Traveller - Been Waiting.Background - Traveller are a band on the ascendant. Their latest single 'Been Waiting' follows the success of their debut EP 'All This Time' and with headline shows at legendary venues such as King Tuts Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow, the band are one of the UK's most exciting new musical prospects.
The Scottish based Rock band are Gerry Sheridan on lead vocals, guitar and piano, Martin Yves on lead guitar and backing vocals, Brian Socha on bass and Simon Usher on drums, backing vocals and piano. With airplay earned in over seventy countries and counting, Traveller are winning fans all over the world with their polished and melodic Rock.
Founder member Simon Usher, says "There wasn’t much music in my house when I was growing up. My mum and dad weren’t very musical but there was an old upright piano upstairs on the landing of our house which I would mess about with and there were a few records stacked on a shelf in the sitting room that I would dig out and play repeatedly on their old record player, the best of which were by The Dutch Swing Band and Trini Lopez! I remember discovering ABBA and being fixated by the tight harmonies in many of their songs. I guess they were the first ever band for me that I really connected with because of that, but my first ever album on cassette tape was a pivotal experience for me. It was 'Tunnel of Love' by Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. I used to shut myself away for hours on end in my bedroom listening to those tracks on repeat reflecting myself within the music and lyrics and focusing on what I hoped would be my musical destiny. Bruce Springsteen’s amazing soul and passion for music is what I am truly drawn towards.
For Simon, his musical journey began when he moved to Yorkshire to study Jazz at The Leeds College of Music. Following garduation and a return to Scotland he founded a music agency called The Gig Supply placing bands into venues all over Scotland. The agency gained a good reputation and won a regional business award for innovation as well as gaining lots of respect from bands and venues across Scotland. It was at this time that Simon first met Brian, Traveller's bass player. As members of a band called Suburbia they were signed to a small independent record label called City of Angels and we wrote and rehearsed daily in an old farm shed in the Scottish borders. Chosen to become the house band for a 'Hype', a BBC Choice TV show, they travelled down to London each week to appear live, performing a new song and playing a couple of covers on each episode. Tony Visconte, after appearing as a guest, was so impressed with the band that invited them to New York to spend a day with him in his studio. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
We featured 'All This Time' back towards the beginning of the year and the latest single 'Been Waiting' is another fine natural rocker worthy of a share. Traveller mix tightly delivered alt rock, with plenty of hooks and are carving out their own sound & it's a very good one at that.
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Background From Mitch - Growing up in Melbourne was the beginning of my passion for music, living in such a vibrant and creative city gave me cause to create everyday. Having relocated to London in early 2016 I have enjoyed taking inspiration from my travels as well as growing in a new and unfamiliar environment.
Naturally, being an aspiring musician I spend most of my time working as a barista, which (somewhat) funds my ability to explore this city and draw creativity from everyday life.
My songs are inspired by life, time and relationships, acoustically performed with contrasting vocals accompanied with a literal lyrical style and simple, guitar-driven melodies.
Drawing inspiration from a range of different eras from a variety of artists such as Ray Charles, Matt Corby, Passenger, Bon Iver and many, many others. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
Second time around on Beehive Candy for Mitch Bullen in a matter of weeks. 'Time Has Gone' starts out as a gentle, well crafted folk song, and gradually builds into a powerful and emotionally charged piece. Mitch can sing softly and melodically, he can also belt out some feisty rock vocals, this song demonstrates both ends of the scale.
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Healyum - Cheap Alcohol.Background - Newcomers Healyum have delivered on early promise with new single ‘Cheap Alcohol’. Previous singles ‘Lies’, ‘Three Months’ and ‘Fools Eyes’ have been supported by Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing, and Radio X (where all three have appeared on the evening playlist). Glowing reviews have come from the likes of The Line Of Best Fit, Dork & The Metro, the band’s music has also found it’s way onto various BBC Drama & Channel 4 TV shows, and they won the ‘Breakout Artist Award’ at the NMG Awards last month.
The band’s BBC Introducing support led to them being filmed live in-session back in June and performing at this years Standon Calling Festival. They recently played a show with Circa Waves, and are set to play alongside fellow Bedford-boy Tom Grennan and Will Jospeh Cook in the up coming weeks as well as as a show at Sebright Arms for Abbie McCarthy’s ‘Good Karma Club’.
Still only 17, singer-songwriter Jeaná Healy explains that if she threw a part ‘Cheap Alcohol’ would be the soundtrack. Again produced and mixed by band collaborator Kristofer Harris (Belle & Sebastian, Ghostpoet, Clock Opera), ‘Cheap Alcohol’ sees interest in Jeaná and her bandmates continue to build. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
Live Dates: 30 Nov – Sebright Arms, London w/ Abbie McCarthy’s Good Karma Club.
