Showing posts with label Ellie Schmidly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ellie Schmidly. Show all posts

YOWL - Ellie Schmidly - Wesley Jensen

YOWL - Warm (in the Soft White Fire of Modern Living).

Background - Peckham five-piece YOWL have announced their new single 'Warm (In The Soft White Fire Of Modern Living)'. The single follows the release of YOWL's second single and video for ‘Dark Room’ and UK tour with label mates LICE including a sold out headline show at Sebright Arms. It was then on to Europe to play Pitchfork Avant-Garde and London Calling Amsterdam.

Alongside the new single, YOWL have also announced two new live dates including a headline London show at Bermondsey Social Club on 31st May 2018 and a show supporting IDLES at the Trades Club in Hebden Bridge on 1st August 2018. The full list of YOWL's forthcoming live dates is as follows:

28th April – Portsmouth Psych Fest
28th April – Sticky Mikes, Brighton (Free entry)
6th May – Sounds From The Other City, Manchester
25th – 27th May – Dot to Dot Festival
31st May – Bermondsey Social Club, London
21st July – Truck Festival, Oxford
1st August – Trades Club, Hebden Bridge w/ IDLES

With an EP and two singles behind them YOWL have earned some impressive critical acclaim from the likes of NME, DIY, AnOther, Loud & Quiet and more. Following the release of 2016's Before The Sleep Sets In EP YOWL released debut single 'My Headache Likes To Speak' in May 2017. Across its noir-laden four minutes, the band marry gnarled razor-wire guitars and a swaggering rhythm section with the sick croon of vocalist Gabriel Byrde. 'My Headache Likes To Speak’ was the second release from London's Big Score imprint, after recently putting out material from Bristol's LICE. The label comes from the minds behind Golden Arm who have watched over the likes of HMLTD, Goat Girl, and The Big Moon.

Nobody’s happy putting up with poor job prospects and a city pricing out the poorest, but the Peckham-formed YOWL capture a frustration of the 9-to-5 London grind like few others. And in frontman Gabriel Byrde, they have someone who can spin poetry on songs about alienation and exhaustion. YOWL are often viciously loud, but Byrde’s fanciful delivery gives them an edge. TWITTER.


'Warm (in the Soft White Fire of Modern Living)' is a laid back alt rocker where the distinct vocals are engaging from the opening moments. The band open with an air of cool slacker vibes but when they power up, they really do power up!

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Ellie Schmidly - Wild is the Wind.

Background - New artist Ellie Schmidly has released "Wild Is The Wind," the third single from her upcoming debut EP, Blossom & Bone. This whimsical cover is from George Cukor's 1957 film of the same name. Arranged and produced by Todd Gummerman (MuteMath), "Wild Is The Wind" captures Schmidly's crystal clear vocals over delicate strings and waves of pedal steel. "Wild Is The Wind" is available today at all digital outlets, with Blossom & Bone following on May 11.

"I first heard the song being covered by Nina Simone, in a very powerful and slow tempo with an obscure jazz piano accompanying," recalls Ellie Schmidly. "I was really taken by the lyrics – they are so expressive and unapologetically in love. I wanted the music to match the brimming-over feeling that the lyrics conjured, and I immediately ran to the Wurlitzer in hopes that I could give it a totally different feel."

Ellie’s journey to this point is a serendipitous story. Starting to write and record this EP was daunting process because she felt so far behind everyone else. She hadn't set out to become a songwriter. She wasn't attending a music program in Nashville, and wasn't considering music as her career path. Instead, her music was discovered by famed producer Charlie Peacock (The Civil Wars, The Lone Bellow) after one of her performances was posted to Twitter.

Peacock was so taken with her Springfield, MO house show performance that he reached out to her the very next day to introduce himself. Peacock invited Ellie to Nashville to partake in songwriting sessions and introduced her to those in the community that could help cultivate her music. She says Charlie’s encouragement was life-changing. It turned out to be literally life-changing because she left her home, friends, family, and school in Missouri where she was studying public policy, to make the move to Nashville. After years of working on her music and continuous writing, Ellie has arrived at this seminal point when she'll unveil her debut, Blossom & Bone. WEBSITE.


It's our third feature for Ellie Schmidly in just a couple of months this time with 'Wild is the Wind'. Previously we have described her vocals as "personable and charming plus enticing and melodic" perhaps that in it's self is reason enough for sharing this track. That it is a fabulous cover of a sixty years old song with a gorgeous musical arrangement is the real purpose for featuring it!

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Wesley Jensen - Everything.

