Sunglasses For Jaws - Life In Mono - Nick Kizirnis - Raven Shelley

Sunglasses For Jaws - For Another Day.

London based outfit Sunglasses For Jaws have released their new single "For Another Day" alongside a video directed by Andrea Banjanin. The new single is the second track be released from Sunglasses For Jaws' upcoming album 'A Room In Europe' - out 16th February 2023 via Pony Recordings.

Combining a love of Scott Walker, Somalian 70’s funk, Hollywood strings with a dash of Portishead, new album 'A Room In Europe' was produced by the band in their East London studio, mixed and mastered by Elliot Heinrich  (Sorry, Parquet Courts, Deadletter).

New single "For Another Day" stems from an acoustic guitar piece the band had previously written - inspired by Bach’s use of a sustained bass-line staying in one place while a melody plays alongside it. This initial idea grew in the studio with the addition of synth chord triggers and a wonderful string arrangement composed by Clementine Brown.

Elevating the song to a more dramatic, electronic/Portishead-inspired place; vocalist Olivier Huband’s Sinatra-esque, crooner-like vocal adds captivating emotion to the piece, transporting the listener to somewhere between a romantic night in Paris and an empty English working men’s club.

Speaking on the release of new single "For Another Day" - the band shared: "Welcome to the world of lover boy, of croon, of regret. The world of feelings where you spend your time ruing your past failings while holding on to the fonder memories. If we could have one more day, one more moment, one more kiss, maybe things would’ve lasted longer? But here we are. Face to the wall, heart in a cinch, singing lullabies to no one”.

 

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Life In Mono - Blackout.

Alternative-rock four-piece Life In Mono return with their upcoming double A-side singles ‘Blackout/Sex To White Noise’ released today December 2nd 2022, following their recent support slot alongside The Virginmarys.

The band formed in 2019 after Adam and Sarah met whilst studying at Bath Spa University, drawn to one another by a shared artistic vision. James came aboard thanks to a blistering performance at a local jam night and Mike, the final cog in the machine, was the perfect drummer at the perfect time.  The result? Darkly emotional alt-rock that will caress your soul then drag you into the mosh pit.

Although individually Life In Mono’s eclectic musical influences range from Meshuggah to Bach, via Hendrix, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, AC/DC and Deftones, collectively there are echoes of PJ Harvey, early Placebo and The Mysterines alongside a darker, heavier undertone.

With a massively exciting and engaging live presence and multiple releases scheduled through the beginning of 2023 the band are expected to storm through the festival season with a UK tour to follow in the Autumn. Their recent singles ‘Smile For The Camera’ and ‘The Cold’ saw them receive support from the likes of BBC Introducing amongst others.

Life In Mono · Blackout

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Nick Kizirnis - Someone (re-imagined).

For almost 20 years, guitarist/songwriter Nick Kizirnis has explored songs and styles ranging from Americana to pop, from rock’n’roll to experimental. He has worked with Tobin Sprout (Guided by Voices) and The Breeders (last years’ “The Dirt Eaters” for 4AD) as well as his own instrumental surf trio The Mulchmen and 90’s art-damaged grunge rockers Cage.

Since releasing his 10th album, The Distance, Kizirnis has seen his music shared across the U.S. and Europe, and has now begun releasing a series of singles reimagining his diverse catalog. “Someone," the Ohio-based songwriter’s second single of 2022, is a bedroom pop torch song with beautiful, plaintive vocals from Lung’s Kate Wakefield over a lo-fi blend of Bradley Coomes’ electronic beats and vintage drumming from Son Volt’s Mark Patterson.

Despite the move away from guitar, bass and drums to electronics and effects, the song’s message of undying love remains intact. As Wakefield sings “Am I someone you used to care about?” the song holds on to hope that love can endure any separation or challenge.

Kizirnis and producer/multi-instrumentalist Bradley Coomes decided to work together on “Someone” - a song that originally appeared on Kizirnis’ most recent album, The Distance - after Kizirnis released a “re-imagined” version of “Way to Me” from the same album in August.

