Charli Adams - The Flatmates - Pike & Sutton - Seablite - Who Can Sleep

Charli Adams has shared 'Cloverland Drive' ahead of her debut E.P due out at the end of January. We featured 'Backseat' from Charli last month, and again she impresses on this melodic and personal track. === Ahead of their first studio album due in the Spring we have The Flatmates and 'Shut Up And Kiss Me'. One of thirteen tracks, it's a good indicator of the album where vibrant indie rock is consistently present and with hints of 1980's New Wave, overall it's a thoroughly fine collection of songs. === Pike & Sutton have just released 'Bright As The Sun' a gorgeous song with soulful vocals set against a natural alt rock backdrop, that builds with intensity and passion. === Seablite make their second appearance here with 'Skeleton Couch' and once again the band are energised, this time with a shoegaze vibe , that still packs plenty of hooks. === Indie pop/folk duo Who Can Sleep have just released 'All Your Love' a gentle yet atmospheric song that has a calm and pleasing feel to it.
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Charli Adams - Cloverland Drive.

Fast establishing herself within the alt-rock landscape, indie newcomer Charli Adams offers a more reflective approach in new cut ‘Cloverland Drive’, the second track taken from debut EP ‘Good At Being Young’, out 31st January via Color Study (Haux, Henry Jamison, Rosie Carney).

Growing up in Alabama, Adams made the transition from cheerleader to passionate songwriter early on in high school. With few musicians, fewer concerts and family that belonged to a deeply conservative church, the alt-rocker resorted to playing secret shows in cafes and coffee shops. At age 16 she left high school and moved to Nashville where she immersed herself in the underground scene and began creating a wealth of material unbecoming of her adopted hometown.

Already receiving heady comparisons to several of her contemporaries, the young musician’s mature songwriting, focusing on the friendships and hardships of her formative years, has attracted plaudits from key taste makers including Billboard.

Explaining the origins of the track, Adams revealed: “‘Cloverland Drive’ is the name of the cross street I’ve lived off ever since I moved to Nashville on my own at 17. I wanted the song to be an ode to the Nashville music scene that I grew up with, and my house that we called home. It’s a special place and we all joke I’m not allowed to move out at this point. I hope it reminds people of their long lost friend, teenage drives, house parties and the way it feels to be young”.

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The Flatmates - Shut Up And Kiss Me.

A mere 34 years after their first show, indie – pop – punk band from Bristol UK, The Flatmates, release their eponymously titled first studio album, officially their debut, this Spring. “The Flatmates” will be released early 2020 by The Subway Organization in Europe (the label’s first release since 1994), and by Happy Happy Birthday To Me in the US.

The album marks the culmination of a very fruitful period of writing for the band, with main songwriter guitarist Martin Whitehead’s songs being augmented by contributions from singer Lisa Bouvier and keyboard player Rocker.

The self-recorded album features thirteen (lucky for some) killer pop songs, all originals, including the opening track ‘Shut Up And Kiss Me’, which was released in late 2019 on a limited edition 7” by independent Greek label Old Bad Habits. Side one also takes in “You Held My Heart”, the first Flatmates single to be written by singer Lisa and the organ-swirling groove of “She’s So Bad for You”.

Side two opens with the anthem for the indie generation “Last Guitar in Town”, which Martin wrote after waking suddenly to find a tall dark figure standing at the foot of his bed and a gravelly voice speaking the words... “Listen son. No-one...gives a fuck...about your rock’n’roll”. “This Is Reality” brings you round with a slap in the face and the flip-side continues through the live favourite “Punk Moth” and the crime drama “The Night We Murdered Love”. “The Flatmates” closes with the brass-stabbing, string-sweeping, ivory-tickling, finger-snapping, soul-stomping call to the barricades that is “(If You’re Going To Give Your Life For A Lost Cause, Then...) Why Can’t It Be Love?”

With the release of “The Flatmates” the band have now notched up new releases in each of the 5 decades from the ‘80s to the ‘20s.

