Violent Vickie - Jasmine Rodgers - Van Plating

Violent Vickie returns with a new video for 'Under the Gun' and once again our favorite Dark Synth-Riot artist is on fabulous form as the song reminds us of just how good her recent album release really is! ===== It's been over a year since Jasmine Rodgers last graced our pages and 'Flies' makes for a welcome return from this talented and creative modern folk artist. ===== Van Plating just released 'Bird on a Wire' and it's a fabulous singer-songwriter piece where her vocals are wonderful and the musical arrangement adds so much more as the layers build.

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Violent Vickie - Under the Gun.

Los Angeles-based Dark Synth-Riot artist Violent Vickie released the Music Video for "Under The Gun" on October 23.

The video was directed and edited by Nick Pagonakis of Underboss Films and shot in a parking lot in Long Beach, CA by Jennifer Miller.  The song is a seductively cold reaction to the pressure to conform and produce in a capitalist society.

Violent Vickie is a Los Angeles based Dark Synth-Riot artist consisting of Vickie and co-producer/recording guitarist E.  Vickie has toured with Hanin Elias of Atari Teenage Riot and shared the stage with Jessie Evans (The Vanishing), Trans X, Them Are Us Too, Aimon & The Missing Persons.  

She has toured the US & Europe and played Insted Fest, Solidarity Fest, Shoutback Fest & Gay Prides and Ladyfests.  Vickie’s tracks have been released by Crunch Pod, Emerald & Doreen Recordings (Berlin), Riot Grrrl Berlin, & LoveCraft Bar (PDX).  Her track "The Wolf“ was featured in a National Organization for Women film and she was interviewed for the documentary “GRRRL”, part of the museum exhibit “Alien She”.  Her LP "Monster Alley” was voted best album by KALX and her tracks have been remixed by 25+ artists.  Vickie's "Division" LP was released on Crunch Pod on September 4.

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Jasmine Rodgers - Flies.

Four years on from the release of her critically acclaimed album Blood Red Sun, Jasmine is back with “Flies”, the first release from her forthcoming EP. The track is set for release on 23rd October.

For anyone that doesn’t already know, Jasmine Rodgers has a rapidly-growing reputation for fusing influences from rock, blues, soul, folk and country into lush musical textures layered with poetic lyrics. Her stripped-back solo shows feature her complex guitar picking styles and intricate vocals, as she shifts effortlessly across her varied musical landscape, from folk to rock.

“Flies” is a lyrical study of survival and mortality and the minutiae of life that signpost hopes and frustrations. Building slowly from its guitar- and vocal-led core, Rodgers gradually and subtly elevates the track through the introduction of piano and layered-reverbs. The latter are used to create the constant ‘buzz’ in the track’s background, with it eventually dying out so that the song’s escalating tension neatly mirrors the message of its lyrical content. In conversation with Jasmine she says:

“People can take life too seriously, but life is so short in the grand scheme of things. But it’s a bit of a double-edged sword, as that is probably why people take it so seriously and make certain choices about the way they want to live”

This track showcases the ethereal beauty of Jasmine’s vocals and is driven by her finger-picked folk guitar technique, unusually deployed in the use of an electric guitar. “Flies” will be released independently on all major digital download and streaming platforms 23rd October 2020.

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Van Plating - Bird on a Wire.

Van Plating wasn’t sure how her self-titled album would be received in 2019 after a nine-year hiatus from music.

After attending Florida Southern College and majoring in violin and voice, Plating spent her 20s immersed in the indie rock scene, playing violin and singing with her band Pemberly (named after the country estate in Pride & Prejudice). The band was poised for success, receiving warm receptions while on tour with the likes of Copeland, The Postmarks, Matt Pond PA, and Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s. Things were going great — until they weren’t. The band broke up and she decided to take some time off. A year turned into three, which turned into six, and before she knew it nearly a decade had passed.

Plating woke up one day and wasn’t sure where she fit in musically anymore. The music business isn’t known for being kind to women after they reach a certain age — and she no longer had a band to blend in with. She knew if she took another shot at it, she would be front and center, and would rise or fall alone. Either way, she knew she wanted to try again, and cast any fears aside.

