Alas The Sun - Arlo Parks - Son of Town Hall - The Just Joans - Fever Joy

Alas The Sun have released a fabulous indie folk album entitled 'You And Your Love', comprising of ten songs their melodic and varied mixture keeps the whole collection sounding fresh, catchy and quite lovable. === Just a month on and Arlo Parks returns here for a second time with 'Sophie' another beautiful song as she begins a live tour today. === Both the song and the accompanying video are superb as Son of Town Hall share the 'The Line Between' where their dual vocals/harmonies are stunning. === Referred to as gloomy Glaswegians below The Just Joans have shared 'Dear Diary, I Died Again Today' which is personal, special and exudes beauty, hardly gloomy in my opinion. === Fever Joy have a new single called 'Crazy Love' and it's a hook filled and pleasingly distinct indie rocker.
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Alas The Sun - You And Your Love.

Zurich based Indie-Folk duo Alas The Sun's first full-length is a hopelessly dreamy record, delivering the perfect soundtrack for autumn 2019. Alas The Sun‘s debut album "You And Your Love" takes the listener on a journey full of daydreaming, internal conversations and romantic tales. It offers an insight into the beautifully strange lives of songwriters Anja Tremp and Sandro Raschle.

Tracks like the ethereal "Blueberry Seed" or folky "Dots Of Bliss" evoke a feeling of intimacy due to their stripped back instumentation and prominetly placed tender vocals. "Heading For The Heart" and "Myriad Of Stars", in contrast, are easily approchable, upbeat songs with a romantic notion and tongue-in-cheek lyrics.

Alas The Sun moves between indie-folk and dream-pop. At times broad and spherical, at times personal and quiet, softly plucked guitars sit beside drums and synthesizers. A balancing act that the band masters effortlessly. The duo started recording the album only one year after they met. In and out of the studio Anja and Sandro took their time, sporadically multitracking 10 songs over the period of another year.

Here's what the band has to say about their debut record: "You And Your Love“ marks a beginning. To us it is the story of how we first met, how we got to know each other and, of course, started playing music together. Our songs thrive on chemistry and imply a mutual understanding. To have both of these things from the get-go feels special. We learned a lot in the process of making this record about our abilities as songwriters but also things of technical nature in the long studio sessions. Locked away in that closed environment wasn‘t always easy. People argue when they‘re passionate about something. It‘s part of the deal. We couldn‘t be happier with the outcome of „You And Your Love“ but know deep down that we want more. We‘re already thinking about the next project."

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Arlo Parks - Sophie.

Rising 19 year-old London poet, singer and producer Arlo Parks returns after 'Second Guessing' with her new single 'Sophie' the title track of her second EP.

'Sophie' is a song about "crumbling under expectations and feeling helpless, but with a persistent, quiet sense of hope underpinning it."

True to form, it's a melodic and beautifully articulated sonnet, cementing the notion that she is overwhelmingly considered the majestic voice of Generation Z.

Upcoming shows:
29 Oct  Vicar Street Dublin, IE*
30 Oct  SWG3 Galvanizers Room, Glasgow, UK*
31 Oct  O2 Academy, Newcastle, UK*
02 Nov  O2 Academy, Leeds, UK*
03 Nov  O2 Academy, Liverpool, UK*
05 Nov  Y Plas, Cardiff, UK*
06 Nov  Academy 1, Manchester, UK*
08 Nov  Dome, Brighton, UK*
09 Nov  O2 Institute, Birmingham, UK*
11 Nov  Corn Exchange, Cambridge, UK*
12 Nov  Rock City, Nottingham, UK*
13 Nov  The Great Hall, Exeter, UK*
15 Nov  Alexandra Palace, London, UK*
22 Nov  Linecheck Festival, IT
*Supporting Loyle Carner


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Son of Town Hall - The Line Between.

The debut album from Son Of Town Hall - The Adventures of Son Of Town Hall, is due out this Friday November 1st, including new single The Line Between.

