Saturday, 10 October 2020

Jeen - Slow Weather - Girlhood - Wild Pink

Jeen already has a notable legacy in music having started out age sixteen and her brand new song 'Idols' simply demonstrates just how fresh and gorgeous her musical capabilities are. ==== Slow Weather have just shared 'Great White Male' which has all the hallmarks of a timeless UK indie pop song with that extra gritty edge. ==== Girlhood have released 'It Might Take A Woman' where a number of genres come together beautifully and some wonderfully catchy moments cry out for another listen. ==== Wild Pink have a new video and song entitled 'The Shining But Tropical' and it's quickly gaining a whole lot of attention down to the superb nature of this addictive piece.

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Jeen - Idols.

Jeen started in the music industry busking on Queen West in Toronto at 16. It was there she and her band were scooped up by the Jeff Healey team, and were managed by them for the half decade that followed.

After two subsequent solo albums, Jeen was invited to share lead singing/song writing duties on Brendan Canning’s (of Broken Social Scene) Cookie Duster album, When Flying Was Easy.

She then dropped her last name and self produced three more solo albums in succession (Tourist, Modern Life, Gift Shop) which garnered regular radio rotation and much deserved attention from the likes of NPR, Billboard and Buzznet to name a few. Her songs have been used extensively in ad campaigns alongside many TV/film placements (MTV, Google, MasterCard, Molson, etc).

Jeen’s latest offering may be her strongest to date. Self-titled and slated for October 9, 2020, Jeen will release a 12-song LP co-produced by herself and Ian Blurton (Change of Heart, C’mon, Future Now). Recorded at Pro Gold in Toronto in 2019, this album features Ian Blurton on lead guitar, Stephan Szczesniak on drums, Ben O’Brien/Brendan Canning on bass, Jeff Heisholt on synths and a cameo by Kevin Fox on strings. Jeen is currently recording her next album. 


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Slow Weather - Great White Male.

In a time where everyone is looking back at the sounds that defined the blog-age the UK indiepop outfit Slow Weather find this perfect blend of Grandaddy, Gomez, and Badly Drawn Boy and let loose one of the most twisted little earworm potential pop-hits of October titled "Great White Male" off their upcoming EP 'Clean Living' on the Last Night From Glasgow. The track debuted earlier today at the Recoup.

Slow Weather is the new project from renowned producer and Catholic Action front man Chris McCrory and LNFG’s Annie Booth.

Annie and Chris first met when Annie was providing feature vocals on a Wojtek the Bear track. A big fan of his recording style, Annie then went into the studio with Chris to work on her Spectral EP. The process was extremely fun and organic, leading to talk of writing together for a new project.

After they penned their first song together in four hours, the two knew they’d stumbled across something exciting. The Clean Living EP, due for release later in 2020, was recorded mainly at Hermitage Works Studios in London, with the finishing touches added at Chris‘s home.

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Girlhood - It Might Take A Woman.

The new single from Girlhood is 'It Might Take a Woman', which is out now. It's the final single to be taken in advance of the band's debut LP which is out October 23 via Team Talk Records.

This new single finds the pair switching the pace again from the slow-burning groove of Queendom finding a sound the brings with it arresting rhythms and 90s house feel; thematically it looks to celebrate and embrace femaleness and what it means to singer in the group, Tessa Cavanna. 

To recap quickly, the band drew praise for previous material from the likes of Loud & Quiet, The yourselves at Best Fit, Wonderland, Complex, Clash and more for their Neo-soul, R&B and electronic sound – the pair, made up of Christian Pinchbeck and Tessa Cavanna, racked up quite the gig list with dates opening for Poliça and performing festival sets at Iceland Airwaves, Visions and Latitude.

The band has given their take on the sounds of late 90s/early 00s – Fugees, Avalanches and Neneh Cherry all come to mind – with particular favourites of mine such as ’The Love I Need’ earning support from Huw Stephens on his R1 Introducing show and Lauren Laverne. A key theme that runs through the record is Tessa Cavanna's exploration of womanhood and what it means in all its different forms, it’s a record of “transparency and honesty” and the "need to be loved, heard and understood.”

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Wild Pink - The Shining But Tropical.

Wild Pink are announcing their new album A Billion Little Lights, alongside their new single and video for "The Shining But Tropical", starring newly-minted Emmy-winner Annie Murphy (Schitt's Creek). The follow up to 2018's breakthrough Yolk In The Fur, which earned an 8.1 from Pitchfork, and garnered high praise from outlets like Stereogum, FADER, NPR, Paste and Uproxx, the album is the band's first record with Toronto-based label Royal Mountain Records, and will be released on February 19th, 2021.

