Why Bonnie - Solis - Tanzos

Why Bonnie - Nowhere, LA.

New-York-by-way-of-Texas transplants Why Bonnie share a new single, “Nowhere, LA” from their debut album, 90 in November, out August 19th on Keeled Scales. On “Nowhere LA” - LA as in Louisiana - Blair Howerton uses a broken down car on an isolated road as a metaphor for a stalled relationship: “I know I walk fast, but my heart moves so slow,” she sings. Howerton elaborates: “Inspired by a true story of breaking down in the middle of nowhere Louisiana with an ex, this song is about looking at a relationship in the rear view mirror. Once you’re further away from a place, you can see it all more clearly and with a bit more understanding.” In-step with previous singles “Sailor Mouth,” “Hot Car, “90 in November,” and “Galveston,” “Nowhere, LA” is emotionally-charged and driven by rousing guitar.

90 in November is inspired by fellow Texans Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, alt-rock like the Lemonheads and the Replacements, the eccentric pop of Sparklehorse, and Sheryl Crow.  As Uproxx points out, “Why Bonnie glistens with the same sun-soaked sentimentality as that of their label-mates…early singles from their upcoming debut album, 90 In November, flash polish in Howerton’s ambitious lyricism and reassuring melodies.” 

Through 90 in November, Howerton propels her songwriting forward into new realms of emotional sincerity and her band to new heights of sonic adventurousness. The songs are full of poetic, cinematic lyrics that flash like colorful scenes glimpsed from the window of a car as it barrels along an interstate highway cutting through the Lone Star State, each one a road stop revealing a different facet of Howerton’s experience. The album is a dynamic introduction to a more raw-edged indie sound from a band who have matured from bedroom dream pop into a sophisticated rock act, their evolving sound a reflection of the journey undertaken by Howerton on this vividly rendered collection of songs.

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Solis - Jungle.

Glimmering with balmy rhythms that are as sleek as they are lo-fi-tinged, “Jungle” is a scintillating masterclass in gauzy pop production.  With alluring, sun-drenched melodies that nod to poignant and melancholic themes but ultimately reach an all-the-more optimistic conclusion, Solis says of the track:

“I wrote this song when I realised there’s always an option, always a way out, the hardest part is realising that. The EP as a whole was written from a place where I didn’t feel I belonged and was dreaming of something else “Jungle” and “Osmosis” in particular are about living in the city and being part of the rat race, the never ending cycle of work and spend and very little time for living.”

Taken from the Manchester-based artist’s new five track EP ‘Open’, the release comprises five tracks including hypnotic earlier single “Be Together” and debut release “Jigsaw”. Across its five tracks, Solis flexes her knack for dreamy vocal melodies, ethereal rhythms and glinting, laidback percussion. Written by Solis, recorded at her home in Moss Side and produced by Andy Connor, ‘Open’ also features Jack Winstanley on bass and Max Barron on drums to bring the EP’s stellar set of songs to life.

Opening up about writing and recording ‘Open’, Solis explains: “I wrote these songs about 4 years ago. As soon as we finished recording, I had a really serious car accident which had me recovering for a very long time and I’m finally ready to release this body of songs. This EP ‘Open’, will be followed by a second EP shortly after, both EPs were intentionally written to follow each other and act as a big body of songs.”

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Tanzos - Mood Swings.

Austrian Indie Rock artist Tanzos delights with his latest rock single ‘Mood Swings’ available now. After the success of his single ‘Birdy,’ the singer returns with his new guitar driven single focused on capturing the complexities of a struggling mind.

Launching straight into an energetic outburst characterized by his usual squalling guitar riffs, Tanzos sonically embodies a conflicted psyche. The chorus, raw and passionate, while favoring the snappy guitar, also provides space for his robust vocals and powerful lyricism that raise supreme and convey the eruption of repressed emotions.

The multi-faceted artist, is no stranger to the music industry. Previously the frontman of the indie -rock band ‘Zeronic’ and with two nominated albums in the ‘Best Alternative’ Category at the Austrian Music Award ‘Amadeus’, Tanzos’ success is a growing trend.

