quintet Van Houten are a band of sharp parallels. Their languorous, sub-mersive soundscapes are dappled in evening sun, while the lyrical content within is evocative of a blanket of unforgiving fog that foretells pounding rains ahead. Newly signed to Clue Records, the band come straight out of the gate fully armed with an accomplished and immediate self-titled debut, out September 13th. Now they share lead single 'Moon' - an ode to a new love.
Talking about the track, lead singer Louis Sadler said: "Moon is essentially a very personal love song. It explores the fleeting qualities of love and the desperation of wanting to give somebody anything and everything. The line “You always leave so soon” describes how a crush or loved one always seems to leave before the one chasing has chance to show the full potential of their affection. It was written around 3 years ago after I heard Weird Fishes by Radiohead & was intrigued by the chord changes. It's been reworked lots since then until it turned into Moon."
While artists operating from a similar whimsical, slacker-pop wheelhouse (think Connan Mockasin) often draw content from literary, sci-fi planes, Van Houten use their dreamy sound world as a backdrop for their most crushing struggles. Sadler is unflinchingly honest, railing against depression and its innate ability to inhibit him from being the caring partner he wishes to be.
Largely recorded across just three December days, ‘Van Houten’ was produced by Martin Smith (Gomez, Bombay Bicycle Club, Richard Hawley). With Smith at the helm, Van Houten were able to realise their true sound. “We met Martin at a small bar in Sheffield. He went on to do a whole new mix and master of our then single ‘Ever Changing Light.’ The way Martin made the track sound made us realise what could be possible for our music. It was a match made in heaven.
“When making the album, we were able to finally sculpt the vintage Hi-Fi sound that we have always been searching for. The title is Van Houten because this is the first work we have created that truly represents our band. This new sound is the true sound of our band,” Sadler explains. An album for all seasons, it’s clear that Van Houten are already expert at their craft and a band to be reckoned with. The rest of 2019 and 2020 will see them embark on further UK tours, while the future holds a magnitude of possibility for the exciting young quintet.
The Astronots are an American rock’n’roll outfit, spearheaded by its founding members, Niko Giaimo (Vocals/Guitar) and Allee Futterer (Vocals/Bass). The two are established musicians in their own right. Futterer has had years of cutting her musical teeth, backing some of the biggest names in the Los Angeles music scene, while Giaimo was an integral member of the scoring team behind productions such as Dexter and Dishonored II. The two come together on The Astronots, combining elements of their quintessential Los Angeles upbringing, classic rock, and west-coast cool. Now completed by guitarist Eddie Campbell, the group continues to wow audiences across the nation.
Inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin, Alabama Shakes and Kings of Leon, the trio have crafted an EP oozing with gritty guitars, explosive percussion and raw energy. The highly anticipated Cotati is brought to life through its organic instrumentation and authentic lyricism. “We really wanted to capture something honest. The songs cover a variety of issues.. school/public mass shootings, anxiety, drinking, love, pain, passion, cheating.. I think we managed to create individual genuine stories in each song. I think the theme would be honest perspective on many of life’s challenges”, they reveal.
Leading single 'Wandering Eye' is a quirky love song. Based on a true story about a couple the duo grew up with. Giaimo reveals, "They had an insanely beautiful Cinderella wedding, but not long after that the wife started cheating, and the husband was secretly gay and going out with his friends in women's clothes. They were both cheating on each other in different ways, and somehow, everyone knew about the cheating except for the couple themselves!!! They ended up splitting up and are now both happily married in new relationships!". Sonically the single features 60's soaked melodies, soaring harmonies and an infectious toe-tapping rhythm.
The Astronots palpable garage sound has lent itself to placements on film and TV, as well as curated playlists and blogs. The Astronots song, ‘Black Milk’ from their 2017 E.P Strange Terrain was featured on the CBS hit television show Life in Pieces. While their song ‘Begging for More’ was placed in Andrew Garfield’s 2018 feature film, Under The Silver Lake.
Lauran Hibberd returns for a seventh time here with her brand new song 'Frankie's Girlfriend'. It's a full blown rocker and contrasts well with her previous material, her knack for creating hook filled tunes remaining intact.
Just over a month since she first appeared on Beehive Candy Marina Elderton aka UV returns with 'Blind Deities'. Her vocals are once again enticing and emotive and the ambient synth backdrop matches so well.