Of the track, Wild Pink's leader John Ross explains: "It was inspired by Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” as well as “If I Needed You” by Townes Van Zandt, this song is named for a grim retirement home in Florida. It’s about somebody who was born sheltered realizing how large the world is and how unimportant they are. Julia Steiner’s vocal contributions brought the song to fruition, and it was a lot of fun to make. We spent a lot of time focusing on the drums and percussion, using a phone recording of some cicadas in a quieter part towards the end of the song, and I really like all the stuff Dan came up with like the Agogo bells and Rototoms."

Annie Murphy explains a bit more about the video and the setting: "My family has a cabin in the middle of nowhere in rural Ontario that they use as a hunting camp every October. The previous owner was a woman named Mrs. Clark who lived there with her husband and sons in the 1940's. Though she had them as company, they all worked outside of the house, and most of the time she was very much alone, with no electricity and no running water. After many years of isolation and many long, dark winters, she walked into the woods one afternoon and killed herself.

My uncles, who I think would consider themselves "tough guys", have all had at least one strange and spooky encounter in their time at the hunting camp. Would they fully admit to seeing or hearing Mrs. Clark's ghost? No. But I would on their behalf.

This is a video loosely based on Mrs. Clark's story. When the crew set up the camera's for the first shot in the cabin, the monitor screen just showed static. Mike [McLaughlin, director of photography] was truly baffled and insisted he'd never seen this happen before. That's when my Uncle Pat stepped in and called up the stairs "Hi Mrs. Clark. It's me, Patrick. We're here to make a little film about you. It's respectful and nice and is telling your story, so we hope you don't mind". Five seconds later, the monitor started working. Thanks Mrs. Clark, I hope you like what we made!"

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Friday, 9 October 2020

Emma Miller - Thrillhouse - SOUP! (feat Meredith Adelaide - Meisha & The Spanks

Emma Miller just released a soothing and gently flowing singer-songwriter track called 'Sail Away'. ==== Back in March we featured 'Lesser' from Thrillhouse and they are back with 'If It's Important' which is a catchy fast moving and rhythmic song. ==== SOUP! share 'All To Myself' featuring Meredith Adelaide and between them they have created an original and vibrant modern pop track. ==== Miesha & The Spanks new song 'Wanna Feel Good' is a potent garage rocker that fires hooks in all directions.

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Emma Miller - Sail Away.

Following the release of her folk-tinged single “Honey”, Scottish artist Emma Miller returns with her introspective new track “Sail Away” - further demonstrating her inquisitive nature as a songwriter.

Experimenting with soft electronics and shimmering harmonies, “Sail Away” is a beautiful offering from the young artist. The delicate soundscape allows Emma’s powerful lyricism to take centre-stage, her warm vocals lapping gently against rumbling synth patterns and soft percussion.

“I wrote ‘Sail Away’ on a quiet evening at the end of 2018 when I was reflecting on what had been a fairly tumultuous year”, Emma explains. “I wanted to write the song from the perspective of what  a friend might say to me, rather than the critical inner voice we can slip into when we’re  feeling particularly inadequate. I hope when people listen, they’ll be comforted in the  knowledge that they’re doing just fine and no matter where you are in life, it’s ok to take  the road less travelled.”

Releasing music since 2017, Emma has taken a noticeable step back over the past 2 years. Instead, as she quietly watched and supported her peers to  find success in their own musical projects, she chose to diligently focus on her songwriting and began working on a body of music she could be proud of.

Like many artists and songwriters who’ve found themselves jaded by the music industry, it  wasn’t until Emma let go of the idea that music had to pay the bills that she fell head over  heels in love with it. Today, amongst other things, (such as roaming the Scottish hillsides and looking after her dog, Gracie) Emma is pursuing a Diploma in Counselling Psychology, supporting people in the quest to navigate their mental health.


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Thrillhouse - If It's Important.

Brighton's alt-indie band Thrillhouse return with their latest single If It's Important, a love letter to those that help you through the shit times and to anyone that pushes you to achieve your dreams however foolish they may seem.


Out today October 9th, If It's Important follows a string of self-produced releases snagging spots on Spotify's 'Hot New Bands', KEXP, XFM's John Kennedy and Amazing Radio. Steadily carving out a space for themselves in the alt-indie scene the Brighton trio are building momentum in anticipation of their debut album Enter Spacebar, due for release mid-2021.