The album was recorded in Bristol at Rocker’s home studio StAR Studios, by bandmembers Martin, Lisa and Rocker plus bassist Matt and drummer Brian, with guest appearances by Wendy Pickles (The Popguns; The Perfect English Weather); Katie Gatt (Personal Best, Colour Me Wednesday); Geoff Gorton (Arrest! Charlie Tipper, The Dukes Of Mumbai); Harry Furniss (Iceman Furniss Quartet); and Thomas Aherne (The Proctors, Peru).

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Pike & Sutton - Bright As The Sun.

Austin-based duo Pike & Sutton have announced their full-length debut album Heart Is A Compass will release on April 3rd. Led by "hometown favorites" (Austin American-Statesman) Patrice Pike and Wayne Sutton, the band has evolved out of the longtime alternative rock band Sister 7. Today they shared their new song "Bright As The Sun." American Songwriter stated "When many listen to music, they want it to relate to them. They want to feel as if they are living the story the artist is telling and Pike & Sutton do just that with 'Bright As The Sun.'"

"I love that 'Bright As The Sun' starts like a gentle rain and builds into something big and beautiful," Pike told American Songwriter. "We live in Austin and had been in an extreme drought. The lyrics and music reflect renewal, literally with water, and also the sound of a house being filled with songs from the record player. It's about lack moving into abundance."

Sutton continued, "This record is a step forward for us musically and is different than anything Patrice and I have done. There's certainly recognizable elements. It's us, but we have pushed ourselves in songwriting and stretched the pallet."

Pike & Sutton is a partnership, a creative evolution, and a promise fulfilled. Equally anchored by the powerhouse vocals of Pike and the deep textured guitars of Sutton, Heart Is A Compass is both a transformative celebration of the pair's R&B, soul, and roots influences and an exhilarating call-to-arms for the faithful. Co-produced with Grammy-winner Jim Watts (Emmylous Harris, Jenny Lewis, Kelly Clarkson), the album crackles with passion, vision, and undeniable hip-shaking rhythms.

Since last fall, Pike & Sutton have been teasing some of their new songs, including title track "Heart is a Compass" and a reimagined version of Otis Redding and Carla Thomas' classic "New Year's Resolution" with special guest John Popper of Blues Traveler. They also made their anticipated return to Austin City Limits Festival in October, check out their performance of "Hands Up."

As Little Sister/Sister 7, Pike and Sutton ruled clubs and festivals throughout Dallas, Houston, and Austin as the most melodically riveting jam band in the southwest. With their two major label albums - 1997's This The Trip and 2000's Wresting Over Tiny Matters on Arista Records - the band's musical evolution took national stages alongside artists such as The Allman Brothers, Sarah McLachlan, The Nevill Brothers, Ray Charles, Chris Isaak, and Dave Matthews Band. Rolling Stone called Pike "Tina Turner, Bessie Smith, Janis Joplin, and Robert Plant all rolled up into a tiny but explosive package," while Billboard said she is “One of the finest new contemporary rock singers in America.” In 2007, Pike was inducted into the Austin/Texas Music Hall of Fame alongside Lucinda Williams and other notable Texans.

Pike is also co-founder of the Step Onward Foundation and has collaborated in raising over $1 million for supporting education, housing, and sustainability for young adult survivors of homelessness and children surviving critical illness in the last 10 years.

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Seablite - Skeleton Couch.

Bay area shoegaze / dreampop 4-piece Seablite return with "Skeleton Couch' off their upcoming 10" EP 'High-Rise Mannequins'  (Emotional Response Records).

2019 finished with critical acclaim across the board for SEABLITE’s lives shows and their excellent debut album topping many Year End “Best-Of” lists. There was even a surprise and welcome placing at #36 in Good Morning America’s top 50 albums of the year, rubbing shoulders with some industry giants!

The new year sees the band off to a flying start, with a brand new 4 song 10inch EP, that builds on their growing stature as songwriters and performers. Recorded by Alicia Vanden Heuvel (The Aislers Set, Poundsign etc), in San Francisco, the new recordings capture the band at an exciting moment in time, as they take their place amongst the growing list of Bay Area fuzz-pop indie-greats.

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Who Can Sleep - All Your Love.

