QWAM - They Might Be Giants - Rosie Carney

QWAM - Dirty Feet / Doggie Door.

Background - Brooklyn punk band QWAM will release its debut EP, Feed Me, on January 19th. 

It's a collection of five high-energy, angst-fueled tracks that feature driving guitars, frenetic drums, and snarling vocals from lead singer Felicia Lobo.

The band previously shared a taste of the EP with lead single "Doggie Door," and late last week they released "Dirty Feet," a song about finding yourself and holding on to who you are in a sea of faces.

Written during 3am subway rides and perfected in sweaty Brooklyn basements, Feed Me is full of clever lyrics, anthemic choruses, and catchy group vocals. It was produced, engineered, and mixed by Jack Counce at Studio G and is currently available for pre-order on Bandcamp.

QWAM will celebrate their debut release at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory on January 24th. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.

Latest song 'Dirty Feet' from the soon to be released debut EP is accompanied by the first single 'Doggie Door' providing a double helping of QWAM and their uncompromising punk fuelled music. The band are smart and allow just enough melody to ensure the hooks keep on rolling through both songs, without compromising their delicious, exuberant energy.

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They Might Be Giants - All Time What.

Background - With new track ‘All Time What’ from new album ‘I Like Fun’ out on streaming services now, the return of their Dial-A-Song service, a world tour including UK dates kicking off on January 17 and a contest to create a video for their track ‘I Left My Body’ underway, it is an exciting time for legendary alt-rock veterans, They Might Be Giants.

‘All Time What’ is an upbeat fuzzy guitar number about a decidedly un-upbeat subject: the falling apart of a romantic relationship. The album is a remarkable 15-track album, available physically and digitally on January 19, 2018. ‘I Like Fun’ jumps with surprises, vitality, and the startling point of view of these Brooklyn originals.

Songwriters and band founders John Linnell and John Flansburgh have drawn on themes of dread, death, and disappointment and set them to their driving, hyper-melodic music. Fresh and sonically adventurous, the band’s command of the studio and the song is in rare form from beginning to end. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We featured the song 'I Left My Body' back in October and with a band of this calibre, sharing the newly available 'All Time What' was to use the old expression "A No Brainer." It's catchy, vibrant and typically They Might Be Giants, through and through!


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Rosie Carney - K.

Background - Rosie Carney’s heart-wrenchingly beautiful new cover of Cigarettes After Sex’s stand-out single “K.” which has just had an official release through Akira Records. Rosie's coming off a massive 2017, which saw the release of a trio of acclaimed singles, all of which are streaming via Spotify and SoundCloud.

Anyone that’s not already acquainted with Rosie’s mature-beyond-her-years songwriting would be forgiven for thinking she was some long lost contemporary of Joni Mitchell with decades worth of experiences to relate about life, love and adversity, and not a brilliant newcomer who’s barely left her teenage years behind. She writes the kind of music that'll stop you dead in your tracks, and has proven a deft hand at creating sublime tonal flourishes to complement her vivid lyrics and enchanting voice.

Of her decision to cover "K" she says “I wanted to record a song that was released by one of my favorite artists this year. I chose ‘K’ by Cigarettes After Sex because, firstly I’m a huge fan of this band and their music and aesthetic, and secondly because this song definitely resonated with me the most from their new record. It’s such an honest song and I just love the message it carries. I love how relaxing and transcending the melody is. It’s one of those songs that I wish were mine.” FACEBOOK.

If you include a recent duet then 'K' is the sixth feature we have carried for Rosie Carney, the artist that just keeps on giving beautiful musical renditions, be it her own compositions or gorgeous covers such as this.

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The Luck - Radio Drive - They Might Be Giants - Mitch Bullen

The Luck - Rise and Shine.

Background - London indie folk duo The Luck have premiered the video for their new single Rise and Shine, which is out now through Common Market Music. The Luck are Max and Esmay Luck, a brother and sister duo whose indie folk sound is influenced by their childhood musical heritage, from Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel to Joni Mitchell and The Eagles. Singing in choirs and learning to play an array of instruments, including cello, harp, piano, guitar and bass, from an early age, they finally formed a band together in 2011.

Residing in Los Angeles over the past year, the pair have been working with Paul Broucek, President of Music at Warner Brothers Pictures, and three-time Grammy Award-winning engineer/mixer Ed Cherney (The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt), and with over a million Spotify streams to their name, they will be announcing their debut album soon.

New single Rise and Shine follows their True North EP released last year and is a dramatic and emotive track with melodic vocal harmonies that build to a catchy and powerful chorus. The video was filmed in LA and directed by Jeff Thomas and the band say;

"We wanted to show the inner workings of someone’s mind when they’re trying to take themselves out of a bad situation. Jeff Thomas, the DP and director found the perfect actors, Jenna and John, to help us tell the story, captured against that technicolour light that is so unique to LA." WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Rise and Shine' is a richly layered indie folk or perhaps folk rock song (it seems to veer between both). The production is very high quality, the hooks are consistent through out, and with a polished video in support, I hope this piece gets the attention it deserves.


