Weekend Wonders: Clint Wilson - Cassels - Stac - Bettie Serveert - Lover - Dolly Spartans - You'll Never Get To Heaven

Clint Wilson - Hungover.

Background - Melbourne singer/songwriter Clint Wilson set to release latest single ‘Hungover’ on the 31st of March. Clint Wilson is a singer/songwriter from Melbourne Victoria. Bored with the thought of playing covers in pubs for the rest of his life, he decided at the start of 2016 to write songs about real life events happening to himself and his friends.

‘Hungover’ is the latest release from Clint Wilson, it compels the listener with a floaty, summer rock vibe. The track was recorded at Pony Studios in Hallam, produced by Damien Young and mastered by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering. “Hungover is a song about a friend that you no longer have time for, or a really good friend that stands out from all the others, depending on the listener. When I wrote the lyrics I wanted the chorus to have a few different meanings, depending on how the listener is feeling. The line at the end of the chorus "lets let it all float away" could mean our friendship or our troubles.” - Clint Wilson

Clint’s music is a blend of Australian rock and pop with a sprinkling of folk on top. He has been playing guitar since he was 12 and started playing in bands as soon as he could string together a few power chords. Clint has been gigging as a solo acoustic act all over Melbourne for the last three years and started writing his own songs at the start of 2016. He started recording his debut EP ‘Red Headed Thief’ in September and released it online early in 2017. Clint is currently pouring his heart into a 12 track album he will be releasing toward the end of 2017. Facebook here.

Clint Wilson's distinct and pleasing vocals are just right for a song such as 'Hungover'. Musically the track has richness with an expansive guitar lead sound and high quality production. Clearly Clint has a knack for writing and structuring songs.

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Cassels - The Weight.

Background - The precociously talented art-punk two-piece Cassels today announce a compilation of their previous material for Big Scary Monsters, now available here on vinyl for the first time, and three new songs in the form of the ‘Foreword’ LP.

The band have called 'Foreword' a precursor to their debut album, which they have are in the process of working on at the moment and is expected to drop later this year. ‘Foreword’ will be available on the 7th April via Big Scary Monsters.

The band will tour with labelmates Meat Wave in April/May and are confirmed to play 2000 Trees in July, tour dates are on Beehive Candys tour page, pre-order here.

With the might and thunder that two piece bands so often manage to deliver, 'The Weight' is a determined track where the vocals are emotive and personal, and the music is centred on an electric guitar. Overall it's label of art punk seems fair, as it veers between both styles.

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Stac - Me And You.

Background - London Singer Songwriter STAC releases Me and You from her forthcoming EP - Perpetual, free to download when you pre-order the EP through Bandcamp.

Having released her debut album on WahWah45s in 2010, 2017 sees former BRIT school student STAC write, record, co-produce and self release her follow-up EP on her own label; 2 Points Records. Perpetual delivers timeless, compelling songwriting and combines achingly beautiful melodies with Badu-esque cool. Compared by Mark Ronson to a young Minnie Ripperton, in a world saturated by auto-tune and vocal effects, the simple beauty of her voice cuts effortlessly through.

Produced with the help of Memotone (William Yates), Me and You is an idiosyncratic mix of live and electronic sounds, a song that begins simply with pianette and vocals and crescendos into a concoction of brass, strings, vocal harmonies, drum pads, electronic samples and a helicopter. Perpetual is available to buy through all good digital stores from the 28th April 2017. Bandcamp pre-order here.

'Me And You' is gently built around live and immediately sampled vocals and a stripped back soundtrack. Melodic and intimate, it's a beautiful and quite unique song, that adds some additional energy as it progresses.

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Bettie Serveert - Unsane.

Background - North Carolina based indie retail store and label Schoolkids Records have announced that two exclusive limited-edition vinyl titles will be released as part of the Tenth Annual Record Store Day event, to be held on April 22nd, 2017.

Dutch indie legends Bettie Serveert return on their 25th Anniversary with their 11th Studio Album “Damaged Good”. This limited edition exclusive transparent magenta Vinyl LP (with beautiful gatefold packaging) will include a digital download and full CD. This is the only version of the LP or CD available in North America. This is one of 'The Betties' most diverse albums so far, including songs ranging from 60 seconds to an 8 min epos and everything in between.

