Rodney Cromwell - Get Me To Prague / Radagast The Brown.
Rodney Cromwell is the nom-de-plume of Adam Cresswell. Both tracks on this new single were recorded while Cresswell was in his first band SALOON that operated between 1998-2003. Saloon released three albums with Track & Field (UK) and Darla (US). They toured extensively in Europe, supporting the likes of STEREOLAB, ELECTRELANE, QUICKSPACE and OF MONTREAL. They are remembered mostly today for their 3 John Peel Sessions and four Festive 50 entries, including the number one in 2002.
‘Get Me To Prague’ was written and recorded in 1999 on a Yamaha four-track tape recorder using a bomtempi organ, casiotone and Moog Rogue. Recorded in a single evening, the track is an exploration into proto-germanic electronica in the style of Ralf & Forian era Kraftwerk. Taking 22 years to get a mix he was happy with, Cresswell cites this as because “I didn’t like the snare sound.”
In 2001, Saloon were asked to offer a track for a tribute to a ‘The Lord of The Rings’ album. The rest of the band were less-than enthusiastic, but for Cresswell, for whom the Spectrum computer game of ‘Rings’ had been a formative experience, it was an offer too good to refuse. In lieu of a proper studio, ‘Radagast The Brown’ was composed one Saturday afternoon in 2001, on the bed of his girlfriend’s grandfather, while he was out watching a Reading FC home game. Also recorded in one sitting, the song was made on a minidisc 8-track recorder, using just a Casiotone keyboard and a Korg MS-10 synth. It is another exploration into primitive chiptune electronica, with echoes of Plone, Jean Jacques-Perry or Gershon Kingsley.
Under his solo guise of Rodney Cromwell he released the LP 'Age of Anxiety' in 2015 and 'Rodney's English Disco' EP in 2018, with coverage in Electronic Sound, NME, Huffington Post, Impose, Paste, Record Collector, BBC6 Music and national RNE3 in Spain, for whom he recorded a live session. The debut album featured in scores of Best of Lists including Electronic Sound and The Electricity Club who named him ‘Most Promising New Act’. His last single ‘Memory Box’ precedes an album of the same, to be released in March 2022; described as “pure hertz tone glory” by Post-Punk.com, it has had numerous blog features and radio plays, including national play from BBC 6 Music.
Stockholm synthpop duo Tony's Tears are following up their debut EP that was released earlier this year with the single "Gazing at the Border". It's the first single of the EP "Erasing Diamonds" that is to be released this spring. Tony's Tears saw the light during the pandemic and they are really looking forward to play a real show in their hometown on Xmas day!
Their music can be defined as cinematic indie that is flirting with the 80's together with "suggestive and electronic elements".
Alex och William about the song: The song serves as a scene in a larger story that fits within our upcoming ep "Erasing Diamonds". The text is like a look into an event where one does not quite know what has happened before or after. Which aims to instead directly jump into the middle of the dramatic curve.
Where we’re told about a situation where someone has been taken away and where the self in the song is powerless to do anything about the situation. The song is about a form of "we" and "them" drama. Where there is a superiority and an oppressed side. The sound image is intended a bit like a message from a VHF-radio that sometimes loses its connection and turns into noise with voices in the background and then reconnects again.
From The Storm is written, recorded and produced by Big Little Lions who are Helen Austin & Paul Otten.The lyrics are reproduced below.
It’s getting late, a chill sets in You hesitate, you’re wondering If you should go You’re so used to icy hands That follow every frosty glance You never know
Chorus: You didn’t bring a coat But I will keep you warm I know I can protect you From the storm
When the sun starts to shine It’s still cloudy in your mind Too scared the forecast might be wrong So winter holds you And winter told you This is where you belong Chorus.
Annie Booth is an Edinburgh-based artist with a gift for mood-painting and storytelling. A seasoned singer, performer and songwriter - with a flair for the nostalgic and the melancholy - she wields a unique voice in Scotland, bridging genre and influence with ease. Her restless live performance and songs never cease to capture the listener with their haunting melodies and infectious arrangements. Recorded over several months at Chem19 Studios and Green Door, Booth’s sophomore album 'Lazybody' will be released on 19th November 2021 on limited edition vinyl, CD and download.
The debut single 'Cocoon' from the album has already received support from the likes of The Roddy Hart Show, Vic Galloway & Rapal on BBC Radio Scotland, Postcards From The Underground, Shereen & Phoebe on BBC Music Introducing, Fresh On The Net and Amazing Afternoons on Amazing Radio.
The singer-songwriter is also known for her enthusiasm for collaboration. From 2015 to 2020 she performed backing vocals and guitar with prolific dark-folk collective Mt. Doubt, touring across Scotland, England and Wales and recording on numerous records. 2020 saw the release of 'Clean Living' (Last Night From Glasgow) under the moniker Slow Weather: a vintage-infused EP of alt-rock co-written with producer extraordinaire Chris McCrory. The release garnered praise and spins from Steve Lamacq (BBC Radio 6), BBC Radio Scotland and Amazing Radio as well as features and airplay in the US. Over the years Booth has also collaborated on tracks with artists such indietronica outfit Out of the Swim and indie pop quintet Wojtek the Bear.
Rock band Mrs. Henry returns to the San Diego stage on November 28th to perform The Last Waltz at the Belly Up in Solano Beach. The Last Waltz was originally a farewell concert from The Band at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco on Thanksgiving of 1976. This performance will be Mrs. Henry’s second rendition of the show after their first recreation in 2017.
Mrs. Henry turned their last show for The Last Waltz into a full-blown celebration. Honing up to that celebration, this year's show will feature some of San Diego’s most notable musicians such as Jack Tempchin, Marc Ford, Isiah Mitchell, The Deca Dames, Mike Stax, Bryan Barbarin, Shane Hall, Jason Meyers, Clinton Davis, Murf McRee, Leonard Patton, Mike Pope, Anna Zinova, David Tcheng, and the Fresh Veggies Micro Brass Horn Ensemble.