Thrillhouse are purveyors of sincerity cushioned in good humour. The lyrics convey a sense of personal struggle that is joyfully balanced with melodic and layered production, pushed forward by driving beats and ecstatic hooks. Check out their vid for previous single, Lesser.

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SOUP! - All To Myself (feat. Meredith Adelaide).

London based Italo-British experimental duo SOUP! have teamed up with American singer and multimedia artist Meredith Adelaide for a transcending, metaphysical Pop gem. 

SOUP! and Meredith make a game-changing pairing, with SOUP! breaking rules and boundaries within the paradigms of Pop, and Meredith bringing their thoughtful honest lyrics and dreamy vocals. 

Meredith and the band met through the Rattle Collective, an international music network based in London and L.A., which allowed many artists to connect and cooperate during lockdown. Meredith recalls: “I’ve been trying to work with Gigi at The Rattle since I joined the Los Angeles crew. He started SOUP! as a way to not overthink creation and asked me if I’d be down to add vocals to a song. 

It happened during the pandemic. It was a time of transition when I was asking myself a lot of hard questions about what I actually wanted in and for my world”. The result is the single ‘All To Myself’, born out of a remote collaboration transcending physical borders. The new single maintains the essential ingredients of SOUP!’s debut ‘All The People’ - with their abstractionist approach, dystopian soundscapes and a symbiotic performance between the human and the machine.

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Miesha & The Spanks - Wanna Feel Good.

Miesha & The Spanks are a high octane garage rock duo from Calgary AB, made up of rock n roll matriarch Miesha Louie and her partner in crime, the hardest hitting Sean Hamilton on drums. Together they draw inspiration from classics like The Runaways, L7, and The Buzzcocks to create some modern noise that’s catchy enough to raise a fist and sing along.

Noise Journal describes them as “a filthy rocket of pure jet-fuel up the nostril, with surf rock sensibilities, a grunge groove and hair metal swagger,” while Canadian Beats called their last album “reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age meets The Animals – a certain coolness about it, making it impossible to forget.”

They’ve made a name for themselves as a band who is here to stay. Since Miesha created The Spanks in 2008, she’s opened every door, and taken advantage of each opportunity that’s come her way. Tour after tour down Canadian highway to play every small town and big city, with as many drummers as are up to the task, until landing someone crazy enough to stick around.

Their 2018 release Girls Girls Girls was produced by Danny Farrant of UK Punk Legends The Buzzcocks. The album reached #1 on Earshot!’s National Loud charts, and had singles hit #7 on CBC 3’s R3-30, and #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown. It was even given attention from Rodney Bingenheimer’s Sirius XM show Rodney On The Rock.

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Wednesday, 7 October 2020

Leahy - Hannah Scott - Tamara Willamson - Kill The Giants - Palberta

Leahy have shared the title track from their new album 'Good Water' and what a superb piece it is with wonderful vocals and harmonies. ==== Our third feature this year for Hannah Scott comes in the form of 'Untangling' where once again her beautifully crafted music and distinctive vocals impress. ==== It's been quite some time since Tamara Willamson last graced our pages and it's a warm welcome back as we feature her new single 'Swim' along with another recent one 'Flashback' both of which confirm she can and still does deliver creative and fabulous music. ==== Kill The Giants have released a poignant video for the title track of their new album 'Three Word Phrase'. This eclectic and genre defying band have produced a gem of an album of which this track is but one dimension. ==== Palberta are getting plenty of attention with the new song and video for 'Before I Got Here' where melody, harmonies and punk sensibilities come together wonderfully.

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Leahy - Good Water.

If you think you know what the music of Canadian band Leahy sounds like, it’s time to think again.

Their new album Good Water brings the five women members of the group – Leahy sisters Julie, Erin, Maria, Siobheann, and Denise – freshly to the fore, in singing and especially songwriting, along with brother Frank on drums. As the songs on Good Water took shape, a new edge to their sound began to emerge with the addition of electric guitars which – as played by new band member Xavier Leahy (as well as guest musicians on the recording Bill Dillon, Nick Johnson and Adam Agati) – spurred the band on to explore the outer edges of their traditional/Celtic/folk/roots musical origins, pushing well beyond that footing. 

In another new development, Good Water finds the band working under the sharp, exacting hand of Grammy-winning Canadian producer David Bottrill (Peter Gabriel, Rush, Smashing Pumpkins, Afro Celt Sound System), who brought an additional new intensity to the sonic palette. The result is a wide-ranging collection of songs that newly ignite the many musical influences that motivate the band members – from rock to choral, country to classical, and beyond.

