Background - The somewhat humourous new video for “On Monday” is one of the stand-out tracks from Joey Sweeney & The Neon Grease’s debut album Catholic School. The album is officially out digitally now through Burnt Toast Vinyl and The Giving Groove, with the vinyl edition to follow in late October/early November.
All releases on The Giving Groove include a charitable component, and the release of Catholic School is no exception… half of all profits from album sales, both digital and physical, will go directly to Rock To The Future, a non-profit organization that provides music education for Philadelphia’s underserved youth, at no cost to them or their families. Sweeney & Co will also be celebrating the album’s release tonight in their native Philadelphia with a proper album release show at Everybody Hits.
Over the past 25 years, Joey Sweeney has become a staple of Philadelphia’s influential songwriting and literary scene… he got his start as a music critic, before eventually fronting acclaimed Philly bands like The Trouble With Sweeney and The Barnabys, as well as recording and performing as a solo artist. Combining AM-friendly classic rock influences with what Bandcamp Daily calls “riotous” and “…jagged-edged, bristling Americana”, Catholic School is album is so steeped in dad-rock influences (and lots of sax) that it’s wearing a Members Only jacket and trying to get a job working for the city.
It’s also an album very much about cities, and the way Sweeney's city or your city is changing. You could say the city is the central character, but there’s also much about hope, falling in and out of love, being with your friends and not being with your friends... all set against the backdrop of looking for some kind of grace, while down the street, they’re tearing down your old church. TWITTER.
We have already shared a couple of tracks from the brand new 'Catholic School' album and 'On Monday' plus the new video are equally welcome. There is a moody late night groove to the song, some refined melodic vibes and those "oh so" rock and roll vocals. If you like the song check out the previous features and dive right into this amazing album.
Background - A regular guest vocalist for Tom Misch since his debut EP back in 2014, South-London singer-songwriter Carmody has just returned with a second single from her forthcoming solo EP ‘Caching.
The track is a slow-burning tour de force, drawing on deep bass, electronic and R&B influences to explore the ephemeral and incendiary first stages of a relationship. Both haunting and sublimely danceable, ‘Summer Rain’ pairs Carmody’s trademark lyrical skill (“Freefalling through the clouds, you chase a fantasy / I can hear a song in every sigh / Unspoken melodies”)with one of her most powerful choruses to date: a harmony-soaked celebration of love in its purest form, where rain-soaked couples dance and ‘Move unheard / Weaving patterns of light into each day”.
Carmody began writing ‘Summer Rain’ at home in South London and (in stark contrast to the sun-drenched blissfulness of the song itself) completed it with Silverglade in the depths of a freezing cold Chicago winter, surrounded by 10 inches of snow.
About the track Carmody says: “I'm a big romantic when it comes to rain in the summer time. There's something about the heat, coupled with a fleeting downpour of rain, that I love. It's momentary and beautiful. ‘Summer Rain’ is about those ephemeral moments when you fall in love; when there is no doubt - just pure elation - lost in each other's minds and bodies.” TWITTER.
Carmody's soulful and intimate vocals are sublimely enticing on 'Summer Rain' a song that oozes class and refinement. The arrangement and production does this piece justice, as all elements shine through and the hooks dig deep.
Background - The Badasonics mixes soul and funk together with Jamaican riddims and horns with the soulful rock and reggae voice of Caz Gardiner to deliver a pulsating party of soul steady beats.
Caz has performed with the BandHouse Gigs, Newmyer Flyer productions and The Beat Hotel. She was the lead singer for The Ambitions, a 60's influenced soul/ rock band which in 2008 was nominated for a Wammie (Washington Area Music Association) in the best new band category; and the rocksteady / reggae band Caz and The Day Laborers. In 2010, she was nominated for a Wammie in the best traditional blues / RnB vocalist category for her work with Caz and The Commotions.
The Badasonics, consisting of former members of The Moon Invaders & The Caroloregians, were also known as the busiest backing band for Jamaican artists in Europe and have played with Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Dave & Ansel Collins, Rico Rodriguez, Doreen Shaffer, Pat Kelly, Derrick Harriott & many more.