 

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Raven Shelley - Erroneous Lives.

Raven Shelley is a casual creator of chaos who doesn't quite fit into the modern world and all its strangeness. Her intense, complex, and honest music is influenced by her love of literature, poetry and visual mediums. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Bob Dylan and Ani DiFranco, Shelley has a unique sound that perfectly showcases her passion for the arts.

"When I first moved to Manchester to embark on a three-year uni course, the city was a shock to the system. The traffic, the noise, the people, everything contrasted sharply with the market town
where I had spent my teenage years. However, in a way this all helped to numb the pain of a recent separation. I was walking down Hathersage Road when the melody and words for the chorus of what became ‘Erroneous Lives’ popped into my head. It drowned out the bustling noise around me, and the moment I got home I ran to my room and finished writing it. ‘Erroneous Lives’ is – for me – forever associated with the cacophony of getting to know Manchester and its dirty grey streets."

Growing up in the south of France, she educated herself in English literature from a young age and went on to study it at university. It was this that sparked her desire to create lyrics that can also be described as poetry. For Shelley, “all the hurt, all the anger, all the love, everything that runs through me can be found somewhere in my lyrics, because to write something real, you have to pour yourself onto the page and into the songs.” Shelley truly understands the power of creative mediums, drawing inspiration from authors, visual artists and filmmakers, including Thomas Hardy, Shakespeare, Schiele, Van Gogh and Nicolas Roeg.

The Animal Farm Label · Raven Shelley_Erroneous Lives

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Heavy Gus - Raven Shelley - Josh Rouse - Old Crow Medicine Show

Heavy Gus - Still To Be.

California-based indie/rock trio Heavy Gus have shared their new single “Still to Be” along with the accompanying music video. The latest track to be released from their debut album Notions (out August 5th via BMG Records), the infectious song finds beauty everywhere it looks. The band stated, “‘Still to Be’ is about the roller coaster of falling in love and staying there. It’s an apocalyptic ode to dying hand in hand presented as a summertime love song.”

“Still to Be” follows the release of the high energy single “Weird Sad Symbol,” that Under The Radar called “genuine live-wire indie rock sound.” The long-distance-love-song “Dinner For Breakfast” is also out now along with the group’s psychedelic-tinged debut track “Do We Have To Talk?”

Formed in the high desert town of Bishop, CA, Heavy Gus is led by singer, songwriter, guitarist Dorota Szuta along with multi-instrumentalist Stelth Ulvang of The Lumineers and percussionist Ryan Dobrowski of Blind Pilot. The band took shape during the pandemic when couple Uvlang and Szuta (a marine scientist who also has a background in music playing with Laura Gibson and Gill Landry) took a socially distanced road trip to Nashville — picking up Dobrowski in Colorado along the way — to record at The Creative Workshop. The resulting collection of songs blur the lines between grungy garage band fare, hazy desert surf, and dreamy, sun-soaked indie rock.

Their debut offering calls to mind everything from Meat Puppets and The Breeders to Yo La Tengo and Acetone in its artful balance of hope and fatalism, loneliness and desire, strength and vulnerability. While all three bandmates came to Heavy Gus from very different worlds, they fit together like puzzle pieces, bound by the kind of love and trust that can only grow from years of deep kinship. Notions was engineered and mixed by Parker Cason (Margo Price, All Them Witches, Coin) and mastered by Pete Lyman (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile).

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Raven Shelley - Sink In Solitude.

Raven Shelley tells us about herself and her beautiful new song - "I am a singer-songwriter based in Manchester. I write ethereal and poetic alt//indie-folk songs, inspired by a love of literature, poetry and visual mediums. I have a very broad range of influences, from Bob Dylan to Ani DiFranco, and Schiele to Nicolas Roeg.
 

