Following up on the 2020 release of their second EP ‘All Hail To Your Queen’, Bristol-based atmospheric Alt-Pop quartet Ålesund return with upcoming EP ‘A Thread In The Dark’, due for release July 9th.
After the untimely curtailing of their European Tour in Spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Ålesund traveled back to the UK feeling uncertain. Although things were going so well with a new offering and an extensive touring and festival schedule to get stuck into, the timing of the unplanned hiatus was less than ideal. Rather than take it to heart, the group’s vocalist and songwriter Alba Torriset retreated to her hometown of Hastings to try and reconnect with music in a positive way.
“With all the negativity in the world, I wanted to create something uplifting and optimistic,” she says, and so the four track EP ‘A Thread In The Dark’ was created. Alba and guitarist Lloyd Starr started to put together demos with a euphoric and festival-tinged edge. They then engaged with long term collaborator and producer Jake Bright to help build the record.
This is the first time that a batch of songs have been created in this way for the band. Due to the inability to all be in the same room, Alba tried her hand at Logic and demoed her ideas to send to the others. She went back to basics creating rhythm and texture by layering up clapping and even using wooden spoons to get the percussive sounds she was after. She also layered up lots of backing vocals to flesh out her ideas. These all became features within the record and the rest of the band liked how the lockdown restrictions had actually pushed the sound forward in ways it perhaps wouldn’t have if they had all been able to jam the ideas in the same room.
Throughout the EP Alba’s intoxicating vocals take on totally different auras that interchange based on the musical landscapes they’re placed against; soaring atmospheric synth-laden soundscapes, shimmering guitars and tantalizing grooves.
Lyrically, the songs were inspired by being so still and so quiet in lockdown and being able to hear and see things that would have previously passed you by. “The usual hustle and bustle of life can drown things out, but with everything and everyone stopping, it brought a magnificent clarity. Hearing the birds sing, watching the trees blossom, following the cycles of the full moon. Thinking more about what is real, what is important, human instincts, human interactions, the natural world and how we all work together within it”, states Alba.
Trunky Juno is back with latest buoyant single Hawaiian Pizza. Showcasing his trademark melodic hooks, kaleidoscopic sonic palette and wistful lyrics, the track is the perfect pizza-themed accompaniment to the start of summer, and a high point off the also-released Good Dog EP.
In Hawaiian Pizza, Trunky celebrates the friendships we make in spite of (and often because of) our differences, using the context of a controversial pizza topping to point towards a more fundamental and universal message. Through the lyrics “I’ve got Hawaiian pizza in the oven coming soon, the fridge is full of cold ones, enough for two”, Trunky highlights the joy found in sharing the simpler things in life with others and in so doing sounds like the type of friend we all need.
As he explains, “Hawaiian Pizza is a song about tuning out people who shit all over everything you like. I like Hawaiian pizza, you like Hawaiian pizza so let's be friends and eat Hawaiian pizza together."
This week Reb Fountain announced her new album IRIS is out October 1st, plus she dropped what we think might be one of best videos (called Beastie) video. As well as the regular vinyl and CD formats, we have a limited edition transparent turquoise vinyl available. Also, a reminder that Reb won the 2021 Taite Music Prize, was shortlisted for the Silver Scroll Award for her song ‘Don’t You Know Who I Am’, and the album Reb Fountain was nominated for five New Zealand Music Awards.
In May 2020, Reb Fountain released her self-titled album via New Zealand label Flying Nun Records to much critical acclaim. Reb Fountain won the 2021 Taite Music Prize, was shortlisted for the Silver Scroll Award for her song ‘Don’t You Know Who I Am’, and the album Reb Fountain was nominated for five New Zealand Music Awards; Album of the Year, Best Alternative, Best Solo Artist, Best Album Artwork and Best Engineer.
Award-winning songwriter, Reb Fountain, is a consummate recording artist and performer; spell-bounding audiences with her music and artistry alike. Throughout 2020, Reb and her all-star band (Dave Khan, Karin Canzek and Earl Robertson) astounded audiences around the country on her sold out album release tour, joined Crowded House on their 13 date ‘To The Island Tour’, performed at Splore, and honoured the great Nick Cave at the sold out Auckland Town Hall shows ‘The Boy Next Door’.
