Gretta Ray today releases new track ‘America Forever’ (with Maisie Peters & Carol Ades), lifted from her forthcoming album Positive Spin, a pure pop project that comes to you bathed in golden light, a hazy sunset of love and heartbreak, growth and understanding… a project full of beautiful moments of classic and emotive pop set for release on August 18.
Written in one of the ‘homelands’ of music that makes up her second album, ‘America Forever’ (with Maisie Peters & Carol Ades) is a more stripped back effort of soft confession side-by-side with an acoustic guitar as she finds her way. The production on the track slowly elevates and increases the tempo and the hope, true to the album’s pop foundation.
On writing with collaborator Carol Ades, Gretta says “if you’re lucky, you’ll meet someone who just is music, personified. That’s Carol. She is it!”. Hearing a demo only, Maisie Peters - who just landed her first #1 album in the UK - lent her voice to the song.
“I’ve always felt extra creatively driven as soon as I touch down in L.A. - the energy there permits me to fully believe in myself and the art that I make. On my final day in L.A last March, I rocked up to a session with Carol, and complained to her about having to fly home to Australia. I just wanted to stay in America, forever. The two of us spent the day unpacking this further on the couch in her living room, just us and an acoustic guitar. We also drove through Pasadena and continued writing as we looked out over the city, sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. When a certain place brings out the best version of yourself, it’s hard to leave it behind without feeling like you’re abandoning a piece of yourself. The more creatively liberated I am, the more I feel like me.” explains Gretta.
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We have two songs from todays 'Cornish and Devonian' album release from the excellent Legendary Ten Seconds. As always the knack of mixing old and new musical styles along with a fine selection of historical accounts is both inspiring and beautiful!
The Legendary Ten Seconds started off as the solo music project of Ian Churchward during the time when he was the lead guitar player of The Morrisons who were featured on John Peel's radio one show back in 1987. In 2013 Lord Zarquon joined Ian's music project and since then various guest musicians and vocalists have helped out in the recording studio. The most recent musician to join the project is Jay Brown who has helped to compose and record a song called the Time Stream.
The Legendary Ten Seconds have recorded many critically acclaimed English folk rock albums which chronicle the Wars of the Roses and the life and times of Richard III in England during the late 15th century. The albums are available on Amazon and itunes and the band have donated money to a scoliosis charity from some of the income generated from the sale of their music.
In 2018 the band recorded the Mer de Mort album which was commissioned by the Mortimer History Society to commemorate the Society's tenth anniversary. It is a historically accurate album of songs which tells the story of the significantly important Mortimer medieval family from their roots in Normandy prior to the battle of Hastings and into the 15th century. The album includes historical narratives read by the actor John Challis ( Boycie in Only Fools and Horses ) who was the patron of the Mortimer History Society.
Several albums were released throughout 2019 to 2022. The latest albums are a very silly comedy concept album called the Rejects of Lord Zarquon and a sensible one called Astounding Songs. The next album to be released is due out in July 2023 and will be an English folk rock concept album about Cornwall and Devon called Cornish and Devonian.
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Annie Taylor’s newest single and video ‘Schoolgirl’ was released yesterday through Taxi Gauche Records and is taken from their forthcoming album ‘Inner Smile’. The band have recently recorded their eagerly-anticipated second album (‘Inner Smile’) in Bristol, UK, with uber-producer Ali Chant (Yard Act; Katy J. Pearson; Aldous Harding; Sorry). Annie Taylor also recently performed two triumphant shows at The Great Escape 2023.
The band's signature sound is evermore present in their newest single ‘Schoolgirl’, a mixture of contemporary indie rock similar to that of Wolf Alice, combined with 90s girl band rock, making it a track that would be at home on an angsty teen movie soundtrack. Undeniably catchy, the punchy guitar driven single is made up of snappy riffs, tight snares and lead singer Gini Jungi’s pristine vocals, capturing the excitement and uncertainty of falling in love in a fresh and honest way.
England's music luminaries Gigwise describes Annie Taylor as "Mellow, cool guitar romp through desert rock, shoegaze, indie and pop influences. Lush." - and not without reason! Band member Jungi said of the single: “Falling in love can be thrilling and confusing at the same time. Especially when you’re not sure what you’re about to get yourself into. It can make you feel bold and shy, excited and nervous but still, it’s a feeling that fills you up with energy and hedonism.”
“Schoolgirl is a reflection on the early stages of a relationship where everything is new and exciting, but it can also make one feel extremely confused and nervous. The lyrics capture the feeling of being young and in love, not knowing where it will all lead, but being excited to find out,” Jungi continued. The four friends Gini Jungi, Tobias Arn, Michael Mutter and Daniel Bachmann joined the Taxi Gauche Records family when they collectively decided to jump on a train for the most exhilarating adventure of their lives.
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