Seablite have a colourful new video for 'Pillbox' a zesty upbeat song that packs melodic energy into this sub three minute whirlwind of music.
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Lauran Hibberd - Frankie's Girlfriend.
Enigmatic Isle Of Wight sensation Lauran Hibberd continues her remarkable ascent with infectious new single Frankie’s Girlfriend, and announces the arrival of debut EP Everything is Dogs, set for release 20th September.
Exuding confidence and packed with her trademark charisma, the slacker-pop specialist’s newest effort heralds the next chapter in a whirlwind summer which has already included a rousing display on Glastonbury’s BBC Introducing stage, an EU tour alongside US indie rockers Hippo Campus and her own biggest headline shows to date.
Having earned enormous praise across the airwaves from BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Jack Saunders, the rising musician’s witty persona and fuzzy anthems have also drawn widespread plaudits throughout the press landscape. Flattering comparisons to contemporaries Courtney Barnett and Phoebe Bridgers have followed, and with a debut EP incoming, attention around the indie newcomer is sure to intensify.
Discussing her irresistible latest cut, Hibberd explained: “Frankie’s Girlfriend is exactly why it can suck to be a nice person. This track is a story, based on true events and exaggerated for selling millions of (aka 600) records. It’s honestly about a pal of mine Frankie, I had a dream about him, like a weird one. And it spiraled. His chick at the time was a nightmare, I was lucky enough to witness that first hand. For me, it’s my darkest track yet. But not dark scary, dark as in three-week holiday to Mexico”.
Following a Sold Out show at St Pancras Old Church last week, Marina Elderton (aka UV) returns with more ethereal dream-pop; haunting vocals draped over interlaced harmonies, guitar strands, electronic textures and pulsing rhythms.
Supported by the PRS Women Make Music Foundation, and previously fronting ethereal-psych band KULL and electronic duo White Russia. UV is the solo project of London-based artist & award-winning composer Marina Elderton.
'Blind Deities' is the new track taken from the debut UV EP 'Defender', released alongside a sold out live launch at St. Pancras Old Church on 19th July 2019. Blind Deities weaves pitch bending analogue synths and an original space echo unit with layered vocals and pulsing rhythms, melting into a sun-drenched haze.
Previously fronting ethereal-psych band KULL and electronic duo White Russia, Marina Elderton is also co-founder of the female sound artist collective Erinyes, has also composed soundtracks for Film4, Royal Television Society award winning documentaries, and shorts, and commercially for the likes of Lynx, NBA and Cadburys.
Bay area dreampop shoegaze band Seablite debut the brand new video for "Pillbox" off their hot buzzy debut album Grass Stains and Novocaine. (Emotional Response Records)
After a gloriously received cassette EP, Emotional Response are proud to release the debut full length from this acclaimed and adored Bay area pop-band.
Seablite, (3 gals, one guy), spread their infectious pop-chops over 11 surefire winners, with a confident mix of shimmering and weightless female vocal melodies and blissed out guitar pop, providing a mix of UK ‘80’s DIY-indiepop coupled with an updated take on many of the greats of the shoegaze era, such as Lush, Pale Saints, and MBV.
Weird Milk have a new release entitled 'Honey, I'm Around' and it's a fabulous and refreshingly unpretentious pop song with gorgeous vocals and harmonies.
'Gold Day' from Hunting is a gently paced indie rock song flowing with melodic hooks and a cool laid back feel.
We have already featured Anna Rose a couple of times this year and the new video for 'Sucker Puncher' is clever and a fine companion for a determined rocker of a song.
In session at the Tapetown Studio's we have Bull and their song 'Eugene' that was first released in May. It's a fine version, the band clearly comfortable in this live setting and giving the piece plenty of natural character.
Ana Egge returns for a third time on Beehive Candy with a music video for her new single 'Hurt A Little', a beautiful song where the musical backdrop is restrained and her melodic vocals are very much centre stage.
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Weird Milk - Honey, I'm Around.
North London’s Weird Milk continue their impressive ascent with soothing new release Honey, I’m Around, once more channelling the influences of The Beach Boys, The Strokes and Rex Orange County to perfection in their own eccentric style.
With high praise following the release of previous single Anything You Want, buzzing across the BBC Radio 1/6 Music airwaves (Annie Mac, Jack Saunders, Steve Lamacq) and throughout the tastemaker community (NME, The Line Of Best Fit, So Young), the baroque pop quartet’s status amongst the emerging indie elite continues to grow significantly.