This accomplished lineup will make for an unforgettable night. In 2019, a documentary of their 2017 performance premiered at the Oceanside International Film Festival and has since been played at festivals around the world like Belgium, Australia, Wales, and Canada. In addition to their documentary, in 2019, Mrs. Henry released a cover album dedicated to their performance of The Last Waltz, which is available on streaming platforms.
Big Little Lions continue their monthly releases with 'Extraordinary' which is out Thursday, November 18th.
Extraordinary is an upbeat, uplifting tune about becoming who you were always meant to be. It's about breaking free from self imposed obstacles, to become extraordinary.
Big Little Lions is the fabulous songwriting duo of Helen Austin and Paul Otten.
Danish indie-rock four piece Kindsight has shared new single ‘Don’t You Grow Up’. Kindsight’s music draws from 80’s and 90’s alternative rock and combines it with the shimmering Scandinavian pop that the region has become so renowned for, resulting in a sound that is both fuzzy and melodic in equal measure.
Kindsight formed when front-woman Nina Hyldgaard Rasmussen and guitarist Søren Svensson bonded over a shared love of The Sugarcubes. They went on to recruit bass player Anders Prip and drummer Johannes Jacobsen and over the past few years have earned a reputation within Copenhagen’s thriving indie scene for their exciting live shows.
New single ‘Don’t You Grow Up’, a coming-of-age indie gem, was the first song the band ever wrote together. Written in “a time when we thought to be a sunny teenage rock band, you had to write songs about teenagers in the sun,” they say. Atop jangling guitars, Rasmussen’s distinctive voice dances somewhere between that of Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval and Alvvays’ Molly Rankin, leaving the listener drenched in the nostalgic optimism of summers gone by.
Such sparkling talent is impossible to ignore and Kindsight is showing no signs of slowing down. Their new single comes alongside news that their highly anticipated debut album will be released on esteemed Swedish indie label Rama Lama Records in early 2022. ‘Don’t You Grow Up’ is available to stream and download now.
Prima Queen release their new single Chew My Cheeks - the song, produced by The Big Moon, is Prima Queen's first release on Nice Swan Recordings. After 18 months away from the stage, Prima Queen made a triumphant live return at this summer’s Green Man Festival, boasting a new collection of songs and an expanded 7-piece band. With Chew My Cheeks, Prima Queen once again display the subtle touches and lyrical flourishes that marked them out as pre-pandemic press favourites.
On the new single Prima Queen offer the following: "Chew My Cheeks is a song that centres on an unhealthy obsession with someone who is slightly out of reach. We wrote it in lockdown last year when we were remembering what it was like to idealise people you don’t know and to use them as a form of escapism. We ended up watching The Matrix in isolation together around the same time and were really inspired by the world in which the movie creates"
Prima Queen are an all-female indie/alternative rock band fronted by songwriting duo and best friends Louise Macphail (Bristol, UK) and Kristin McFadden (Chicago, USA). Combining vulnerable and nostalgic story telling with light-hearted lyrical imagery, their ethereal yet gritty style draws influences from artists such as Julia Jacklin, Nilüfer Yanya and Lucy Dacus.
Not to be fooled by the name, Misery is a strand of futuristic swing-pop wizardry with a cosmic piano melody and stabs of deep guitar. Described by T-Mr.9, who leads on vocals (with the Supremes-inspired harmonies courtesy of SuepLord), as “A love song disguised as a song about loss. It's about cherishing the things that matter but it's also about having the courage to say goodbye. I wanted every line to tell its own small story with different characters. They're all a bit lost but I feel like they work out what to do in the end.”
Misery’s joyful, surrealist and psychedelic accompanying video is the work of visual artist Rebecca Molloy, who says of the video “I wanted Misery to be a cross between a kids TV program and a cabaret show. So, a pink and green dog was born and thrown into a psychedelic world with a not quite right band!” With an abundance of SUEP’s playfulness, the video explores the same themes of love, closeness, and despair that the song grapples with.
SUEP are a band who dance to their own beat, creating oddball music with a taste for the theatrical storytelling. Led by SuepLord (Porridge Radio, Garden Centre, The GN Band) and Brain Wastefield (UK top model) and borne out of a near-decade of wearing silly clothes and deconstructing pop together. After relocating from Brighton to London, GN (The GN Band, Joanna Gruesome, The Tubs), Freakin' Deacon (PC World, Garden Centre), and T-Mr.9 (Head of Pastoral Care) were added to the line-up. They take turns writing songs and taking lead vocal, so each new song feels like its own unique entity, but all hailing from the playful, eccentric planet SUEP.
Taxiway releases “Four Star,” a song for late-night lonely hotel rooms, October 21 on Seven Plates Records. It is off the album, Absence, due out November 5. The single partially inspired by the film “Up in the Air” depicts a drunken conversation with a hotel’s front desk and the broader message that everything is temporary.
The song tells the story of a man who travels frequently for his job and learns that his company plans to lay him off and replace him with the overseas workers he’s been training. He runs up an enormous hotel room service tab and charges it to his company credit card out of spite. The song’s rolling snare gives a marching undercurrent of war waged on the soon-to-be-former employer. It serves as a reminder that a comfortable way of life can be one phone call away from completely falling apart. And corporate America will cut you loose without a second thought if it results in a temporary boost in their stock price.
The album is bookended by songs where the narrators feel unseen, unnoticed, and unappreciated. The characters in these songs aren’t just looking to leave; They want other people to *feel* their absence. The songs and atmospheric music that accompanies them, invoke the lonely, unfamiliar world of airports, hotels, offices, and empty city streets, centered by narrators whose lives are in a state of transit.
Rebecca McCartney returns to the city where she was raised by a family of musicians and nerds, now with her own sound and much to say. She grew up immersed in NYC’s classical music world and her early songwriting eventually led to the release of an indie-folk record under the duo name Garden Party (2020) with her close friend, Jakob Leventhal.