Reb was born in San Francisco and immigrated with her family from North America to Lyttelton — the quiet port town out of Christchurch that’s been fundamental to New Zealand’s alt-folk scene, raising artists like Marlon Williams, Aldous Harding, and Delaney Davidson.
Ebony Buckle is a London-based singer/songwriter, originally from her tropical seaside home of Townsville, Australia. Writing and performing with her husband, musician Nick Burns, who also produces her music, Buckle uses captivating stories to hold a mirror up to herself and the world. Reflected in these songs is our humanity - our wants and needs, our struggles to fit in or break out. Throughout all of this is the hope that we can connect, that we can see the magnificent beauty of our universe and that we can grow and learn and evolve without fear.
From a poem to a song, the whimsical “Wild Woman” makes a minimal, haunting entrance giving off a timeless, magical aura. The choir of layered vocals emit an angelic echo, while moments of opera displayed in a fluid, godly arrangement, mirror a dance as her powerful wild woman takes center stage. The instrumentation carries a tense and powerful drum beat, folk-glowing guitar and a selection of affecting strings that cradle the soundscape.
After being struck by a quote in the book “Women who run with the Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Buckle wrote the song as a plea to her inner “Wild Woman”. She shares, “The one who has taught me to tend to my inner power, to keep me on the path that is truest to myself, to trust my own intuition and to take up space in the world.” Often struggling with confidence, Buckle cherishes what makes her feel most like herself and wishes to never let that part go. Focusing on staying true to herself and releasing music that is reflective of her authentic creativity, “Wild Woman” symbolises the next part of her creative venture as a musician and keeping her autonomy over what she creates.
“Wild Women” is the sixth track from her upcoming album Disco Lasers. The album is a collection of audio-visual stories celebrating the wonders of our universe and how we as human beings make sense of our existence through folklore legends, science and our imagination. Buckle reveals, “The album as a whole is very atmospheric, almost cinematic. Each song is arranged to tell that specific story. For this one we wanted to make it more of a folk song that might be sung around a fire. Or dance to under a full moon. It’s a much more grounded side of me...I’m not always up in the air with aliens and space whales!”
SuperGlu are a punk pop band and their recent song 'Soil' is now accompanied by a video for what is a powerful and hook filled track. === Our second feature for Gizmo Varillas this year is for 'Born Again' where the beats and bright vocals really please. === We have a couple of recent songs and videos fromThe Commander In Chief namely 'Non Si Sa Mai' and 'The Manager' and where do I begin, let's just say highly talented and creative for starters. ===DAYLA has released 'Lighthouse' a modern and very individual pop song where the refined vocals are notable. === Singer songwriter Ebony Buckle shares her beautiful new song 'Ghost' which mixes a little folk styling with some wonderful pop sensibilities.
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SuperGlu - Soil.
Manningtree punk-pop fourpiece SuperGlu have shared the video for their recent single Soil, which is out now alongside an exclusive vinyl only release on Flying Vinyl. Following the band’s triumphant return last year with single Forever Endeavour, which formed a new beginning for the band and reminded us what we’ve been missing following their two-year hiatus, Soil marks a thoughtful and ambitious return.
Funded by the PRS Foundation Open Fund for Music Creators, the track was exclusively released on vinyl via Flying Vinyl on 24th April and was released digitally earlier this month through the band's imprint Don't Try, in conjunction with Antigen Records. Soil is a song about escapism and bravery delivered emotively and with a dose of tongue-in-cheek wit, in true unique SuperGlu style. The animated video, created by Studio Goblin, is a captivating watch and intently illustrates the meaning of the song. They say;
“We kinda let the guys at Studio Goblin create what they wanted to - it was important to us that they had the chance to interpret the song and come up with their own ideas. Everyone hears, sees and experiences the world in a different way, so why not celebrate that.”