Background - Taking a page out of the Brian Wilson songbook, Wesley Jensen & the Penny Arcade deliver a glistening retro-pop tune that harkens back to the golden age of 60s baroque. "Everything" is the lead single from the upcoming EP Something New.  Both musically and lyrically complex, the track is chalk full of warm textures and orchestral layers all while sounding inherently modern.  Jensen says the track deals with themes "trying to survive in the world and what it means to find success."

Wesley Jensen was born and raised in a quaint Northern CA town, and his music often reflects this small-town upbringing, heavily inspired by the people and scenery surrounding him. After breakout record, Tales of a Wandering Man, and follow-up, Californian, Jensen’s sound has evolved from singer-songwriter into a fully formed heavyweight of indie folk-pop.

His lyrics are honest and music pure, mixing the best of new and old sounds. Infusing 60’s pop with modern production, Jensen finds a way to create something entirely unique, all while remaining true to his roots. He is a consummate story-teller, not afraid to let his guard down and address relatable ideas and imagery with charm and sincerity.

Currently residing in the artistic hub of Denton, TX, Wesley and his band have played with the likes of Deep Sea Diver and the Wild Reeds. While constantly touring in their own right, in 2017 they made their SXSW debut in Austin. The band’s musical presence continues to blossom throughout TX and beyond. Wesley Jensen & the Penny Arcade's new EP Something New will be available worldwide May 25, 2018. WEBSITE.


Vibrant, catchy, and full of timeless musical vibes 'Everything' is both nostalgic and yet fresh and uplifting. It's indie something, perhaps surf, sixties, folk or pop, lets just say it's indie brilliant.

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Benjamin Dean Wilson - Forest Ray - Ellie Schmidly

Benjamin Dean Wilson - The Smartest Person in the Room.

Background - Benjamin Dean Wilson is a one man show - his new album, "The Smartest Person in the Room" was written, produced, and performed entirely by him and recorded in analog using a Tascam 1/2 inch tape deck.

Featuring a unique storytelling structure, each track is like a short film with its own ensemble of characters and blends elements of traditional "talkin' blues" style together with musical theater.

Benjamin Dean Wilson started his creative career in the film industry before turning to music, working as a camera assistant on commercials. He then made short 16mm films and play before deciding to tell his stories through music instead. He released his first album, "Small Talk" through German label Tapete Records, followed by a European tour. 


Benjamin Dean Wilson: guitars, piano, keyboards, bass, drums, harmonica, violin, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, organ, percussion, bells, etc. Maria Grigoryeva: fiddle on "The Smartest Person in the Room". FACEBOOK, BANDCAMP.

The title track from the new album 'The Smartest Person in the Room' is a very good indicator of the sheer quality and imagination that has gone into this impressive collection of songs. More or less a one man band, the musical arrangements are nonetheless tight and pleasing and the vocals add some real distinction to the music. Catchy, likable and individual this is an album to delve into.

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Forest Ray - Laughing.

Background - Forest Ray experiments in the analog and psychedelic. Their progressively vintage sound will have you spiralling back to the 1960s and beyond in a whirlwind of fuzz wound like a Roland Space Echo. Garage punk and psych with tinges of post-punk and drone rock recorded on an 8 track reel to reel. Started in San Luis Obispo, CA by Peter Sumic and Robby Porovich and currently based in Seattle. Their first record, Musical Witchcraft, was released October 28th, 2016 on 180g vinyl.

AKA Forrest Rey, Forest Ray is a Psychedelic Rock experiment that was born out of a DIY studio in San Luis Obispo, CA. The Studio, which was originally a slum lord junk dungeon attached to an apartment building, was transformed into a menagerie of vintage recording artifacts filled with tape machines, oddball microphones and prehistoric delay boxes.

Dedicated to the analog recording process and use of reel to reels for all steps of mixing and mastering for a darker, older and more intimate sound, more time was spent rewinding and marking tape for recording projects than was spent eating or sleeping. Originally released on Demo Cassettes hand-drawn by a good friend and collaborator in the Seattle Area, Forest Ray will release its first Vinyl LP mixed and recorded fully analog by Peter Sumic (Guitar, Bass, Vocals) and Robby Porovich (Guitar, Vocals) and mastered to Vinyl by Pete Lyman at Infrasonic Sound Studios in Los Angeles, California.

Forest Ray's recording have never touched a computer or any digital effect or amplifier during the recording , mixing or mastering process. The recordings are 100% analog until the vinyl and digital masters are made seperately and transferred from tape. The music combines guitar driven psychedelic rock with tinges of raw synth-laced UK post-punk, Tropicalia and Latin psych flute influence, expressive uninhibited saxophones with stoney jazz influences with energetic drumming that embodies the youthful garage punk aesthetic that fueled the group’s creation. FACEBOOK, BANDCAMP.


