Tuesday, 9 May 2023

Kacey Johansing - Jérémie & The Delicious Hounds - LOW-RES

Kacey Johansing - Daffodils.

Today Kacey Johansing announces the upcoming release of her new album Year Away. The LA-based songwriter has also shared a new video for “Daffodils,” the first single and a stunning centerpiece to the album, built from a pastiche of looping samples, swirling Mellotron and dazzling vibraphone. Year Away will be released on July 28th via Night Bloom records.

An elegiac tribute to someone facing death with grace and curiosity, “Daffodils” finds Johansing confronting own mortality by observing the brief lifespan of a flower. “Keep your heart open wide, you never know your time / Keep your heart wild, true flower child”, Johansing sings as she says goodbye to an elder, while the band reaches a grief-stricken crescendo of woodwinds and chiming bells.

Johansing writes, “Daffodils are one of the first flowers to bloom as the earth begins to thaw, coming even before spring and often emerging from the snow. The vibrant yellow is a sign that a seasonal shift is on the horizon, a gesture of hope and light, even in the darkest of times.”

Throughout Year Away Johansing traverses similarly uncharted emotional landscapes brought upon by the changes occurring all around her. When the world came to an abrupt standstill in 2020, she found herself simultaneously processing this recent personal loss while trying to make sense of a new global reality. She began to fear her Los Angeles musical community was vanishing, as friends and collaborators continually announced they were leaving the city. Across the ensuing months, Johansing found herself increasingly untethered by a world of isolation and political upheaval.

It was in returning to her piano nightly that she found the greatest solace, feverishly writing the songs for a new album. This new sense of time and focus served to help deepen her songwriting. As Johansing recalls, “I felt like a metamorphosis happened during that time. There was a lot of personal growth and healing.” 

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Jérémie & The Delicious Hounds - 'We Haven't Met Yet.

Jérémie & The Delicious Hounds are new-age fosterers of soul music with a uniquely Canadian twist. Hailing from St. Boniface, the old French quarter of Winnipeg, they have crafted their identity as bilingual artists with their first full-length album, Cruel. Infusing nine fun-loving songs about amour and heartbreak in a mixture of both English and French, the LP serves as an authentic representation of the languages they speak at home. With the support of seasoned producer Murray Pulver, Cruel was recorded "live off the floor" to capture their vintage soul aesthetic and vibrant live performance energy.

The record's focus track, "We Haven't Met Yet," came about when lead singer/guitarist Jérémie came up with some lyrics for a chorus and shared them with lead guitarist Ryan Toupin, who found them inspiring and wrote several verses. The lyrics reminded Ryan of his single days when he would feel too shy to approach any of the beautiful girls he encountered, whether on the bus, at a bar, or in this case, at the library. He had always fantasized about meeting an intelligent girl who shared his love of books.

The Delicious Hounds name is a play on words about their "delicious sound" of smooth melodies, juicy guitar riffs and tasty horn licks. Jérémie's smooth yet smoky voice is accented with a brilliant brass section to deliver round after round of phenomenal hits on golden platters. His staple friendliness, positive vibes and charismatic nature culminate into a profound presence that leaves listeners swooning for another bite of the eight-piece band's modern twist on old-school rhythm and beats.

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LOW-RES - Därför (Album).

Following on from the release of their highly praised four-track EP ‘Du å ja’ last year, Swedish duo LOW-RES now return for 2023 to deliver their explosive new album.

Right off the release of their most recent single ‘Stigma’, teaming up with seminal artist Johan Hinders of Audionom for the release, LOW-RES anticipates their album, ‘Däför’. The pair return with all the same power and captivating post-punk textures they are known for. Brimming with a raw and driven aesthetic that flows elegantly between their electronic and organic elements, their newest release cements them as one of the more riveting names on the scene today.

Stockholm based duo LOW-RES writes pulsating pop tunes influenced by 90s ambient guitars and analog synthesizers. They made their debut in 2021 with the full-length album ”Varför” featuring guest appearances by Jukka Rintamäki (Silverbullit) and Per Nordmark (Fireside) among others. A four-track EP "Du å ja" followed in 2022 with a refined sound of analog drum machines and Swedish lyrics.

The eleven songs on ‘Därför’ drag you in, one by one, to a parallel universe where music from bygone eras, like krautrock, early electronic pop/rock and psychedelia, are alive and well and sounding as fresh as ever in modern-day Sweden.

“Varför and Därför belong together,”says LOW-RES. “Both records were written in the same vein and with the same approach: fast, creative and with many collaborations that colour the expression. We have a lot of fun making music and it works as an antidepressant. We just heard the term Art Therapy and that pretty much sums up why we do this.”

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Monday, 8 May 2023

ANGHARAD - Natalie Gray - The Bablers - Georgia Mooney

ANGHARAD - Because I Am A Woman.

ANGHARAD is an artist and songwriter with fire, passion and unflinching honesty at the core of all her music. The first single from her debut solo album had to be ‘Because I Am A Woman’, a confident and positive ‘call to arms’.

As ANGHARAD explains: “‘Because I Am A Woman’ was written as a response to the widely accepted beliefs in the music industry that it’s not possible to be a mother and have a successful career.

I received some hostile reactions myself when I announced that I was pregnant. I was told that I was unambitious and that I was no longer serious about following a career in music. These outdated, sexist attitudes need to change.

This is a call to arms to any woman who has experienced similar attitudes and expressing the need to stand up for change. Rather than getting angry about it, this song says “yes we can!” And “yes, we are capable of anything!” I believe it is possible to have both, and do both well, when society will allow us.

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Natalie Gray - The Me I Pretend To Be.

The Me I Pretend To Be is the latest single from Synth-Pop artist Natalie Gray. Grabbing inspiration from some of Natalie’s favourite artists such as Cyndi Lauper and Madonna, as well as more recent artists such as Paramore, Kings Elliot and Lawrence, this song embodies the desperation of losing yourself and hiding behind a smile and a cliche whilst it feels that your world could crumble at any second.

Following the success of Natalie’s previous single “Fire” supported by BBC introducing, The Me I Pretend To Be steps away from her usual upbeat and colourful sound and brings a more honest and nostalgic feel, touching on the reality of living with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, a theme that a lot of us can relate to.  This latest track is Natalie’s first time opening up about her own personal experience with living with PTSD and struggling to find her old self.

Instead of reaching for your hairbrush and throwing your best 80s dance moves infront of the mirror, The Me I Pretend To Be will have you opening your old photo albums and coming face to face with your own demons.