SuperGlu released their debut EP Horse in 2016 and Communion released single Welcome Home/Rounder in 2017 and have since built an avid following for their vigorous punk-pop sound, with support from Huw Stephens and Annie Mac at BBC Radio 1, Steve Lamacq at BBC 6Music, John Kennedy at Radio X and BBC Introducing.
Their reputation as one of the UK’s best live acts has built them an impressive resume, which includes numerous shows at SXSW, support slots with Twin Atlantic and The Stranglers and a headline show on the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds festival. The band performed a full UK tour in Autumn 2019 and their live show is one not to be missed.
Gizmo Varillas has revealed a video to go with his latest single ‘Born Again’. A beat laden crescendo of a track featuring dueling guitars that blasts off with a message of renewal and better days ahead.
In the last 12 months Gizmo has received plays from Lauren Laverne, Huw Stephens, Jo Whiley, Chris Hawkins, Tom Robinson, Gary Crowley, and Shell Zenner across BBC Radio 2, 6Music, BBC London, BBC Wales, and Amazing Radio, and picked up over 30 million streams. He will release his third album ‘Out Of The Darkness’ on June 5th.
In the run up to the release of his third album, Gizmo Varillas teases us with ‘Born Again’. A beat laden crescendo of a track featuring dueling funk and reggae guitars that blasts off with a message of renewal and better days ahead.
In his own words, ‘Born Again is about personal transformation, changing from within and giving yourself the chance to start over. Even if we reach our lowest point, we can always rise up again. And in many ways, it’s about never giving up and empowering yourself to go on.’
Featured in the BBC’s brand-new series Alabama, Born Again follows on from the incredible success of Tony Allen featuring single ‘Saving Grace’ and ‘Love Over Everything’ both of which were played across radio networks from LA to Athens and saw him cross the 30 Million Streams landmark. With more new music coming very soon, Gizmo resonates as a most unique of solo acts with a timely message that will resonate with many.
The Commander In Chief - Non Si Sa Mai / The Manager.
The Commander In Chief is about to release “Berit - Vol.2” in just a few weeks, which will be the second of the four albums in the series. She just released the 2nd single and music video from it; “The Manager,” a very humorous song, filled with catchy hooks, a great guitar solo and lots of irony about how it is for an artist to record music, while cooperating with a manager who always wants to add changes.
The first single and video from the album was the stunningly beautiful and catchy song Non Si Sa Mai - written in Italian - as a tribute to the many happy childhood years she spent in Verona, Italy, as an expat.
As an independent/unsigned artist, this 7 string guitar virtuoso, singer, songwriter and pianist smashed her way onto the heavy metal scene, getting universal acclaim as “1 of 10 modern guitar gods,” by major magazines, before successfully crossing over to classical music; with a #1 album on Amazon and viral music videos. She was the first guitarist ever to record some of the most challenging pieces written for violin virtuosos, on guitar. Her guitar duel version of Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen Op.20” went viral immediately and it has been featured on TV stations in several countries and in a movie.
The release of “Berit - Vol.2” has been postponed until June 2020, due to unforeseen delays caused by the Corona virus, when it comes to both the recording process, the CD manufacturer and the digital distributor. Due to the virus lockdown, The Chief had to be creative when it comes to recording vocals, since she did not have access to her usual recording location. The walk in wardrobe turned out to be a perfect vocal booth.
It is hard to find a more humble and down to earth artist than her, and her work ethics and drive to push herself is well known. With her upcoming album she also shows the world her great sense of (very dark) humour and well developed self irony, and that she is willing to aim her deadly, verbal missiles at wrongdoers again. While she attacked big corporations, intrusive government, mad scientists and corruption in her earlier recordings, it is way more personal this time, as she fires back at the neighbour-from-hell, the over-eager immigration officer who sent her back to Norway(!) and others in “Berit - Vol.2".
Born in Norway, The Chief and her family emigrated to Italy when she was 6 years old. She was raised in Verona, before moving to France, USA (3 different states) and England. She and her family have swapped the big city life of London and Chicago with the quiet and inspiring hills and greens of the Cotswolds, where they have lived for more than 4 years.