Now, after a college career studying jazz and playing in an R&B band, McCartney is preparing to release her genre-bending debut EP, How You Feel. Calling on her eclectic musical influences and experiences, the upcoming record generates an edgy, ethereal sound that celebrates McCartney’s buttery vocals and absorbing lyrical insights.
Rebecca is stoked to share her new single out on October 22nd. Here's what she had to say about it: "I wrote this song about a relationship that was softly suffocating. It was the feeling of, I love this person, but being with them takes up more of myself than I'm able to give, and I need to figure things out with a little more space. Like most of my songs, it started with me processing my emotions with my guitar and my voice, then turned into a more ambient soundscape when we produced it in the studio, something that was more evocative of the mellow sorrow of the song".
LA’s “Behind-the-Scenes Indie King” (LA Weekly) Joel Jerome has released the demo version of his new single “When You Land” as a stripped down, solitary performance. An off-the-cuff take, the “Porta One Demo” leans in close with its heartbreaking narrative, and without the orchestral flourishes of the polished studio version manages to find its own delicate wings to soar.
An artist who is no stranger to the other side of the board, Joel has a long history of recording himself and others, adding, “My life in recording music began with a simple four track and I still believe there is magic that it imparts on any sound, an intimacy and almost private one on one conversation with the listener. It’s like listening to someone singing to you over an answering machine message.”
Joel Jerome first gained acclaim with his pioneering South Bay indie band dios (malos), founded with his brother Kevin in Hawthorne, CA, also the hometown of The Beach Boys and Redd Kross. The release of their self-titled debut album in 2004 led to the placement of their music in the Fox series and early-aughts cultural juggernaut The O.C. Jerome has since established himself as a producer, engineer, mentor and champion for scores of up and coming LA bands such as Cherry Glazerr, while continuing to write, produce and release his own music.
“‘When You Land’ is about waiting for someone to come back from a dark place” Jerome commented. “Questioning your stamina in doing so. Hanging on to hope even though you know it may be pointless. Ultimately it's about the tender torture of unconditional love.”
Jerome’s first full-length album with Dangerbird is due out next year and is a stunning showcase for his vast gifts as a singer, songwriter and lyricist. Recorded and produced by Jerome and mixed by Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck, Kurt Vile), the album shines a light on his creative journey as well as the unique mix of influences that shape his work: the timeless melodic pop (Beatles, Kinks, Beach Boys) and classic 70’s-era Mexican singer-songwriters that surrounded him growing up.
Emerging singer-songwriter, Zach Churchill, has just released his debut single, “Bartender.” The California native opens up about a near-death experience in a powerful ballad. The song is written out of gratitude for the bar manager who saved his life after finding him dying of an overdose on the bathroom floor. “Bartender” is available to download and stream on all digital platforms worldwide.
Zach Churchill balances raw, honest lyrics with moving instrumentals, resulting in a gut-wrenching portrayal of his battle with addiction. The swelling guitar alongside a driving drumline will captivate his audience as they are engulfed in the emotional undertones that vibrate through each verse. “In 2014, I overdosed on heroin at a bar after performing there,” Churchill explains his inspiration for the single. “Everyone left, and the bar closed. The bar manager was getting ready to leave when he saw the lights still on in the bathroom. He went to turn them off, but the door was locked. He got a key from the back office and returned to find me on the bathroom floor, dying.” The release coincides with National Substance Abuse Prevention Month and “Sober October”; two causes that hit home for Churchill. “If [the bartender] had just gone home that night without checking the bathroom, I wouldn’t be here today,” he states. “I have been sober from all drugs and alcohol ever since that event and it has completely changed my life. He gave me a second chance.” The song was written by Zach Churchill and Julian Coryell, who also produced and played on the track. Churchill also recruited Stevie Blacke on strings and Eva B. Ross on backing vocals to complete the sound.
With an expressively vulnerable voice, singer-songwriter Zach Churchill breathes life, love, and gratitude into absorbing narratives. His folk-rock style is influenced by legendary alternative and rock artists such as Elton John, Radiohead, and David Bowie. He attributes his vocal inspiration to jazz musician Chet Baker and Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant. Churchill began singing as a child, learned how to play the acoustic guitar at age 13, and began writing songs a few years later. He earned a degree in Music Industry Studies from CSUN after studying vocal performance at Saddleback College and CSUF. "Bartender" is the first single off of his debut collection, Heartbreak and Hope.
“Bartender” is a folk-rock ballad that embodies the pain of living with addiction and the hope that recovery provides.
Big Little Lions continue their monthly releases with 'Beat You Up' (not in that way!).
"Beat You Up" is a calming song written as advice to ourselves, our loved ones and anyone else who beats themselves up over even the smallest things. A song telling us all to be kind to ourselves.
Beat You Up was written, recorded and produced by Big Little Lions who are Helen Austin and Paul Otten.
Hey, you don't have to worry it’s only human to get it wrong Hey I know that you're sorry I want you to know that you’ll always belong You let it beat you up again Beat you up again I wanna wake you up again Wake you up again So forgive yourself Like I forgive you You know, it’s so far behind us and it’s time to walk with grace I know you try to be flawless But it’s such an impossible weight You let it beat you up again Beat you up again I wanna wake you up again You let it beat you up again Beat you up again I wanna wake you up again So hey, let go of the worry Look for the better days ahead we’re all on a difficult journey so take care of the words in your head You let it beat you up again I wanna wake you up again You let it beat you up again Beat you up again I wanna wake you up again Wake you up again So forgive yourself Like I forgive you
After delivering their highly-praised album ‘The Last Exit’ in January this year with standout reviews in NME, DIY, Uncut, The Quietus, Mojo and many more, Still Corners return with the energetic ‘Heavy Days’, along with news of a big US tour and re-scheduled European tour dates.
‘Heavy Days’ continues the band’s journey through the atmospheric side of indie-rock. With rich and soaring guitars layered effortlessly against singer Tessa Murray’s compelling vocals, Heavy Days gallops forth, riding the edge of rock-n-roll and expansive desert-noir twang.