Who Can Sleep are an indie folk- pop duo based in California. Having met while sharing a bill at the historic El Cid venue in Silverlake, Dean Vivirito and Lex Helgerson quickly discovered a spark, both musically and romantically. Vivirito wanted to start a project that wouldn’t be held back by labels or genres and so the two set out with the intention to create a contemporary sound that is both fresh and diverse. Combining ethereal instrumentation, country tinged guitars and stunning vocal harmonies, the project entitled Who Can Sleep is a cross-genre exploration of sound.

Helgerson composes heartfelt, candid lyrics as a vehicle for stories of inspiration. Who Can Sleep's latest single “All Your Love” started as a dream. The songwriter instantly jotted down her visions when she woke up, painting a beautiful kaleidoscope of sounds and lyrics. Helgerson confides on the meaning of the song, “Dean is very selfless in our relationship. He inspires me to be more generous, and sometimes I wonder if I give enough. I wanted to express the feeling that I might not be giving as much as I receive”. The contemplative track shimmers with soft, floating vocals, delicately twangy guitars and gentle percussion. Vivirito shares, “I distinctly remember while rehearsing the song, we were working on the tempo and groove and it was too fast. I told Lex the listener should be reminded of that post-sex feeling”.

The duo are heavily inspired by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, so much so that they recently covered Side A of his seminal Born in the USA album. The two also find inspiration from great country classics, as well as modern tastemakers such- Billie Eilish, Blood Orange and Childish Gambino.


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Charli Adams - West Wind - Sea Wolf - Walter Martin - Margot - Fassine - The Hempolics - Aqua Seca

Charli Adams may be a newcomer (I'm quoting below) however 'Backseat' is a confident and imaginative alt rocker of sorts that exudes class. === West Wind share 'River' the band only formed last year however this is a smooth and tight musical excursion that takes dance music close to the border with sophisticated rock. === Four years on and Sea Wolf returns with 'Fear Of Failure' an indie rock song with a good helping of folk sensibilities. === Songwriter and a creative one at that Walter Martin shares the delightful and extremely catchy 'That's All I Need' an exotic song that conjures up so many fine mental images. === From South London we have the five piece band Margot with 'In Your Palm' a dreamy, laid back and lush song oozing class. === Known for their cinematic pop Fassine have just released the rather gorgeous song entitled 'Limbs' - expect a whole load of beautiful musical hooks. === With a stylish video The Hempolics introduce 'Full Of Surprises' a song with some beautifully deep dub and reggae moments, alongside a fresh and more modern feel. === We finish today's selection of new and good tunes with a music video from Aqua Seca and the track 'Slowdrive' a song where decades of rock music come together in a fusion of old meets new.
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Charli Adams - Backseat.

Drifting seamlessly into the alt-rock landscape, newcomer Charli Adams excels with stirring lead single Backseat, the first track lifted from debut EP Good At Being Young, out 31st January via Color Study (Haux, Henry Jamison, Rosie Carney).

Growing up around rural Alabama through broken homes and a conservative Christian family, Adams left her life there as a cheerleader at 17 and moved to Nashville to pursue music, setting about creating a wealth of material somewhat unbecoming of her adopted hometown. Evoking comparisons to contemporaries Phoebe Bridgers, Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten with her fiercely anthemic tendencies, the alt-rocker’s songwriting tackles her formative years, and the ensuing friendships and hardships, coupled with romance and heartbreak.

Discussing Backseat, an ode to the tail-end of adolescence, Adams explained: “The night before I was heading into the studio to finish the EP, I was on a drive with two of my friends on some back roads outside Nashville. It was the first time our conversation had ever felt robotic to me, like small talk among close friends. So I turned up the music and put my head out the window and tuned out for the rest of the drive. I went home that night to write Backseat and I immediately felt like it was the missing piece of the EP”.

Live Date: 31 Jan – The High Watt, Nashville (EP launch).


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West Wind - River.