Parisian artist based in London, for the past few years DAYLA has travelled between the two cities working on what would become her first EP with producer and long-term friend NBO TOWN. Her thoughtful lyrics, delivered with deep, ringing vocals, invite us into her dreamspace. She finds inspiration in the maelstrom of life and the vulnerability that its turbulence exposes. Using abstract and undulating imagery, she transports you into her own unbounded world. Intimate, honest and affective, her music is flavoured with minimalist electronic sounds and soulful vocals.
After releasing her debut single “Closer” in 2019, winning the praise of The Times, Earmilk and Clash magazine, DAYLA returns with “Lighthouse”, a more personal track depicting the journey to overcome life’s struggles.
"Lighthouse is not a classic pop song: it tells a story,” says DAYLA. I wrote it when I was struggling to get along with a loved one,” she explains. "The idea was to bring love, ‘the light’ of the lighthouse, to people who aren’t ok, who might be negative and hard to deal with. Through time, it became the song that gave me hope when my mom was dying then helped me through the grieving process. I hope this song will help someone during this difficult time we're all facing. "It’s alright" to feel all the things you’re feeling. "It’s alright,'" she adds.
For her new visuals, DAYLA has been working with her friends at CY Collaboration. "The video shoot was done in one day with no budget: we only had a green screen, a DV camera and the natural light," she says. "The aim was to do something spontaneous and raw, to see what we could come up with. Just to be in the moment without caring too much about the technical side of things or our budget but simply creating. It’s a real struggle as a musician to get all the assets for a song done with little to no money, so this experience was very freeing for me. The team at CY Collaboration was very easy to work with and came up with very cool ideas," she adds.
Ebony Buckle is a London-based singer/songwriter, originally from the tropical seaside town of Townsville, Australia. Taking listeners on a whimsical leftfield-pop journey with her complex harmonies and imaginative storytelling lyricism, Buckle sings about universal themes of romance and broken hearts to more poetic themes of disgruntled mermaids, lonely whales and joyous, hypothetical alien invasions.
Over the last couple of years, Buckle has realised that in order to create an authentic narrative and preserve her unique creative style, she had to make her own music. She confides, “I am a naturally shy person and sometimes find it hard to be myself in front of other people, but music has really helped me connect to my true self. I feel like the songs I write come straight from my inner dialogue and they are a true expression of who I am”. She writes and performs with her husband, musician Nick Burns, who also produces her music.
Her latest single “Ghost” details the heart-wrenching experience that Buckle and her English husband Nick endured during their fight to renew her visa after their marriage. Despite her specific experience, Ghost is a universal song of love, loss, commitment and pain of feeling utterly helpless. “Ghost” was written over Skype between her and her newly-wed husband, as they were kept apart for nearly two years. It was a time in their lives when normality was turned upside down, and they were put in limbo.
Developing an immeasurable sense of depression due to the separation, the couple couldn’t plan for any future and during this time had no end date to look forward to together. It was in this difficult time, Buckle and Nick wrote “Ghost”. The song acted as not only a healing mechanism, for their pain and loss; but allowed them to move forward together - with something beautiful that they had created during their separation. Sonically, “Ghost” builds from delicate, sweeping soundscapes into a dramatically haunting release, soaring with atmospheric harmonies and organic instrumentation.
Caroline Blind shares a second track from her upcoming album with 'Need To Say'. Described as "dark and atmospheric" it's all of that and quite hypnotic as well. === Folk meets pop with 'Susan' by Ebony Buckle a delightfully quirky song that twists and turns both playfully and beautifully. === Our fourth feature for Gaffa Tape Sandy who have shared 'My Desperate House' a hook filled, full on garage rocker. === Five piece rock band Colour Of The Jungle have a fine song and message with 'Humblebee' a powerful and determined indie rock piece. === Randall Bramblett has released 'Vibrating Strings' ahead of the 10th anniversary release of his album 'The Meantime'. The new, deluxe edition of the album includes two previously unreleased bonus tracks from the original sessions including this gorgeous one. === Stone Irr has a new video for the single 'Fine With Me' a melodic and refreshing piece with fabulous vocal harmonies. === Finally today we have Brooke Annibalewith a superb acoustic version of 'Under Streetlights' where her vocals exude emotion and feeling above a rich yet stripped back musical arrangement.