Caz Gardiner & The Badasonics debut LP will be released this month. WEBSITE.
Whilst the featured song 'Out Of Time' might show off the bands more soulful and funky side, doing so with some high class style I would hasten to add, there is more to them than this. They can and do conjure up some tempting reggae sounds, and jazz things up gorgeously with horns. Overall the feeling is positive and upbeat, and their musical fusion is highly contagious.
Background - "Americana has become a mainstream staple in music and for the most part, the sound has been watered down throughout the years by corporate America…Edward and Jane though, they’re cut from a different cloth," says Ghettoblaster of the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based folk-rock collective's new tune "More," which it calls an "emotional masterpiece." The song is featured on the band's new EP Too Early To Tell, set for release on September 28th. Edward and Jane will celebrate the album's release with show at The Camp House in Chattanooga on October 13th.
"More," which features the angelic vocals of band co-founder Emilie "Jane" Creutzinger, is a tribute to those who have shaped us into who we have become. "We are who we are because of the people who raised us--the care we received, or lack thereof in our upbringing" says co-founder Timothy "Edward" Carpenter. "However your childhood experience, you are who you are much to the credit of your mother and father. You clench tightly to their best qualities, and avoid their worst, but in my experience the apple never falls far from the tree. Everyone has parents. Everyone can understand this. 'More' is an attempt to show our deep gratitude for those who raised us into the people we are today, for better or worse."
On a mission to cultivate a communal environment at their shows where everyone belongs and feels like a necessary piece of the puzzle, Edward and Jane use their art to take listeners back to a simpler time—a time where music could steal you away from the worries of the world. With the help of Anderson, Indiana-based producer, Jonathan Class, Edward and Jane have found their voice and unique Americana sound. They have toured extensively for the last three years, landed multiple television placements on MTV and A&E, and have shared the stage with the likes of Mandolin Orange, Jon Foreman, Elenowen, Birdtalker, and Aaron Lee Tasjan.
The band’s desire to make true folk-rock music is heard in their honest lyricism and incredible family band instrumentation, all beautifully showcased on Too Early To Tell. The album, which distills influences from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers-esque classic rock to soul-moving gospel choir harmonies, is a nostalgic journey to freedom that blends the bittersweet pain of departure with the flourishing beauty of independence. WEBSITE.
Gentle and melodic 'More' slowly builds with emotional intensity and feeling. The musical backdrop is sublime, understated at times when additional layers of instrumentation are added they resonate beautifully.
Background - Austin, TX based Alternative Rock/Reggae Band Audic Empire has released the official music video for their single "Turmoil," the second single from the their upcoming LP, Indica Nights. Written by Ronnie Bowen and produced by James Wisner (Silverback Records), "Turmoil" drops September 10th
Audic Empire has been turning heads in the Austin, TX music scene with their psychedelic, reggae/rock and feel good tunes. They have a high intensity performance and an astonishing sound with the contrast of two singers Ronnie Bowen & James Tobias, their red hot solo guitarist Travis Brown, psychedelic keys from Carver Ripley and rock solid rhythm section Jess Leonard.
Audic Empire has played with numerous great artists and festivals. Audic’s first album Sativa Sunrise was released in 2015. They have 6 singles that have been released over the past 4 years, which are available on all online platforms.
Currently the band has finished and about to release their 2nd full length album Indica Nights with producers James Wisner and Miles Brown. With the rapid growth of their reggae/rock sound, Audic Empire is on the rise with their journey to produce a unifying sound wave of love and music. TWITTER.
Audic Empire have something very special going on here. The bands mixture of alt rock and reggae is seamless and highly up skilled. 'Turmoil' demonstrates this with style and the vocals are in total alignment as the band traverse between genres. This is very impressive and totally engaging music.
Background - 'All the King’s Horses' marks a shift from Lung’s first album, Bottom of the Barrel. The content was largely influenced by the band’s experiences from their national tours. “We’re excited that it [the new album] is going to be out of our heads and into the world.” Wakefield explains, “The album reflects what we (Daisy, Rachelle, and me) have experienced as a band touring around this confusing and awesome country. It is a snapshot of what we have seen, lived-through, and what’s been shared with us. The record aims to take you on a journey of personal and shared struggles and goes to some pretty vulnerable places. I hope that people listening to the record get some sort of cathartic release by the end of it.”