Discussing their upcoming summery release, the band explained: “This song touches on themes of romance and escapism, whilst cherishing the notion that sometimes it is important to be patient and persistent in one’s endeavours, without lingering in the past”.
Having already chalked off supports alongside the likes of Frank Carter, Pip Blom, Thyla and Lazy Day, the four-piece will be headlining London’s Camden Assembly next month before heading out on tour alongside Trudy and the Romance in the autumn, with further live plans afoot.
Hunting is barely recognizable as the same band that released a debut album five years ago: it’s gone from a solo project to a trio, from folk to catchy electro-rock, and from wistful melancholy to buoyant exuberance. All this can be heard on the group’s sophomore album, Whatever You Need, due out in summer 2019 via Nevado Music.
Songwriter-producer Bradley Ferguson initially intended the album as a quick follow-up to 2014’s rootsy Hunting LP, but the initial sessions stalled. Instead, Bradley put Hunting on the back burner: he produced an electro-pop LP for Vancouver vocalist Jessicka, and acted as a bassist-for-hire in an array of projects.
Hunting eventually got back on track with the addition of two new members: Jessicka came on board as a full-time backing vocalist, while songwriter Dustin Bentall joined as a co-frontman. “We went back and started the album from scratch,” Bradley remembers. “We decided to approach it in a more organic way. I had been editing it to pop perfection — but then we breathed new life into it and it came together really quickly.”
Dustin Bentall is a well-travelled troubadour in his own right, and he contributed five of his own songs to the recording sessions at Afterlife Studios. Dustin says, “I had this batch of songs that weren’t really going to fit my next record, and I realized they worked seamlessly with Hunting.”
Bradley and Dustin’s songs mesh perfectly on Whatever You Need, tied together by pillowy vintage synth pads and surging rock rhythms. Returning collaborator John Raham (Destroyer) acted as engineer as well as drummer, Paul Rigby (Neko Case) added additional guitars, and Mother Mother’s Ryan Guldemond co-wrote a handful of tracks.
Opener “Scenes from TV Screens” begins the album with muted ‘80s guitars and sly, slinky pop hooks, while “Black Shirt” cranks the distortion with heavy rock riffs, and “Better With Time” is streaked with twinkling synth orchestrations — the result of Bradley’s fondness for spending hours perfecting a single sound. A swooning cover of Sparklehorse’s “Gold Day” is the lone holdover from Hunting’s scrapped prior sessions, acting as a link between Hunting’s early days and their current iteration.
The album’s tone is one of joyful, sonic exploration, marking a big departure from the lonesome folk Hunting used to be known for. “I loved making that first album, but I’m not quite as melancholy as I was back then,” Bradley acknowledges. “I’m a lot more content and life is a lot more solid. I’m not constantly wandering around by myself after some terrible heartbreak.”
That contentment shines on Whatever You Need. With electrifying collaborative chemistry between friends and an anything-goes approach to catchy synth-rock, Hunting has been reborn.
New York-based singer, songwriter, and musician, Anna Rose, releases the official music video for “Sucker Puncher,” the second single from her forthcoming album produced by Paul Moak.
With a tinge of roots rock, “Sucker Puncher” encapsulates what makes Rose such a dynamic performer: provocative lyrics, powerhouse vocals, and authentic, punch-you-in-the-nose female badassery.
The video for “Sucker Puncher” was directed by Rose’s longtime friend, Émilie Richard-Froozan, who directed Suki Waterhouse's "Valentine,” as well as Hurray For The Riff Raff's "I Know It's Wrong (But That's Alright),” which won Offbeat Magazine’s 2015 Best Music Video of The Year. Froozan’s first feature film, Buttercup Bill, premiered at the Marfa Film Festival.
“Émilie and I grew up together, dancing our asses off to any hit song we could get our hands on, singing at the top of our lungs,” remembers Rose. “We wanted to make a video that felt like that. We’d go on road trips, get lost and make videos, so this was really just an excuse for us to do what we’ve always done for the love of a song."
Filmed in Desert Hot Springs, California, the engaging music video features dancer Dean Elex Bais & a sweeping desert road.