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Caroline Blind - Need To Say.
"Need to Say" is Caroline Blind's second offering of her upcoming album The Spell Between, due out in February 2020. This new dark and atmospheric composition comes a month after the release of "God Damn The Sun," an homage to the classic Swans hit. "Need to Say," sounds delicate and ethereal; it features Rich W. of The Wake in bass, and it was produced, mixed and mastered by Gordon Young.
The song is about the last few hours you have with someone you love, and it was written when one of Caroline's friends was in the process of losing one of their parents. "It reminded me of when I lost my father in 2015. The song tries to capture the moment of when you know you are (or may be) in your last moments together with someone very close to you. You try to be present, you try to be strong, and say all the things you never said, or that you want to say, or should say, but even if, and as, you find the words, you realize how futile, senseless and meaningless they are in the face of loss. Shares Blind. "Time as we know it is about to end. It's so hard to not grieve in advance, but if you can find a way to put the grieving off, you may receive the true gift, the gift of the time you ~do~ have," she continues.
"Need to Say" is one of the few original songs that will be included in Blind's upcoming album. The Spell Between is a gothic love letter to some songs that inspired Caroline throughout her career, combining covers, reworked Sunshine Blind tracks, and original new material. The record features collaborations by Rich W. of the Wake, Dave the Dramedy, David Wolfenden of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Ashe Ruppe from Delphine Coma, and Gordon Young from Joy Thieves/Pretentious Moi/Children on Stun/ The Dream Disciples.
Ebony Buckle is a London-based singer/songwriter. Hailing from the seaside town of Townsville, Australia, Buckle was encouraged into the entertainment industry by her parents, studying singing, violin, piano and drama and before long she completed a degree in opera singing. Taking listeners on a whimsical leftfield-pop journey with her complex harmonies and imaginative storytelling lyricism, Buckle sings about topics covering everything from romance and broken hearts to disgruntled mermaids, lonely whales and alien invasion.
Realising that the only way to be in true control of her own creativity and express herself authentically was to start her journey as a solo artist, Buckle jumped in head first and has not looked back since. She confides, “I am a naturally shy person and sometimes find it hard to be myself in front of other people, but music has really helped me connect to my true self. I feel like the songs I write come straight from my brain and they are a true expression of who I am”.
Following the release of her debut single ‘The Mermaids Said No!’, the quirky songstress is introducing her follow-up single entitled ‘Susan’. A track dedicated to her imaginary best friend and alter ego, Susan the Raptor. Mixing elements of whimsy folk, with fanciful pop melodies and infectious lyrics, all baked in to one big Ebony Buckle cake, the delightfully eccentric musician has created a delicious sound, bursting with vibrancy and charm. Emitting a joyous feeling with a hint of melancholy, the track highlights the singer’s operatic trained vocals, which shine brightly throughout. Buckle reveals, “Susan was born one night after too much prosecco and the name just stuck. She is the carefree, risk-taking and sometimes reckless side of me. I think we are all made up of many different personalities and I just decided to name one of mine! Mostly we wanted to make a really joyful track that would make people smile”.
Reminiscent of Regina Spektor meets Kate Bush, Buckle is inspired by other strong female artists who have forged their own path into the music industry. Aspiring to create music which will help others realise their most authentic self and encouraging people to always take life with a pinch of salt, Buckle confides “I hope it inspires people to be true to who they are. To not be afraid of being different and to know it's ok to express themselves”.
The singer come actress has performed in West End plays, as well as a BBC drama, where her role as a Geordie folk singer saw her music reach number 1 in the iTunes World Music Charts. She has also received extensive airplay from numerous BBC stations across the nation, as well as garnering blog attention. In the words of The Mind Monster Solution author Hazel Gale, “It’s a rare thing to find music that speaks so directly from (and to) the heart. Wonderful!” Buckle continues to feed our imagination with her beautifully kaleidoscopic music. ‘Susan’ is currently available worldwide.