Plating recently confessed about 2019’s Van Plating, “A year and a half ago, I thought I was going to write a little acoustic record to give to my friends, but that’s not what it turned out to be at all.” Instead, the album took on a life of its own, blossoming into a collection of songs indebted to the confessional folk tradition whilst embracing forward-thinking pop song structures, harkening to celebrated offerings from Lilith Fair icons like Paula Cole, Aimee Mann, Natalie Merchant, and Shawn Colvin. Plating also dipped her toes into the Americana world with songs like “Standing Still” and “Mountain” — both of which received praise from Americana-focused media outlets.

“I was literally in the studio experimenting and trying things,” she recalls. “Where I landed, which has been really cool, is in that Americana world, which I love a lot. And that just sort of happened organically after the record was released. I had a lot of momentum coming into the spring with a festival booked, and a lot of shows were coming in before they all got canceled, and they were good opportunities.”

It was the reception to her new sound that gave her the confidence to lean into a more singer-songwriter vibe on the songs she’s recorded during quarantine.

“The album I put out last year really helped me find my way,” she affirms. “Now I feel like I don't need anybody else to tell me or help me kind of uncover who I am anymore; I know that I'm a strong singer and a strong songwriter. That record taught me who I am.”

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Les Flâneur - The Sonder Bombs - Imogen Mahdavi

Les Flâneur brand new album 'A Long Season' is simply breathtaking. Comprising of eight rich and creative songs featuring a variety of guest vocalists this really is impressive, touching and engaging music that will appeal to a wide range of music lovers, as it takes us from dream pop moments, through to more dramatic pieces ===== The Sonder Bombs return just a month since we shared 'What Are Friends For?' with another new single entitled 'Crying Is Cool' where the melodic hooks are again everywhere on this refined alt rocker. ===== London-based singer-songwriter Imogen Mahdavi has just released 'Some Things Are Best Over Said' a song that showcases her distinctive falsetto vocals wonderfully, this is one highly addictive track.

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Les Flâneur - A Long Season (Album).

Five years of working, three languages, artists from many different countries, and even Continents. So this album was born, not out of ambitions, but out of a true Flâneur attitude, which led the producer Alex Marchetti to involve friends and singers from Italy, Sweden, Brasil into his project.

Friends and artists who added their talent and voices to the tracks he'd been writing aside his main project, the band Il Disordine delle cose. Some, as Alice Greco, were found by lucky chance, during an evening out with friends at a local gig. Others, as Hanna Turi, played at the house concerts he used to organise in his country house. There are many reasons why this is a relevant album to listen to, right now.

The fluid electronic texture, the sincerity of lyrics, the catchy songwriting. But most of all, this album comes out of people joining souls in music, out of human exhanges, out of travels. In a time when we're all stuck, due to circumstances, it's important to remember how much beauty travels, and encounters, can bring.

Le Flâneur is a dynamic figure: he can sit in a bistro observing the world that flows in front of him, but he is also a tireless walker, covering great distances, travelling random routes. A condition that allows him to observe everything that happens around him, without haste. A kind of involuntary hero, who fights against the approval of costumes and reaffirms his personality. He just wants to save himself.

The project: Les Flâneurs is an idea of producer Alessandro Marchetti, who's also a member of the indie band Il Disordine delle Cose. They released 3 albums (Quite Please, Warner Chapell). The full-lenght "La Giostra" was recorded in Iceland with the sound engineer of Sigur Ros and "In the Right Place" in Scotland in the studio of Mogwai and Belle and Sebastian.

Over those years Alessandro recorded some songs with a different soul, now collected under the name Les Flâneurs, involving collaborations with several artists he met in these years.  The sound ranges between indie, electronic and folk, with a significant use of synths, drum machines and orchestral sections.
He liked the idea of working with different singers, especially girls. It's a sort of collective project, with Alessandro working as "director" as well as producer, in which everyone has brought their talents helping to improve the songs. The songs feature artists from different countries: from Italian Carlot-ta, to Swedish Hanna Turi, to Brazilian Priscila Ribas. There is also a featuring (clearly unauthorized) by Edith Piaf.