Natalie has teamed up once again with childhood friend and personal agony aunt Jack Craig, (the producer behind “Dance Floor” and “One In A Million”) to create this vulnerable and heart string grabbing song.

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The Bablers - Mr King.

Bablers founder, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Arto Tamminen – who's led the band, now alongside Janne Haavisto (drums, vocals), Pekka Gröhn (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Hannu Pikkarainen (guitar, vocals) since its late '70s genesis – tells us about the track and how it difers from the boisterous guitar pop of the two prior single. “It's built to be a classic big piano pop ballad, the kind you've rarely heard since the golden days of pop.” And that's exactly what “Mr. King” delivers: intimate, intense, bold, confdent, and powerful, the tune has a million dollar melody that sticks in your mind, and a timeless message. As with all of the tracks from the LIKE THE FIRST TIME sessions, the song is played 100% live with original instruments: upright piano, electric guitar, bass and drums. The band’s sound is glued together, tight yet fexible, and the take heard here has a magic and a mood you can almost touch. It makes you listen, demanding attention that will be rewarded.

Tamminen lays out the backstory behind the emotive lyrics, ofering insight into the choice to release the song as the English monarchy – and so much of the world – enters a new era. “It’s been a long day. A lot of public activities. Horses and soldiers. Roaring audiences. Applause. Flags. Smiling faces,” explains Arto. “Finally, at the castle, someone is knocking at the door. It's troubadour asking permission to sing a song, crafted especially for the occasion. Permission is granted. He starts to sing, and in the chorus asks the most important question...”

Both the deft handling of the subject matter and the richness of the music mark a true change of pace after the previous two singles from The Bablers. That versatility won't surprise longtime fans or anyone who's heard the band's thrillingly eclectic and lovingly crafted 2021 Big Stir Records album PSYCHADILLY CIRCUS. But it's all too rare to hear a new work of this depth and purity of sound on the radio these days, and that alone is reason to celebrate another triumph from THE BABLERS, who are rapidly ascending to the throne they have long deserved: the Kings of Finnish Guitar Pop, and royalty on the global stage as well.

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Georgia Mooney - Break It Off.

Pulling inspiration from the theatrical sounds of ABBA and Rufus Wainwright, ‘Break It Off’ is pure high drama, a melodramatic and shamelessly camp take on infatuation ending in pain, fuelled by desperate yearning and stubborn sentimentality.

Georgia Mooney shares “it is about being powerless to somebody’s charms. When a relationship is terribly bad for you, but the infatuation is overwhelming. When you’re not receiving enough in return, there is a desperation that the person will have a miraculous epiphany and realise they’re actually madly in love. There is an inability to let go of that hope, to the extent where the only option is to be dumped ruthlessly!” Mooney’s celestial vocals dance above luscious layers of instrumentation: gentle piano, a 70s-esque synth, and shimmering strings, all buoyed by bass and shuffling drums reminiscent of classic 60s pop.

 The ‘Break It Off’ video sees a dazzling 80s-worthy collaboration with Eora-founded aerobics queens Retrosweat. Devised as “if Pat Benatar made an instructional workout video”, Georgia Mooney sings as a portrait on the wall of a beautiful, surreal set that the trio of dancers perform in. As well as being wonderfully theatrical, it’s also the avenue through which Mooney presents an ode to one of her greatest loves - Benedict Cumberbach. She shares, “It is no secret that I have something of a celebrity crush on Benedict Cumberbatch. I do not suffer from celebrity worship syndrome in general, nor do I ever get star struck, I cannot explain the spell that was cast on me when first I clapped eyes and ears on Cumberbatch. Surely something to do with the rather lovely, clever-sounding accent and the period costume attire…When I wrote the lyric “you’re not a patch on Benedict Cumberbatch”, I gave myself the rest of the day off.”

Georgia Mooney's upcoming debut album ‘Full Of Moon’ features previously released singles ‘War Romance’ and ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’. The record is a meticulously crafted sonic universe that tells stories of the beauty and potency of vulnerability, and the complexities of connection and perception, carried by Mooney’s soaring ethereal voice over lush, cinematic soundscapes.

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Saturday, 6 May 2023

Panic Pocket - Jeanines - The Strange Dream - Jo Caseley

Panic Pocket - Get Me.

London-based Sophie Peacock and Natalie Healey have been friends since childhood, know each other’s secrets - and probably know a few of yours too. Panic Pocket are sassy, sardonic and bursting with amazing songs.

Fuelled by claustrophobia and frustration, new single Get Me is consumed by the desire to push the escape button. Lyrically, the song grapples with a fear of commitment and a determination to defy life expectations.

This sense of cathartic destruction is mirrored in the music. Get Me sees the band stomping on the distortion pedal, building a life-affirming anthem from layers of chunky riffs. The deliberately lo-fi video, shot on an old digital camera Sophie found in the attic, is delightfully deadpan – all snarls and eye rolls against candyfloss backdrops.

Get Me was the obvious choice for the opening track on debut album Mad Half Hour, where Panic Pocket set out their intentions and give you a safe space to scream it all out with them. If you want punkpop exuberance, lyrics that are so truthful they hurt, plus some very infectious tunes - then Mad Half Hour is the soundtrack you need, right down to the minute.

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Jeanines - Each Day.

Over the course of two well-received albums and numerous singles and compilation appearances, Jeanines have captured the ears of discerning listeners with a sound that recalls a diverse swathe of pop history, from 60s folk-pop and girl-group tunes to 80s DIY pop to solid gold 90s touchstones like The Aislers Set, The Cat's Miaow and the post-Black Tambourine bands of Pam Berry.

Now they're back with their first new tunes since 2022's Don't Wait For A Sign and the hits just keep on coming. "Each Day" is moody jangler that delivers melodic and emotional heft that belies its brief 1:43 length. Destined for 1,000 indiepop mixtapes, it's exactly the kind of song that the 7" was invented for.

"What The Echoes Say" is a strummy delight, showcasing Alicia Jeanine's lovely vocal harmonies to maximum effect. "Tilt In Your Eye" wraps up this ace single -- it was Jeanines' contribution to Where It's At Is Where You Are's ace 2019 compilation "The Moon And Back" and appears here on vinyl for the first time.

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The Strange Dream - Miss Annie.