Using the indie-rock aesthetic, ‘Mood Swings’ showcases an unapologetically commentary on mental health. While the electrically charged guitar riffs pulsate throughout the track mimicking the cacophony of clashing emotions, Tanzos’ energetic verses accentuate the overwhelming feeling of pent-up tension.

About the single, Tanzos says: “Mood swings is quite an unfiltered and direct song. I was trying to capture the difficult emotions of someone who is already used to internal struggles. But sometimes it´s just too much, you get overwhelmed and lose control“.

Tanzos · Mood Swings

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Why Bonnie - Thallo - Vök

Why Bonnie - Sailor Mouth / Hot Car.

New-York-by-way-of-Texas transplants Why Bonnie release two tracks, “Sailor Mouth” and “Hot Car,” off of their forthcoming debut album, 90 in November, out August 19th on Keeled Scales. Following the sunny “90 in November” and previously-released single “Galveston,” album opener “Sailor Mouth” crashes into existence with a squeal of feedback and a burst of distorted guitar. The track is “about growing around your memories. Your foundation never changes but your relationship to it is always evolving,” explains Blair Howerton. The hazy “Hot Car” is sweltering, with a hypnotic synth line mimicking the way a mental loop of dormant thoughts that surface in the warm cocoon of a car speeding towards its destination in the dead of night. Howerton elaborates: “We wanted to include a contrast to the sunny disposition of the album. ‘Hot Car’ is meant for those quiet, contemplative, solo night drives.”

90 in November is inspired by fellow Texans Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, alt-rock like the Lemonheads and the Replacements, the eccentric pop of Sparklehorse, and Sheryl Crow. Although its tracks were mostly written in Brooklyn,  where Blair Howerton moved from Austin in 2019, they made the record in Texas in early 2021 with Tommy Read (Lomelda, alexalone).

Often, 90 in November is a trip through Howerton’s inner world, but it’s also a road trip through Texas. Often it is both at once. The songs are full of poetic, cinematic lyrics that flash like colorful scenes glimpsed from the window of a car as it barrels along an interstate highway cutting through the Lone Star State, each one a road stop revealing a different facet of Howerton’s experience. The album is a dynamic introduction to a more raw-edged indie sound from a band who have matured from bedroom dream pop into a sophisticated rock act, their evolving sound a reflection of the journey undertaken by Howerton on this vividly rendered collection of songs.

By looking back on her past with fearlessness and compassion, Howerton propels her songwriting forward into new realms of emotional sincerity and her band to new heights of sonic adventurousness. Yet no matter where the group goes from here, one thing will remain the same. “We’re a Texas band,” says Howerton. “We always will be.”

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Thallo - Carry Me.

Welsh artist Thallo returns with the startlingly beautiful single Carry Me, a mesmerising jazz-infused slice of ethereal alt-pop inspired by Thallo’s personal experience of immobility.

Carry Me is first taster from Thallo’s forthcoming English/Welsh language Crescent EP which follows on 28 October 2022. The EP is themed around Thallo’s own story of chronic pain, which at the time of writing Carry Me left her often unable to stand or walk after suffering unexplainable and debilitating knee pain. As she expands “I wrote ‘Carry On’ in lockdown which was a strange time of losing my work, social life, and then what felt like losing my body to constant pain. I felt completely hopeless and saw a familiar wave of depression approaching. ‘Carry Me’ is about this exact moment of realisation and panic.”

Musically, Carry Me was initially inspired by Thallo wanting to write “a dark ukulele song,” and ended up being improvised due to the pain Thallo was experiencing, making it, as Thallo says, “the fastest song I ever wrote”. The chords, lyrics and vocal melody were done in one take, and the arrangement created after by layering clarinets and synths before sharing the other parts of the instruments in the studio. The effect is a glorious, rich rush of multi-instrumentation and Thallo’s sublime vocal whirling in a jazz-infused dream before it’s emotive crescendo.