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The Sonder Bombs - Crying Is Cool.

Midwesterner upstarts The Sonder Bombs have today announced their new album Clothbound, out January 29th on Big Scary Monsters (UK/EU) and Take This To Heart (US), and share new track / video ‘Crying is Cool’. Produced in Philadelphia during quarantine with Joe Reinhart (Hop Along, Beach Bunny), their new record captures a band burning at both ends.

“Crying is Cool” could be considered a spirited highlight reel of Willow Hawks’ voice—the melody dips into doo-wop cool before it reaches for the rafters. The single is also The Sonder Bombs at their most earnest and educational, teaching listeners of all ages that it’s okay to hole up with your feelings as long as you give them room to grow and bloom. The band operates on a singular syllabus, where feeling is fine, as long as you’re letting yourself feel at all.

“Crying is cool” is all about validation and vulnerability” says lead singer Willow Hawks. “Being there for friends when they need it as well as being cared for. That solidarity is such a beautiful thing and we really wanted to capture the goodness in that with the video! Our director Ben Lieber had the brilliant idea of a weekend cabin getaway with friends which fit so perfectly with the message of the song and then our genius stylists Chlo & Mick just brought the full vision to life! We’re so excited to share “Crying is cool” and this next chapter of The Sonder Bombs with the world!”

For The Sonder Bombs, self-confidence starts when it crosses paths with self-analysis. Their debut defined a new era of socially conscious, unapologetic pop punk. The alt-folk quartet began as a duo in 2016, with Hawks and her writing partner Jimmy Wilkens trading off abrasive and melodic punches against a DIY universe which places gender politics at the bottom of a list of priorities.

Now, the Cleveland quartet have doubled down on their second record. 2018’s debut MODERN FEMALE ROCKSTAR was their first bet: an all-caps attack against a male-dominated scene brandishing a ukulele and dry wit as chosen weapons. A year and some change passed, where their relentless touring ethic and tough love caused a homegrown fan base to explode worldwide. Clothbound, like the title suggests, weaves a different narrative—one of loss, letting go, and losing patience with losers. If the first record introduced unapologetic sensitivity, Clothbound searches for the root causes of other key elements.

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Imogen Mahdavi - Some Things Are Best Over Said.

London-based singer-songwriter Imogen Mahdavi releases her new single, “Some Things Are Best Oversaid.” Featuring Imogen's distinct, falsetto vocals dance elegantly atop floaty melodies and twangy, country style guitars, creating a hypnotic release. Reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, Imogen’s simple and minimalist arrangements, combined with echoing harmonies give you an uplift feel to cleanse the soul.

Imogen Mahdavi is known for her unique and rich vocals, which tell a thousand stories. With a slew of wistful indie-pop releases under her belt, the musician has forged her own path, carving her name with her beautifully introspective creations. Radiating with sincerity and grace, Imogen is unlike anything you’ve heard before.

Following the success of “Crowd of Thoughts”, a hauntingly epic track produced by Grammy Winner Eddie Serafica (Hamzaa, James Bay, Buddy Guy), Imogen is unveiling the incandescent “Some Things Are Best Oversaid”. Her distinct, falsetto vocals dance elegantly atop floaty melodies and twangy, country style guitars, creating a hypnotic release. Reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, Imogen’s simple and minimalist arrangements, combined with echoing harmonies give you an uplift feel to cleanse the soul.

Inspired by the likes of Joan Baez and Anita Carter, Imogen wanted to reignite the old romance of country songs, whilst simultaneously creating something for people to dance to. “Some Things Are Best Oversaid” narrates wearing your heart on your sleeve, not only romantically, but also with your friends, family and creative passions. The songwriter confides, “Life is short and I am not one to be coy about my love for someone. If you make me happy I want to shout it from the rooftops and show my appreciation. I think we get too fixated on being too much for others, not being cool enough, but there is nothing more dope to me than an honest heart and someone who isn't afraid of being judged for showing it.”