As psych rock goes this is very good. Capturing the vibes of days gone by there is enough originality here to make the song stand out and the gorgeous vibes really do resonate so well. Ive got to say I kind of love this one, anyway about the band.

Hailing from the dark corners of some of Manchesters dingiest bars, Strange Dream are the cities most exciting new two piece psych-rock experience. Off the back of their instrumental debut ‘Orange’ the band release ‘Miss Annie’, a soaring guitar track with melodic riffs and driving vocals packed with jangly guitars and shimmering beats just in time for the coming summer.

‘Miss Annie’ started as a word game for guitarist and vocalist Vincent Strange, seeing how many coded narcotics he could fit into the songs verses, “So miss Annie and her pet are fiends (amphetamines) coco & dean lost in their dreams (codeine) St.Mary’s at the harbour (marijuana) Like she does (LSD) there’s no harm in her”. This second single was also the bands first real song writing collaboration, “Virgil already had the instrumental & never really intended to make anything more of it but I thought it could be a full song so I wrote three different versions and we picked them apart used the bits we liked. The chorus was from a song I wrote years ago but it seemed to fit right. For ages we really didn’t like how it turned out but we tweaked the music and words until we cracked the code.”

Strange Dream are a newly formed Manchester duo that fuse an array influences and energies to create imaginative and exciting sound-scapes resulting in dreamy and energetic psych-rock with garage roots and an indie edge. The track was written, recorded and produced by the bands two members, Vincent Strange and Virgil Strange using anything from ash trays and shoes in the recording process to create the tracks unique sound. ‘Miss Annie’ is the just a taste of the bands dreamy yet sometimes sleazy sound.

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Jo Caseley - Houseless Never Homeless.

Jo Caseley cut her teeth busking the streets of Kings Cross, landing her first real gig in a smoky blues bar next to a strip club. While miles away from where her humble and authentic stylings have landed, it served as a character-building exercise that honed Jo’s ability to write and perform songs about real life, people, places and experiences.

Her forthcoming album, “High On Heartstrings”, is full of such songs – highlighting her ability to place the listener in the moment and narrate a story in its purest form. “Houseless Never Homeless” is the first single lifted from the release and inspired whilst reading her late American Grandmother’s memoir where she was drawn to a chapter called Houseless Never Homeless. It was post World War I during The Great Depression, Caseley’s Grandmother was a child, times were tough, and the family of six were living out of their Model T Ford, desperate for work and a better life.

The song talks about how a child can be houseless, but whilst surrounded by love and hope, never feel homeless. It was a beautiful sentiment that Caseley felt compelled to share especially in the wake of the rise in homelessness in Australia within the past four years. She felt the message was as significant now as ever and took the idea to her friend and mentor, Bill Chambers.

“Bill was the perfect person to write this special song with. He has a great appreciation for the old times and hard times and was so genuinely invested in helping me share my heritage and the stories of my American family”, says Caseley. “Houseless Never Homeless” was brought to life in The Rabbit Hole Recording Studio by Kasey Chambers’ band featuring Brandon Dodd on guitars, Jeff McCormack on bass, Syd Green on drums and the swelling heart strings of Bill Chambers’ lap steel guitar; the perfect pairing in production for Caseley to share this special song of hope and dreams which was co-produced by Brandon Dodd and Syd Green.

“The comfort I find from feeling close and connected to my grandmother, singing her story years after her passing is immeasurable. I hope it can bring comfort to others knowing that with love and hope, anything is possible”.

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Friday, 5 May 2023

Meagre Martin - The Lemon Twigs - Ivan Moult - Tom Emlyn

Meagre Martin - All My Thoughts

Berlin via Boston up-and-coming indie project Meagre Martin share their gripping and intimate new single, "All My Thoughts." The track is out now on Mansions and Millions.

On the track, the lead-member Sarah Martin offers: "All My Thoughts' is about the pervasive feelings of grief and how we internalize it. How we continue to reference grief and the ones we've lost for the entirety of our lives. It describes how grief can shape the way we move through the world after those people are no longer here to advise us. It talks about this afterlife connection and also the ultimate fear of mortality and failure."

Meagre Martin is a Berlin-based indie music project founded by African-American musician/songwriter Sarah Martin (she/her) in the summer of 2021. Sarah is originally from Boston MA, but moved to Berlin Germany in the fall of 2017. Searching for meaning in a crumbling global climate, this project was created as a means of survival, and catharsis through uncertain times. A few months into the project's culmination, Freddy and Max joined the band to make a solid trio.

Blending together elements of lo-fi and new-Americana, Meagre Martin is a culmination of experience rooted in healing, through lyricism that gives nostalgia new layers and expands grief’s potential. Although Meagre Martin is a relatively new presence in the Berlin indie scene, they've already made a big impact, performing at shows all over the city. The band is now poised to broaden their reach beyond Berlin, having been hard at work on new music, including their newest single out now via Mansions and Millions.

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The Lemon Twigs
- Everything Harmony (Album).

On Everything Harmony, the fourth full-length studio release from New York’s The Lemon Twigs, the prodigiously talented brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario offer 13 original servings of beauty that showcase an emotional depth and musical sophistication far beyond their years as a band, let alone as young men. While they eagerly devour musical influences from everything and everywhere, they have somehow arrived at a cohesive and dynamic sound that speaks to our troubled times.

Having bounded onto the music scene with their precocious 2016 debut Do Hollywood, they threw caution to the wind two years later on their followup Go to School. By the time of their third album, Songs for the General Public (2020) The Lemon Twigs had begun to pull from a wide range of multigenerational inspirations, expertly darting from twee chamber pop balladry to full on glam punk, mixing plaintive singer-songwriter confessionals with an almost Syd Barrett sense of outré pop. In an interview from the time, they expressed an interest in creating “something really beautiful sounding” based on vocal harmonies and developing their combined melodic sensibilities into a setting where “the sounds were as important as the songs” themselves.

On Everything Harmony, the brothers have fully realized that vision, with a unified “Lemon Twigs sound” that successfully blends their distinct personalities while giving voice to their diverse and eclectic influences. Opening the album with the unassuming acoustic folk of plaintive “When Winter Comes Around,” which echoes the sophisticated grandeur of classic Simon & Garfunkel recordings, they immediately switch things up to the sunny classic pop motif of “In My Head.” From that point on Everything Harmony makes it clear that the Lemon Twigs can’t be pinned down.