Upon the release of lead single River, Ulladulla outfit West Wind set their sights on a golden horizon of their warmly understated and deeply irresistible selection of soulful dance tracks on their EP Sundown. West Wind are a four-piece band who distill elements of funk and downtempo dance genres into a style of dance music that tastefully balances the acoustic and electronic. Producer Marc Andrews and singer Mitch Fa’oa's songwriting dynamic elicits the sensual juxtaposition of deep house escapism and indie- dance approachability. Their EP, Sundown, will be released January 24th, 2020 and supported by an east coast tour. ‘When the wind blows west, where we live the ocean is clean, the weather is crisp and everyone’s having a good time. That’s the vibe we want at our gigs.’ - Marc Andrews.

The single and the other three songs on the EP were produced and recorded independently in Marc’s home studio. River is a crystalline exploration into dance genres as agile guitars and effervescent synths get people moving. The lyrical theme follows the excitement of seduction, contrasted with the downfalls of single life, an emotional flow held only by a focused groove.

West Wind began in 2018, with Marc Andrews producing and Mitch Fa’oa on vocals. After the release of their debut album Vision of Her, the band expanded to include Mark Beasley on bass and Zach Lucas on keys, allowing them to build a live show that gained strong support locally. This larger dynamic allows greater interplay between the Marc’s electronic techniques and the vitality of a supporting band.

Across the four tracks, Perfume with a confident air and raspy melodies, Hollywood’s easy ability to sass a late night workload through to Stay Calm’s chillingly reflective state, Sundown sets a refreshing tone for house sensibilities and soulful desires. The band plan to share this sophisticated sensation on a tour of NSW’s east coast, with plans for Wollongong, Sydney and the Gold Coast to come. The ‘Sundown’ EP by West Wind is out January 24th, 2020.

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Sea Wolf - Fear Of Failure.

Los Angeles-based artist Sea Wolf has released a moving new track titled “Fear of Failure”, his first new music in four years. Showcasing lush, indie/folk melodies and carefully crafted lyrics, “Fear of Failure” is a raw, contemplative song that highlights the power in vulnerability and bravery in the face of fear.

“For me, this song is both incredibly personal and very much about the world we live in,” explains Sea Wolf leader Alex Brown Church. “It took a long time for me to get to a place where this song could come out, so it feels really good to finally be sharing it.”

Sea Wolf first captured attention with the breakout track “You’re A Wolf” off the debut full-length Leaves In A River. He has since released two more studio albums and one stripped-down LP, establishing a reputation for his poignant delivery and dexterity as a songwriter and garnering positive coverage from NPR Music, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The New York Times and more. After experiencing several significant life changes, Church returns with his most personal and intimate material to date. The heartbreakingly honest “Fear of Failure” is a breakthrough moment that showcases his ability to gracefully illustrate deep, complicated human emotions, while also offering a sense of hope by the song’s end.

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Walter Martin - That's All I Need.

Renowned songwriter and Walkmen co-founder Walter Martin will release his new album The World At Night on January 31st via Ile Flottante Music. Produced by multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaufman (The National, Hiss Golden Messenger, The War On Drugs), the album is Martin's most richly orchestrated and grandly cinematic collection to date, as well as his most poignant. Today he shared two new songs from The World At Night: "The Soldier," a vivid character portrait sung from the perspective of his 96-year-old grandfather-in-law, and "That's All I Need," a burst of humor and celebration about familial love.

He remarks about "That's All I Need," stating "I guess I just wanted a moment of pure joy on the album. I think it adds depth to the whole album. In my mind it's more about familial love and not really romantic love - more like about a longing to be loved and to be with the people you love."

With sweeping strings and lavish horns fleshing out his spare, understated vocal delivery, The World At Night calls to mind everything from Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits to Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson. Dedicated to his dear friend and late Jonathan Fire*Eater bandmate Stewart Lupton, it balances soul-baring intimacy with sophisticated arrangements as they walk a delicate tightrope between despair and hope, faith and doubt, security and uncertainty. In addition to Kaufman, the album features an all-star cast of musicians including Sam Kassirer and Zach Hickman (Josh Ritter), Stuart Bogie (Arcade Fire, The Hold Steady), Rob Moose (Bon Iver, The National), and pianist Thomas Bartlett (Glen Hansard, Norah Jones).