Sonically the album has a dark, biting edge. Kate Wakefield (vocals, cello) and Daisy Caplan (drums) have developed a powerful, sinister sound created from total immersion into music culture and life on the road. Thematically, the record has a wide range, with songs directly confronting issues of consent such as “Brock” and “All the King’s Horses” in addition to more fantastical narratives of reality as in “Spiders” and a few pointed anti-love songs. The art for Lung directly reflects these intense experiences. Their artist, Rachelle Caplan, interprets the music visually in real-time as songs are being written and consistently tours with the band.
Lung, which formed in April of 2016 and includes Daisy Caplan on drums, has played over 250 shows to date. Known for their live shows, they are looking forward to returning to the West Coast, hitting spots old and new. “I’m excited to play places we’ve never been before, to see every part of this country,” says Daisy. The two are not new to the road. Both have performed in multiple touring projects. Kate has been writing and performing solo since 2014. Daisy was a core member of the prolific rock band, Foxy Shazam and feminist punk band, Babe Rage.
When asked about what we can expect for the next record, Wakefield hinted at heavier thematic material. “This next record is going to bring something different. A lot has happened in the world since our first release (Bottom of the Barrel, Spring 2017) and this album reflects that intensity.” Tracks from All the King’s Horses show a maturation in the band’s songwriting and an evolution in content. There is a more demanding and provocative edge to the record that illustrates undeniable feelings of paranoia and unease with the onset of the Trump presidency. “We were in Texas during the election. Nobody could believe it. We were playing small towns and big cities alike. The feeling was intense; a new ‘uncomfortable normal’ began to take over,” said Wakefield on the experience. WEBSITE.
Taken from the duos brand new 'All The Kings Horses' album released this week we have 'Butcher'. Lung are a potent musical pairing, the instrumental choice adding natural individuality, and the vocals delivering plenty of attitude and emotion, this is passionate and feisty.
Background - Following the release of their first album Worlds Apart in 2017, Velvet Flare announce the release of their second album Despair and Desire, which includes the latest single My Femme Fatale.
My Femme Fatale is inspired by classic 1940s/50s Film Noir. A seductive woman persuades her new lover to kill her husband for financial gain, but she ultimately betrays that lover. This dark theme is punctuated by humour with lyrics such as: “Got you what you wanted - Got his money and a room with a view - I lost my moral compass - When you asked if I could ‘just shoot him too’ - Shoot him too? Well, what else could I do?”
Despair and Desire includes the previously released single Ms Fox, which was reviewed by Beehive Candy: “.... ‘Ms Fox’ is another very impressive song. Mixing pop and indie rock vibes, the production is distinct and the gentle melody is full of hooks, in what is a top quality piece”. Ms Fox is the personification of Fox Glacier, NZ and the song is a lament for global warming.
Despair and Desire is primarily a collection of songs about relationships in various states of disintegration or buoyant aspiration. The album was recorded and engineered by Slade Gibson at Slade Gibson Audio, The Gap, Brisbane.
The release of their first album Worlds Apart in 2017 included the singles 6th of June, Animal (Arun Kendall in Backseatmafia: “Straight out of Brisbane and seemingly via the tenements of London comes Velvet Flare with Animal, a visceral, angry stab of glam rock that has all the hallmarks of an Antipodean Suede. Singer Paul English has a soaring voice, complete with eviscerating lyrics, that moves effortlessly into a falsetto…… a refreshing blast of unadorned indie guitar music with all the necessary posturing and sneer any good rock song should have”.) and Ice Age (which was No. 22 in Tomatrax Top 100 Songs of 2017). These singles and the album track The Brightest Light have all had airplay in Australia, England and Europe, and the USA. FACEBOOK.
Our third musical share for Velvet Flare comes in the form of their latest single 'My Femme Fatale'. The duel vocals really work well on this song, at times almost duelling rather than harmonising, doing so above a vibrant rocking backdrop.