Having recently worked with friends like Natalie Mering, with whom they appeared on the latest Weyes Blood album, they also collaborated with classic rock hero Todd Rundgren on his most recent album, Space Force. Rundgren, himself no stranger to eclecticism, says he can relate to their time-tripping approach to contemporary pop.

“They started when they were five and six years old, doing TV and Broadway and things like that,” says Rundgren. “So, they have built-in appreciation for music that is of a couple of generations before theirs. I think they were bored by the music of their own generation, and since you can’t fast forward to the music of the future, you just start going backwards to music that was made before you were born. I can empathize with that impulse, because I did that too, back in the seventies.”

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Ivan Moult - Written On The Wall.

Cardiff-based singer-songwriter Ivan Moult announces the release of his new single 'Written On The Wall’, taken from his upcoming album 'Songs From Severn Grove'.

The single is released today May 5th. Following on from his last single, ‘Out Of Time’, Moult’s latest offering showcases hisunique blend of indie-folk, soulful vocals andpoignant lyrics that delve into themes of love,loss and hope.

Speaking about the single, Moult said: "Lyrically a song about having a conversation with a new partner about their previous lovelife/partners. Acknowledging their experience. Questioning whether or not you want to or need to know their romantic past. Trying to reassure them things wouldbe different.

Observing it’s apparent in other ways without needing to be discussed.” ‘Songs From Severn Grove’, which is due out on May 26th, showcases Ivan's voice front and centre, with layered harmonies and a soundscape of delay-soaked electric guitars, drums, and bass.

Ivan Moult is set to release his third album, 'Songs From Severn Grove', this Spring on independent Welsh record label, Bubblewrap Collective. His previous albums have received radio support from BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio Wales, and have been featured on Folk Radio UK.

Ivan's second album, 'Longest Shadow', released in 2018, won him festival slots at Cornbury Festival, Folk on The Dock, and Festival of Voice, as well as support slots with This Is The Kit, Becca Mancari, and Willy Mason. For this new album, Ivan played, recorded, engineered, and mixed all of the instruments himself at his home studio in Cardiff. The album charts a journey of growth and change, beginning with the lockdown during the 2020 pandemic and continuing through Ivan's experiences of fatherhood and the development of his love and relationships.

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Tom Emlyn - It Doesn't Bother Me.

Prolific Swansea artist Tom Emlyn has shared the video for his latest single 'It Doesn't Bother Me'. It's the follow-up to ‘Broken Mirror’ and ‘Like a Cigarette', it's the last of three singles leading up to the album ‘Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 1’ released today Friday the 5th of May 2023.

Engineered by Randell Denning, BBC studios Swansea in 2018 ‘It Doesn’t Bother Me’ rattles with introspection, as Emlyn sketches out nightmarish visions of characters who lose themselves in the pursuit of success. Amidst a scorched strum of fuzzy guitars, battered acoustics and skippy keys and synths. It’s a raw earworm that tries to throw off the shadow of doubt.

Emlyn says: “This song is from the mind of an unreliable narrator, trying to convince himself of his own aloofness as much as he is the listener. It paints a nightmare picture of self-doubt, anxiety, dead-end jobs, bad decisions, time running out. Schizophrenic images of audible lights in the engine yard. Losing your real self in the pursuit of money, recognition, anything. The masks we wear to convince ourselves and others of our resilience.”

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Thursday, 4 May 2023

headboy - The South Austin Moonlighters - Meris Gantt - Jeremie Albino

headboy - Reservoir.

London trio headboy have shared their new single "Reservoir" - the latest taste of the band's upcoming debut EP 'Was It What You Thought', out 9th June via Blitzcat Records. In recent months the band have played host to an exhilarating run of sold-out headline shows in the capital, alongside notable support slots with Porridge Radio, Goat Girl, DEADLETTER, Peaness, Melin Melyn, Hotel Lux, Heartworms and THUS LOVE.

Swaying from lo-fi bedroom tones to tumultuous blasts of snarling post-punk, headboy's blend of influences, ranging from Sleater-Kinney and Radiohead to Modest Mouse and Grizzly Bear informs the immediacy of their sound, whilst the band also note the impact of post-punk and no wave acts á la Gang Of Four, Orange Juice, Pixies and Television.

Consisting of guitarist/bassist and vocalist Mars West (they/them), bassist/guitarist vocalist Jess Collins (she/they) and drummer Oli Birbeck (they/them), headboy have already established themselves as a beguiling force to be reckoned with on the live stage, cultivating a devoted following in London and further afield, following press and radio tips from Steve Lamacq (BBC 6 Music), So Young Magazine, The Independent, Gigwise, The Rodeo + more.

New single "Reservoir" tells a story of passion, intimacy and connection in the disorientating aftermath of a breakup; venturing into single life. Delivered through a lens of deceptively dark, climactic post-punk, "Reservoir" tracks those brief, fleeting moments of lust, in a haze of sweaty, dimly lit clubs.

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The South Austin Moonlighters - Make A Livin'.

Austin, TX - Legendary, Saxon Pub-bred quartet The South Austin Moonlighters were riding high on the success of their 2019 opus Travel Light with top billing on the alt-country charts and festival appearances throughout the U.S. and Europe when the world came crashing to a screeching halt in 2020. Fortunately for the band and their fans alike, the Moonlighters are veterans of Austin’s scrappy, DIY music scene and were never going to let a little loss of momentum stop them. With the help of a wildly successful crowdfunding campaign, The South Austin Moonlighters—Lonnie Trevino Jr., Chris Beall, Daniel James, and Hunter St. Marie—took to the studio with producer Steve Berlin (of Los Lobos fame) and got right back in the saddle, cutting ten tunes that would eventually become their brand new album, From Here To Home.

At its core, From Here To Home is an album of rebirth and acknowledgement. It’s a recognition of where The South Austin Moonlighters have been, and a peek at all of the exciting places they are going and want to head towards in the future. Take the title track for instance, which is a song that Beall and Trevino Jr. wrote together. It’s a tale of finding oneself on the road, not necessarily lost, but unmoored. Despite this estrangement, the group finds power in the songs they write, carrying them through another day. “From Here To Home is a journey back to rediscovering why we started doing this in the first place,” Trevino Jr. says, before his co-conspirator helps him complete the thought in a way only the closest of collaborators can: “Because that's the only thing we want to do–make joyous music.”