Speaking about the new song, Tessa said, "Sometimes it all can all feel a little overwhelming, there's a lot to take in reading the news all the time. We wanted to write a reminder to put the phone down now and again, get out there and live life to the fullest while you can.”
Still Corners will be heading off on tour in 2022 throughout the US and Europe to support their recent releases.
Big Little Lions continue their monthly releases with 'Didn't I' which is out Thursday, September 16th. 'Didn't I' is about the regret you might face if you've lived your life taking no chances and sticking to the rules of how you think life should go, therby missing out on the magic that happens in the accidents and unknown.
Big Little Lions have been described as ‘a blissful marriage of new folk and sophisticated pop’. Prolific songwriting, infectious folk-pop style, and an offbeat, memorable live show.
This award winning duo consists of Helen Austin and Paul Otten who, despite living thousands of miles apart, have found a way to connect and create music together. Despite being in two different countries, they have found common ground to share their message.
Palmaria are an Alt-Pop duo from a small town in Italy, currently residing in London. Members Giulia and Francesco have been making a name for their distinctive sound, poetically transporting listeners on a journey of dreamy landscapes and uplifting experiences. Think The xx meets Sylvan Esso, meets Little Dragon on a field trip to the Italian coast.
Their latest single “Ocean” is off of their upcoming EP, Crystallize. Co-written and produced with B-CROMA (Yendry, Fia Moon), the single stays true to their sound of delicate, hypnotizing vocals with a mix of organic sounds and utopian guitars. Taking sonic inspiration from the drums on James Blakes’ “You’re Too Precious”, the duo re-interpreted the sound through Francesco’s classical guitar.
The song is inspired by the legend of Colapesce, the magical story of a man that sacrifices his life on earth, turning into a fish to save his island, but also highlights the problem of the pollution of the ocean. “Ocean” is a call for help. The duo confides, “We wanted to give voice to our frustration; it’s been hurtful to see what is happening, especially growing up in a town almost surrounded by the sea. The ocean has always been such an important element in our lives, inspiring and healing us every time we were in need, so it’s now our turn, we have to protect it.”
Ellyn Woods is a multi-disciplinary artist currently based in Montréal. In addition to being a singer and songwriter, Ellyn has a degree in Fine Arts from Concordia and a passion for illustration and tattooing. Her art and music are a direct reflection of her love for nature and all things organic.
Ellyn received her first electric guitar when she was 12. She began learning her favorite songs by artists like Feist and Angus & Julia Stone, building her familiarity with the instrument and developing her own song-writing skills. At age 18, she moved to Toronto. Immersing herself in the city’s diverse music and art scenes, Ellyn began sharing her original material and honing her craft as a performer and artist. Her raw and vulnerable material connected with audiences and fellow artists alike. Her ability to effortlessly weave her personal experiences into her music, combined with her soft voice and songwriting instincts, lead to several collaborative projects and showcases.
In 2015, Ellyn began receiving widespread attention and acclaim for her collaborations with Montréal electronic duo Sterling Grove. The artists released three singles – “Sound of Home,” “La Vigie,” & “In the Backyard” – which have generated nearly 2 million streams. In 2019, Ellyn and Sterling Grove travelled to northern Québec to record an album. Their efforts yielded Cabin Days, a collaborative EP released June 25, 2021.
In addition to Cabin Days, Ellyn plans to release her debut solo album, All At Once, on August 13, 2021. The LP follows its lead single “Tangerine,” which gained airplay on Sportsnet’s live broadcast of the Stanley Cup Finals, CBC’s q with Tom Power, and several official Spotify playlists. Teaming up with producer/songwriter Kyle MacDougall, Ellyn weaves a colorful sonic landscape, incorporating a vast array of genres including electronic dance, indie pop, alternative rock, and R&B. Ellyn explores the complexities of love and spirituality overtop MacDougall’s brimming beats, yielding a fresh soundtrack for all your summer activities. Fans of Jungle, Men I Trust, The xx, and The Marias are sure to gravitate towards the breezy stylings of Ellyn Woods, as she effortlessly channels multiple genres and palettes all at once.
Mike Etten is a songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist based in New York City. One of the founders of the Brooklyn DIY venue and collective Le Wallet, Etten recorded and played in various experimental, chamber, punk and country projects throughout the last decade, including PC Worship, Ashcan Orchestra and Dougie Poole.
Amidst extensive touring and performing, Etten started writing his long-awaited solo debut, Love Wash, a twisted slice of fringe Americana, composed of carefully crafted and self-recorded song experiments that are equally catchy and off-kilter.
Some words directly from Mike himself: "Saints was written early one morning in a bit of a blur, strumming a chord progression in 3/4 time and singing a melody and words that wrote themselves pretty quickly. I built up the arrangement around the guitar and vocal, first adding drums and then synths that play a weaving counter line. Francesca Caruso added a vocal harmony and Adam Markiewicz (LEYA) layered a violin part based on a melody I sang to him, recorded at his home studio in Ridgewood. The bridge goes into a more ecstatic heavy waltz, it comes back around for a final verse, and feels like by the end of this one I’ve communed a little with myself, people from my past, and maybe a spirit or two from some other life."
Jillette Johnson released a new single “Daddy Dopamine” as she embarks on her first national tour in support of her critically acclaimed new album It’s A Beautiful Day And I Love You. The song was co-written and produced by Joe Pisapia, who produced her last album, and marks the first time Jillette has released a collaborative single. The tour with Houndmouth kicks off tomorrow in Oxford, MS and will make stops in Boston, MA, Washington, DC, and more. Find a full list of tour dates below or at her website.
“I wanted to create a spacious sonic landscape where my voice could just be, without having to really ‘perform,’” explains Johnson. It’s about the hamster wheel of dopamine addiction. We all chase highs to fill voids and soothe ourselves to make up for what we’re really after, which is human connection.”
