Old Crow Medicine Show - Fe Salomon - Lisa Heller - Nurdjana
Old Crow Medicine Show have just released “Bombs Away,” the latest single from the GRAMMY award-winning band’s seventh studio album Paint This Town (out April 22 via ATO Records). Featuring Molly Tuttle on banjo, the band’s devil-may-care twist on a classic divorce song is accompanied by a live performance video.
"I realized something about my song ‘Bombs Away’ when my new girlfriend played the Kacey Musgraves’ album Star-Crossed on a recent road trip; I realized that ‘Bombs Away’ is a song about divorce,” explains Ketch Secor. “Bobby Braddock wrote what I believe to be the genre’s epitome when he spelled it D-I-V-O-R-C-E, but my song about life's detour through Splitsville is far more breakneck, full of fiery fiddling, lyrics more spat than intoned, focusing upon that final phase of the Big D.”
He continues, “‘Bombs Away’ is a song about acceptance. And not of the keel over and die variety, instead it’s a whole-hearted without-a-net leap, a jump-from-the-airplane kind of acceptance, one in which the singer obliges his fate and decides that ‘If I can’t learn to fly let me fall.’ We all crash. We all burn. And if you can accept that, then you might just get through it, hobble home from the impact site, and start living again. Because the only trail down the mountain spelled D-I-V-O-R-C-E is the one spelled S-U-R-V-I-V-E, and since that’s the path to take, you might as well start now, pierce the air, take the plunge, commence falling. What are you waiting for? Bombs away.”
Paint This Town showcases Old Crow Medicine Show’s ability to merge profound introspection with a rapturous string band revival sound, shining a light on the darker aspects of the American experience with character-driven songs underpinned by visions for a more harmonious future. The album unlocks a new level of creative freedom for the band, who took a far more insular approach than on previous releases as they recorded in their own Hartland Studio and co-produced it with Matt Ross-Spang (John Prine, Jason Isbell). The process revived the band’s spirit of pure abandon and marks a return to the deliberate unpredictability of their earliest busking days.
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Gifted with the kind of superpowers that have blessed Alison Goldfrapp with her unwavering glam-pop allure and Stevie Nicks with that invincible soul, Fe Salomon’s strident first offering proves she’s cut from the same cloth and ready to be your newest musical hero.
With pop prowess firmly in check, “Super Human” sees Salomon backed by simmering ‘Big Band’-esque arrangements courtesy of her faithful co-writing sidekick: Johnny Parry. An esteemed classical arranger in his own right, Parry conjures all of the drama and intrigue of a Vaughan-Williams composition, accompanying Salomon’s earthy vocal with shadowy orchestral overtones.
Speaking about the inspiration behind “Super Human” and its origins, Salomon says: ““Super Human” is a song exploring the alter ego. It originated with dancing around with some upper body shimmy moves. Then a chunky brass section, dirty synth and disjunctive rhythms, all inspired by a number 70’s and 80’s movie soundtracks.”
Chiming with the single’s cinematic qualities, “Super Human” is accompanied with an expertly choreographed, kaleidoscopic video by Director/Videographer Fraser Taylor and starring Salomon. Fe Salomon is a singer-songwriter, performer and producer, currently based in the East Midlands. Born in Northampton, Salomon moved to London where she cut her teeth on the bustling stages of the Camden music scene. Developing her act in the capital for over 13 years, it was there that Salomon honed her idiosyncratic sonic stylings from its melting pot of influences and began to percolate ideas for a solo career.
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| Photo Credit Adrian Andres |
Today, the young bedroom pop superstar Lisa Heller is thrilled to share her new single, “cheetos n coke.” The first music to be released since last year’s massively successful is anyone listening? EP is a beautifully vulnerable performance, replete with sweet-as-sugar melodies and Heller’s endearing and inviting vocals.
Speaking on the origins of the song, Heller writes: “I wrote “cheetos n coke” with my frequent collaborator Meghan Williams. We wrote the song when I mentioned I wanted to write a song about my previous struggles with an eating disorder and the common struggle amongst a lot of people, especially young women, with body image and body neutrality.”
Heller continues, “I recorded the song in my bedroom in LA, which felt symbolic because I have actually looked in the mirror in that very room and dealt with some negative body image. I worked with my producer, Will McCoy, to make sure the production remained just as vulnerable as how I felt when writing the song. I think that “cheetos n coke” touches on important aspects of mental health. Although not everyone will have a mental illness in their life, everyone has their mental health to tend to. Body image is something that I have had my struggles with and at times really took over my happiness and my life. I wanted to open the conversation by openly sharing those struggles for the first time through a song, because maybe it will help someone feel a little bit less alone.”
Raw, authentic, and honest describe the alternative pop music of Lisa Heller. Lisa found her voice at the age of 13 when music became the creative outlet for her anxiety. As her local following grew, Lisa saw that her music not only helped her, but that its message could help others. Through the release of her music, including her latest EP, “is anyone listening?” Lisa has gathered millions of views and streams, been placed on official Spotify and Apple playlists, and performed with artists such as Bryce Vine, American Authors, Party Nails, Weathers, Jesse McCartney, Kenzo Cregan and Bea Miller. 2022 will bring more touring, more music, and more fans. Lisa Heller and her music and just getting started.
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Nurdjana is a Canadian vocalist who was born and raised in the Netherlands. She’s been immersed in music ever since as a little girl she tagged along with her dad Rob de Rijcke.
He was a singer/songwriter and guitarist and when Nurdjana started singing it was only natural to start making music together.
Rob was a composer of dreamy songs full of love and sadness. Nurdjana and her dad won songwriter competitions, recorded music and played lots of gigs together. He was a modest man and modesty doesn’t bring fortune and fame. But that was not what he was after. He was only after poetry and that was what he found.
Nurdjana is a true advocate of her father’s music and after taking a break from singing when he passed away, she is back full force; determined to put her dad’s music back in the spotlight. Her sound has been described as delicate, yet soulful and jazzy.
Her first EP ‘Coming Home’ will be released May 10th. All songs are written either by Rob or by the duo of father and daughter, some completed by Nurdjana after he passed away.
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