As an example, the first single and title track, “Good Water,” is an entirely contemporary song of hope; a timely message to a generation of “people called to be together” in a world stricken by anxiety, turmoil, and uncertainty. Although it expresses a universal sentiment, it’s as relevant a song as you’ll hear in 2020. With “Good Water,” Leahy have caught the eternal in the commonplace, and captured a feeling we can all recognize now, across the globe.

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Hannah Scott - Untangling.

London-Based independent artist Hannah Scott is fast cementing her place as one of the country’s most exciting new songwriters, with her emotive songs and striking voice. Untangling, the third single from her forthcoming album, showcases her powerful and personal storytelling.

The song expresses the dismantling of a life and home following the breakdown of a long term relationship. Co-written and produced with long-standing creative partner Stefano Della Casa (Ultra Music Publishing), Untangling expertly combines organic, live elements with electronic sounds. 

The two artists have struck a perfect balance between Hannah’s traditional songwriting craft and Stefano’s unique cinematic production. Recent highlights for the pair include being awarded funding by Help Musicians UK to go towards the production of the album, opening for Madeleine Peyroux to an audience of 2000 at
Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre and travelling across Ireland with Paddy Casey to open shows for him in Dublin and in a tiny Irish speaking village near Galway! 

Their music has also been featured on BBC Radio 2 including a live session with Dermot O’Leary, BBC 6 Music, BB Introducing, The Guardian, MOJO and Clash Magazine.

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Tamara Willamson - Swim / Flashback.


Swim is single number four this year and is a ten minute sound journey. Collaborating this month with award winning HBO and Canadian Screen film composer Tom Third. This single is not a single but rather an ocean of self adulation. And why not...

Dubbed the Godmother of indie Tamara Williamson has opened for Oasis,
been told she is Feists inspiration and beat Bjork in the listings of best show in NOW mag.

Tamara Williamson has been a mainstay in the Toronto music scene since the early 90s. She released 3 albums with her band Mrs.Torrance on the major label BMG. Mrs.Torrance toured extensively in Canada opening for such acts as Oasis, The Beautiful South, Talk Talk, and Jewel. They toured with bands such as The Crash Test Dummies, The Pursuit of Happiness, The Waltons, The Rheostatics, Hayden and King Cobb Steelie. Their single Mrs. Torrance broke into radio with their single and were mainstays in Much Music rotation.

In 2000 Mrs. Torrance disbanded and Tamara started a solo career. Her music is ethereal and sensitive. Using many effects and layers she was one of the first artists to start live looping and was known for her experimentation using both vocal effects and looping. Tamara was featured in The New Music Show in 2000 and her first independent single went into rotation on MUCH Music. 

Her first recording Nightmare on Queen Street was very well received and Tamara played at many folk festivals such as Hillside, The Regina Folk Festival, and NXNE. She also went down the West Coast touring with Bob Wiseman and Matt Nathensen.


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Kill The Giants - Three Word Phrase.

St Albans's genre bending collective Kill The Giants are back with their third LP - Three Word Phrase.

The album has been recorded in response to the extreme pressures put on society and individuals casued by the continuing lockdown restrictions imposed by the government. Freedom and democracy have been surrendered to an increasingly authoritarian government bent on creating mass fear in the population so that they can be controlled. The band are focusing on celebrating and cherishing our freedoms.

One of these tools of control is the repetitive use of a Three Word Phrase devised by behavioural scientists on the SAGE committee these are an effective tool of mind control and the likes of Adolus Huxley (whom the band sample) warned about this over 70 years ago. CONTROL THE VIRUS, STAY AT HOME, HANDS FACE SPACE - to name a few.

The band also sample Charlie Chaplin (from his famous speech in The Great Dictator), Geroge Orwell, Donald Trump & even Boris Johnson.

KTG frontman Mark Christopher Lee has had a traumatic time during lockdown and is wanting to raise awareness of all those with mental health issues who have suffered as a result of continuing lockdown with treatments being cancelled and suicides increasing.

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Palberta - Before I Got Here.

NYC punk trio, Palberta are set to release their new album, Palberta5000 on January 22, 2021. They have a new single and video, ‘Before I Got Here’ – it’s out via Wharf Cat Records (Bambara, Public Practice).

I'm not sure if you're aware of the band already but if not, they're an NYC-based trio who've developed a combination of a really devoted cult audience and critical acclaim over the last few years in the US, earning comparisons to some of the legends of left-field music like Captain Beefheart (Rolling Stone), ESG (Pitchfork), CAN and Yoko Ono (FADER), and Pitchfork called their last LP, 2018's Roach Going Down "a leap to another level...[that] suggests even higher peaks to come." 