Imogen Mahdavi · Some Things Are Best Over Said

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Call Me Spinster - Lorraine Nash - She's Got Spies - Partner - Ana Mae

Call Me Spinster shared 'Here You Are' this week and it's a refreshing mixture of sixties girl group pop, fabulous vocals and harmonies with a splendid accompanying video. ===== From Ireland we have Lorraine Nash who today releases 'River'. Lorraine's notable vocals exude a classic folk style whilst retaining a fresh contemporary feel and the musical backdrop is just right. ===== She's Got Spies released 'Super Sniffer Dogs' a couple of days back and it's originality and catchy nature is just so addictive. ===== Partner share their feisty indie rocker and fourth single 'Honey' taken from their next album 'Partner's Never Give Up' due next month. ===== We don't know much about Ana Mae beyond the fact that today she has released the beautiful and dreamy 'That I Would Do' it's one of those short, sweet and just plain wonderful "play me again tunes".

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Call Me Spinster - Here You Are.

Chattanooga trio Call Me Spinster has announced the December 11 release of their self-titled EP via Strolling Bones Records. The debut release from sisters Amelia, Rachel and Rosalie, Call Me Spinster is an extraordinary example of the transcendent musical bond only siblings can share. Along with the announcement, the band has released their dreamy first single “Here You Are” and a quirky, dance-filled music video. 

Filtering Debbie Harry energy through a bouncy ‘60s girl group chord progression, the song opens up into walls of unexpected slide guitar and vocal harmonies with catchy lyrics that celebrate the strange and electrifying moment of meeting your child for the first time.

“‘Here You Are’ was our first original song, written shortly after Amelia gave birth to her first child,” the group explains. “It describes the moment of meeting a person that you feel you should know after carrying and nurturing them for nine months, but instead you are met with a completely foreign little face, a ‘weary rambler’ from another dimension that just so happened to pick you for this cosmic go-around. The video celebrates this strange and fleeting beauty of being human. We wanted to capture moments between us that were raw, intimate, and unapologetically joyful, particularly in this moment of pain and disconnectedness.”

The sisters of Call Me Spinster began playing together while working as teachers in various international locales, mostly performing covers when they would get together for low-key events and family weddings. They quickly developed a repertoire of well-loved pop, R&B and ‘90s boy band songs, which morphed into something new when approached through left-of-center arrangements for stand up bass, accordion, banjo, ukulele and a drum set-up they lovingly referred to as “trash percussion.” After all three sisters relocated to their hometown, the trio quickly gained a reputation in the supportive Chattanooga music scene, and within a few years they were applying their distinctive approach to songs of their own. 

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Lorraine Nash - River.

21-year old multi-instrumentalist, Lorraine Nash, is fast becoming one of the shining lights in Ireland’s folk scene. Lorraine returns with her newest single ‘River’ set for release October 23, 2020. ‘River’ is the third single from her debut EP Wildflower released June, 2020, and is a follow up to singles ‘Wildflower’ and ‘Changing Tides’.

With its rhythmic flow the single ‘River’ is the most directly influenced by trad music from Lorraine’s debut EP Wildflower. The song tackles the feelings of grief and loss experienced with the end of a relationship, either romantic or friendship. We all have our own path to travel but it is the events of our life that determine its course. The message is one of hope however; that you will overcome the obstacles life throws in your path and find where you belong.

Performing since she was a child, Lorraine is a talented pianist, guitar, harp, flute and violin player, skills that she has brought to the recording studio to create her debut EP Wildflower. Equally at home in Irish Trad, Lorraine’s original material brings an eclectic mix of music traditions to the table while ensuring that her own unique voice and élan comes through.

Recorded, mixed and mastered in Clonmoyle East with Herring Ahern ‘River’ is out today October 23, 2020.

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She's Got Spies - Super Sniffer Dogs.

She’s Got Spies releases her new album ‘Isle of Dogs’ on the 6th of November. It’s preceded  by the single ‘Super Sniffer Dogs’ on the 23rd of October it was debuted last night on Janice Long's BBC Radio Wales show.