“Speaking of connection, I’m so excited to be putting this song out right as my band and I hit the road with Houndmouth, who I happen to be a big nerdy fan of. I put my third album out in February, and it was such a weird feeling to not be able to play those songs in front of people. Making records to me is all about communication, and I can’t wait to give this body of work the opportunity to be more of a conversation than just a statement. Also, Houndmouth rules, and I’m honored to open for them. Gonna be a blast.”
Lily Konigsberg, a member of the beloved art rock band Palberta, is announcing her solo debut LP. The album arrives after what has been a busy 18 months for Konigsberg, who released her first solo EP on long-time Palberta label Wharf Cat Records (Water From Your Eyes, Dougie Poole) to an extremely positive reception in March of 2020 (Pitchfork described it as a collection of left-field pop that sits "at the center of a Venn diagram containing haunted dolls, Arthur Russell, and Ariana Grande"), before Palberta released their most critically-acclaimed record to date in January of this year ("a gleefully odd record...perfectly Palberta" according to the New York Times), which was followed by the release of a compilation of her early solo recordings culled mostly from Bandcamp and Soundcloud releases.
Her new album is called Lily We Need To Talk Now (out October 29th on Wharf Cat), with the title taken from a text she received from the album's producer Nate Amos of the band Water From Your Eyes, and the announcement is accompanied by the release of the album's first single "That's The Way I Like It".
Though the album is a characteristically eclectic collection of pop songs, recalling in moments the guitar-driven, punk-adjacent feel of her work with Palberta, to things like mid-Aughts Sheryl Crow, and even Cure-inflected post-punk, its buoyant energy is nicely captured by this single. Backed on drums by her Palberta bandmate Nina Ryser with backing vocals from Amos, the track is a burst of perfectly-formed guitar pop with a slight pop punk lean that displays the imaginative and slightly warped melodic turns that Kongisberg has mastered. It holds a deceptive complexity and yet feels as natural as breathing, and its ease only serves to highlight Konigsberg's considerable gifts as a songwriter.
About the mixed emotions that stems from listening to your head while following your heart, Dublin duo Idle Dream’s second single ‘The First Time’ captures a wild abandonment tempered by responsibility.
Prior to Connor McCabe joining the once-solo project, Chris had already written and recorded ‘The First Time’ with producer Ben Haynes. The duo then put the finishing touches on the song together in Dublin’s Soundcaster Studios.
The essence of the song is underpinned with far more anxiety than the melody’s hopeful, uplifting feel would portray. It deals with the ideas of young love in its later stages, inspired by the idea of falling for someone wholly as you could when you were younger, but being faced with the push-backs and complications of responsibility and personal history.
On the verse, Chris affirms ‘I wanna know you when you’re sober’, digging into the ways in which we mask our trepidation and anxiety at the beginning of a burgeoning romance. The crashing guitars are powerfully emotive, driving the force of this feeling to peaks and troughs throughout.
The first offering from a new batch of upcoming singles – and possibly what’s shaping up to be an EP – ‘The First Time’ is out today August 20th.
New York-based singer-songwriter Mae Krell shares their new single “rest stop” and the accompanying lyric video. There is an undeniable emotional rawness to "rest stop." Underscored by layered, lush instrumentation, Mae’s vocals bristle with palpable emotion as they come to terms with the loss of a friendship: “I’ve been much worse than this / am I not yours unless I'm sick? / was I better to be around / when you had to pull me out?”
Mae started to write the new single when their car broke down in the trucking area of a rest stop. They were feeling lost in life, both figuratively and literally. “I was sad and still processing a really painful friend breakup and just overall not in a great place,” Mae says. “In writing ‘rest stop,’ I was learning that sometimes getting healthier and becoming more independent can end in a loss of a relationship. And, as this specific friendship ended, I started to realize that maybe it wasn't as good for me as I thought it was.”
For the accompanying music video, Mae hit the road with visual artist Caro Hallock to revisit the aforementioned rest stop. The video chronicles the journey back to where the song was first conceived through nostalgic and timeless road trip footage.
Following a two-year hiatus, Mae Krell returned in early 2020 ready to embark on a new musical era. With a newfound maturity and understanding, they have perfected their folk-pop sound and introspective lyrical chops. At just 22 years old, Mae exudes a musicality wise beyond their years. Influenced by revered singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers, and Gregory Alan Isakov, their songs are intimate reflections that confront trauma, self-love, and personal truths. Their singles have amassed millions of streams to date, with last year’s singles “wash,” “home,” and “garden,” all individually breaking over 500K streams.
In addition to their artist career, Mae has worn many different hats in the music industry, photographing live music for Rolling Stone and Sony RCA, founding the online music publication Tongue Tied Magazine and, most recently, starting Bitch Mgmt, a multimedia marketing and PR company. With a multitude of career milestones already under their belt, Mae is taking it one day at a time and focusing on writing and recording songs that reach new emotional heights.
Big Little Lions are an award winning duo who were born out of a collaboration that won them a JUNO Award in 2014. Since then they have been cranking out infectious folk pop songs that are jam-packed with emotion and tight harmonies that sound like the product of two people working side-by-side instead of living in different countries.
Big Little Lions continue their monthly releases with 'Finally' which is out Thursday August 19th.
"The young people are leading the way with their ability unabashedly speak up about how they feel. Finally is about finding your voice after a long time of feeling held back and the relief that comes with that." - Helen Austin, BLL
Our families are filled with a rich history of people, lives and experiences, that contribute to shaping the people we become. Singer/Songwriter, author, teacher and coach, Maria Pellicano is releasing her single, ‘My Gift of Love ’today Friday 20th August 2021.
The release is a personal exploration of her own Family Constellation.. A therapeutic approach that helps individuals identify patterns of behaviour that are rooted in family origins and to work towards acceptance of the past, to build towards a healthier dynamic. Maria has published an article here that will provide you with more of an understanding of how Family Constellations work.