Bury St Edmunds’ England resident garage rockers Gaffa Tape Sandy today share the visuals for recent offering My Desperate House, and announce news of their first ever UK headline tour, set to take place March 2020.
Following on from critically acclaimed sophomore EP Family Mammal out earlier this year via cult indie label Alcopop! Records, the riotous trio will be looking to capitalise on their growing momentum, with much-lauded displays at Glastonbury and Latitude (BBC Introducing) seeing them become firm favourites on the live circuit.
Discussing their new video and upcoming live dates, the band stated: “We really wanted something which showed footage of how much we’ve loved gigging over the last three years, from travelling to Germany and Iceland, to gigging up and down the UK with Skegss, Indoor Pets and SuperGlu, as well as some of the people who’ve helped us along the way. It’s a big kiss from us to you”.
“To say we’re excited about our first UK headline tour would be a massive understatement. To make it even better, we get to do it all with our best buds Beach Riot. We have been wanting to go on tour together for what feels like forever, so to have it all come together is rewarding, gratifying and beautiful”.
“This is super huge for us, so if we’re stopping by somewhere near you, come help us make these shows wicked. We need you now more than ever to come and shout our songs at us and dance around. We’re gonna have a banner, a van, and everything!” Produced by George Perks (SuperGlu), Gaffa Tape Sandy’s My Desperate House is out now via Alcopop! Records (Art Brut, Kagoule, ITOLDYOUIWOULDEATYOU) and available on all digital platforms.
Colour of the Jungle are a five-piece rock band, whose captivating songwriting and raucous energy has been resonating with audiences from Munich to the South coast of England. Their catchy-but-emotional, approachable-yet-raw sound is built upon sexy bass-driven rhythms and edgy instrumentation, creating music that sticks in the head and the heart.
The group of five friends initially started jamming for fun before swiftly moving to the studio where they soon discovered their true potential and recorded their debut EP The Jungle Book. The four-track release perfectly captured the complex basslines of John Harris, confident drum beats of Dan Fiford, rhythmic riff and leads of Joe Costello and Brendan McVeagh, and intriguing lyrics of Jack Evans. Colour of the Jungle succeed in combining each individual's unique styles, forming a fresh yet genuine fusion of sounds.
Following the release of ‘Steel Tray’ which garnered both critical and commercial acclaim, the band are dropping ‘Humblebee’. The single narrates the current environmental crisis and how years of ignorance from the human race has taken its toll on the planet. It highlights how our selfish acts have caused us to forget the bigger picture and are ultimately destroying our future. ‘Humblebee’ was sparked from life events and retains the feeling of authenticity and honesty throughout the lyrics. Evans confides, “My sister had gone to a bee farm after her fight with leukaemia and my friend was struggling with a cocaine habit. These events inspired my lyrics. Everyone has stuff going on whether it’s happy or not. I try to deal with my ups and downs by writing songs and each one marks that point in my life”. Showcasing plucky guitars and gritty vocals which showcase Evans impressive range, the track builds into an upbeat anthem reminiscent of The Milk Carton Kids. Their broad palette of sounds and textures allow the band to craft an engaging and diverse sound.
New West Records will release a 10th Anniversary Edition of Randall Bramblett’s 2010 studio album The Meantime on January 31st. The 14-song set was produced by Bramblett and recorded and mixed by John Keane at John Keane Studios in Athens, GA. The new, deluxe edition of the album includes two previously unreleased bonus tracks from the original sessions and will be available on vinyl for the first time. Remastered for vinyl by Jason NeSmith at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA, The Meantime will be available as a double LP pressed on Limited Edition Burnt Orange Vinyl and housed in a gatefold sleeve.