Thallo is Elin Edwards, based between her homelands of Gwynedd, North Wales, and London. In 2021 she released three singles, Mêl, Pressed and Preserved and The Water, receiving much early acclaim with an invite to perform at The Great Escape and play SXSW (the latter reschedule for 2023 due to her immobility). At radio she has fans in Sian Eleri (Radio 1 The Chillest Show) and Huw Stephens (BBC 6 Music, Radio Wales), with Thallo also recording a session at Maida Vale; whilst she has garnered press coverage in Wonderland, Noctis, God Is In The TV Zine, When The Horn Blows and many other blogs both UK and Stateside.

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Vök - Illuminating.

Icelandic trio Vök have shared their poignant new single Illuminating, which follows their recent releases Miss Confidence, Lose Control and Stadium and is out now via Nettwerk.

Illuminating was written with the producer Ben Christophers (Bat for Lashes) in London and is an emotive and euphoric ballad with a passionate message about love and how it can make everything shine a little bit brighter. Margrét says;

“I wrote Illuminating a couple years ago and it truly holds a special place in my heart. We did two magical sessions and finally we had a song both of us could cry to. This song is dedicated to my wonderful fiancé and how love can illuminate everything around you, like thousands of fireflies stuck in your eyes.”

Illuminating follows recent singles Miss Confidence, Lose Control and Stadium alongside the tracks Running Wild, No Coffee at the Funeral, Skin and Lost in the Weekend, all of which made up the band’s unique and lushly layered EP Feeding on a Tragedy. Recorded in their Reykjavík studios, the EP was the follow-up to their acclaimed 2019 album In the Dark, which was written and recorded by the band in collaboration with producer James Earp (Bipolar Sunshine, Fickle Friends, Lewis Capaldi).

Vök continue to cement their position as one of the most exciting and forward-thinking alternative bands right now. Following two critically acclaimed albums, Feeding on a Tragedy marked the first new musical moment in an exciting new era for Vök with lots more still to come and a new project announced soon.

Vök · Illuminating

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Why Bonnie - Bob Marston & the Credible Sources - Pet Deaths

Why Bonnie - 90 In November.

New-York-by-way-of-Texas transplants Why Bonnie announce their debut album 90 in November out August 19th via their new label Keeled Scales, and share the title track and an accompanying video. “90 in November” is a sunny guitar pop song about lead singer and songwriter Blair Howerton’s hometown of Houston, packed full of sparkling snapshots—”a technicolor sun” and “a cardboard cutout cowboy waving me goodbye.” “I wanted to capture the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to the landscape that shaped you while still dealing with the anxieties of what lies ahead,” says Howerton.  “Nostalgia always hits with a flash of disjointed memories - like speeding down the highway or sweating in the Texas heat.” The self-directed video captures this feeling.

Following their 2020 Voice Box EP, 90 in November crashes into existence with a squeal of feedback and a burst of distorted guitar. Inspired by fellow Texans Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, alt-rock like the Lemonheads and the Replacements, the eccentric pop of Sparklehorse, and Sheryl Crow, the album is a dynamic introduction to an evolutionized Why Bonnie. 90 in November is a meditation on the pains and pleasures of nostalgia and a lesson in learning how to look back at the people, places, and experiences that have shaped us, with room for both unvarnished honesty and rose-tinted melancholy.

The songs for 90 in November were mostly written in Brooklyn, where Howerton moved from Austin in 2019. Already in the midst of a major life change, her feeling of being between worlds was compounded when quarantine hit and she found herself, like so many others, stuck in her apartment—about as far away from the wide-open spaces of Texas as one can possibly get. It was in this environment that she began to write songs parsing out the complicated, mixed emotions associated with building a new home while attempting to make sense of the one she had left behind.