With distinct and gorgeous vocals and a superb musical arrangement 'Cheap Alcohol' helps make sense of the attention Healyum are attracting in the UK. Vibrant modern pop that is loaded with hooks throughout.
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Background - Death by Unga Bunga have premiered their manic new video for 'Into The Night'. Death By Unga Bunga drummer Ole Steinar Nesset has said:
"This video is a delightful mashup of everything that’s cool. ‘Into The Night’ is about how to party. We like to party on jet fighters, playing guitar solos, clinging on for our lives to a flying carpet. Wouldn’t you?"
The band have just come off a massive US tour with Stiff Little Fingers and are now set to play two shows back in Norway this December. Details of these are available here. The 'Bye-Bye/Into The Night' 7-inch is out now on Jansen Records. Order it on vinyl here and digitally here. More details on the new album out early 2018 to be announced soon. FACEBOOK.
'Into The Night' is a rhythmic catchy rocker, with just a little attitude. Add in the crazy video and every ones a winner!
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Have You Ever Seen The Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS? - Magic Swimming Pants.Background - Finnish 3-piece Have You Ever Seen The Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS? are set to release their second album Jazbelle 1984/1988 on January 19th. Across the course of 11 ‘flower-garage’ tunes, each catchier and more chaotic than the last, HYESTJFAVHS? establish themselves as one of the most exciting and infectious bands to come out of Scandinavia in recent years.
The trio have carved out a unique sound for themselves, opting to use keyboards instead of guitars. This is after songwriter Ekku Lintunen and drummer Janne-Petteri Pitkälä, on seeing the film Drive, instantly decided to form an 80s synth-pop band as a side project to the garage-rock act they were in at the time. When Susse Stemma-Sihvola came in on vocals, bringing her scuzzed out bass tones with her, it ended up being garage-rock with a twist.
They are further shaped by the aesthetic and sonics of the underground cassette culture punk bands in their small town of Kouvola rely on, as well as the thread of styles that have tied the town’s musical history together through the decades. A mish-mash of 60s girl-groups, punk, glam, grunge and NYC/Manchester indie coming together to generate their electrifying style.
Throughout, the album is two-tone. At times playful, and pop-centric, at others darker, more intense. Across the 11 tracks presented HYESTJFAVHS? make whimsical references to He-Man, and Modern Family’s Phil Dunphy as well as including a track titled Hanky Panky. However, there’s also a sadder element – it’s a semi-breakup album, half the tracks written pre- and post-. Hence, there are explorations of both the excitement and disappointment of love. FACEBOOK.
'Magic Swimming Pants' is the first of eleven tracks on the bands second album (Jazbelle 1984/1988) due out in January 2018. This is a high octane collection of music, the band are energetic throughout, mixing up some fabulous pop to punk or glam to grunge styles, with catchy upbeat and potent material every time.
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Background - San Francisco psychedelic rock/garage rock band The Green Door have a new EP on the way entitled "Wolf In The Fold". The new release explores themes of life and death as well as hero and anti-hero, using both mythical and historical figures of the old west. These themes are loosely interpreted and recycled so that they look back at this era as an American myth through the tumultuous lens of present day American society. All of this occurs with the sonic aesthetic of spaghetti westerns, 60s psychedelia and garage rock.
Formed in San Francisco in 2008, The Green Door is comprised of Mike Carnahan on lead vocals and guitar, Reese Abell on bass, Evan Wardell on guitar, Vanessa Wolter on percussion, and Devin Triplett on electric organ. The Green Door started as a project between Wolter and Carnahan, as they began writing and recording a series of songs blending the raw, desert sounds reminiscent of Spaghetti Westerns with the uncompromising rhythms of 1960s garage and acid rock. The result is a harmonic force of American myth and counter-culture ideology, best described as "Western psychedelic rock." Imagine wild 1960s rock 'n' roll driving through the desert to meet the analog spirits of psychedelia.
With the recording of a new album, the sound of The Green Door continues to evolve. However, the approach remains the same. The name "The Green Door" stands as an image which beckons the observer to question what's behind and, ultimately, beyond. The music of The Green Door, with its wild and evocative themes of the mythic West juxtaposed with formidable riffs and stampeding rhythms, is an experience that calls the listener to strike out to the badlands, set up camp, and rock out with the ghosts that linger there in the reverb of a bygone age. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
Psych vocals and glorious rock harmonies are just part of 'You Won't Hear That Anymore'. You can add in some bluesy riffs and atmospheric refrains and still there is more. This is one very addictive song.
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