At the time of its release, Bramblett was best known as a multi-instrumentalist and for his appearances as a saxophonist with Steve Winwood and Traffic, Widespread Panic, the late Levon Helm of The Band, and more. The Meantime was viewed as a sonic departure for the songwriter, finding him performing some of his earliest songs on grand piano.
Bramblett states, “The Meantime reflected my need at the time to record a quiet and beautiful record with grand piano, upright bass and drums. I had all these songs, old and new, that were never going to fit into the guitar based records I had been making. Most importantly, subject matter of love, grief and yearning needed a lot of space and we dedicated ourselves to keeping the production very simple. I think we did a good job giving these songs what they needed to shine.”
Randall Bramblett’s solo career began in the 1970s with a pair of albums on Capricorn Records. Joining the rock-jazz fusion group Sea Level, he wrote & co-wrote a number of the group’s songs, including the single “That’s Your Secret.” Bramblett was approached by Traffic co-founder Steve Winwood in 1988 and spent the next 16 years touring in his band. It was on the road he began writing his own songs with newfound confidence and inspiration. Teasing his listener with unexpected humor while fleshing out fully lived-in characters with human ambition and godly stature, Bramblett continued his storied career with a continual pageant of reinvention and true conviction. 2017 saw the release of his latest album, Juke Joint At The Edge Of The World. Met with critical acclaim. American Songwriter said the album was “...so consistently captivating and creative, it’s impossible not to return for multiple listens.”
Los Angeles-via Indiana songwriter/musician Stone Irr shares the new video for his single "Fine With Me" from his latest LP Performance out now via Darling Recordings. Full of cautious energy, "Fine With Me" showcases his restrained songwriting skills and intricate vocal harmony. The accompanying video is an exploration in experimental animation with abstract visualizations.
Stone explains, “'My buddy Tyler reached out and wanted to do a CGI video for one of the tracks from my album. Fine With Me felt like the best fit since it has a noticeable dynamic range - starting off with solo guitar and vocals and building to a full ban. Plus it’s a short song - so there’s a shorter amount of visuals to render! We wanted to do something conceptually ‘out there’— essentially I gave him some references (colors, art pieces, the episode of the Simpsons where Homer eats a hallucinatory pepper) and wanted to give him free rein to interpret them as he liked. Tyler is a brilliant artist in every capacity (visually, musically, etc) and he made a video that matched exactly what had been spinning around in my head. There’s a lot of fun and beautiful imagery in this 3D world he made - all acting as little nods to the lyrics in the song."
Stone Irr’s new, second album Performance is equal parts heart-on-the-sleeve Midwestern indie and warm, West Coast pop, reflecting the artist's Indiana upbringing and recent move to Los Angeles. Stone's growth as an artist, songwriter, and arranger since his 2017 debut album Sinner is obvious on the standout track "All We Want Anymore." The song features a bright, Beatles-like melodic structure and a cascading finale of strings and horns that pushes Stone's voice deep into the mix.
That voice, often multi-tracked with layers of harmonies, is Stone Irr's defining quality. It floats through the record, at times whispered and ethereal and at others gritty and broken, reminiscent of Thom Yorke, Jessica Pratt, Jens Lekman, and Sufjan Stevens.
Singer-songwriter/guitarist Brooke Annibale announced today a new batch of tour dates for early 2020. US dates kick off in February and will be followed by her first ever European tour which includes stops in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and the UK. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.brookeannibale.com.
The announcement follows the release of a new reimagined acoustic version of her song “Under Streetlights” from 2011’s Silence Worth Breaking. Of the song, Brooke stated “We are just a few weeks away from the end of this decade, which I'm finding is causing me to reflect quite a bit. 'Under Streetlights' was written and recorded at the beginning of the decade in 2010 and has changed my journey in so many positive ways. This song was written in 2010 up in the stunning mountains of Austria.
It was been requested by so many people over the years, no matter how old it gets. It has been danced to as a first dance for a very sweet newlywed couple. It was my first song placed in a TV show. It was the first song I recorded for the album Silence Worth Breaking back in December 2010. All that to say, it has been a very special song to me, so I'm releasing an acoustic version for it today that I recorded in my house.”