The South Austin Moonlighters recently released their first single from From Here To Home, the bouncing, half-time groove of “Make A Livin’"; a deceptively deep, upbeat song about what it really means to make ends meet for a family. “What should we be providing?’’ asks Beall, who wrote the song with his good friend Rodney Black. He expands, “Surely ‘ourselves’ would be the most important thing, and yet there are multiple generations of parents working so much they rarely see their kids. Lots of folks have to work like that, unfortunately. But could there be a ‘line’ that gets crossed when too much is just ‘too much?’ The TV bill, the new car, the nicer house....maybe we should let go of a few of those things and not have to be shackled to the workplace to pay for them.” Packaged within textures of gritty guitars and vintage bass thump, “Make A Livin’” is one of those rare songs that makes listeners dance and think, and that quality is the Moonlighters’ party piece that runs from beginning to end of From Here To Home.

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Meris Gantt - Fine.

Meris Gantt just announced the “Fine” single released yesterday. Taking the listener on an emotional journey through grief, loneliness, and acceptance, the song holds a special meaning as it is a conversation with her father, who passed away nine years ago.

Through powerful lyrics, “Fine” conveys a message of reassurance to Gantt’s father and to herself that it is okay to let go and move on. It is also a poignant reminder that we are all doing the best we can in life. The song evokes a feeling of loneliness that many can relate to, especially in a world that is constantly changing.

Gantt reveals that she didn’t realize she was writing this song about her father until a pivotal moment on a hike, where the lyrics to the bridge poured out of her. The song not only reflects on Gantt’s childhood but also provides a global perspective, tying in thoughts and emotions from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Fine” is a powerful and emotive song that will undoubtedly resonate with anyone who has experienced loss, loneliness, or the struggles of trying to adapt to a changing world.

The single is off Gantt’s upcoming EP, “Forced Revival,” due out June 2. The EP tells the story of a journey mired in strength – a tale of perseverance, passion, and a deep connection to the power of music. Gantt explores life’s journeys with longing, regret, and the silver linings that lie in between through a soulful blend of smoky vocals, Bluegrass Americana, healing melodies, and honest and to-the-point songwriting.

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Jeremie Albino - You I’m Waiting On.

Buzzy Americana artist-to-watch Jeremie Albino has released a captivating live performance video with his band, The Rosehall Band, for soaring new single “You I’m Waiting On.” Shot and directed by longtime creative partner and collaborator Mark Klassen, the video transports viewers back in time to the historic Owl’s Club in Toronto. The old legion hall, frozen in time, serves as the ultimate backdrop and perfectly pairs Jeremie’s soulful golden sound with the memories painted on the walls.

The artist’s highly anticipated sophomore studio album, Tears You Hide, will be released on June 9th. Lead single “Across the Hall,” released earlier this spring, is a testament to Albino’s visual songwriting style, telling a story of hope and longing in challenging periods. He’s currently on the road with fellow Americana artist Sierra Ferrell for a series of West Coast tour dates, and all shows are sold out.

Recorded entirely live off the floor, Tears You Hide is a catalog of feelings from time passed that serves up an ode to family, resilience, and the road ahead. The deeply personal nature traverses Albino’s development as an artist and captivating songwriter. Experiences with tragedy, grief, and love tumble throughout, grounded in moments of joy and the hope it brings — a house party, a tumbleweed, tears in a mother’s eyes, an open door, a faceless angelic voice.

The artist found support from the team instrumental in the production of his earlier work - The Rosehall Band, his original backing band, and Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes), who co-produced his critically acclaimed debut full length. The importance of working with a supportive and collaborative community is something that he knows the value of not only in his music but also from his days as working as a farmer in Prince Edward County.

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Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Maya’s Radio Orchestra - Nora Kelly Band - Blusher - Ruby Waters

Maya’s Radio Orchestra - Suntrap.

Maya’s Radio Orchestra has released the luminescent new single “Suntrap,” available on all streaming services this Wednesday, May 3rd.

"Suntrap" is a song about Maya’s uncomfortable realization that capitalism and the need for productivity are incompatible with human nature, and are having a detrimental effect on communal mental health. The song hints at dusty underground jazz bars with sweeping strings, swirling harps and honey-like vocals, with an understated piano underpinning the structure that fully supports the warm arrangement.

It’s easy jazz but with elements of classical music and triphop, a melting pot of influences coalesce supported by Maya’s masterful writing and playing of strings, harps, piano and glockenspiel. The expanded jazz band is punctuated with glittering whispers of synths from producer Lauren Gilmour whilst lazy drums reminiscent of Portishead or Zero 7 keep us in a dreamlike trance.  

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Nora Kelly Band - Lay Down Girl.

Montreal quartet, Nora Kelly Band, have returned with  their new single, “Lay Down Girl,” and announced their debut album, Rodeo Clown, which arrives August 25 via Mint Records. Rodeo Clown was written by Nora Kelly, produced by Kelly with Ethan Soil, and mixed by Pietro Amato (The Luyas/Belle Orchestre). Pre-order Rodeo Own here.

Going clown-mode runs deep in this first single and its accompanying music video. When people think “clown” they think funny, or maybe creepy, but always of that painted smile. For a song about overcoming one’s tendency to people please, a painted smile makes for the perfect metaphor. Watch the uproarious video directed by Gabie Che.

“The lyrics to this song were direct advice that I was giving to myself, to stop being a ‘Lay Down Girl’,” notes Kelly. “To stop staying put, acting sweet and putting everyone else first. Other people’s approval had been my priority for so long that over time my connection to what I liked and what I wanted had become weak. The lyrics are advice to this former self, with a chorus that chants, ‘I’ve been a fool…I’m going back to school, but this time my education’s gonna be ‘bout myself.”

"Lay Down Girl" was hatched this way in the first months of the pandemic. Like everyone else, Kelly had a lot of time for introspection and for feeling scared and lonely, realizing that she had surrounded herself with ‘cool’ people but not necessarily people who supported her, the way she supported them. "It was painful to realize but ultimately caused me to make changes in my life, including walking away from my post-punk project DISHPIT and toward my dream to play in a country band,” continues Kelly. “'Lay Down Girl’ will always be a catalyst song for the Nora Kelly Band, because in its lyrics I’m giving myself the advice to start the band before the band even existed."

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Blusher - Backbone.

Meet Blusher, the confessional Melbourne-based 3-piece who make euphoric pop music, laced with chaos, camaraderie and an unbridled gritty confidence.