With music hall style pianos, bounding percussion, fizzing guitars and a playful vocal, new single ‘Super Sniffer Dogs' is inspired by Laura’s time spent visiting Poplar on the Isle of Dogs, an area of high  contrast with the rich, banking area of Canary Wharf and large, destitute council estates. It’s about an  imaginary dystopian festival with lots of restrictions in a high walled destitute area. Despite its serious  themes, which is juxtaposed by a catchy singalong melody, it’s a joyous tuneful romp.

She’s Got Spies’ second album ‘Isle of Dogs’ refers to an area of London, Laura Nunez’s hometown,  as well as the state of turmoil of the island of Britain. The follow up album to her debut Welsh language  album ‘Wedi’, ‘Isle of Dogs’ features songs written over the last decade. She’s Got Spies is the project  of Laura Nunez and her cast of collaborators. She spends her time between Cardiff and London, she’s  multilingual and can sing in Welsh, English and Russian.

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Partner - Honey.

Partner share the video for one of their most rock shredding songs "Honey." A live favorite from the past year, Honey is the fourth and final single, from Partner's Never Give Up (November 20th on You've Changed Records) the follow up to their break out debut album, In Search of Lost Time.

"Honey is the origin story of Josée's golden axe. In this track we recall how she first found her way to our house and joined the band. It came with a note (from Josée's dad) 'This guitar sounds just like honey going down.' Get ready for some straight up rock n roll." - Partner

Never Give Up is Partner’s second full-length album, following 2017’s In Search of Lost Time. In the years since their first release, the band has developed their “post classic rock” sound, leaving behind 90s rock comparisons. The new album retains elements that will be familiar to Partner fans, such as guitar solos and humorous subject matter, but with more structurally adventurous songs and abstract lyrics. They have spent the last several years on tour with drummer Simone TB, and this is evident in the looser and more confident performances captured on the album. Never Give Up was recorded by Steve Chaley at Palace Sound in the summer of 2019.

The band described the process of making the album. “In October of 2018 we found ourselves in a dark and quiet rehearsal space. We were practicing for a two person show, the first one we had played in many years. We were at a crossroads as a band, and we had no idea what the future held. All we knew was that we were going to be making music together. We weren’t sure what this music would sound like or who would be playing it with us. And then the songs started to arrive. Some of them fully formed, like the first songs we wrote. It was as much a surprise to us as anyone else when we realized we had the beginnings of our second album.”

Not all the songs came so easily. Some took over a year to complete. Some taunted the band with their elusivity. Some forced Partner to rip them apart and build them back together more than once. Never Give Up was written in rehearsal spaces, in the band’s bedrooms, in a condo, in friends’ and strangers’ houses, Air BnBs, in a cafe and on Josee’s couch and in the studio, and in the booth. “We talked. We were honest with each other and honest with ourselves. Sometimes it was a lot. And when it got to be almost too much we would repeat to each other, first as a joke and then not as a joke at all, ‘never give up’.”

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Ana Mae - That I Would Do.

Ana Mae's second single 'That I Would Do' will be released digitally via Eggy Records today 23rd October 2020.

That's all the information we have at this time, however this a short blast of dreamy music that's really worth a feature on it's release day!!

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Kacy + Clayton and Marlon Williams - Yawn - Michael Bernard Fitzgerald

Kacy + Clayton and Marlon Williams have shared the beautiful song 'I Wonder Why'. Kacy and Clayton have been featured a few times before on Beehive Candy and this new collaboration with Marlon Williams is gorgeous and a foretaste of their 'Plastic Bouquet' album due in December. ===== Yawn has just released 'Wasting Time' and it's a dreamy, melodic and atmospheric song delivered in a heartfelt and genuine manner. ===== Michael Bernard Fitzgerald is a talented and respected folk and singer songwriter artist and his latest song 'Heart Of It' is wonderfully arranged, with his personable vocals packing real feeling.

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Kacy + Clayton and Marlon Williams - I Wonder Why.

Kacy & Clayton and Marlon Williams are set to release their debut collaboration Plastic Bouquet on December 11th, 2020 via New West Records. The 11-song set was produced by Kacy Lee Anderson & Marlon Williams and was recorded in Saskatoon, SK and Nashville, TN.

