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Showing posts from February 20, 2022

Crystal Eyes - Niloo - Tamar Berk - Ali Sperry - Wildlife Freeway - Hannah Schneider

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Photo - Rebecca Reid Crystal Eyes - Don't Turn Around. The Calgary, Alberta-based psych-rock/dream-pop band, Crystal Eyes have just shared their new single, "Don't Turn Around" which comes off the back of support for last month's release, "Wishes" which went on to find support at FLOOD, Brooklyn Vegan, Exclaim and more. The new single is the latest to be lifted from the forthcoming second record, The Sweetness Restored which is set for release via the beloved Madrid label, Bobo Integral (Motorists, Ducks Ltd, Quivers) on April 22. Crystal Eyes, who are made up of Erin Jenkins (singer/guitarist) and a revolving cast of musicians, currently Jordan Tettensor (guitar), Joleen Toner (synth), Will Johnson (bass) and Paul de Andrade (drums) describe the new record as a "feel-good self-help record for the age of existential dread." The Sweetness Restored displays a kind of wistful self-awareness right from the start, it's a collection of ten track...

Lena Minder - Christine Tarquinio - Sound&Shape - Chris Tavener - Kindsight - Christine Sweeney - Twain

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Photo - Victoria Byt Lena Minder - One More Time. Together Alone is the name of the debut album by Lena Minder, which is about loneliness in relationships. In March 2020, her plans to move back to Switzerland were thwarted by the pandemic. Instead of finding her way back to her roots, she embarked on an inner search and confrontation with herself in isolation.  In her memories, Lena revived past relationships and critically questioned them. She began to put these thoughts into songs and tells with melancholy, nostalgia, but also a pinch of irony about the complexity of interpersonal existence. The album contains eight songs, some of which are stylistically very different from each other. The beginning is made by the reduced, folky waltz song «Stay Around», which stands out for its sophisticated vocal arrangement. «Stolen Love» or «One More Time» can hardly be assigned to the indie folk genre. They contain elements of soul and gospel and backing vocals reminiscent of the 30s. With ...

Still Corners - Elf Power - Clea Anaïs’ - Diandian

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Photo - Bernard Bur Still Corners - Far Rider. Ahead of a massive tour throughout Europe and the US this Spring, Still Corners have released their seven-minute desert-noir odyssey, ‘Far Rider’. With the sun at its peak a weary desert traveller picks their way across the soft sandy floor trying to forget a lost love or maybe a past best forgotten. Crystal clear guitar lines drift in and out as the bass weaves and snakes over a tight drum beat. Tessa Murray croons steady as a pulse, as the song winds like a caravan toward the orange horizon. Tessa explains, “This song is about leaving, lost love and finding yourself somewhere on the journey, really it’s about redemption. I recently drove 6000 miles across the southwest to feel the sun on my face and think.  We used the dreamlike nature of the song to capture the landscape and a hypnotic feel to conjure up the long and lonely travel days.” ‘Far Rider’ follows on from the release of their recent single ‘Heavy Days’, and highly-praised...

Buffalo Rose - Lost Tuesday Society - Primer

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Photo - Zian Meng Buffalo Rose - I Give You The Morning. "I Give You The Morning," is a gorgeous selection from Pittsburgh Americana sextet Buffalo Rose, who partnered with GRAMMY-winning folk legend Tom Paxton for a gorgeous EP called Rabbit released today via Misra Records. "I Give You The Morning" is a classic love song written by Tom Paxton, who also lends his vocals to the track. With goosebump-inducing harmonies and delicate instrumentation, "I Give You The Morning" radiates sunshine and warmth from every note. If you think you know what acoustic music is all about - just wait. Buffalo Rose takes the folk styles of the past and gleefully blends them with modern, contemporary flair. If a smile was a band, it would be Buffalo Rose. Rabbit is a perfect release for the last gasp of winter; as we pin our hopes on spring, eagerly awaiting the days of more and more sunshine, this new EP will warm up any who listen. Combining Paxton’s honed writing skills w...

Basement Revolver - Hate Moss - Hailey Whitters - Carleton Stone

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Basement Revolver - Dissolve. Basement Revolver has always centered around the friendship of bassist/keyboardist Nim Agalawatte and guitarist/vocalist Chrisy Hurn. Lead guitarist Jonathan Malström and drummer Levi Kertesz round out the band’s larger-than-life sound. The band’s catalogue spans back to their breakout single, 2016’s “Johnny.” That single, and their self-titled EP from the same year, led to their signing with Fear of Missing Out in the UK, and later, Canada’s Sonic Unyon Records. Heavy Eyes, their debut LP, built on their aesthetic which merges hardcore-inspired indie and ambient dream pop. In support of that they toured throughout the US, Canada, the UK, and Germany. With tour plans on hold through 2020, Basement Revolver found time to wrestle with questions about identity, faith, mental illness, and sexuality. Their sophomore LP, Embody, is explicit about these new ideas and new thoughts, addressing them with a deeper sound and crisper production to adroitly express the...