Imagine if Simon and Garfunkel were lost at sea, salt on their skin, wind in their beards, and whiskey in their bottles. With only the endless sky above, the wine-dark waters below, and one brush with death after another, what songs would they sing whilst stomping on the boards of their boat like melodious madmen?

Welcome to the mythic world of Son of Town Hall, the unusual union of Ben Parker of London, England and David Berkeley of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Parker, a highly sought-after London- based songwriter / producer / multi-instrumentalist, and Berkeley, a celebrated singer / songwriter / guitarist / author create a world that transcends time and space, complete with shabby Victorian-era outfits, meditations about the sea, and songs that beg you to sing along. It will leave you transformed, with your heart full of laughter and tears, drunk on adventure and the tragic beauty of the human condition.


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The Just Joans - Dear Diary, I Died Again Today.

Gloomy Glaswegians The Just Joans announce their new album The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans, due out on 11 January via Fika Recordings, by sharing the first single "Dear Diary, I Died Again Today". This painfully beautiful admission of everyday anxiety explores the trauma of awkward conversations with colleagues and vague acquaintances. With a different spin to their usual jangle pop, the inclusion of strings, arranged by Butcher Boy’s Alison Eales, create a dazzlingly maudlin depth to the track.

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans is a deeply personal collection of songs that hazily recall the past and contemplate the futility of the future.  At the forefront remain the mischievous lyrics and heartfelt vocals of siblings David and Katie Pope, aided and abetted by Chris Elkin on lead guitar, Fraser Ford on bass guitar, Arion Xenos on keyboards and Jason Sweeney on drums.

A titular twist on the classic gothic horror novel The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by compatriot James Hogg, the new album is the follow-up to 2017’s You Might Be Smiling Now… and contains the kind of melodies and mockery that led Uncut to class the band as the point at which “Stephin Merritt lies down with The Vaselines.”

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans is a veritable smorgasbord of misery, longing and unrequited love; stories of small town resentments, half-forgotten school friends, failing relationships and awkward workplace conversations. As David explains: “It’s a collection torn from the pages of the diary I haven’t kept over the past 25 years. There are songs about places and people I vaguely remember, feelings I think that I once may have felt and the onset of middle-aged ennui.”

Despite entering new territory with the addition of brass and strings, they have nevertheless maintained the DIY ethos that made them darlings of the underground indie-pop scene, with each song on the album recorded and produced by the band in various gloomy bedrooms around Glasgow.

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Fever Joy - Crazy Love.

Regularly found singing into a tape recorder from the age of three, singer/songwriter Avery Robitaille grew up in the jungles of Indonesia as a missionary kid. Isolated from western and pop culture she spent most of her time writing lyrics and journaling about her dreams of touring the world. At the age of 18,  Robitaille made the decision to relocate to Los Angeles to pursue that dream. While performing at an open mic night, Robitaille met Sean Baker and the two quickly realized their aligned visions and ability to translate each other’s experiences into music.

Following the release of their successful single ‘Shots’, mastered by Joe LaPorta (Imagine Dragons, X Ambassadors),  alt pop duo Fever Joy is dropping their highly anticipated five-track EP, Reflections. Inspired by real life events and crafted specifically to focus on experiences that aid in you finding who you truly are, Robitaille shares, “This EP is about empowerment, removing a ‘filter’ and just being open about how certain life experiences made us feel”.

The two set out with the mission to create a space which encourages you to stand up for what you believe in, regardless of what others think. Baker confides, “Music is one of the only things that allows us to see into other people’s experiences from a distance and connect with them. With that insight, and connection we can learn to be more understanding and helpful with each others circumstances”. Fever Joy aims to bring that narrative to the forefront of their music, creating honest and authentic releases. The EP was produced by Adam Castilla of The Colourist and mastered by Brian Lucey (Cage the Elephant, Arctic Monkeys).

Fever Joy have seen success selling out shows across Los Angeles, performing at SXSW, as well as receiving airplay on tastemakers KCRW and KROQ.