Today they announce their debut EP, aptly titled Should We Go Dance? – set for release on Friday 14 July via Atlantic Records/Warner Music Australia. The news comes alongside the release of their brand new single, ‘Backbone’ - a powerful anthem about the aftermath of heartbreak - and ahead of the trio’s international debut at Brighton’s The Great Escape Festival. The trio have also been announced as special guests, joining Swedish pop powerhouse Tove Lo on her upcoming Australian headline shows having already supported Aurora earlier in the year.

Speaking on ‘Backbone’, and how it came from the whiplash and aftermath of a breakup, Blusher explain how they wanted to "sing about the way that heartbreak can strengthen and empower friendships. It’s a fiery, energetic love song to the friends who have your back through it all. Backbone is aptly named, its themes of power, confidence and deep friendship are the foundation of our band."

The new single is accompanied by the music-video-quality-visualiser which features Blusher in their alter-ego ‘choose your fighter’ personas. Speaking on the concept behind this, they explain; "when we first wrote the song, we had visions of 80s workout routines/Charlie's Angels/a “choose your fighter” moment in an anime video game.  It made us think about what our video game characters would be. We saw ourselves channelling an element in each of our verses. Miranda’s verse is powered by fire and lit by red brake lights, Jade’s, a watery moment with a tear filled champagne glass, whilst Lauren’s air bending bridge propels you to the dance floor and breathes new life into you."

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Ruby Waters - Flash Flood.

Today, JUNO Award-nominated, indie/alternative rock artist Ruby Waters has dropped her newest single “Flash Flood” via Wet Records. Waters continues to push the envelope with her heavier sound and unapologetically raw and sensuous lyrics with “Flash Flood”, remaining forthright in her convictions to being her true authentic self.

After recently selling out her 2022 North American Soaking Wet Tour, Waters is coming off her widely received US based Spring Chicken tour. This month she will head to The Great Escape festival in Brighton, UK for a handful of shows and will continue her tour into the United Kingdom.

With a 2022 JUNO Nomination for Alternative Album of the Year and two top five singles at Alternative Radio under her belt, Waters is more determined than ever to continue bringing her most authentic self to her craft with a promise of new music and exciting news coming in 2023.

Hailing from the small town of Shelburne, Ontario, Ruby Waters' journey is much like her music - eclectic, always evolving, and unfeigned. A Métis person born to two artists, music has always been a familiar presence. Since her 2022 Juno-nomination for alternative artist of the year, Waters has continued to push boundaries and blaze her own trail as one of North America’s most promising independent artists. To date, her highly acclaimed sophomore EP, If It Comes Down To It (2020), has amassed over 12 million global streams. She has also sold out headline shows across the US and Canada and plans to bring her show over to Europe and the UK for the first time in 2023.

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Tuesday, 2 May 2023

Inkfields - Teeniest - Rob I. Miller

Inkfields - The Third Side of the Coin (Album).

The Third Side of the Coin is the second album from Edinburgh based artist Inkfields, following on from the single of the same name, it sees the songwriter dicing with fate on the toss of the coin.

Eclipsing his previous releases with a carefree, bluesy soul tinged record that builds from his classic bedroom indie sound, The Third Side of the Coin feels like the complete package in the context of Inkfields work to date, weaving between psychedelic glimpses and classic indie guitar sounds. There’s a feeling of optimism and confidence emitting from the record, highlighting Inkfields as a songwriter at the top of their game.

Moving from surf tinged indie to funky disco enthused pop The Third Side of the Coin swaggers along with delighting harmonies, unnerving chills and locked in grooves that assault the senses in the best way possible. Inkfields, the guise of Samuel James-Griffiths, began in Dresden, Germany as a spontaneous after work street music experiment, moving through Sweden, Southern Germany and finally to Edinburgh. The music has been forged through thousands of hours of street music across dozens of cities in Europe, from -12 to +40 degrees, through rain, snow, wind and sun.

Over the years the music has journeyed through genres and matured with time, releasing debut album Beneath the Waves in 2018, followed by a single a month experiment through a lot of lockdown, and has found his true sound on The Third Side of the Coin. Each of the tracks on the Creative Scotland funded The Third Side of the Coin will have a specific piece of artwork made for them, to outline certain species of animal and plant that are endangered in Scotland, raising awareness of some unusual species that people may not be aware of.

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Teeniest - Billie Eilish won't follow me.

Teeniest is a duo from Brooklyn, New York (USA). Their music is alive with beauty and color, whether it's a gentle acoustic folkie tune or an all-out electric guitar rock assault.

This quirky song takes a wry look at pop stardom and music streaming algorithms, with a good dose of kind-hearted humor. 

We brought a unique sound to this project, with clarinet, Rickenbacker electric guitar and bizarre chanting voices. It's weird but fun and accessible.

 

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Rob I. Miller - The One.

When Rob I. Miller (Blues Lawyer) found that the records he’d once leaned on to help him through heartbreak weren’t working for him anymore, he wrote his own. The result is Companion Piece, a collection of heart-on-sleeve songs building on the classic guitar pop tradition of pairing melancholy with melody, out May 12 on Miller’s own Vacant Stare Records.

Primarily known for playing in bands, Miller has released solo music before, but Companion Piece is his first album under his own name; a choice that reflects the vulnerability underpinning these 11 self-recorded songs, each one representing a different stage of post-break-up grief from the shellshock of rejection and rumination over the past, to fantasies of a future that never came to pass and the cautious blooming of feelings for someone new. It is, he says, “my attempt to contribute to the canon of break-up albums.”

First single “Wedge” is a damaged pop song featuring sampled drums and heavily distorted guitar about the feeling of being an unwitting pawn in an emotional game played by the other person. “Borrow” and “Wrong for Us” use sunny alt-rock and downcast late ‘90s indie touchstones to excavate the heartbreaking awkwardness of situations like having to explain to your friends why someone doesn’t come around anymore.

On “The One” Miller wonders over an anthemic chorus if a new fall (as in falling in love) “will be the one from which I die”—a mix of morbidity and sanguinity unabashedly lifted from the Teenage Fanclub playbook. “I was really inspired by that song ‘Norman 3,’ how ballsy it is to just say ‘I’m in love with you’ for three-and-a-half minutes,” he says. “It’s seemingly so unafraid—I’m just going to be as sensitive and vulnerable as I want to be right now.”

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Sunday, 30 April 2023

SUSTO - Burning Jacobs Ladder - Melody Moko - Lawn Chair - Holly Henderson

SUSTO - My Entire Life.

