London DIY punks Fresh have shared another track from their forthcoming new album, ‘Raise Hell’, out 1st July on Specialist Subject. New song 'Going to Bed’ acknowledges the uncertainty and tension of nursing a small crush but going ahead despite the fear and embracing all those ‘I don’t knows’.
“There’s a focus on self-love too, taking typical therapy clichés and self-soothing activities (trust myself more/light a candle etc) made into eerie, sacred rituals and manifesting your own safe space” says lead singer Kathryn Woods.
Fresh have been an unwavering fixture within the UK punk scene since their first record in 2017. A joy to behold live, Woods honed her craft not only fronting Fresh but as a member of several heralded indie and punk bands, including cheerbleederz and ME REX alongside Fresh bandmate Myles McCabe.
Their new album radiates with their signature mischievous British charm and flourishes of brilliant pop punk flair – though underestimate Fresh at your peril. ‘Raise Hell’ dares to dive deeper than most, delivering Woods’ darker moments and contemplative thought processes through the sharply focussed lens of upbeat indie punk.
Alongside the announcement of their new album, they shared lead single ‘Babyface’, a song written in early lockdown, “hence the ‘boredom’ refrain” says lead singer and songwriter Kathryn Woods (cheerbleederz, ME REX). “It’s a song about having a mind that’s both overstimulated and under-stimulated at the same time. The light, airy synths make it a cry for help masquerading as a pop song.” This is a sentiment that runs through much of ‘Raise Hell’ – the push and pull of conflicting emotions, wrestling with opposing personality traits, the tension between learning to self-love and yet wanting more.
It’s about the collide. The light with the dark. The old with the new. Captivating audiences with her soaring voice, genre defying sound and honest words, Emily Jean Flack is an emerging artist on the Canadian music scene. “Growing up playing Celtic music gave me the fire. Listening to country and folk gave me the soul. Inspired by vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Celine Dion, Enya and Allison Krauss — I started to dream. Then I began to write and from there, things started to collide.”
Emily’s story really took off in 2016 when she moved to Limerick, Ireland. By day she was pursuing her MA in Traditional Irish Song at the Irish World Academy, part of the University of Limerick, and by night she was writing her own contemporary songs. She went on to connect with long-time friend and Belfast-based producer Pete Wallace to create what would become her debut contemporary folk EP, Throwing Shapes. The tracks feature a collection of some of Belfast’s most sought-after musicians, along with Irish traditional artists Brian Finnegan (Flook) and Marty Barry. The EP was mixed by Grammy Award-winning, legendary Canadian mixing engineer David Bottrill (Peter Gabriel). The success of Throwing Shapes brought Emily to perform at JUNOFEST 2019, along with several tours throughout Canada, France, Germany, and the USA, as both a solo and guest artist. Leading Irish music magazine, HotPress, described the project as a “modern and inventive take on Irish folk music.”
Carrying on in that same fashion, Emily has a new project on the horizon. Produced by Hamilton pop duo Family of Things , Emily is venturing further into the contemporary sphere. Listeners will hear more 80’s synth vibes, rich harmonies and guttural rhythms. Still, at the heart of her music are her Celtic roots and love for true melodies. The songs talk of love gained, love lost and a coming of age. “It was time to go a little deeper and get a little more vulnerable. This new music brought me to work with people who helped challenge me in the best of ways. People who were from my home and yet took me to places unrecognized. People who made me laugh and helped me make music that made me cry. When listening to this new collection of songs, know that I took a chance. Risked my comfort. If you find some moment of collision, I am glad. A moment where you either face familiarity or something different. Lean into it. The more I do, the more I realize that’s exactly why we’re here.”
ROCH has released Blackbird a compelling and atmospheric song with her remarkable vocals adding so much more. 'You've Misjudged Your Jacket Again' is one grand song title and Mark Corrin's wry comedic observations remain intriguing to say the least. James Parm has a new album called 'Oh My Darling' (which you can stream in full below), it's a creative and genre spanning affair and a fine listen at that. 'Through the Woods, Pt.1' from Swiss alt rockers Cold Reading mixes melodic hooks with notable rock vocals as the band deliver an uptempo rocker. Ruthie has already gained the attention of BBC radio stations among others and 'Spirit Now Moves' pretty much explains why, this is one excellent song. Emily Jean Flack shares a live in the studio version of 'Throwing Shapes' where some Irish musical influences are present, however her creative and genre crossing delivery makes the song rather special. Finally today we have 'Turn' from Sam Valdez, where the combination of Americana influences and shoegaze are an absolute delight.