Between his critically acclaimed, self-titled debut in 2015 and its equally acclaimed follow up, 2018’s Make Way For Love, the New Zealand-based Williams has played many of the world’s major festivals, toured and performed with Bruce Springsteen, Florence + The Machine, Brandi Carlile and Lorde. He has won multiple New Zealand Music Awards and APRA Awards, and was handpicked by actor & director Bradley Cooper to appear in the Academy Award-winning film A Star Is Born. He also appears in the films True History of the Kelly Gang and the upcoming Lone Wolf. Building a discography of five albums since 2011, the Saskatoon-based Kacy & Clayton delivered a pair of critically acclaimed albums, The Siren’s Song in 2017, and Carrying On in 2019, both produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Beyond praise from Q Magazine, Uncut, and more, they racked up millions of streams and toured with Wilco, The Decemberists, Ray LaMontagne, among others.

As far apart as Christchurch, New Zealand and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan may seem, the three musicians find common ground between a lifelong shared passion for Western Country, Folk, and Troubadour traditions on Plastic Bouquet. “We wanted to see if we could meld hemispheres,” says Williams. “I’m bringing this Pacific style of country music with the harmonies and choral elements. Kacy & Clayton have a super identifiable sound. They embody everything I love about North American folk. There’s a rural weariness where they’re telling tales that have been told a million times in their own way. I feel the strength in it.”

While his Summer was in full swing, Williams hopped a flight to the below 20 degrees of Saskatoon for Christmas 2018. The three wrote and recorded the bulk of what would become Plastic Bouquet over the course of just three weeks, with final sessions to follow in Nashville, TN in September of last year.

In the end, Kacy, Clayton, and Marlon have brought sounds and traditions together and unlocked undeniable chemistry. 

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Yawn - Wasting Time.

Yawn is a project by artist and musician Julia McDougall. Prior to moving west, Julia lived and worked as a musician in Berlin and produced her self-titled EP alongside Polaris prize nominee Andy Shauf. 

A long time member of Canada’s folk music scene, Julia aims to extend the intimacy of her work to her audience: her performances are familiar, close, and connected. Yawn’s debut EP listed at number one on CITR radio and was included in the top 100 albums played by CITR in 2019. Yawn was also shortlisted as finalists in CITR’s Shindig competition.

Julia’s songwriting leads Yawn’s dream-pop sound. Simultaneously hopeful and resigned, Yawn captures the stasis of our lives caught between technology and the natural. In 2020, Julia was accepted to an International songwriting residency at Banff’s prestigious Centre for the Arts in March of 2020, cut short by the novel coronavirus.

Yawn · Wasting Time

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Michael Bernard Fitzgerald - Heart Of It.

Michael Bernard Fitzgerald is a Canadian singer/songwriter who has collected an audience of fans across North America drawn to simple honest words and a genuine smile. Having released 4 full-length albums to date, Fitzgerald has spent his career since 2006 creating music, touring, developing as a songwriter, and connecting with audiences. Fitzgerald’s unique and innovative ideas coupled with his inherent warmth allow him to engage with people in a way that always leaves them meaningfully connected.

After over a decade of working with labels, creating songs with top-tier L.A. songwriters and producers including Jone Levine (Drake, Dua Lipa), Brian West (Maroon 5, K’naan), and Dennis Herring (Ra Ra Riot, Modest Mouse) on About You, and spending some time in the charts with “I Wanna Make it With You” (2016) and “One Love” (2016), Fitzgerald has finally found himself and a calm, rooted, unfeigned sound at home. A career of touring across Canada and around the world sharing the stage with artists like Bryan Adams, Ben Harper, Dan Mangan, Sam Roberts, Joel Plaskett, and Kings of Leon has brought Michael back to his hometown, Calgary Alberta, to create his newest record Love Valley.

If it was in a small club or larger theatre like the Vogue in Vancouver, the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary, or on the big stages at a festivals like Calgary Folk Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Firefly Festival or Mountain Jam (to name a few) the spirit of honest connection with people has always existed in Fitzgerald’s performances. Today, he knows the value of time spent living in the moment and continues to go forward fostering the experience of connecting one song, one room, one fan at a time.

Michael Bernard Fitzgerald · Heart Of It

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