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Rev Rev Rev - Arlo Parks - Eyesore and The Jinx - Toronto Tabla Ensemble - Freezing Cold - Sara Ontaneda

Rev Rev Rev are back for a second appearance here with a new video and song '3 Not 3', a sub three minute blast of primal rock, with the vocals buried deep into the mix, this is pretty hypnotic music.

Arlo Parks shares a video for 'Second Guessing' a smooth and refined song where her beautiful vocals are surrounded by a gently rhythmic soundtrack.

Liverpool trio Eyesore and The Jinx new song is 'Leisure Time'. The vocals menace and dare you to not pay attention as the band deliver some potent rock hooks.

We are always on the look out for original and different music and Toronto Tabla Ensemble track 'Dream Symposium' is just incredible as is the video.

We have the full debut album from Freezing Cold which is entitled 'Glimmer'. The bands music is somewhere between alt and indie rock, and they carve out a consistent band sound, the vocals are really good for their musical style and the musicianship is tight and shifts from full on rock to gentler arrangements with apparent ease. This is a debut album to be proud of. 

Sara Ontaneda has just released 'Hey Maria' a gentle, highly melodic and wonderfully crafted indie pop song, where her vocals exude charm and beauty.
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Rev Rev Rev - 3 Not 3.

Clocking in at less than three minutes and set to visuals that are equally unsettling and apocalyptic, "3 not 3" is consumed from start to finish by primal percussion, thick distorted guitars and walls of feedback and distortion. All casting a dark menacing shadow through which, trying to break through, are Laura Iacuzio’s saccharine yet still somewhat foreboding vocals.

Since the release of their self-titled debut album back in 2013, Rev Rev Rev – based in Modena, Italy – have repeatedly been hailed as one of the finest new shoegaze bands, clocking up airtime and praise from BBC 6 Music, NPR, Drowned In Sound, Clash Magazine and Bandcamp Daily.

The quartet is set to embark on a tour touching United Kingdom, France and Switzerland next month.

Live show schedule runs as follows:

Thursday 17th Oct Bremgarten (CH), KuZeB
Friday 18th Oct Paris (FR), Supersonic
Monday 21st Oct Southend-on-Sea (UK), Railway Hotel
Tuesday 22nd Oct Bristol (UK), The Lanes
Wednesday 23rd Oct Hull (UK), New Adelphi
Thursday 24th Oct Northampton (UK), Garibaldi Hotel
Friday 25th Oct Nottingham (UK), The Chameleon
Saturday 26th Oct London (UK), The Waiting Room.


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Arlo Parks - Second Guessing.

It's been an extraordinary few months for Arlo Parks, who just recently celebrated her nineteenth birthday. In amongst the study and subsequent sitting of her A-Level exams, the London based musician/poet signed a record deal with Transgressive, headlined her first London show, played to a packed out crowd at Glastonbury Festival (where she was also invited to perform live on BBC television), debuted her live offering across Europe and found herself nominated for an AIM Award. Now, as she readies herself for a lengthy tour across the UK as main support to Jordan Rakei, she has announced the release of her eagerly anticipated second EP and shared the first single, 'Second Guessing'.

'Second Guessing', a song about doubt and the expectation that adulthood should be characterised by stability and having everything under control, is in Arlo's words, "an exploration of the existential misery that comes from a desire to be successful in a way that pleases everyone. However it's also a song about strength and the possibility of self fulfilment". Its rhythmic, melodic soundscape plays spotlight to her delicate vocal, and the story being told through her hard truth-telling lyrics. With one listen, it is easy to see how she increasingly considered the majestic voice of Generation Z and has won over fans including Killing Eve's Jodie Comer, Lily Allen and Amandla Stenberg.