"It is a song for all of the underdogs out there," describes Rose. "For me personally, the struggle to be heard in an industry where a songwriter’s work is so undervalued has almost crippled me at times, but writing this song with Justin Glasco felt like a triumph. Truthfully, this whole upcoming record is brutally honest in a lyrical sense and this song felt incredibly cathartic in its writing and production. It’s a testament to the fight I have inside me. I’ve never been quiet, I’ve always been rebellious, I have never cowered to the industry standard and I do not apologize for that."
We have a freshly released Tapetown Sessions video featuring York's four-piece Bull. The band got to present their track “Eugene” in a completely different setting during their Tapetown performance:
In the session, the song - written a couple years back and made available on streaming platforms in May 2019 - left some of its ambience layering and sound effects behind, which were all beautifully substituted by even deeper, raw elements and live instruments that Tapetown Studio is well known for.
Undoubtedly, the unique studio facility helped the act highlight their live energy in the best way possible, and the effect of that is this stunning live session that celebrates their union - an ambitious band with one of their best compositions on one side, and on the other, a specialised studio facility filled with knowledge, passion and love for alternative and edgy sounds.
Ana Egge has shared the music video for her new single "Hurt A Little", the second off her upcoming album Is It The Kiss, out September 6 via StorySound Records.
"When you fall for someone, that doesn’t mean that it’s a one-time choice to be with them. Every day you wake up and choose," said the Brooklyn singer-songwriter of the new track which features Buck Meek of Big Thief on electric guitar.
“'Hurt A Little' catches Egge in a vulnerable state, reminiscing over past relationships and laughing at the inevitability of romantic pain," stated American Songwriter. "A soft snare beat propels the song forward as Egge encourages others to power through the pain with her hard-earned relationship wisdom. Meek adds subtle flourishes of rock and pop with his electric guitar."
Is It the Kiss, Ana Egge’s eleventh album, has nine originals along with one cover, all featuring her singularly soulful singing and songwriting which Steve Earle (producer of Egge's Bad Blood) has said sounds “like she’s telling us her deepest, darkest secrets.”
The country side of things is well-represented by pedal steel (Matt Davidson of Twain) and fiddle (Alex Hargreaves) on songs such as the lead single “Cocaine Cowboys” (also featuring Buck Meek on electric guitar), and her affecting duet with Iris DeMent on their cover of Diana Jones’ “Ballad of the Poor Child.”
But despite its traditional roots, Is It The Kiss is something of a soul record as well. The tracks are grounded by the Brooklyn indie-all-star rhythm section of Jacob Silver and Robin MacMillan, the slow grooves are sweetened by horns like molasses (Cole Kamen-Green and Adam Dotson), and at the center of it all is Ana’s guitar, that sounds like it knows something about how Steve Cropper and Curtis Mayfield could delicately, but determinedly, provide a sweetly-beating funky heart. Along with providing the wind and brass arrangements throughout the album, the whole is put togther by multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer Alec Spiegelman (Cuddle Magic). Is It The Kiss serves as the follow up to last year's White Tiger, released to wide spread acclaim.
We featured Ganser three times last year and they are more than welcome back with the new video for 'Bad Form'. On this song the bands post-punk is edgy with suppressed tension and the practically spoken vocals add to the fervour and intensity.
SoccerPractise have just shared 'Posture' along with a cleverly matched video, the music straddles genres it's lo-fi rock with energised beats, a contradiction that works so well below the "mantra" like vocals.
We have to go back to March of last year for our first and only previous feature for Frankiie, so it's a pleasure now to share their new song and lyric video for 'Compare'. Describing their music as indie dream rock, I would just add that it's full of stylish hooks and subtle charm.
Junaco have now released their debut E.P. 'Awry'. Having already shared a couple of songs from the collection, we now have the whole piece and the duo continue to impress with the melodic and irresistible garage folk.
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Ganser - Bad Form.
Chicago post-punk outfit Ganser share a new single, “Bad Form,” in advance of playing Riot Fest in September.
The band has been recording material over the past six months towards their second album, after last year’s debut Odd Talk that saw favorable coverage from The New York Times, Billboard, Stereogum, and other publications. “Bad Form” is the cathartic reaction to a year-long songwriting period.
“When you’re in the middle of writing and recording, it’s very easy to fall into extreme feelings of guilt over procrastination, when you’re already stretched thin,” says bassist and vocalist Alicia Gaines. The song expresses a common yet isolating paralysis of not doing enough. Nadia Garofalo’s agitated vocals for “Bad Form” represent the band’s collaborative writing process both lyrically and musically. “It’s nice to operate as a team, and act as a unit that can take the burden of some really ugly inner talk.”