Their new LP really delivers on the promise that their last album's direction implied, upping the production and reconciling their sound with more traditional pop forms while sacrificing absolutely none of the Palberta-ness that has endeared them to people over their catalog to date. The band opened for Bikini Kill on some of their US dates last year and were supposed to tour the UK and Europe for the first time earlier this year before COVID hit – hopefully, these dates will now come next year.


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Monday, 5 October 2020

Zachary Kibbee - Jody and the Jerms

Zachary Kibbee has a new video for his single 'Somewhere To Put My Gold'. The video captures the sheer vibrance and energy of the song which is a funky, riff driven affair with a mass of musical hooks to dig in deep. ==== Jody and the Jerms make their third appearance on Beehive Candy with 'It's All Up To You' a song that exudes charm, energy, melody and just plain gorgeous vibes.

 

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Zachary Kibbee - Somewhere To Put My Gold.

Los Angeles rocker Zachary Kibbee has released the new video for his single, “Somewhere To Put My Gold.” The track is a part of his new album Life In Low Fidelity, released earlier this summer. Kibbee exhibits sincere enthusiasm for music with his unique combination of modern alternative rock elements with his authentic gritty, bluesy style in his video. Zachary Kibbee’s “Somewhere To Put My Gold” video is now available to view on his YouTube channel.

Zachary Kibbee and his fellow band members, Derrick Wong and Jessica Goodwin, passionately jam out together in the video for “Somewhere To Put My Gold.” Wong and Goodwin provide energetic bass playing and exuberant drumming that accentuate Kibbee’s rangy vocals and heavy guitar playing. The video is brimming with confident rockstar energy. Kibbee struts around while zealously rocking out; “Somewhere To Put My Gold” is a thrilling experience both visually and acoustically. The song’s inspiration came from one of Kibbee’s co-writers, Frank Palazzolo, commenting on his swagger. 

"Frank said he really liked my swagger and had a lyric that he thought would fit my style, 'somewhere to put my gold.' I loved the idea, so we ran with that concept: swagger and gold," explains Kibbee. The video was directed by Danny Herb and produced by Eric McNeely, who also co-wrote the song with Frank Palazzolo and Kibbee. With COVID-19 still running rampant, it’s not an ideal time to gather as a group, so Kibbee wanted to ensure that everyone involved in the shoot was operating with the best Covid prevention practices. 

“It’s definitely an interesting time to shoot a music video. We opted for a skeleton crew and made sure to maintain social distancing between and even during takes. I asked that everyone wear masks and get tested,” explains Kibbee. “I was so grateful that everyone was on the same page as far as keeping everyone safe and healthy while getting the job done with such a minimal crew.”


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Jody and the Jerms - It's All Up To You.

Oxford, England's Jody and the Jerms have released their debut full length album, Deeper, featuring the single 'It's All Up to You', a track that singer Jody describes as "A bit of a dichotomy - an upbeat fast-paced track with an infectious country tinged guitar riff and British Summertime Hammond organ-laden chorus. The words kinda reflect our mood as we  came out of lockdown, and how we need to adapt and be better."

Released September 4th, the album has already been met with critical praise."Jody & the Jerms' sound harks back to those untouchable days indie music enjoyed in the 90s, possessing seemingly effortlessness melodies and choruses which embed themselves in your head for days,"  said XS Noize in their review. "The new album immediately brings to mind a merge of Doves and Mazzy Star," says Medium.com, "Comparable to the likes of Best Coast and even The Cars...an album bringing together 90’s indie-pop with a fresh, airy sound touching on dream-pop."

Formed in Oxford, England, in the Fall of 2019, Jody and the Jerms have been writing, recording and playing their blend of melodic and uplifting indie/alt pop ever since. They started as a trio 10 months ago - two veteran indie rockers, who boast Radiohead and Supergrass to their credits, and freshly recruited newcomer Jody. Jody had never sung professionally before, but had agreed to a rehearsal and quickly the band took shape. With a few quick release singles, they soon grew to a five piece after picking up national airtime on Radio X (UK), Sirius XM (USA), RTVE (Spain) and BBC (UK), had a European tour locked and loaded - then COVID hit. So they wrote an album instead. Deeper was released on September 4.

Fishing 4 Compliments - The Moonlandingz - City Cycles - Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band - Lavinia Blackwall

Fishing 4 Compliments - Hard To Please. The female fronted indie-folk-pop Fishing 4 Compliments new single 'Hard To Please' is rele...