Growing up in South West London, half Nigerian, a quarter Chadian and a quarter French, Arlo Parks learned to speak French before English. A quiet child, she'd write short stories and create fantasy worlds, later journaling and then obsessing over spoken word poetry, reading American poets such as Ginsberg and Jim Morrison and watching old Chet Baker performances on YouTube. These days she references Nayyirah Waheed, Hanif Abdurraqib and Iain S. Thomas as her favourite modern poets, and it is clear that their works are as influential on her song writing as any musician. Books too, such as The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Parks says, "the way Murakami writes in that book is how I aspire to write my songs; gritty and sensitive and human."

Fela Kuti's 'Water' and Otis Redding's 'Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay' sound tracked Arlo Parks' childhood, but it was aged around 13 that she discovered King Krule; an artist who would heavily influence the music she writes today. Later listening to more hip-hop (from Kendrick Lamar, MF Doom and Earl Sweatshirt to the more confessional sounds of Loyle Carner) and rock (Jimi Hendrix, Shilpa Ray and David Bowie), as well as the subdued, pained sounds of Keaton Henson, Sufjan Stevens and Julien Baker, Parks explains, "I would write stories so detailed you could taste them, while maintaining the energy and life of the hip-hop I loved."


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Eyesore and The Jinx - Leisure Time.

Eyesore & The Jinx return with their new single and freshly announced live dates, including a free headline London show at the Waiting Room on 4th October.

Their previous singles saw them commenting on social media isolationism and an overall doomed feeling in society due to the current political landscape. Twitchy, socially minded, acerbic post-punk has always felt natural for Liverpool trio Eyesore & The Jinx. There was never a plan to be a ‘political band’, it’s purely the result of writing about what they see and feel in their lived experience.

Leisure Time feels like a new phase. A very different tempo, a different groove, a different approach –  sharpened in the studio with producer Daniel Fox, also known as the bassist from Dublin’s much loved Girl Band. The track sits right at the centre of their live set, surrounded by two minute assaults – but they are all singing from the same hymn sheet. What Eyesore & The Jinx do very well is create absolutely dreadful characters that live at the heart of each track. Reflecting modern life in Britain without the need to preach political views.

“From the perspective of an unhinged holiday maker, ‘Leisure Time’ points a greasy, heavily lotioned finger at the care-free nature of the British expat. Whose enduring commitment to enjoying themselves, at the expense of other cultures, remains as visible and as grotesque as ever. It is, in short, a sun-stroked blather on the most miserable of holidays.” Josh Miller – Eyesore & The Jinx

Eyesore & The Jinx are part of an exciting group of bands and artists that make up the cohort of Merseyside taste-makers Eggy Records. The label acts as a co-operative, a supportive group of creatives and misfits who have built something very special, recently profiled by the NME. There seems to be a spotlight on what is happening with this group of artists, with Eggy being selected to host a showcase at this year’s BBC 6Music Festival, of which Eyesore & The Jinx headlined, not to mention Eyesore’s recent trip to Russia to play two festivals as part of the UK Russia Year of Music with label mate newbies STORES. Their first international trip as a band was certainly a memorable one.

Their sphere of influence is quickly expanding out of their home region. Their last two singles received extensive national radio support, including a 6Music Roundtable win for ‘On An Island’ produced by Jonathan Hartley from iconic Liverpool psych-surgeons Clinic. Their most recent single ‘Swill’ was the first track they recorded with Daniel Fox alongside Matt Freeman at Fresh Goods Studio, Birkenhead. This relationship worked very well and the band headed back in soon after to record their forthcoming EP. Leisure Time is the first single to come from this future release, funded by a special PRS Foundation Momentum fund in conjunction with Liverpool City Council.

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Toronto Tabla Ensemble - Dream Symposium.

For over 25 years Toronto Tabla Ensemble (TTE) has produced ground-breaking music that crosses cultures and borders. A Canadian pioneer, TTE started collaborating in the 1990’s with Japanese Taiko, Flamenco, Kathak dance, and Rock ‘n Roll with the Tea Party. Founded by Artistic Director Ritesh Das, TTE has a JUNO nomination and recently received a Global Music and Independent Music Award in 2019 for their album Bhumika.