I grew up in a rural part of the south of France, and educated myself in English Literature from a young age by raiding my parents’ bookshelves. Reading in English became my own private world, and I went on to study it at The University of Manchester. This is what impacted my desire to create lyrics that can also be described as poetry. 

I try to be honest in the music that I write; I hope that all the hurt, all the anger, all the love, everything that runs through me can be found somewhere in my songs. 

My first single, ‘Sink in Solitude’ will be released with The Animal Farm on the 24th June. It is heavily influenced by lines from Shakespeare and Shelley, and is about time passing by without achievement."

The Animal Farm Label · Raven Shelley_Sink In Solitude

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Josh Rouse - She's In L.A.

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Josh Rouse shares the summer-ready new single “She’s In L.A.,” from his upcoming album Going Places, out July 29 via Yep Roc Records. Featuring a laid-back groove, the song is accompanied by a camcorder-style music video inspired by Townes Van Zandt. Rouse recently spoke with Magnet Magazine, who called the album “feel-good strumming, off-the-cuff hooks and a mildly exotic groove that should translate perfectly to the live setting.”

"In June of 1993, I dropped out of college, planning on a move to Los Angeles,” explains Rouse. “The idea was to move there and start a band with a few friends, things you do when you're in your early 20's. I went to South Dakota for a few months to save up some money while living with my family. In late July, my bandmates decided not to go to L.A. I moved to Tempe, AZ, interning in a recording studio on an impulsive whim. While it proved to be a fruitful adventure (I also bussed tables at a Scottsdale resort), I moved back to Tennessee and re-enrolled in college six months later. I often wonder what would have happened had I gone to L.A."

Going Places came together over the last two years when Josh Rouse found himself unable to tour and hunkered down with his family in Spain. Together with his Spanish band, he began workshopping new songs in a small local venue owned by a friend, resulting in ten road-ready tracks with a looser, more relaxed vibe than his previous work. Where 2018’s Love in the Modern Age saw him take a left turn to keyboard-based retro-new wave territory, Going Places is steeped in classic guitar melodies, with touches of organ and horns, layers of backing vocals and a distinctive southern twang. Rouse has shared two previous singles, including the guitar-driven “Hollow Moon” and the 1970’s-inspired “Stick Around,” which BrooklynVegan called “a song that's warm, welcoming, unpretentious, and serves as a promising taste of the new LP.”

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Old Crow Medicine Show - Used To Be A Mountain.

Two-time GRAMMY award-winning band Old Crow Medicine Show has shared the music video for “Used To Be A Mountain” off their critically acclaimed new album Paint This Town (ATO Records). A galvanizing meditation on environmental catastrophe, the video shines a light on the impact of mining in the Appalachian region.

Along with the video, the band has announced their partnership with Cumberland River Compact, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing water resources through education and cooperation. The partnership serves to bring awareness to the effects of climate change, connecting fans with ways to get involved in the local climate movement through local action. Cumberland River Compact will be present to share more information at the band’s upcoming June 25 performance at The Caverns Amphitheater in Grundy County, TN. 

"I’ve been playing Appalachian music in Appalachia since I was a kid. West Virginia, Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, and East Tennessee are the places I love to play most. When you saw a fiddle in these settings it always feels like a homecoming. But time has dealt a hard hand to the region that gave birth to country music, and 'Used To Be a Mountain' is a song that wrestles with the issues facing Appalachia today,” explains Ketch Secor. 

"I think that the Intrepid spirit of the mountaineers of the coal fields of the Southern Highlands and Appalachia are some of the hardest and most important for bearers of the American dream. I think that when you take away the natural beauty and destroy the ecology of places, you don't have a whole lot left to rebuild with. I know there's a lot of folks that are hurting right now in the communities of the coal fields. This song is there to both reflect that hurt and to ask the question, can we do something better for these folks? Can we do something better for these mountains, these hills, the flora and fauna, for anybody who wants to breathe clean air and drink clean water in Appalachia?"

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