Casually coming into play the music on 'Laughing' is beautifully arranged and has so much clarity. The vocals add a little psychedelic feeling to the song, whilst the music on this occasion holds centre stage as it digs in deep.

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Ellie Schmidly - One More Wave.

Background - Ellie Schmidly has released "One More Wave," the second single from her upcoming debut EP, Blossom & Bone. Composer Jordan Critz arranged strings for "One More Wave," with Todd Gummerman (of MuteMath) producing this song along with the rest of Blossom & Bone. "One More Wave" is available today at all digital outlets, with Blossom & Bone following on May 11.

"'One More Wave' is about the bittersweetness of beautiful moments in life," recalls Schmidly. "I sometimes find myself celebrating joyful times only to be interrupted by the fact that the moment will pass. It seems grim, but I think it gives us freedom to find gratitude for something in every season of life."

Ellie’s journey to this point is a serendipitous story. Starting to write and record this EP was daunting process because she felt so far behind everyone else. She hadn't set out to become a songwriter. She wasn't attending a music program in Nashville, and wasn't considering music as her career path. Instead, her music was discovered by famed producer Charlie Peacock (The Civil Wars, The Lone Bellow) after one of her performances was posted to Twitter.

Peacock was so taken with her Springfield, MO house show performance that he reached out to her the very next day to introduce himself. Peacock invited Ellie to Nashville to partake in songwriting sessions and introduced her to those in the community that could help cultivate her music. She says Charlie’s encouragement was life-changing. It turned out to be literally life-changing because she left her home, friends, family, and school in Missouri where she was studying public policy, to make the move to Nashville. After years of learning, working, and continually writing, Ellie has arrived at this seminal point when she'll unveil her debut, Blossom & Bone. TWITTER.


Just a month ago we stated "Ellie Schmidly's vocals are personable and charming" when we shared her first single. The follow up 'One More Wave' is another beautiful song, once again the vocals are enticing and melodic, the music is in fine harmony, this really is something special.

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Benjamin Jaffe - Ellie Schmidly - Clever Girls

Benjamin Jaffe - Susan the Cat.

Background - Benjamin Jaffe announced today the release his solo debut album Oh, Wild Ocean of Love on May 11th via Diamond Family Records. Best known as one-half of the acclaimed Americana duo Honeyhoney, Jaffe steps into the spotlight with his debut and reveals his ingenuity as a guitar virtuoso, multi-instrumentalist, writer, composer, and arranger. Along with the announcement, Jaffe released his new song titled "Susan The Cat," a sweeping folk ballad inspired by an odd roommate.

Trading the rootsy stomp of Honeyhoney's three albums for an indie-alternative sound, Jaffe widens his approach with Oh, Wild Ocean of Love. These songs make room for a broad range of influences, from the polyphonic rhythms and improvisational freedom of jazz music to the soul and swagger of Motown. There are R&B ballads like "Everlasting Peace," where Jaffe layers his voice into gorgeous stacks of multi-part harmony, and dissonant rockers like "Blooming," where he shines a light on his skills as an inventive electric guitarist. Throughout the tracklist, Jaffe plays nearly every instrument himself, bouncing between drums, keyboard, bass, and guitar.

Inspired by a wide range of sounds and texts - including Paul Simon, Beck, Randy Newman, and The Essential Chuang Tzu - Oh, Wild Ocean of Love explores the wreckage left by a relationship that's poorly-defined and headed south. It's an album about the full spectrum of love: love for yourself, for others, and even your maker. An album about lessons learned. An album about the realization that even in these chaotic times, it's okay to relax. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.


Tour Dates:
03/06 - Atlanta, GA @ Eddie's Attic
03/07 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement
03/09 - Shreveport, LA @ Strange Brew
03/10 - Lake Charles, LA @ Luna Live
03/13 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right
03/15 - Philadelphia, PA @ Ardmore Music Hall


'Susan The Cat' is a beautiful folk ballad that is awash with atmospheric feeling, both musically and with the vocals of Benjamin Jaffe. The production is sublime, allowing all elements to stand out and shine, the album just begs to be heard.


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Ellie Schmidly - Where To Begin.

Background - New artist Ellie Schmidly has released "Where To Begin," the first single from her debut EP, Blossom & Bone. "Where To Begin" is available today at all digital outlets, with Blossom & Bone following on May 11.