Their latest music video Faceoff has been screened at international film festivals receiving accolades from around the world. Their music has been licensed for commercials, films and as the theme music for CBC Radio’s Metro Morning. What sets TTE apart is their ability to draw from the rich depths of North Indian Classical percussion to create rhythms and grooves anyone can dance to. TTE is not fusion nor is it World Music; this ensemble creates Canadian born music with a traditional influence bringing together the best of the world for an incomparable listening experience.

About Dream Symposium - 'Dream Symposium' is based on a traditional Tabla composition that is usually taught at an early stage of learning. Ritesh Das was influenced by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and composed this as a performance track featuring many different percussion instruments to create an orchestral feeling. “In preparation for the seventh album we wanted to create a music video for 'Dream Symposium' that included the youth and to focus on their strength as players, but also keep a sense of fantasy and humour.”

TTE are delighted to be attending WOMEX ’19 in Finland this October 2019.


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Freezing Cold - Glimmer (Album).

Freezing Cold came together in early 2017 as friends. Having spent time growing up together in the New York DIY music community in bands like Bridge and Tunnel, Weed Hounds, and Aye Nako had the members Jeff Cunningham (guitar & vocals), Angie Boylan (drums and vocals - who is also currently the touring drummer for Sleater Kinney), and Nick Rice (bass) have all known each other for years.

They released a 3-song demo, making a music video for their song “Shape of Escape” and playing shows throughout the North East of the US. Their introspective heart-on-the-sleeve style of indie rock mixed with the unspoken musical magnetism that brought them together was evident in their early performances.

The band’s debut album combines lush sounds with earnest storytelling, creating music that is reminiscent of Lemonheads, Throwing Muses, Sebadoh, Archers of Loaf, Ride, with a dash of punk, rounding out select tracks with keyboards and a few with a string section. Listening through Glimmer and standout tracks “New Ways to Wait”, “Parentheses”, “Teenage Insights”, and “Squint to See” the band defy simplistic genre comparisons. The only thing that the listener can be sure of is that these songs are inward in their thinking and played close to the chest. Their influences are as varied as the members, which shines through in the varied pace and approach of Glimmer.

Glimmer not only introduces us to a band at the beginning of their stride, but also to a group of individuals with a passion for their craft. The album was recorded and mixed by engineer, producer, and recording artist J Robbins (Against Me!, Promise Ring, Lemuria, Jawbox) at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore in March of 2019.

Make sure to catch Freezing Cold when they’re in your area as the band plans on touring the US and Europe in the near future. The band will celebrate the release of Glimmer at the Footlight in New York on September 28th.

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Sara Ontaneda - Hey Maria.

Multi award-winning Ecuadorian-American singer songwriter (based in NYC) Sara Ontaneda's music is often described as alternative pop, Sara incorporates folk, R&B and South American sounds into her unique signature sound.

About "Hey Maria": The inspiration behind "Hey Maria" came when the singer was visiting her family in Ecuador and the TV was on. The news channel she was watching was talking about the shocking statistics of Femicide and Violence Against Women in Latin America and the world. The singer realized how a lot of times women are judged unfairly when getting into these situations.

Sara Ontaneda is an award-winning singer-songwriter based in New York City. Her music is a colorful blend of Pop, R&B and Folk sounds with heart-felt lyrics in both Spanish and English.

Sara discovered her passion for music at a young age. At age 7 she started piano lessons and at age 9 she joined her school's choir in Miami, Florida. Throughout her childhood, splitting time between Guayaquil, Ecuador and Miami, she studied classical music. The love for music placed her in Berklee College of Music where she majored in Contemporary Writing and Production. She graduated with honors and received scholarship awards for her efforts.

After a year of hard work, Sara finished her first EP, "Marte y Júpiter" where she took the roles of writer, recording engineer, and producer. The EP was released on July 14th, 2015 and received numerous positive reviews from journals in Latin America and Spain. This led Sara to tour in Ecuador as well as many cities of the US, including festivals like South By Southwest (SXSW 2017), MUSIKFEST, South Florida Folk Festival, and others.

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