Lupton's memory looms large on this record and his spirit informs the music in ways both explicit and implicit. Album opener "October" sets the tone from the outset, pairing exuberant music and ominous lyrics about fate and mortality as Martin sings, "The trees have gone bald / Guess the world is getting older / October is here." It's followed by the title track "The World At Night (For Stew)" which grapples with the confusion of loss and draws much of its imagery from a collage that Stewart made that now hangs above Walter's writing desk. In a recent interview with Billboard, he stated, "I'm not really a religious person, but I do believe in ghosts and in magic and in plenty of beautiful stuff that I can't see. Writing this album - and especially this song - was an effort to get closer to that stuff. And to Stew."

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Margot - In Your Palm.

South London 5-piece Margot share new single In Your Palm alongside an animated video directed by Jenny Wright, and announce the release of their debut Margotzeko EP which follows on 7th February 2020.

Margot are drawn to what they describe as “melancholy’s softer side”, and of all the tracks on the forthcoming Margotzeko EP, In Your Palm is most indicative of this. A dreamy waltz of a song where the band’s usual fusion of hazy neo-psych, dream-pop and jangle guitar - which pulls influence from Real Estate through to The Smiths -  is replaced with late-night smoky romanticism.

In Your Palm could be a break-up song, with the soft hues of frontman and lyricist Alex Hannaway’s vocal taking on an emotive troubadour tint. However, as with all Margot’s songs which are often bittersweet character studies with an eye on the minutiae of modern human existence, there’s a much deeper social-political undercurrent. In Your Palm is an ode, of sorts, to disillusioned teachers. As Alex expands “It’s about a teacher feeling that their job to teach is becoming untenable due to the outsourcing of schools to corporations driven solely by profit.”

Taking a literal cue from the song’s title, Jenny Wright’s animated In Your Palm is set inside a hand, with the palm a springboard into different locations inspired by the meanings of the lines within palm reading. In Your Palm and the Margotzeko EP from which it is taken was recorded and mixed by Ben Andrewes of Margot at the band’s home studio in Peckham, London and out of hours at a studio in Kings Cross where Andrewes’ works. It was mastered by Kevin Tuffy at Alchemy Mastering.

In Your Palm is released now as a stand-alone digital single with Margot’s debut Margotzeko EP following on 7th February 2020.

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Fassine - Limbs.

Cinematic pop creators Fassine return with ‘Limbs’, a typically dramatic and chaotic single that sees the London trio chart heavier, more aggressive waters. With previous acclaim and support from the likes of The Guardian, The Independent, Giles Peterson, Clash and more, Fassine bring back their genre-bending take on alternative electronic music, and it’s even bolder than before.

‘Limbs’ is replete with punishing, reverberating guitars, war cry howls and thunderous drums. Of the track, Fassine say: “Limbs is the warfare waged over someone else’s well-being. The silence of the middle while all around are screaming.’’

While ‘Limbs’ does possess glimpses of the filmic and vivid qualities Fassine became famed for on ‘Gourami’ (2017) and Dialectik (2016), for the most part it shatters any preconceptions you had of the trio. “One limb / give him two limbs / give him something / just wrap your heart around him’’ Sarah Palmer sings on the chorus, her macabre words perfectly complementing the apocalyptic backdrop.

“We try to create small vignettes of people’s lives, their flaws, their strengths, their beauty, their ugliness. We put ourselves in their world, look from their perspective and the songs are our own little plays. Every song we create is a different story tied together by people's consistent inconsistencies", the band added. ‘Limbs’ reveals just how comfortable the band are in this new skin.

Since their last release, Fassine have been busy on our screens, their XTC cover of ‘That Wave’ appeared on the Sky Arts documentary on the seminal band, This Is Pop. Their track ‘Whatever It Takes To Help You Sleep’ played as the backdrop to Netflix’s first feature film Velvet Buzzsaw, and their track ‘Leaves’ was featured on Oprah Winfrey’s Queen Sugar.

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The Hempolics - Full Of Surprises.