SUSTO will return with My Entire Life July 28 via New West Records. The 12-song set was produced by Wolfgang Zimmerman (Band of Horses) and SUSTO’s Justin Osborne and Johnny Delaware. My Entire Life follows their critically acclaimed 2021 album Time in the Sun which Holler said “provides proof that Osborne and his bandmates are an important voice in today’s conflicted world,” while No Depression called it a “fluid and engaging listen.” Ink 19 said “It’s a great example of SUSTO’s ability to create true lyrical and musical masterpieces so fresh you simply cannot turn it off” while the Bitter Southerner named it one of “The Best Southern Albums of 2021.”

A season of drastic change is what brought SUSTO frontman Justin Osborne to the band’s new album. There was a divorce, difficulties re-building his band after the pandemic, and the pain and helplessness of witnessing family members struggle with addiction and mental illness. Despite these challenges, Justin ultimately found himself in a new landscape, with new love and a deeper perspective, all of which is masterfully projected into My Entire Life. As a whole, the album documents Justin’s personal journey through highs and lows in his life, with many of the details on full display. He narrates the demise and aftermath of an almost decade long relationship, while celebrating the joy of falling in love, and the hopefulness of starting over.

The video for the album’s title track and lead single, “My Entire Life,” is a song with an urgency “to keep living.” Director Luke Pilgrim says, “We at Sozo Bear Films ventured into the relatively unknown world of AI art. We took inspiration from the lyrics, SUSTO’s entire catalog, as well as Justin’s previous musical endeavors to create visuals that represent themes from his entire life. We used stable diffusion to create a mind-bending psychedelic experience. Stable Diffusion is a type of deep learning generative neural network with the ability to prompt, render and process AI imagery.”


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Burning Jacobs Ladder - Fickle Bones.

Following the release of his debut EP EP/1 in 2021, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Jake T Johnson’s project Burning Jacobs Ladder has just released the long-anticipated single ‘Fickle Bones.’ Hailing from the Gold Coast, swinging dark Spaghetti Western melodies infused with hauntingly passionate vocals of Jake, ‘Fickle Bones’ is an eerily familiar track. The unwavering rumble of drums, soaring guitar licks and a looming chorus of vocals hang in the air.

Stripped to raw reality and bare bones, Jake’s authentically emotional storytelling surpasses his lyricism as ‘Fickle Bones’ sounds unearthly. Winding through the single, each component brews, creating an all-encompassing tale between a young man and child.

Throughout his catalogue, Burning Jacobs Ladder delves into very personal discussions about mental health, escapism, and anxiety and 'Fickle Bones' is no exception. Regarding the single, Jake states: “It’s the emotional burden people carry on their shoulders from past experiences. It’s becoming numb to extremes, emotional detachment and living a life for someone else when they can’t.”

Widely received by the likes of The Music, Scenestr, AAA Backstage and The Live Wire to name a few, the experimental powerhouse has put in the work. Written, performed, mixed, and mastered entirely by himself, Jake’s project Burning Jacobs Ladder shows his immense talent and wide skillset as a recording engineer and singer-songwriter.

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Melody Moko - Ain't What You Used to Be.

“Ain’t What You Used to Be” sees Melody reacquaint herself with her inner rock attitude and channel it into a biting, Americana anthem. “First of all - the guitars on this track slay! They are probably the best guitar parts on any Melody Moko song ever”,says Melody. “I’d been listening to an intense amount of Sheryl Crow here, you can hear it”.

Recorded in Nashville and completed in Brisbane, “Ain’t What You Used to Be”, features the incomparable Jen Mize on the sweetest harmony vocal which not only turns the song on its head but blends oh so beautifully with those Sheryl-esque guitars.

In the song, Melody calls out a woman who disregards the feelings and concerns of others in order to get what she wants. And the big question – is it about anyone in particular? “It’s not! It’s actually about a fictionalised version of a future self who lets ego get the best of her”, says Melody.

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Lawn Chair - I Can Change.

German-American art punk band Lawn Chair have released their new EP, Eat The Beans and Wear The Jeans. To celebrate the release, they have also shared a brand new music video for EP focus track 'I Can Change'.

Ever since their stage debut in late 2021, Lawn Chair have relentlessly rehearsed, recorded and played shows, including appearances at showcase festivals such as Reeperbahn and Waves Vienna. The band, fronted by Seattle-born Claudia Schlutius, has quickly gained recognition in the German indie scene with a guitar-driven energetic sound, Schlutius’ powerful stage presence and meticulous songwriting. A string of punchy singles have so far garnered the group early support from the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music and DIY as well as comparisons to bands like Gustaf & Bodega.

After releasing a self-produced debut EP in the spring of 2022, Lawn Chair returned to the studio in the autumn to record their follow-up. Eat The Beans And Wear The Jeans! was recorded with the help of esteemed producer Olaf Opal  (The Notwist) and L.A.-based mixer Chris Coady (Beach House, Future Islands, TV On The Radio), who helped take the songs to the next level. The new songs present a new and interesting twist to timeless topics like unrequited love, the despondent boredom growing up in the countryside and the hardships of show business. With this new EP Lawn Chair are underscoring their rightful ambitions to a much larger audience.

Atmospheric ballad and new single ‘I Can Change’ offers a tempo switch from the bands previous offerings. Drenched in gorgeous reverb, words of self-doubt echo through a monotonous beat interwoven with tasteful melodies only to later culminate in an otherworldly epic Radiohead meets Sonic Youth guitar drop.

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Holly Henderson - Head Full of Soil.

London based Holly Henderson returns again with the fourth single from her critically acclaimed sophomore album “The Walls”. “Headfull Of Soil” is an infectious vintage sounding gem that wraps the listener in a hazy dream. With quirky harpsichord break downs and soaring harmonies, the track blends ethereal folk with psychedelic explorations to great effect. It’s a breezy ear-tingling affair that will make you want to return straight away for more.

“I wrote Head Full Of Soil about the way we convince ourselves that everything is fine, when it is in fact, fantasy”, says Henderson. “The more we pack in the soil, the deeper we bury the delusions. As the song progresses a flower never blooms - but it may, at the right time.” she explains.

The song is reminiscent of a wild garden, layers of vocals, harpsichord, guitars, bass, percussion - tamed only by the way they weave tightly together, in a vibrant burst of whimsical Sunshine Pop sensibilities. Synths wash over as the rain comes, and the song reveals paths we couldn’t have predicted as it descends into a river of colour.