Background - I began writing Never Stop Learning To Love on an escalator in a mall in Spain. The mall had about ten floors and by the time I got to the top I had a verse and a chorus. All that was at the top was a restaurant so I went back down.
The song is a reminder to myself to always practice tolerance and acceptance amidst chaos, the way children do. It’s about as psychedelic as I get in my writing. Not the Jimi Hendrix, Sgt Pepper version of Psychedelia, but the Brian Wilson, Disney version.
I always subscribed more to that: The idea that psychedelia isn’t entirely about drugs, but rather about a return to childlike innocence through purity of mind and a reverence for the natural world. For this reason, we felt it appropriate to shoot the video on the same beach where I spent so much time as a kid, just running around with a dog. It seemed to say everything about the song.
I recorded my upcoming solo EP with Tennis at their home studio in Denver and recruited Beach House drummer James Barone for the studio sessions. TWITTER.
Our second song from Johnny Payne is the gorgeous 'Never Stop Learning To Love'. Understated psychedelic vibes pour out, with some timeless sixties charm and fabulous hooks, this is instant replay material, and some.
Background - London trio Value Void share the third single, "Teen For Him", from their debut album Sentimental, due out on 26 October via Tough Love, released on limited edition green vinyl, CD and download. Last week the band played their first ever BBC6 Music session for Tom Ravenscroft. They will play an album launch show at The Stag's Head in London on 1 November.
Marta Zabala from the band explains more about the "'Teen for Him' was written in Buenos Aires ages ago, probably 2015 whilst Paz and I were working as assistants in a Social Gaming Company. It's a childish song about those moments when someone is having a personal crisis and are overcome by some weird infatuation, where the object of their desire has nothing to do with them. Like filling a gap."
This follows the singles "Babeland" and "Back In The Day." The album is instantly affecting, with an ease and clarity that suits the elegance of the lyrics: coded love songs and cool reflections on life which are all the more vulnerable and touching sung in Paz Maddio's lilting, ultrachromatic voice - a ceramic-sharp diagonal transatlantic on a pure open tone, with subtle waves of vibrato at its top end. It's a particular heart breaker on tracks such as “Babeland” and “Dead Ladies Lament”. BANDCAMP.
Having already featured the first two singles from Value Void 'Teen For Him' makes it three and does so with class. The bands individual and delectable sound is all apparent, the vocals slipping into pure London accent at times is charming, the album 'Sentimental' is now a must hear asap!
Background - Ahead of releasing their new five-track 'Threshold' EP and launching a busy 2018 national tour schedule, The Mutineers present the first single from this EP. 'Couldn't Get Over You', a pleasantly wistful offering guided by a longing feeling and lulling melodic line.
A bit earlier, they unveiled the new video for 'Drug For That', filmed and directed by California-based photographer and visual artist Clovis IV. The track, previously released on 'Live At B-Side', will be offered as a bonus track on a special Bandcamp edition of the EP.
Based in Portland, Oregon, The Mutineers are a rock n roll husband-wife duo with country leanings and punk rock tendencies. With Brian Mathusek on guitar and Merry Young on drums, the couple share vocal duties. Sounding like a cross between Johnny and June with John Doe and Exene, and a bit of Nick Cave and PJ Harvey, their sound esthetic is influenced by such artists as Bruce Springsteen, X, Nick Cave, Loretta Lynn, and Elvis Presley.
“This was written specifically for Merry’s voice. I wrote the first draft of lyrics and she sculpted it to fit her style. Her world-weary delivery is the perfect backdrop to the story. The song contemplates the dual feelings of helplessness and power inside a co-dependent relationship,” says Brian Mathusek.
“The singer is struggling with self-confidence and self-consciousness. She can not decide if she has been too open or not open enough. I think everyone has someone in their life that they can’t stand, but also can’t live without, whether it’s a lover or a family member or a friend. Knowing when to cut someone off is very difficult. By the end of our song, the narrator has given up and given in to this cycle of love and hate, another lost soul.” WEBSITE, BANDCAMP.