ROCH - Blackbird.
ROCH is 24 year old Kate Miller. Based in London, her spiralling pop-leaning creations to date have piqued the interest of many. During a 2 year absence from the limelight, ROCH spent time completing her degree as a sculptor artist - as well as writing the songs that will eventually form her debut album.
Now she releases 'Blackbird' - a taste of what's to come. Lyrically - the track invites the listener to challenge the norm; to not be satisfied with the status quo.
"You are more than the tale you've become / you are more than the robe you wear" ROCH sings in the throbbing, chant-like verse section. "It's something of a one-way conversation with a blackbird, encouraging it to go out and fulfil its potential." she explains.
Built around a repetitive, enchanting guitar loop and procession-like drum patterns - ROCH's vocal delivery verges on the theatrical, perhaps even operatic - to a backdrop of otherworldly electronics and glitching production motifs. Produced with Ben Christophers, known for his work with Bat For Lashes, and more recently Nakhane - 'Blackbird' is just a glimpse of what's to come from ROCH.
Mark Corrin’s early releases as “Shirokuma” were frequently broadcast on the John Peel Show on BBC Radio 1, and his more recent solo work has featured on BBC Late Junction with Nick Luscombe.
He also presents a weekly music radio show himself on Salford City Radio and has collaborated and performed with several notable artists from all over the world both live and on record.
He has previously also been a member of groups including Una Baines’ (The Fall) band Poppycock, Rose & The Diamond Hand and is currently working with a new group called Elastikbande.
“Pub Bin” a digital only release is described as a dark comedy concept album set mostly in the venues, shops, offices, pubs and bins of modern Manchester. Blending electro pop and punk with Mark's wry observational humour this is the album to lighten the mood of a distressed nation, and world! 19th April sees the release of a new album from Mark Corrin.
James Parm hails from the suburbs of Montreal, CA, and has been active in the local music scene ever since his first band began playing shows across the city when he was a teen, melding his childhood influences of 90’s garage rock with his love of jazz and hip hop.
Years of performing, writing, and challenging himself creatively led him to believe things were on track for a breakthrough in the local scene, but after a devastating breakup with his long-term girlfriend, James decided to sideline his musical ambitions and spent his savings on a 3-month trip across South East Asia. He returned to Montreal renewed, only to realize his job had been swept out from under him and his band had broken up. A lost boy, with no money and frayed connections, Parm felt the weight of reality pressing down on him hard.
Weathering the fall out, James succumbed to the life of a loner, finding work at a bar downtown while living on the outskirts of the city. The music he called to write expressed his distaste for the vapid, materialistic lifestyle he was privy to. “It seemed like everyone around me was hyper focused on satiating their ego desires. They would do drugs, party, drink, fuck, but never feel satisfied,” Parm asserts. “I feel like my music is just a process that allows me to slowly unravel what isn’t truthful about life, so I applied it to processing this feeling of being a cultural outsider.”
The resulting recordings which make up the forthcoming LP, Oh My Darling (due out this Spring), are a clear indication of Parm’s penchant for mixing downer pop rock with jazzy hip hop dynamics. Sure, he is clearly exercising his demons, but the tightly wound tracks also operate as a larger criticism of his generations vapid take on love and the cheapening of sex by a moralless and manufactured culture. And just as his early influences, like Nirvana and the Pixies, served as a pick-me-up for a generation of misfit teens, Parm’s album is a perfect companion for anyone experiencing a sense of disillusionment with their life.
After a one-year break from playing shows, Swiss Alternative Rock band Cold Reading are back with an extended line-up and a new single 'Through the Woods, Pt.1'! The band, which now operates as a quintet after the addition of guitarist Alain Schurter, has spent the past year intensively working on new material. In October 2018 the band finally hit the studio to record the new songs with producer Jan Kerscher (Mutiny On The Bounty, The Intersphere, EF among others) at Ghost City Recordings in Germany.
The result is a three-part concept album, the parts of which will first be released as digital EPs and then as a full-length album on vinyl. The first EP is called "Part 1: Past Perfect" and will be released on May 24th digitally via Berlin based label Krod Records.