While her debut album, “Monday Green” featured Henderson’s impressive rock guitar work and alternative pop anthem prowess, “The Walls” shows a more introspective, and slightly more delicate side to her songcraft. Recorded in a farmhouse in the English countryside, Henderson’s new album brings her full circle from her previous Los Angeles recorded album. Finely crafted arrangements, sonic musings, and playful themes take us on a journey with Henderson as she deconstructs her Brit Pop and classic influences and reassembles them into progressive-folk wonderment.

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Friday, 28 April 2023

The Prairie Joggers - Moving Into Tucson - Olive Louise - Vectralux

The Prairie Joggers - In The Wake.

Describing themselves as a gritty folk-rock band The Prairie Joggers (Cody Goertzen (guitar/vocals) and Adam Hill (drums) will release their new EP, ‘Going Nowhere’, Friday June 9th. We have to say this is a very impressive showcase for the duo, who produce some notably original and addictive music. The second single is out today, we will let the band tell you the rest.

All three tracks were written throughout various lockdowns while the two were stuck inside straightening out their sound. The EP was mixed by Riley Hill at No Fun Club Recording Studio and mastered by Philip Shaw Bova.

Blending warm electric guitar, raw vocals and dampened drums, The Prairie Joggers form a thick vintage sound that cushions their bleak but not entirely hopeless lyrical themes. What the band lacks in bells and whistles they make up for with a sincere sense of nostalgia that agrees with their minimalistic approach to instrumentals.

The songs, which derived sluggishly throughout isolation, all stem from personal past experiences surrounding sketchy jobs, hometown funerals and unhealthy habits. “Writing the songs came pretty easy,” explains Goertzen, “making the music feel good was what took awhile.”

Frank and dry with a punchy groove, the first single, ‘Move Along’, reflects on the life and times of a shady work environment. “It’s about being a fly on a wall somewhere for far too long,” says Hill. Laid back cynicism litters each verse while the chorus delivers a more obvious mantra, “find a space that isn’t this place, whatever you do move along.”

The second track off the EP, ‘In the Wake’, is a somber but not entirely sober account of what going home for a funeral might stir up. “Had a few late nights throughout lockdown digging into tired grief,” Hill recalls, “ended up with a song about a funeral that never happened.” “Although the songs suggest a bleaker meaning for the title, sometimes going nowhere is a pretty good place to be,” says Goertzen, “locked down with your best pal making music in your living room.”

 

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Moving Into Tucson - Never Gonna Be Easy.

Moving Into Tucson is basically the side effect of the COVID epidemic. Why, you will ask. Well for the simple reason that the band was formed during the pandemic. Can you call Moving Into Tucson a band? Well, yes as in, it's a band, with a singer, guitarist, bassist, drummer etc. But also no because it's not a band as usual. Band members do not come from the same city or even country, but from different parts of the world.

When the world was in lock-down and many were forced to stay at home, there wasn't much left for musicians to do other than work from home. But, how? And better, with whom? Like for many, Zoom video brought a solution. Fortunately, we live in an advanced digital world and a lot is possible without necessarily having to be somewhere. Only someone who arranges it. This is where the label TCBYML, the label of the various artists in the band Moving Into Tucson, stepped in.

Result, twenty songs composed over a period of 18 months. These have now been brought together, mixed, mastered and provided with artwork. In 2023, five of them will be released as singles and together with eight more songs will form the album "Distraction" that will see the light on November 24 of this year. A great initiative that may be followed up in 2024. Who's to say.

Moving Into Tucson's music is comparable to that of the early 90's. The sound that all who participated could very much agree on. Moving Into Tucson is therefore for fans of: REM, Lemonheads, Sugar, The Posies, Buffalo Tom, Teenage Fanclub and the Counting Crows but also reminiscent to bands as U2 or The Police. Recognizable indie pop rock, sometimes dark, sometimes mysterious, or vague, but with depth in the music and certainly in the lyrics.

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Olive Louise - Moroccan Oranges.

The new single "Moroccan Oranges" from NY confessional singer/storyteller Olive Louise is released today. The song was inspired by her mother's passing and the vibrant folk/pop single juxtaposes poignant lyrics about inner strength and trying to hold life and family together even when you are in grief.

Olive confides, "the song is about the summer I traveled to Morocco and Paris with my dad and sister after my mom passed away. It’s about the dissonance I felt looking at my dad trying to hold it together and make us feel okay, knowing that even though we were seeing stunning views, and trying new foods, and were there together, we felt completely shattered."

The single is off of her debut cathartic and enthralling EP 275 Kings Point Road, titled for the place where she grew up the actual Main House of The Great Gatsby estate. Olive’s newest music offers an earnest perspective of the stages of grief, something she knows all too well, losing both parents at a young age. She has received praise for the likes of Refinery 29, Wonderland, American Songwriter, LADYGUNN and more. Elle Magazine is set to cover her unique and storied past.

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Vectralux - The Subtle Extravaganza.

Atlanta Indie Pop Band Vectralux read between the lines, reveling in the subtleties of human life on "The Subtle Extravaganza", out April 28th on streaming platforms. This release thematically addresses the ever-changing flux of thought and emotion as a common, shared experience. Musically, "The Subtle Extravaganza" dances slyly through the shadows and back alleys of the subconscious, resilient and poised with layer upon layer of melodic hooks. Fans of indie rock and indie pop innovators like Guided by Voices, Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., The Pixies and Blur should enjoy this new collection.

Vectralux follows up on 2021's impressive debut "Each Morning and the Morning Thereafter" with a new EP, "The Subtle Extravaganza". This new short set represents as much a maturation of the writing style as a departure from the first record. Still displaying the same decades-spanning influences, but incorporating darker themes and new sounds, this EP still shines with effervescent optimism served with a wry grin.

About the new record, producer/bassist/singer Andy Tegethoff said "We all have contrasts and contradictions that pile up in our lives. Plusses and minuses, details and generalities. There's a sine wave of highs and lows but when you look back, eventually we perceive those ups and downs more as a line than a wave. A blur of good days and bad days -- many days both at once. We may remember peaks and troughs, but on the whole it's a plainsong pageant. Just your typical tornado. A stationary journey. It's a Subtle Extravaganza."

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The Wildmans - Mollie Elizabeth - Jazmine Mary - Mariel Buckley

Photograph by Magnolia Ellenburg The Wildmans - Autumn 1941. The Wildmans will release Longtime Friend on July 11, 2025 via New West Record...