There’s a deep sense of place across 90 in November. The band—Howerton, keyboardist Kendall Powell, guitarist Sam Houdek, bassist Chance Williams, and drummer Josh Malett—considered making the record in New York or California, but ultimately decided that it had to be done in Texas. In early 2020, Why Bonnie headed down to the town of Silsbee (population: 6,634) to spend two weeks recording with Tommy Read (Lomelda) at Lazybones Audio. Howerton describes it as an idyllic period of time where days were spent walking around with cows and evenings drinking Lone Star beer and looking at the stars.

90 in November is a trip through Howerton’s inner world, but it’s also a road trip through Texas. Often it is both at once. The songs are full of poetic, cinematic lyrics that flash like colorful scenes glimpsed from the window of a car as it barrels along an interstate highway cutting through the Lone Star State, each one a road stop revealing a different facet of Howerton’s experience. The album is a dynamic introduction to a more raw-edged indie sound from a band who have matured from bedroom dream pop into a sophisticated rock act, their evolving sound a reflection of the journey undertaken by Howerton on this vividly rendered collection of songs.

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Bob Marston & the Credible Sources - Lyin' Eyes.

Birmingham, Alabama, Bob Marston & the Credible Sources, will released their new single, "Lyin' Eyes," yesterday. "Lyin' Eyes" is from the band's forthcoming debut LP So Long, set for release on June 3rd. The song features Matt Slocum (Allman Brothers, Susan Tedeschi, Widespread Panic) on keys, and St. Paul & The Broken Bones' horn section!

Bob wrote the song one summer when he was working a migrant farm job. His job? De-tasseling corn. For 12 hours a day.

After those long days working in the cornfields, the 40-person crew would party hard when nighttime came. Bob developed feelings for a crewmate, hoping to become her "corn boyfriend" (which consistently makes me laugh)--feelings that were not returned--and working with her for 12 hours a day every day definitely stung. As a songwriter does when his heart is broken, Bob developed a narrative with a vintage R&B vibe about a love interest who wasn't very sincere in her flirtations. "That’s the thing about unrequited love...it is so neat and tidy because it never actually existed," he says.

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Pet Deaths - Unhappy Ending (Album).

London based duo Pet Deaths today release their second album 'unhappy ending' via Silver Mind Records. The album follows two previously released singles "all the things you said you were (i don’t believe in ghosts)" and "swingtime", and is the follow up the band's acclaimed debut album To the Top of the Hill and Roll... - released in 2019.

An album to be both explored and sat with; in an age of dull disconnection and constant refreshing, unhappy ending, Pet Deaths' second full-length effort was deliberately and acutely considered to be a journey of its own; nine new songs but one whole immersive piece for the listener to climb inside, in the quiet of reflection, in the sobering commute to and from.

Following on from the sparkling celestial folk of the band's 2019 debut To the Top of the Hill, unhappy ending is the next step in Pet Deaths’ somewhat remarkable journey. The pair met accidentally when Liam Karima was sitting on his doorstep feeling deflated late one night, before he noticed a “heavy Geordie accent strutting down the grove, smoking and whistling the guitar lick from Sultans Of Swing”. Graeme Martin and appeared from the shadows and the pair quickly realised that they’d known each other years earlier when they’d both played on the pub circuit. They caught up on each other’s lives, sharing stories from the old days, and by the time the birds started singing they were making drone noises and poetry together – and Pet Deaths was born.

Setting out to make their new album, the band had one question in the forefront of their collective mind: Is life an unhappy ending, or do we become part of a bigger movement to more positive things? Across the album’s nine tracks, this conundrum is explored in many and meaningful ways, their subtle take on melancholic folk-pop conjuring a bewitching atmosphere that hangs over every inch of the album. “We were powering through the entire back catalog of Twin Peaks at the time of recording,” Liam says of that side of the album’s sound. “I think that played a big influence in the surreal parts of the record.”

unhappy ending became a labour of love for Pet Deaths, many of the songs initially written during the same sessions that sparked their debut album. Initially, the band’s original concept for the record was to have a wild string arrangement running throughout, like a Disney film with a touch of Scott Walker, but as time went by it evolved into the free-jazz-rock art piece that we hear today.

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