The first single opens with a powerful and intense riff, next to which the following first verse seems almost fragile. With atmospheric synthesizers and subtle guitar lines, Cold Reading draw back to leave room to vocalist Michael Portmann’s lyrics. The almost apprehensive mood evoked here dissolves masterfully into a hopeful, driving chorus. 'Through the Woods, Pt. 1' manages the feat of simultaneously marking the first chapter of something bigger, as well as standing on its own as a song. Singer Michael Portmann describes the lyrical content as follows:
'Through the Woods, Pt.1' addresses the handling of unexpected life changes. After the involuntary exclusion from a familiar environment, the lyrical "I" initially remains disoriented and hopeless. After a gradual recognition of and adaptation to the new reality, a journey of self-discovery through time and space follows. Standstill becomes movement. The listener therefore observes a maturing process of the fictitious protagonist.”
After releasing just two tracks - ‘What Kind of Woman’ and ‘Spirit Now Moves’ - the Leeds-based songwriter and musician Ruthie is picking up the attention that her talents deserve. She’s already earned airplay at Radio 1, Beats 1, 6 Music, Amazing Radio, BBC Introducing and Australia’s triple j, together with numerous key playlists at Spotify and Amazon.
Now Ruthie, real name Naomi Baguley, drops her debut video for ‘Spirit Now Moves’. Filmed in East London and directed by Kamil Dymek (co-creator of FACT TV), the video opens in introspective style before the song’s uplifting conclusion is complemented by Ruthie’s infectious love of performing.
“So far Ruthie has been a project based in my flat and studios, writing and recording, so it’s been quite an insular process,” says Naomi. “The ‘Spirit Now Moves’ video is an opportunity for me to explore what Ruthie can be visually and aesthetically, in the real world...and to have a one-woman party wearing suits.”
Both of Ruthie’s singles to date reflect upon the challenges of moving on from heartache as she left Berlin for a new beginning back home in Leeds. Reconnecting with her creative collaborator Ben Lewis, her recent rise shows that the closure of one chapter in her life proved to be the impetus for an exciting new start. Channeling the Laurel Canyon tradition with psyche-rock exploration paired with a pop sentiment, Ruthie’s signature style puts a personal twist on influences such as Joni Mitchell, Angel Olsen and Jenny Lewis.
The daughter of Denise Flack, member of the ground-breaking Celtic pop band 'Leahy', Canadian, Emily Jean Flack moved to Ireland to study a masters in Traditional Irish Music at the University of Limerick. Her passion for traditional Irish music has led to her most accomplished work yet, showcasing her gorgeously pure vocals and the Celtic music she has grown up with, whilst injecting inventive electronic textures - a genre-spanning mix which defies expectation and delivers on every level.
Her latest live video for the title track of her recent EP 'Throwing Shapes' showcases Emily at her absolute best, with her stunning band in tow. Flawless vocals over genre defying music, full of emotion with perfectly arranged instrumentation, reminiscent of Bon Iver's epic 2012 live session for iTunes.
The new EP 'Throwing Shapes' produced in Belfast by Pete Wallace and mixed by three-time Grammy Award winning producer/mixer David Bottrill (Tool; Peter Gabriel), Throwing Shapes also featured guest performances by true stars in the firmament of Irish folk music - whistle and flute player Brian Finnegan from the band Flook and guitarist Marty Barry.
Sam Valdez is a Los Angeles based singer-songwriter, whose music is built upon the fusion of shoegaze and vintage Americana indie folk. Embodying the best of both genres, Valdez has created dreamy, yet haunting atmospheric soundscapes that resonate with her listeners.
Valdez grew up at the edge of the Nevada desert, in Las Vegas and credits the desert as a major influence in her writing and composing. The vastness and solitude of desert life is apparent throughout her writing, with cinematic resonance and euphoric arrangements.
After performing in numerous bands, she found the essence of her solo sound and decided to run with it, indulging in her own creative process and ultimately developing a sound that is true to her own. As a classically trained violinist, Valdez has a sense of musical maturity within her songs, adding technicalities that bring her to the forefront of her genre.
Leading single ‘Turn’ narrates the feeling of not being respected by others and learning how to start representing yourself and your values. Sometimes it’s best to just leave things behind, rather than trying to band-aid every situation. Featuring resonating guitar, ethereal vocals and glistening shoegaze inflections, ‘Turn’ exudes charm with a hint of grittiness.