'Couldn't Get Over You' is just one dimension of the 'Threshold' E.P. where The Mutineers mix reflective and melodic material such as the featured track, along with more gritty rock and roll. There is an engaging core sound that permeates throughout the material, one that is personal, natural and always desirable.
Background - London singer-songwriter Lyla Foy has just shared a new taster of her forthcoming second album Bigger Brighter, with the unexpectedly sanguine Try My Heart. Another example of Lyla laying her feelings bare, the single provides a further glimpse into the emotional journey she experienced throughout the process of writing the album. Following a premiere on Wonderland, you can listen and watch another one of her brilliant accompanying animated videos here. Lyla explains more about the song below:
With this song I’m trying to be frank about cyclical swings in temperament and I wanted to set all that talk about feelings to a driving, Krautrock-esque beat. It’s made all the more bizarre with Gina Tratt’s animated video which makes me question my sanity.
Bigger Brighter will be released on September 14th 2018, and includes previously released, BBC 6Music supported single Far Behind You featuring Jonathan Donahue of Mercury Rev, the thought-provoking No God and the beautifully enchanting Suckermoon. Also featuring on the album is John Paul White of Civil Wars for the track Bring Flowers. The record was mixed by Patrick Wimberly (Chairlift/MGMT/Solange).
In Lyla's words... From fantasy to bedlam and religion to feminism, Bigger Brighter covers some ground. With this record, one of the main things I recognise is that I’ve been more explicit with my lyrics and I feel slightly uncomfortable revealing this insight into my character.
Bigger Brighter was made with my longtime collaborator and boyfriend at the time, Oli Deakin (songwriter and producer, aka Lowpines). While I was conceiving the words and melodies, he was instrumental in the musical vision and the whole process, alongside me. Ever since we started this five years ago, it was always the two of us at its core: him and me. The production and the sound we realised could not have come about any other way. WEBSITE. 'Try My Heart' follows on from our June feature for Lyla Foy where we shared 'Far Behind You'. A softer and flowing song, it's Lyla's elegant vocals that add the melodic hooks, whilst the rhythmic backdrop adds the pace in a uncomplicated and complimentary manner.
Backdrop - Mousewateris an independent singer songwriter based in Melbourne, Australia. His musical palette interlaces indie rock influences with melodic tone and colour. Panic Stations, the debut single and brings to light the loss of control that the pressures of everyday living can manifest as anxiety for many.
“I was riding to work on my scooter one morning, it’s about an hour commute, the ride always gives me time to think and sometimes song melodies pop into my head. Wearing a helmet, nobody can hear me, so I play with the melody and lyric. When I get to work I would find some secluded spot to sing the idea onto my phone before it disappeared forever. This was the genesis for a number of the songs on the album, including Panic Stations” - Mousewater.
The track was written and recorded at Mousewater's home studio in Melbourne. All audio engineering, instrumentation and performance were also completed by Mousewater. Mousewater cut his teeth in indie rock bands touring the east coast of Australia. Years of touring had taken its toll physically and mentally and he was forced into an extended hiatus from performing and writing. Without even so much as picking up his favourite guitar for years, the drive gone, the passion for music dissolving, willingly readying himself for the post-music abyss joining so many other kindred spirits.
The year is 2016 and something was changing, inside him, some fire had been rekindled, a spark ignited and now with fuel being pumped into the empty vacuum left by an unfulfilled journey. He began to write songs again, he began to sing again, but he had some ground to make up. Songs came together quickly, the extended break had given him fresh perspectives on life and personal narratives of subjects close to his heart. Mousewater spent the next two years refining the songs he was writing. Wanting, no needing to record them, learning new processes of recording independently was inevitable. He would take his time to ensure the transition from inspiration to reality was transparent. Now complete this release is a reflective and poignant statement on the World we live in, moments that matter and the frailty of the human condition.
'Panic Stations' is a majestic and sumptuous indie song that has so much going for it. A sweeping arrangement that captivates the heart, plenty of melodic hooks and lush vocals, Mousewater has clearly put a lot into this song, and the result is that we get a whole lot more out of it.