Maria tells us “In writing ‘My Gift Of Love’, I found a depth in expressing a very personal part of my own family history.. It was only through learning about family constellations that I feel this song came to life.. my hope is that others can hear this song and it sparks a desire for them to discover the depth of their own Family Constellations”
Maria worked with producer, Joshua Hennessy, of Pivotal Music Melbourne, to craft this heartfelt song with the hope that it will inspire listeners to take courage in exploring their own family constellations.
Church Girls is a band that finds comfort in change. Based in Philly, the band's latest single 'Separated' finds revelation in escape while channeling the spoken-word delivery of The Hold Steady and the sheer force of Mannequin Pussy.
"This song is an ode to my twin brother," vocalist Mariel Beaumont (she/her) explains. "It's about realising home was no longer what we thought it was when a family member's battle with alcoholism came to a head. The song is still hopeful in a way since we knew we'd always have a home in each other. He's still my best friend and the first person to hear every song I write."
At the beginning of 2020, Church Girls signed to Anchor Eighty Four Records, a Los Angeles label that had just celebrated a decade in business and carried weighty alumni like The Story So Far and Grayscale. From across the country, out of Philly, came Mariel Beaumont (vox/guitar), Mitchell Layton (guitar/vox), Vince Vullo (bass/vox), and Julien Varnier (drums/vox) with their sophomore LP, The Haunt, that grounded the band in a gritty, chest-pounding sound.
Now, a little over a year later, they've continued to grow with A84's roster of similarly anthemic acts, and while remaining on the label are also announcing their signing to Big Scary Monsters (American Football/Proper./Illuminati Hotties) for UK + Europe.
Vera Ellen shares a second sensational single, ‘I Want 2 B Boy’, from the upcoming album ‘It’s Your Birthday’ out October 8th via Flying Nun Records.
‘I Want 2 B Boy’ explores the depths of identity — and the incertitude that can arise from opening a can of this particular brand of worms. Sonically, the track makes immaculate use of synthesizers, and scratches our itch for a spirited sing-a-long. Equal parts triumphant and ambivalent, the sonic delivery oscillates between the two, showcasing Vera’s incredible song-writing prowess.
Vera has said on the track, “Ahh.. the multiple layers of feelings you get when you step into yourself. Joy! Pain! More confusion! You spend your life trying to find your footing and often when you do, you just step into another layer of questioning."
Written and produced by Big Little Lions (Helen Austin/Paul Otten) “Hold On is a dramatically, intense song written from the perspective of someone helping to guide and comfort a friend who is experiencing depression.” We have the pleasure of including the lyrics to the song below as Big Little Lions continue to share another gorgeous monthly release this year!
In the dark corner is where I’ll find you There’s a spark fighting to light the shadows in your soul Heavy heart crawling towards desire You’ve been starved Hungry to find a taste to make you whole feed the void that you control oh Hold on Hang on tight so you can Hold on You’ll have to fight to keep your body off the floor Only then you’ll find the door I’ll cover you While you battle with all your demons Help you through The maze of your mind you feel will never end But I know that you got this oh
Skidders (aka Steve Skidmore) is back with a brand new single taken from the forthcoming studio album Friends & Family Vol.2.
I wrote the song for my wife to appear on volume 2, but rather than wait until it's release, I wanted to publish it earlier, hence the single! But as a love song, and with my vocals, I really could not to it justice - hence the addition of Andrew James' incredible vocals. Together with the bass, mixing and mastering of the amazing Paul Hogg, although a simple song, it is one I am most proud of. I thank Andrew & Paul from the bottom of my heart and I really hope you will like it as much as I do.
Andrew James: Andrew is well know in the Cotswold area of England, and kept everyone sane during the COVID pandemic with his "Stay Sane Sessions" performed live on Facebook and YouTube throughout shutdowns. I was honoured to record guitar for some songs of his songs and Andrew reciprocated with some fab keyboards on Bukechi videos. Check out our cover of Bonnie Raitt's beautiful song I can't make you love me that Andrew lit up with his piano.
Paul Hogg: Paul is an amazing musician, producer, sound engineer and most of all, a lovely friend. Not only these virtues, but he also composes and publishes several genres of music under his name and also that of 'The Ox', the latter being amazing electronica and downtempo music.
Girlpuppy aka Becca Harvey is sharing her new single "Miniature Furniture" through Royal Mountain Records. Written in collaboration with Lunar Vacation and produced by Phoebe Bridgers' co-conspirator Marshall Vore, it's the second track from her debut EP, Swan.
With an opening tour with The Districts already scheduled for October and her first live performance at Chicago’s Riot Fest, girlpuppy's return with "Miniature Furniture" showcases her effortless confessional indie folk, earnestly examining her own emotions and writing beautifully forlorn pop songs that pierce straight through the heart.
Harvey explains, “This song is a culmination of experiences from a summer where I was traveling back and forth to Chicago and Pasadena all whilst coping with a difficult break up. I was having a really tough time dealing with the breakup, but instead of addressing the feelings I was experiencing, I distracted myself with travel and spent time with friends. I often find myself trying to hide from confronting my emotions head on by doing things to keep myself from thinking about how sad I am, so this upbeat song really embodies the fleeting feelings of happiness while also being so depressed.
I associate great memories with this song because I wrote it with two of my friends Grace Repasky and Maggie Geeslin (of Lunar Vacation) and it was such a fun experience. The "miniature furniture" title is a reference to an exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago that I visited during that summer."
Following on from his last single, ‘What More Could I Say?’, released last August on Bubblewrap Records, Ivan Moult is back with another brand new track. ‘Steady Hands’ was written a few years ago, but with Ivan setting up and honing his home studio in Cardiff, it has now finally found the light of day.
Written and recorded by Moult, the track covers the romantic coupling with his now fiancé, now also the mother of his son. Thematically, the lyrics cover the gradual maturing towards genuine adulthood, and the realisation that family life would require the shedding of some bad habits, alongside learning how to communicate properly.
As ever with Moult’s music, there’s an emotional and experiential honesty worn palpably on the sleeve, with this delivered through his typically ethereal, layered vocals and modernised take on classic 70s folk. ‘Steady Hands’ will be released across all digital platforms on June 18th. The track is accompanied by a cover of The Bangles pop classic, ‘Eternal Flame’.