This LP experience is intense, raw and tender, but it is also passionate and fierce. Some songs will definitely remind people of their classic 'Palomine', the debut album that started everything 25 years ago. The album is recorded and mixed with Jesse Beuker, with whom Canadian-born vocalist Carol van Dyk and lead guitarist Peter Visser have worked before on their Australian project 'Me & Stupid'. This collection of 11 tracks also includes the rock duet 'Love Sick' with Peter te Bos, vocalist from the famous Dutch band Claw Boys Claw. Website here, Facebook here.

'Unsane' has a classic indie rock feel to it, with the focus on Carol van Dyk's vocals supported by a tight and vibrant musical soundtrack. As a taster for the album, it's a good one, and if the album is as diverse as the promo suggests we could be in for a real treat.

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Lover - Self-Destruct.

Background - 2017 is the year Lover invite you to be part of their world with the release of their stunning debut album 'Human Geography'.

A morbid longing for the picturesque and a desire to explore life that rarely exists beyond the boundaries of literature, where dissatisfaction is bohemian and vaguely Marxist in origin, Lover are here to show you the beauty in the darkness.

Music from the depths of dark and twisted cognition to speak to a generation opening its eyes to gender fluidity and pansexuality, Lover have been walking this road for some time. Their chemistry on stage is how you’ll find them backstage - tactile and empirical, the band only have eyes for each other.

Fronted by the enigmatic Sarah Bradbury she is the woman who men aspire to be and women dream about. Confident and alluring, she is the personification of feminine charm yet armed with the strength and flexibility of an Amazonian warrior. Sarah is front and centre, the coherent chimera of the group.

Threatening and  seductive, Lover are striding confidently into a future that looks to welcome them as one of the UK's most important emerging bands. Facebook here.

The fifth of twelve tracks on the 'Human Geography' album, 'Self-Destruct' has a post punk come new wave feel to it. The album is built around raw rock'n'roll with plenty of melodic hooks and feisty vocals. It reminds in part of Blondie's debut album in that their energy, commitment and determination just bleeds through time and again, most certainly this is a band to have on the radar from here on in.

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Dolly Spartans - Hanging Out.

Background - Dolly Spartans lean, fizzy garage pop conjures up Fidlar and early Strokes. Last year, the band's guitarist died suddenly from a drug overdose at age 22, which led frontman Michael Eliran to channel the loss of his best friend into their sophomore EP, Time Sides With No One, out March 31st on Blue and Lucky. Their lead-off single documents the turmoil of a night out when social anxiety kicks in and everything becomes a struggle inside your head.

Dolly Spartans will release their sophomore EP, Time Sides With No One, March 31st on New York based indie label Blue and Lucky. The EP, written by frontman Michael Eliran, is a powerful, no-filler collection of garage pop songs.  

Dolly Spartans are Michael Eliran on guitar and vocals, Jesse Barovick on guitar, Max Beirne-Shafer on bass, and Steven Bartashev on drums. In March, the band will play Brooklyn Bazaar, Knitting Factory, and Bard College, as well as a TBA event produced especially for Dolly Spartans by AdHoc, one of the most respected indie rock promoters around. April through July will see the band embark on regional and national tour. Facebook here.

Sharp garage rock with a little attitude ensures 'Hanging Out' also stands out. The band pack some energy, the vocals are engaging, in what is a timeless no nonsense rocker.

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You'll Never Get To Heaven - White Light.

Background - Canadian ambient-pop duo You'll Never Get To Heaven shared the fourth track "White Light" from their upcoming album. 'Images' their third full-length album is due today.   

Alice Hansen, a classically trained pianist and violinist, and Chuck Blazevic, a studio-obsessed tone-sculptor and monome performer, combine their disparate perspectives to co-curate every element of YNGTH together as equals. After gaining a groundswell of support from fans and critics all over the globe for their 2012 self-titled debut and 2014's 'Adorn', the group caught the attention of indie upstart Yellow K Records (Japanese Breakfast, Eskimeaux) on the strength of their breakout single "Caught In a Time, So Far Away". 

The band has partnered with Yellow K for the release of 'Images' in a break from their otherwise staunchly independent ethos. While YNGTH has been reclusive in the past playing only a handful of select festival dates, they are currently planning their first European and North American appearances in support of 'Images' for Spring/Summer 2017. 'Images' will be issued worldwide on Vinyl/Digital via Yellow K and on limited-edition cassette via the band's own Mystic Roses imprint. Pre-order the album here, website here, Facebook here.

Our third feature for You'll Never Get To Heaven kind of suggest they are definitely producing something that appeals to me. 'White Light' is the most dreamy track so far, with a constant flowing ambient feel right from the opening notes. New album landed today, if you have liked what's been shared so far, it's a must hear at the very least.

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