Six On Sunday: Oddnesse - Los Colognes - Dot Dash - No Joy - Winstons - The Forgotten Ghost
Oddnesse - Incoming Call.Background - Fresh off the success of her first single “Somewhere Somehow”, which was recently featured on Spotify’s “Fresh Finds” and Apple Music’s “Isolation” playlists, Oddnesse dropped her second single entitled “Incoming Call”.
The project began as a studio collaboration between musician Rebeca Arango and producer Grey Goon. The two east-coast expats had arrived independently in Los Angeles plagued by ghosts of old bands, with many gigs at the Cake Shop under their belts and expensive degrees in music on their linked-ins. They both shared a vision for infectious beautiful music with a dark, heavy groove and as friends occasionally dropped by the studio with contributions, the band was born.
Both singles are taken from Oddnesse’s debut self-titled EP that will be released later this Spring via Myster Music. Facebook here. Buy here.
The music on 'Incoming Call' is a swirling, layered and creative feast of sounds. Add in the rhythmic vocals, and we have one very addictive and intriguing song.
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Los Colognes - Flying Apart.Background - Nashville based Los Colognes have just announced their third album The Wave, out May 12th via Big Deal Media / Thirty Tigers. One of the highest and rarest aspirations in popular music is to reach for the transcendental, to access the spirit. On The Wave, Los Colognes succeeds at this – in breaking through the confines of everyday pop song lyricism to tell a holistic story. It’s not a concept piece, but it’s a brooding and joyful song cycle filled with philosophical rumination, effortless hooks, inspiring musicianship, and expansive arrangements. It’s an album perfectly suited of the current zeitgeist of unease and hope.
Guitarist/singer Jay Rutherford opines in “Flying Apart” - ‘Nobody believed / We’re all just hoping / Floating down streams.” It’s a song that invokes “the wave” metaphor of the album’s title, while churning through its own sonic sea of shimmering keyboards and guitars anchored by drummer Aaron Mortenson. The music evokes any of the best moments of late seventies or mid eighties FM radio while never being weighed down by the specter of influence. Los Colognes are a young band who have managed to forge their own sound while channeling the best sonic worlds of the decades past. Website here, Facebook here. Tour dates on the next page.
The first track from forthcoming album 'The Wave' is the song 'Flying Apart'. After a brief wall of sound intro, we are into a melodic, upbeat soundtrack with vocals adding in some additional feeling. As a taste of what's to come, then it's job done, I'm hooked.
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Dot Dash - 5/5/5 (EP).Background - Over the last five years Washington D.C.-based Dot Dash has had five albums released, all via Canadian indie label The Beautiful Music. The band have a newly released free-for-download 5-song Dot Dash digital e.p. This comprises of five songs, one from each album.
Dot Dash has played shows with The B-52s, Tommy Keene, The Fleshtones, Ash, The Psychedelic Furs, The Chameleons, The Dickies, Hugh Cornwell, The Monochrome Set, Ian Hunter, Stiff Little Fingers, Glen Matlock, The Bats, Sylvain Sylvain, The Godfathers, Wussy, Urge Overkill, The Drums, The Trashcan Sinatras, Frankie Rose, The Clientele, Drivin'n'Cryin', The Empty Hearts, Matt Pond PA, Jack Grisham, Moon Duo, Chris Stamey, Wax Idols, The Explorers Club, Allo Darlin', The Supersuckers, Stevie Jackson, and lots of other rocking combos.
Washington Post: “Everything we've ever read about Dot Dash plays up the group's collective resume: Singer/guitarist Terry Banks was in St. Christopher and the Saturday People before teaming up with bassist Hunter Bennett in acclaimed indie-rock band Julie Ocean; guitarist Steve Hansgen played bass for hardcore legends Minor Threat and Government Issue, and then the mod group Modest Proposal; drummer Danny Ingram co-founded harDCore band Youth Brigade. Very impressive. But we're more interested in the music, a retro cocktail that recalls the yearning indie-pop of Sarah Records; the '80s neo-Byrds jangle of R.E.M., Orange Juice and other seminal college radio artists, and the tight, throbbing basslines and slashing guitars that evoke the Jam and the Clash." Facebook here.
The new EP '5/5/5' with one track each from the bands five albums released so far, is a good way to get to know their music. These are no copycats, they consistently create indie rock & pop (and more), of a high calibre, and the comparisons above are at best references of their quality. Checking out who they have performed with along the way, says a lot more.