Peaceful - Big Little Lions Written by Helen Austin and Paul Otten All instruments, vocals and production by Big Little Lions.
Big Little Lions have been described as ‘a blissful marriage of new folk and sophisticated pop’. Prolific songwriting, infectious folk-pop style, and an offbeat, memorable live show. This award winning duo consists of Helen Austin and Paul Otten who, despite living thousands of miles apart, have found a way to connect and create music together.
Despite being in two different countries, they have found common ground to share their message. Call it destiny, or call it fate, call it a necessary progression for these modern times. Helen lives in British Columbia, Canada and Paul lives in Cincinnati, OH.
But the distance provides the necessity to create in a new way. Using technology as their ally and their differences as their strength. Their monthy single releases are their way of getting through this pandemic while all the usual album cyle release plans don’t make sense anymore. Their music is jam-packed with emotion and tight harmonies, the sound of two people working side-by-side.
Nashville-via-London duo Ida Mae have hared their new song “Learn To Love You Better” from their upcoming sophomore album Click Click Domino. Ida Mae writes, “'Learn To Love You Better' was written for a friend of ours who was wildly and selflessly in love with a partner struggling with mental health issues and wanting to do everything right. It was written on a late 1800s Mandolinetto which we later combined with 70s analogue drum machines- inspired by JJ Cale and John Martyn. We just wanted it to be a lighter breath of fresh air on the record." Click Click Domino will be released on July 16th, through Thirty Tigers.
Ida Mae will stream a full-band live performance of their new record via Mandolin on June 24th at 8PM Eastern time. Along with a pre-show cocktail hour and Q&A with Christopher Turpin and Stephanie Jean, the performance will be interspersed with documentary tour footage and track-by-track insight into each of the songs, making the event a truly immersive cinematic experience. Filmed in a secret studio in the wilds of the English countryside, this will be the first opportunity for fans to see Ida Mae perform these songs, accompanied by Ethan Johns on Drums and Nick Pini on double bass and electric bass. Tickets are currently available for purchase here.
Ida Mae will be performing at the Newport Folk Festival, which will take place July 23 - 26 in Newport, RI. “It’s our great honor to announce we will be performing at the world renowned Newport Folk Festival this year in Rhode Island,” said Ida Mae. “Having studied the performances of John Lee Hooker, Bob Dylan, Rev. Gary Davis and so many others at Newport it means a great deal to be included in this year’s lineup.”
Vancouver's Ashley Shadow has returned with her new single, "For Love", out via Felte (Ganser, Au.Ra, AUTOBAHN).
Ashley released her debut in 2016 earning support at Pitchfork, Stereogum, KEXP, Brooklyn Vegan, AV Club, Under the Radar and more, in the past she has contributed backing vocals to Bonnie "Prince" Billy's Lie Down in the Light (Drag City), Pink Mountaintop's Outside Love (Jagjaguwar) and The Cave Singers' Welcome Joy (Matador). Interestingly, Shadow's twin sister, Amber Webber, plays in the group Lightning Dust and co-founded psych-rock band, Black Mountain.
This new single comes as Shadow's first since her 2016 release marking a bit of a comeback, it arrives produced by Joshua Wells (Destroyer, Lightning Dust, ex-Black Mountain) and evokes this rich, textured moodiness that to me feels kind of synonymous with Pacific Northwest – the sound definitely has a home on her debut too, but this time Shadow harnesses this palpable sense of hope. It features this lovely swaying percussion, lightly strummed guitar and oscillating vocals.
London-based synth-pop artist Alice Hubble has shared her comment on the #metoo movement in the form of new single ‘Power Play’ alongside news that her new album will be released later this year. Described as the work of ‘one lady at home with her enormous collection of synthesisers’, Alice Hubble mixes melancholic pop, layered vintage synths and elegant vocals, reminiscent of Ladytron, Ashra and Goldfrapp.
Her debut album 'Polarlichter', inspired by the 70’s recordings of Tangerine Dream and Sally Oldfield was released in September 2019 to much critical acclaim. Earning the project support from the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne, Steve Lamacq and Gideon Coe as well as acts like Damo Suzuki, Advance Base, Pram and Beak> with whom she played live.
Where ‘Polarlichter’ offered a soundscape of pastoral solace, new single ‘Power Play’ is a much more direct offering. Written in March 2020, Alice found herself channeling a lot of anger into the single. “The track is my comment on what happens in a post #metoo world, once the worst offenders have been ‘cancelled’ and caught and the news stories have been had. Has something changed? Does society move on and go to the next issue?” explains Alice.
The song references the mass hex of Brock Turner, when witches around the world joined together to hex the Stanford swimmer convicted of sexual assault. “I am fascinated by this form of collective digital activism,” she says. “In honoring this, Power Play is the closest thing I’ve written to a protest song”. ‘Power Play’ wassout on 19th May on Happy Robots and is available to download and stream via all digital platforms, with a new album to follow this Autumn.
Big Little Lions have been described as ‘a blissful marriage of new folk and sophisticated pop’. Prolific songwriting, infectious folk-pop style, and an offbeat, memorable live show.
This award winning duo consists of Helen Austin and Paul Otten who, despite living thousands of miles apart, have found a way to connect and create music together. Despite being in two different countries, they have found common ground to share their message. Call it destiny, or call it fate, call it a necessary progression for these modern times.
Helen lives in British Columbia, Canada and Paul lives in Cincinnati, OH. But the distance provides the necessity to create in a new way. Using technology as their ally and their differences as their strength. Their monthy single releases are their way of getting through this pandemic while all the usual album cyle release plans don’t make sense anymore. Their music is jam-packed with emotion and tight harmonies, the sound of two people working side by side.