In the video, light blinds in a moment of paralysis. Quick cuts and surreal vignettes communicate the wishful thinking of being someone else, running in circles to no end, disorienting doubles and the blinding light of being seen.
First as a statement, then a command, the track ends with the mantra “Look at the sun,” accompanied by visceral gnashing guitar by Charlie Landsman and punching drums from Brian Cundiff. The cacophony dovetails with Gaines’ methodical bass, as if willing anxiety to burn itself clean.
Vocalist Geneva Alexander-Marsters recites her sardonic mantra over a pulsing, lo-fi industrial garage beat that erupts with heady siren guitars and scratched atmospherics – a demented catwalk of self-consciousness caving in on itself.
Speaking on the new track, Geneva explained: "The song is about maintaining composure in a world of myriad contradictions and cynicism. It’s about how best intentions can can be enveloped and absorbed by chaos and things are fall apart all around you. it’s an acerbic self help mantra, but really about how sometimes the only person you have to believe in you is you. It’s also about my parents. And Yoga.”
The video, shot in Hong Kong during the June protests, features dancer and choreographer Sudhee Liao making her way desperately through a labrynth-like mall of food stalls and bemused onlookers - part performance art, part pscyhic breakdown.
The unsettling visual is the first in a planned series by wellington-based visual artists Erica Skelnars [Lady Lazerlight] and Dan Harris [Illojgali], who are working exclusively with SoccerPractise on ‘Te Pō’.
Both the song and video are a taste of things to come from SoccerPractise’s second album. Te Pō (the night or darkness) is a collection of sonic dreams, visual nightmares and fragmented hallucinations set deep in the night of a strangely familiar yet unknown city.
Frankiie is a Vancouver-based indie dream-rock group.
With live shows from Mexico City to Haida Gwaii, an east coast tour supporting The Charlatans UK, and recording with Jason Corbett of Jacknife Sound the journey of Frankiie over the last year has been non-stop.
Their forthcoming album Forget Your Head, due September 20th on Paper Bag Records, marries the lush qualities of Big Thief with an intimate anthemic approach reminiscent of Heart.
Reverb-drenched guitars and intoxicating harmonies have united 4 women into a dream-rock outfit whose live performance can’t be missed.
Awry is the new debut EP from Los Angeles honeyed garage folk duo Junaco. Entitled Awry, the five track release is filled with soothing guitar riffs that lead into dulcet vocals. With two singles ‘In Between’ and ‘Willow’ already released on the EP, Junaco has attracted passionate listeners in with their flourishing organic sound.
Junaco is the foundation of Shahana Jaffer and Joey LaRosa. Born in the unincorporated mountain town on the outskirts coastal Northern California, the duo found an escape from musical conventions. Fleeing the rituals of rushing through songs, away from the nonsense of worrying, a budding partnership was found based equally on half-parts progression and melody. Mellow bursts of epiphany and pleas of gentle seduction give way to driving grooves in Junaco’s music, leaving the immediate fan with a delicate, instantly familiar and completely unassailable batch of songs.
Jaffer, a natural talent whose limbs were too long to dance, met a counterpart in LaRosa, a guitarist and percussionist’s dream who from a young age had been told that “musician” wasn’t an achievable career. Though conventionally unlikely on the global scale that a Pakistani songstress would find her way into the creative adventures of a drummer from Indianapolis, they found in their partnership a desire to make music for music’s sake; to write honest songs that meant something true enough for themselves, that someone else might be able to take it and make it true for them, as well.
The forthcoming EP helmed by Omar Yakar (War on Drugs, Perfume Genius) from Boulevard Recording, whose engineering and production prowess brought this young and refreshing outfit’s mountainous incubations to life. The duo initially set out with the intention of nothing but creation and expression and resulted in a stunning collection of tracks detailing the emotions of freedom. Jaffer reveals, “The underlying theme is about coming to terms with experiences and hardships we have faced and finally putting them out there. It’s very healing.”
Junaco hope to create music that will leave listeners feeling a sense of connection and closeness to. With the aim to remind others of our innate human emotions, Junaco’s debut EP highlights just how similar we are at our cores.