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Radio Drive - Borders.

Background - Radio Drive is an Alternative Pop Rock band featuring Kevin Gullickson. As the engine behind Radio Drive, Kevin has won international awards and nominations for his songs and music videos. The music of Radio Drive is being aired on radio around the world alongside major artists and is receiving rave reviews by music critics. He has been featured on web zines and radio shows in Europe, Canada and the USA.

Kevin’s music has landed on charts on indie stations around the world, including Canada, Germany, the UK and the South Pacific. His music has been used on shows airing on Animal Planet, National Geographic and Discovery Channel and other TV programs around the world. In 2014 Kevin released his single "A Taste of Heaven", produced by Chris Garcia (credits include Celin Dion, Adele and Katy Perry), which was an instant hit on indie stations around the world and is still getting massive airplay and rave reviews.

In mid August 2015 Kevin finished a project with internationally recognized producer, Stuart Epps. Stuart has worked with some of the most influential artists in music, in cluding George Harrison, Bill Wyman, Jimmy Page, Oasis and more. Kevin now has the honor of being listed among the artists Stuart has worked with. The result is a magnificent song entitled “Humanity”. Late 2016 Kevin released a music video for
"Humanity".

In 2017 Kevin was chosen by BEM Wireless to endorse their products. Currently Kevin has engaged in a European radio campaign and is receiving extensive radio play of his music and in September and October has been in the Top 20 on the Top Indécouvertes, Official European Independent Music Chart and in October has landed at #8. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

I had a few tracks to choose from and each one was in contention. 'Borders' is more alt rock than pop, it does however show off the distinct & fine vocals that are a hallmark of Radio Drives music. Some tracks are more melodic, however I'm in the mood for some unpretentious rock & roll which is taken care of in style with this song.

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They Might Be Giants - I Left My Body.

Background - Why is the world in love again? They Might Be Giants has announced the release of I Like Fun, a remarkable 15-track album to be available physically and digitally on 19th January 2018.

I Like Fun jumps with surprises, vitality, and the startling point of view of these Brooklyn originals. Over a year in the making, songwriters and band founders John Linnell and John Flansburgh draw on themes of dread, death, and disappointment and set them to their driving, hyper-melodic music. The results will leave even the most heavy-hearted among us with a renewed sense of wonder. Fresh and sonically adventurous, the band’s command of the studio and the song is in rare form from beginning to end.

On I Like Fun, the spotlight is also on the band’s formidable long-standing live lineup; drummer Marty Beller, bassist Danny Weinkauf and lead guitarist Dan Miller. While the group enjoys a reputation for delivering one of the liveliest shows around, the album accomplishes the rare feat of capturing that ecstatic intensity on disc. Co-produced with and mixed by Patrick Dillett (St. Vincent, Donald Fagen, The National, Mary J. Blige), the album was tracked and mixed at the brand-new Reservoir Studios—site of the legendary Skyline Studios where TMBG recorded their platinum-selling album Flood.

2018 will also see the return of TMBG's Dial-A-Song service, with weekly instalments toll free at www.dialasong.com, and on streaming sites everywhere, featuring new music all year long! WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

It's been a long while since They Might Be Giants first appeared on my musical radar and the new song 'I Left My Body' is going to get me digging out some of their old albums. They can certainly still turn out a pleasing song, this one being a case in point, it's catchy, powerful and uniquely their sound.


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Mitch Bullen - The Fray.

Background - Mitch Bullen is a London based singer songwriter from Melbourne, Australia. His gentle, acoustic guitar finger picking and beautifully soaring vocals draw inspiration from a range of artists from different eras including Ray Charles, Matt Corby, Passenger and Bon Iver. 

Mitch grew up in a musical household, listening to his songwriter Dad's classic rock records, before graduating to generation x emo bands. He tried his hand at automotive engineering and industrial design in two different universities before realising he hated physics and maths, and opting for a career in personal training. But with more music than sweat seeping out of his pores, he decided to move to the music capital of the world, London, to seek his fortunes.

Mitch performs regularly in London's singer songwriter clubs at night and makes a mean coffee as a barista in Fitzrovia by day. With songs that are like short poems inspired by life, time and relationships, Mitch sings with a dreamy zeal that goes straight to the heart. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'The Fray' will be followed by another single in November, Mitch Bullen would appear to be in a creative mood. The song gently unfolds with his vocals and a delicate acoustic guitar allowing the track to build, and yes it builds! The vocals are exceptional & the musical arrangement allows them to shine, it's a simple case of more please!

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