Background - Over the past decade or so, Brooklyn-based songwriter Caleb Clardy has co-written and collaborated with many artists, most notably with Zach Williams from The Lone Bellow. After years of developing as a writer, Clardy is set to share his debut record Invincible Things, (available October 13th) and aiming take listeners on a lyrically-driven, modern Americana journey.
The release of Invincible Things was made possible through impromptu writing sessions with Jonny Aherne, bassist for The Temper Trap. Aherne offered some help and encouragement that ultimately led Clardy to move forward as a solo artist. Aherne says of the project, “Sometimes it takes a very long time for things to happen suddenly. After many nights of jamming, I realized Caleb had ten years of writing and it got me. There were these poetic ramblings and straight up heart poured in.”
Demos for Invincible Things were graciously recorded by Amy Lee of Evanescence at her home studio in Brooklyn. The irony of a veritable “queen of rock” helping the self-described “Ned Flanders singer-songwriter” was not lost on either of them. The final recordings were produced by Jonathan Seale and tracked at Mason Jar Music in Bed-Stuy.
Drawing from admiration for songwriters such as Bob Dylan, James Mercer, Jeff Tweedy, and Conor Oberst, the twelve songs that make up Invincible Things trace a line over the stark contours of change in Caleb Clardy’s life that have spanned the decade.
Clardy’s first single, “Keep Up” echos mid-2000s indie bands such as Cold War Kids, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Modest Mouse. Meanwhile, the jangly call and response chorus in “Stoic World” exudes a spirit often found throughout the history of Americana-folk music. In his own words, Clardy says, “These songs have been spots to put a lot of the unresolved mixture of stuff that comes with people dying, or moving, or seeing your work change shape after 10 years, or confusion at how our country got where it is, or being generationally downstream from some real pain and dysfunction while still being somewhere upstream from where it all ends.” WEBSITE.
Caleb Clardy's distinct and vibrant vocals give 'Keep Up' some real edge, supported by some polished music that is broadly alt rock, with a loose melodic vibe.
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Background - Electric doom-folk artist Lauren Lakis has released her latest track "Mourn The Dead" in advance of her debut solo album Ferocious in Early 2018.
“Mourn The Dead" was one of the last songs I wrote for the album, when I was beginning to reclaim my life post-trauma. As I was tapping into my own anger, I was thinking a lot about the systematic repression of emotions in men, and how it ends up usually only being expressed as anger. I make reference to it via the line, "All the words that we swallow, all the walls that you hit" - Lauren Lakis.
A child of Baltimore, Lauren grew to embrace the fatalistic spirit of the city with an ever-present & fearless approach to her work & art. The hand-crafted rawness of her sound bellows deep & true, unscathed by the prevailing winds of today's polite rock. Lauren's persistence & growth in the Los Angeles scene can be attributed to her previous bands Hobart W Fink (vocals), Slow Coda (vocals & keys) and LA Nova (vocals, keys, bass, programming). She's performed in such LA staples as The Echo, The Satellite, & The Mint; as well as Echo Park Rising & Make Music Pasadena. Most recently, Lauren mounted a solo-performance in a 2017 SXSW showcase in Austin, TX.
Ferocious, her first full-length solo album, is a product of passion & experience folded with a recent personal tragedy. In collaboration with her Producer-Engineer Billy Burke, Lauren explores the full spectrum of the grieving process against a backdrop of shoe-gaze inspired guitars, haunting synth swells, deep-driving beats, & lyrics imparted with true candor. All instrumentals were written & performed by Lauren with the exception of AJ Brown on drums & additional guitars by Chris Garcia. Mixing tasked to the talented Chris Kasitch (Adele [Grammy-winning], Phantogram, Cee Lo Green). FACEBOOK.
Electric doom folk is a specific enough sounding genre and 'Mourn The Dead' makes sense of the description. The track is actually quite rocky in nature and Lauren Lakis vocals are melodic and dreamy, the doom element is less dark than I expected, this is quite a catchy song.
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Background - Scotland's The Decrees have released their new single 'Sons of Rage', comprised of two tracks, the other one being 'West Sierra'. Hailing from Fife, Scotland, The Decrees are a no-holds barred Rock 'n' Roll band possessing high-octane energy from the punk realm. They mix different blends of genres in their songs but still retain a raw and provocative take on music that is reminiscent of a bygone age.
'Sons of Rage' was recorded by Michael Brennan, Jr. of The Substation (Mogwai, Snow Patrol, Super Furry Animals, Loop, Primal Scream) and mastered by Pete Maher (U2, The Pixies, Jack White, The Rolling Stones, Lana Del Rey).
The band was formed in early 2016. Their line up comprises of vocalist Lewis Akers, bassist Caitlin Petrie, guitarist Callum Bell and drummer Kieran Bell. Since their formation, The Decrees have become quite popular locally and are now becoming better known on the national scene.
In April of this year, The Decrees released their debut four-track EP 'Screams From Suburbia', offering a musical account of the everyday experiences of the monotony of modernity. This release blends full-throttle rock music with catchy choruses and beats. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.
'Sons of Rage' is a stomping rocker & 'West Sierra' ups the energy and buzz even further. The vocals have a determined feel to them as they compete with the band to ensure they share equal presence.
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