We have two very fine songs from Emily Jean Flack which feature her gorgeous vocals set against some Celtic musical influences, along with some superb electronic touches. Julia Bardo creatively merges elements of folk, rock and classic pop with her splendid vocals adding even more hooks to this charming song. And The Kids were featured around three weeks ago and return with another track just ahead of their album release, a melodic rocker that builds anticipation for 'When This Life Is Over' even more. IV League have some real edge on 'Lose Me' a notable alt rocker with depth and emotional power.
Emily Jean Flack - Another Year Gone By / Tread Softly.
Canadian, Emily Jean Flack’s passion for traditional Irish music has led to her most accomplished work yet, showcasing her gorgeously pure vocals and the Celtic music she has grown up with, whilst injecting uber-cool electronic textures - a genre-spanning mix which defies expectation and delivers on every level.
Throwing Shapes is the forthcoming EP from Emily Jean Flack, five tracks which see her demonstrating her place as one of the artists to watch in 2019. Bridging the traditional sounds of her homeland in Ontario and those of her current home in Limerick, yet still sounding utterly fresh and contemporary.
Vocalist, musician, songwriter and dancer, Emily Jean Flack, has spent her life being surrounded by music and musicians but has always been keen to express her influences in a way which is entirely her own. Honing her craft whilst studying for a Masters in Traditional Irish Music at the University of Limerick, her musical lineage is impeccable, daughter of Denise Flack, member of the ground-breaking Celtic pop band, Leahy.
“Although I come from a traditional instrumental folk background, I’ve always listened to so many other styles of music. And my own music has always been more personal, more modern and more contemporary. Being in Ireland is wonderful in the sense that it’s so culturally rich, but there is a ferocity and sense of independence within the music. It’s not cute or quaint. It’s quite raw and organic. Ireland has offered me an environment to openly make the music that moves me,” - Emily Jean Flack.
Singer-songwriter Julia Bardo has released the video for her debut single Desire, which follows the release of the single via Someone Great Records/PIAS last month. Manchester based Julia Bardo is one of a kind. An old soul with a captivating mysterious air, her wistful nostalgia-soaked sound pays homage to the introspective pop and folk of the 1960’s but with contemporary lyrics which stem from her romantic daydreams and poetic visions.
Desire balances feelings of discontent with a cheerful melody and silky vocal, rousing conflicting emotions that keep you coming back for more. With its folk, pop and old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll influences, it’s a modern-day single with a difference.
The retro-tinged grainy video, which features Julia herself singing the track in various locations, is filmed in a Super 8 style by video maker & cinematographer Ed Stone and director Beck Clewlow. Julia says;
“I wanted to make a video that created images for my sound rather than the story behind it – a visual representation of my sound. Me and Beck have very similar taste so it was easy to accomplish my mission”.
And The Kids have shared a new song from their upcoming album When This Life Is Over out February 22 on Signature Sounds (Lake Street Dive, Josh Ritter, Dustbowl Revival).
Known for their scintillating live performances, And The Kids have shared stages with Blondie, Shakey Graves, Lucy Dacus, Caroline Rose, Rubblebucket and more, often times by headliner's personal invitation. The band will embark on a tour with Slothrust this February, followed by a national headlining run in March including two hometown shows in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Today's release follows "Champagne Ladies," an indie rock ode to the impending end of life and "No Way Sit Back," an indie rock attack on the media's effect on minorites.
After smashing airwaves over summer with latest single ‘Lose Me’, Melbourne alt-rock darlings IV League have unleashed an equally badass clip, indulging their penchant for the dramatic and enforcing their reputation for producing “some of the most exciting indie-pop in the country” (Purple Sneakers).
Collaborating with friends to make the clip, the result is an eerie, hypnotic affair that perfectly captures the track's themes of mental warfare and self-identity struggles, while also putting the band's visual aesthetic at the fore.
Front woman Isabella Venutti explains that she fully embraced the chance to take the creative helm - “The inspiration for the music video came from a lot of films dealing with women and the occult such as 'Valerie and Her Week of Wonders' and 'Suspiria' as well as aesthetics that we are drawn to in general.
“We worked in collaboration with two close friends to make the video and I think having creative control was really important as we had a really clear vision for how we wanted the clip to play out. We didn’t focus too much on a narrative arc, we just wanted to play with our aesthetic inspiration and give a sense of emotional turmoil in a theatrical way.