Canadian rocker Jesse Roper continues to tease music from an upcoming album due later in 2021, dropping a serendipitous, Motown-infused new single, “Does Anybody Know” this week. Roper hit the studio earlier this year with JUNO nominated producer Gus Van Go (Arkells/Sam Roberts Band/The Stills) in Brooklyn, NY.
Discussing how the track came about Roper, notes, "It was kind of funny how the song came about. I’d been listening to a lot of Leon Bridges at the time and it was just a matter of time before I wrote something in that fashion. The song is about a guy who’s been dumped and is confused and looking for his ex all around town. I was in a relationship when I wrote it, so it had no particular meaning to me. But months later, after I got home from a long tour, my girlfriend met me at her door and informed me that she no longer wanted to be in a relationship with me. I was shocked and hurt and suffering from all those feelings. The song now felt like foreshadowing to my own future, and I was almost embarrassed to sing it.
But Gus loved it, and went straight to it. The song came together quickly and it was my introduction to his way of doing things, which I immediately loved. The tones were rich and the song ended up being really groovy. It was also the first song that Josh Dion played drums on. That guy is next level pro and my mind kind of blew watching him lay it down in one take.
It’s one of my favourites off the upcoming album. I’ve since played it to the girl who broke up with me. She loves it too. And now we’re actually back together. Maybe because she liked the song. I don’t know."
“Does Anybody Know” follows the March single “Horizons,” showcasing a new side to Roper's musicality with a focus on his powerhouse of a voice. Roper is quick to give credit to working with Van Go, who pushed him to explore new musical directions. “Recording with Gus helped take things to a whole new level. Everything was broken down to the finest details and nothing was allowed to sit at just ‘ok’. He really cared where the songs were headed and that they ended up just right. It was all about getting the vibe right.” And right it is.
Leading up to the June 11th release of their new EP, A Sleeping Place, Gawain and the Green Knight have released the single, “Fingers.” Filled with allegory and inspired by literature and mythology, the duo calls their sound, “folk for people who like to listen to music while pacing mournfully yet poignantly through the streets, pretending they’re the protagonist in a very beautiful film.”
“Fingers” is “a love song for my soon-to-be husband [bandmate Mike O’Malley], simple as that,” says singer/guitarist Alexia Antoniou, and one of her only auto-biographical songs. She found inspiration in an unusual place - on an airplane, when they were unable to get seats together. “I had been reading Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles and finished it mid-flight and was just completely emotionally devastated. I wasn’t just teary-eyed, I was outright weeping- so much so that the woman next to me took one look at me and started turning up the volume on her little headrest TV,” Antoniou recalls. “I managed to make meaningful eye contact with Mike across the aisle, and with a few gestures of the head, he agreed to meet me near the airplane toilets so I could cry some more on him. ‘Fingers’ was inspired by that whispered conversation.”
O’Malley produced the song with that same intimate, hushed atmosphere. “I wanted to ride the line of all-the-way-in-love and all-the-way-scared. And I wanted Alexia to sound like she was alone in the dark with a torch,” he says. “Sparseness and reverb seemed the order of things - a little Rhodes piano here, a little bowed bass there.”
Inspired by the etymology of the Greek word for cemetery, which simply means “a sleeping place,” the EP sits comfortably in the deep, sometimes dark, parts of the subconscious, arranged in such a way that you remember why life can be so joyful in the first place, its tempo anything but sad. “I think of this EP as a love letter, full of desperate affection, to anyone who has ever been alive and been scared to die,” Antoniou states.
Indie-rock band, RVRSIDE, release their debut EP, Bullet With Butterfly Clips, today May 21, 2021.
Consisting of front-woman Jessica Vaughn, a songwriter and vocalist whose music has been heard on a variety of top networks, including Netflix, MTV, NBC, ABC and more, songwriter and producer Curtis Peoples, who has a storied musical past as a songwriter for artists like Pierce The Veil and Third Eye Blind, and producer Colin creeV, who has produced big names like Jez Dior, hot up-and-comers like Traces, and even Third Eye Blind (of which he is a band member), Rvrside came together over a love of grunge, pop, and dirty synths.
Taking inspiration from the spirit of the 90s, Bullet With Butterfly Clips welcomes listeners into RVRSIDE’s world, “a little dark but not too self-serious,” with a mix of originals and a few choice covers. Three new songs from RVRSIDE appear alongside hypnotic reimaginings of quintessential 90s hits. The next single, “Beautiful Life” (out 4/23), turns the Ace of Base bop into a sinister alternative pop anthem, while “Love Me Like The End Of The World,” is “a love song for the apocalypse.”
Lipstick Jodi, the Grand Rapids trio led by powerhouse non-binary songwriter, vocalist, guitarist Karli Morehouse, want you to know who they really are with their latest single, “Don’t Wanna Know.” Out now, the track is featured on More Like Me, Lipstick Jodi’s sophomore album due June 4 via Quite Scientific.
Discussing the single, Morehouse stated, “The first demo I made of ‘Don’t Wanna Know’ was the first spark of Lipstick Jodi's renewal for me. It seemed like the light at the end of a really long tunnel. I was feeling stuck in time in the eyes of the people around me; like I was being judged constantly for my past. I felt like no one wanted to know me past surface level, or know me for who I really was and who I would become.”
With More Like Me Morehouse closes the books on everything that got them to this place. All the raw emotions and experiences of childhood, teenage complexity and early adulthood angst are explored and expressed in depth - soundtracked by adrenaline rush of synths, guitar-fuzz and propulsive drums. When Morehouse sings, they blast through the sounds in triump.
Listening to More Like Me is like thumbing through a journal of self-improvement, self-doubt, self-preservation, and self-celebration - words sometimes written in a steady hand and sometimes scrawled angrily on the page. Through their music Morehouse explores the deepest valleys of their mind, celebrating small victories, right after a big fight, or driving fast yelling out the car window on the treacherous road of trying to do better. While the songs contained are wildly infectious, Morehouse could not be more clear what this album means to them. A little more mature, a little wiser, a lot more confident about what they want from their music, what they want to say as a queer artist, and what they want from life. More Like Me is just that.