"When I first started working at music, it was hard for me to sit down and write or sing because it required me to ask questions of myself and to be vulnerable," recalls Ellie Schmidly. "It forced me to knock down some scaffolding in my own personal construction of how things are to be, and I wasn’t good at that practice yet. It was work and uncomfortable, and it was easier to not do the work, but then I would still feel this deep nagging need to express some big feelings I had ignored within myself – I was conflicted. There is a sort of parade that happens in the song, a big instrumental break with cheering, and it reminds me that doing the hard work of looking inwardly at ourselves is a small victory.”

Ellie’s journey to this point is a serendipitous story. Starting to write and record this EP was daunting process because she felt so far behind everyone else. She hadn't set out to become a songwriter. She wasn't attending a music program in Nashville, and wasn't considering music as her career path. Instead, her music was discovered by famed producer Charlie Peacock (The Civil Wars, The Lone Bellow) after one of her performances was posted to Twitter.

Peacock was so taken with her Springfield, MO house show performance that he reached out to her the very next day to introduce himself. Peacock invited Ellie to Nashville to partake in songwriting sessions and introduced her to those in the community that could help cultivate her music. She says Charlie’s encouragement was life-changing. It turned out to be literally life-changing because she left her home, friends, family, and school in Missouri where she was studying public policy, to make the move to Nashville.

On Blossom & Bone she collaborated with accomplished producers, arrangers, and engineers within Nashville. Todd Gummerman (guitarist for MuteMath) produced the EP and arranged many of the string parts heard on Blossom & Bone. Jeremy Larson (member of Violents), Composer Jordan Critz, and Darren King (drummer for MuteMath) all played, co-wrote, or arranged strings on this EP. With the encouragement of her supportive Nashville community, Ellie Schmidly is ready to begin. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.


Ellie Schmidly's vocals are personable and charming on  'Where To Begin' a song that mixes some gentle melodic moments with more powerful and dramatic interludes. The music builds into something quite special and unexpected, but for me, it's the vocals that ensure a second listen.

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Clever Girls - Loom.

Background - Clever Girls have just premiered their new video for "Loom" via New Noise Magazine. Taken from their upcoming release, Luck, the album will be out on April 2, 2018, with a release show on April 5 at ArtsRiot in Burlington, Vermont.

Late at night, perhaps after Clever Girls' frontwoman Diane Jean has finished digging through dead people’s stuff, you may find her writing. Between running a vintage store and a handful of other odd jobs, Diane founded Clever Girls- a quartet formed in the drunken droves of Burlington, Vermont that creates sorrowful “confused rock.” With a knack for getting into trouble, the grunge pop four-piece is known for their unfiltered emotional deliveries, if not just for their accidental profanity.

Diane Jean’s quirky outlook buoy the band’s writing, while Rob Slater deftly reinvents percussive palettes between songs. Low, steady basslines from Tobias Sullivan anchor the music, while Winfield Holt’s guitar playing is able highlight each song. Together, the group creates hard-hitting and masterful rock, never slipping into diaristic monotony.

Above all, Clever Girls as a group will elicit the same emotion and nostalgia that Diane Jean seeks to find in her day job; the music will live somewhere between straight forward rock and roll of bygone eras and dusty, moth-eaten grunge pop. Clever Girls Luck is out April 2 on all major platforms. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.


Tour Dates:
March 9 - Rosegold - Brooklyn, NY
March 10 - The News Cafe - Pawtucket, RI
March 17 - Black Heart Sound - Manchester, NH
April 5 - Arts Riot *Album Release Show* - Burlington, VT
May 10 - Kick Off Sidebar - Burlington, VT
May 11 -  Manchester, NH
May 12- O'Brien's - Boston, MA
May 13 - Rhode Island
May 15 - The Knitting Factory- Brooklyn, NY
May 16 - Asbury Park (brewery) - Asbury Park, NJ
May 17- Everybody Hits!- Philadelphia, PA
May 24 - Hole in the Wall - Austin, TX


'Loom' starts out with a bass line and enticing vocals and then builds layer by layer into a classy alt rocker. An underlying level of emotion alongside some melodic hooks gives the song some real edge, another album that's firmly on our radar.


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Bumper Catch Up featuring: Rubblebucket - Mollie Elizabeth - Lilly Hiatt - The Kearns Family - WILDES and St Francis Hotel - Lucette - Caroline Strickland - Mon Rayon - Lala Salama

Keeping the comments a little shorter so we can cram a few more songs in than usual, this is our first bumper catch up of some really fine r...