The Hempolics return with ‘Full of Surprises’, the first single from their forthcoming second album ‘Kiss, Cuddle & Torture: Volume 2’, planned for release in April 2020 on their own record label Zee Zee Records via Kartel Music Group. The single has already gained support at radio from BBC 1Xtra’s David Rodigan, 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, Don Letts and 6Music Recommends.

“Musically I wanted to make something completely different to ‘Boss Clock Me Style’, which was one of the singles of our debut album to make it onto the BBC 6Music Playlist,” recalls Grippa Laybourne about what he defines as a “dark, winter Portishead trip-hop meets dub track but with Nubiya’s pop vocals.” Expanding on the production of the song, the renowned mixing engineer and record producer explains, “we used synth bass instead of live bass to create an even darker, dirty sound. Bass leads the way on the track,” he strongly declares.

Filmed in the dark, lost corners of London and directed by Blue Laybourne - known for directing videos for the likes of Maison Margiela X Highsnobiety, Puma and Novelist - the visuals complete the song’s lyrics and its story - perfectly depicting the band’s lead vocalist Nubiya Brandon’s past experience.

“It’s a window into my 17-year-old self,” reveals Nubiya talking about the lyrics she wrote for “probably the darkest and introspective song I’ve written”. Recalling her favourite moment after a party “when all that was left was me and a few close mates,” a time she could stop being “the overly flamboyant person at the party” that wasn’t really her. The title ‘Full of Surprises’ is about people not always seeing the real side of her personality in social situations. “I don’t really party so crazily anymore due to London’s dying venues and house parties being not what they used to be,” she adds, reflecting on a version of herself she’s largely left behind.

The Hempolics’ blend of Reggae, Hip-Hop, Dancehall and Pop has already been heavily supported across UK national radio by BBC Radio1, BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6Music, where the band had three playlisted singles. They went on to have 6Music ‘Album of The Day’ and were subsequently chosen by Liz Kershaw's pick for 'Album Of The Year', after an impressive live session for Lauren Laverne. The Hempolics are Grippa Laybourne (Dub FX, Keys), Nubiya Brandon (Vocals), Dandelion (Vocals), Harry Collier (Vocals, Guitar), Leon King (Guitar), Lorenzo (Bass) and Craig Boorman (Drums).

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Aqua Seca - Slowdrive.

Aqua Seca releases their music video for their single, “Slowdrive.” Trent Hankinson and Derek Stewart decided to take on the music scene following the attention they received for the music video for their previous single, “Whipped Cream,” which garnered over 12k views on YouTube not long after its release. The original idea for “Slowdrive” came to Trent a little over two years ago and now the music video brings their vision of a thoughtful night alone to life.

"As the name entails, the song really came to stand for the kind of place of you get to on a long, lonely drive. Alone with your thoughts, just you and the road. Nobody else around, just you thinking things through, really getting deep into your head." - Trent Hankinson

In “Slowdrive”, the audience is introduced to Trent as he walks to his car that is parked on an empty dirt road. The sun is starting to fade into the horizon while Trent puts his truck in drive. He rides slowly into the night, stopping to watch the nighttime take over the sky a few times. Alone with his thoughts, Trent appreciates the time he has to himself with his car, music, and an open road.

The guys have known each other since they were freshmen in high school and have always enjoyed jamming out together in their spare time. At the time that Trent began writing the songs for the upcoming LP, focusing on music was the last thing he should have been doing. He was a full-time student in college with an overloaded class schedule and an internship, with his songs just voice memos he had on his phone. When Trent decided to stop holding himself back from his dream, he reached out to Derek and Jacob to be permanent fixtures of Aqua Seca. Like Trent, Derek and Jacob had other commitments such as a full-time apprenticeship and school. However, the pull towards their music was not something any of them could ignore and now the songs are more than just melodies in Trent’s head and memos on his phone. “Slowdrive” is dominated by the force of Trent’s guitar playing, Jacob's bass, combined with the driving beat of the drums and high-hat played by Derek. “Slowdrive” is perfect for fans of early Tame Impala and Led Zeppelin.

Trent Hankinson (main vocalist and guitarist) is in charge of the entire writing, recording, and production process; and with Derek Stewart (on drums), and Jacob Horne (bass, guitar, and keys) they are ready to take on the music world.

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