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No Joy - Califone.Background - For most listeners, No Joy are a standout from the shoegaze revival, that wall of noise lead by its two female band members Jasamine White-Gluz and Laura Lloyd and their long headbanging blonde locks. In a 2011 Blackbook piece on the band’s detached yet visceral live show, the writer coyly commented “they are playing with their backs to the audience…shy girls.”
For years, principal songwriter and lead vocalist Jasamine White-Gluz was that shy girl. It translated onto their albums (her voice was never too high in the mixes, constantly obscured by layers of guitar) as well as their live shows (instead of standing center stage in the shows, she opted to stay hidden in the corner of the stage). With the latest effort Creep EP, (Street Date, February 24th, 2017) White-Gluz is starting to shed those insecurities and bring a revived spirit to who we know as No Joy.
As the principal writer of their past catalog, White-Gluz steers the material on Creep in new directions, drawing on varied influences ranging from Industrial to New Age. With co-writer and producer Jorge Elbrecht (Violens, Ariel Pink, Tamaryn, Lansing-Dreiden), the pair create a soundscape that is both familiar and fresh. Tracked in Montreal at Hotel 2 Tango and in White-Gluz’s Little Italy apartment, the sound is huge. Dynamic juxtapositions of dark and light, feminine and virile are cemented together with their signature earworm hooks. No Joy are challenging themselves by distancing from the traditional rock band formula, creating a new live show to accompany the release.
By taking control of their new direction, it’s the beginning of a new era for No Joy. Facebook here. See out Tour page for live dates. Amazon here.
From the forthcoming EP we have 'Califone', a jangly and melodic track. With the shoegaze vibe a little more understated, the vocals and musicianship really standout, an indicator of the quality and growing confidence to be found on the new release.
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Background - Winstons have released a new single "Without You". It will be part of a release slated to come out later this year. The band released two EP's in 2015 entitled 'Turpentine' & 'Black Dust'. The new single came out on Friday via Grand Jury.
Winstons is a garage-soul duo out of Virginia, residing in Brooklyn. They do love songs, blue songs, and dance songs with drums, guitar, harmonies, and a harmonica. Their live show is raw and earnest, with a dynamic juxtaposing devotion and depravity. Their sound has drawn comparisons to Screaming' Jay Hawkins and The Cramps. They self-released two EPs in 2015. Website here, Facebook here. Buy track here.
As genre crossovers go, garage soul was bound to be a must listen for myself. 'Without You' is all of that and more. The vocals are just so naturally soulful and genuine, whilst the guitar rock vibes make a surprisingly suitable musical soundtrack. Winston's have got something special going on here.
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The Forgotten Ghost - Too Close To The Sun.Background - Clown is Melbourne based, Scottish born, James Henderson’s 5th solo studio album and his debut under the pseudonym, The Forgotten Ghost. He composed all the instrumentation and enlisted some very talented friends to assist with the final recording.
‘Too Close To The Sun’ is the first preview of the forthcoming album. Ambitious and beautiful instrumentation characterises the new single, akin to the most lush tracks on Elliott Smith’s XO. James’ delicate falsetto carries a haunting melody through the song, ranging in atmosphere from intimacy to epic strokes.
Clown was recorded over the course of one year and was engineered and co-produced by Peter Camilleri (brother of Jo Camilleri) who has worked with artists such as the Black Sorrows, Jo Jo Zep, Renay Geyer and Paul Kelly. Clown was recorded in various locations across Melbourne including the famous Buckland room in Melbourne’s Arts Centre (home to the MSO) and was mastered by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios. Peter was chosen to master the record due to his work with David Bowie and the Beatles. “I feel very privileged to have been able to work with Peter, his knowledge and experience have added a beautiful sparkle to the finished recording”, says James.
At the beginning of 2016 James set out with intention of moving The Forgotten Ghost from a solo project into a band and slowly amassed a collective of very talented musicians. With the addition of Kirsty Morphet’s stunning voice and beautiful piano, Cam Pretipino’s solidifying bass and Conrad Tracey’s thoughtful drums, the live performances so far have been extremely well received. ‘Too Close To The Sun’ by The Forgotten Ghost will be released 3rd of February 2017. Website here, Facebook here.
'Too Close To The Sun' almost tiptoes into being. James Henderson’s falsetto vocals emerge against a piano soundtrack and we build towards a fuller and delightfully arranged piece. Melodic and refined this is a superb song.
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