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Saturday Rocks: Elephant Stone - Jay Scott and The Find

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Elephant Stone - Where I'm Going. Background promo -  After a wild tour through the west coast of the United States and Canada in November, Elephant Stone are strapping down their sitar and vintage guitar gear, and heading out on at US tour (plus honorary American city, Toronto) which has the band in and out of Austin for SXSW. To coincide with the tour announce, the band are presenting another smash song, "Where I'm Going" which features a newer sound that the band has been absolutely killing it with recently.  Rishi Dhir and company have been busier than ever, working on a new LP for 2016, and recently releasing single, "The Devil's Shelter” and are now following it up this week with "Where I'm Going", another stand alone number that hints at where the new record's sound is headed. Having already spent many years satiating the vintage fetishist psych sound, naturally the band has progressed into influences from 1980s and 90s England...

Weekend Warmers: Chambers - A Dead Forest Index - Nations of the Soul

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Chambers - Yeagin Shone. Background promo - Forming as a time killer in high school, it was only after graduating that the boys from Chambers (Jim, Jason, Hendo, and Aiden) started taking their music and creativity more seriously. After playing a bunch of shows for two years straight, the months leading up to the end of 2015 saw the band take a bit of a break to recoup, recollect and start working on a brand new set and musical direction. Their new single “Yeagin Shone” encompasses their transition from being young and dumb, to being slightly older and slightly wiser. 2016 has just begun, and Chambers will make it their best one yet. The single was recorded at Tender Trap Studios and was produced and engineered by Greg “Bees Knees” Rietwyk. Mastering was done by Jacob M at Clockwork Mastering. “'Yeagin Shone’ was written about a mate of ours who was going through a mental rough patch, it was one thing seeing him go through it but I wanted to explore it from both the perspec...

Thursday Three: Givers - Satchmode - Christine Leakey

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Givers - Growls. Background words - Louisiana-based indie poppers Givers have announced their highly anticipated second album 'New Kingdom' will see a UK release of 8th April via Glassnote Records. When Givers formed in 2008 in the sweaty dance halls of Lafayette, Louisiana, they knew right away that they had something special. Crafted from the improvisational and dance-fuelled atmosphere of the area's zydeco, Cajun, and jazz cultures mixed with an affection for new wave, funk, and world music, the infectious results brought a quick rise to the spotlight for the young band. Soon after forming, a fortuitous opportunity to play a string of shows with Dirty Projectors arose, bringing them swiftly to the attention of listeners outside the southwest Louisiana region. Their debut album In Light was released two years later in 2011 on Glassnote Records, backed by extensive touring. During that time, they found themselves bouncing along a global festival circuit, making their ...

Genre Wander: Freedom Fry - Jonny Avery - The Jade Assembly

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Freedom Fry - The Words. Background words - We were messing around in the studio and came up with this hybrid, disco-folk song. It’s written from the perspective of a boyfriend or girlfriend who just needs to hear that they’re still wanted. We really liked that the lyric “Just say the words” kind of also sounds like “Je sais the words.” “Je sais” means “I know” in French. - Bruce & Marie In February 2015, Freedom Fry started the year at #1 on The Hype Machine with their first in a series of new singles, “Shaky Ground (Hey Na Na Na).” Just a few weeks later, Spotify included them in their rankings of “100 Emerging Artists From SXSW,” where they met Belgian sensation Stromae and were asked to support his west coast tour. Freedom Fry ended the tour with the beginning of a weekly May residency in Los Angeles, then took off to well-received shows in London & Paris, and came back to tour the east coast with Communion Presents. The French/American duo, whose stage name is a...

The Attics - Not Like

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The Attics - Not Like. Background promo - Returning to their roots for their latest release, ‘Not Like’ is quirky pop music, standing on the sidelines of a dancefloor. Sparse verses with minimal beats, choruses that show careful, yet catchy restraint and a twisted psych breakdown with a looping falsetto calling “hometown always is one place; she goes away, but always stays with me”. This is pop songwriting, flirting with deep layers of effected synthetic instruments and wonky bass lines. Past singles ‘We Broke The Sky’ and ‘Ultraviolets’, from their most recent release, received attention from Australian music blogs, and secured high rotation airplay on several public radio stations across Australia, including triple j Unearthed. These tracks and their mesmerising live show have led to comparisons with acts as wide ranging as The Murlocs, Pond, Jagwar Ma and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The Attics’ hard work and relentless gigging across Melbourne and Victoria has been recognised and ...

Sunday Double: Highasakite - Loop Line

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Highasakite - Someone Who'll Get It. Background promo - Norway’s Highasakite return with perhaps their darkest offering to date, unveiling new single ‘Someone Who’ll Get It’ – the first lifted from the band’s highly-anticipated sophomore LP, slated for release this year. It ricochets; it resonates, with Highasakite’s signature battalion in full force.  The track hints to the brooding premise of Highasakite’s forthcoming album, serving a worthy successor to debut LP ‘Silent Treatment’ – an effort applauded on both sides of the Atlantic and now claiming the record for longest consecutive run in Norwegian chart history, having spent 94 weeks in the Top 40. Championed by the likes of Pitchfork, NME and The Guardian, ‘Silent Treatment’ has achieved international acclaim since its release in February 2014; awarded 2x Norwegian Grammys, an Impala Nomination (European Independent Album of the Year), a Triple J Hottest 100 (AUS) placing with single ‘Since Last Wednesday’ and Album...

Two Totally Different: Darla And The Blonde - Left With Pictures

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Darla And The Blonde - End of the Party. Background promo - About ‘End Of The Party’ In the finest tradition of deathless rock’n’roll, ‘End Of The Party’ is an electrifying mix of the grit and the glitter, built on an infectious glam-rock groove interspersed with sparks of searing guitar. Atop this grungy, Ziggy-like bedrock, Jen Demaris and Nina Lovelace’s crystalline voices ring out a catchy and powerful melody, which, rather than being concerned with the closing stages of a heady night out, is in fact about Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution of 2014: “This Is The Time And These Are The Places/Where You Must Bend To Changing Faces”. With touches of The Runaways here, Patti Smith there, ‘End Of The Party’’s absorbing progression takes in a pristine solo by guitarist Rob McCabe before climaxing in a rush of vocal harmonies, a fitting final refrain of what is a gleeful testament to the scope of Darla And The Blonde’s ambition. About Darla And The Blonde Encompassing the seductive glam...

Two Good Ones: Halfloves - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

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Halfloves - It's Easy To Love. Background - Halfloves recently released their first single off their upcoming self-titled full length album out March 4th. This song and forthcoming album are produced by Imagine Dragons’ producer Brandon Darner. Previously know as The Olympics, Halfloves have been gaining plaudits from many music and press outlets with praise for the bands energy and enthusiasm especially performing live. Recently they announced on their Facebook page "Thanks to Nate Logsdon at Iowa Informer for including us in this list of Daytrotter sessions and calling us "the best currently active rock band in Iowa"! Indeed it would appear that these guys have been making a big, big impact on their home music scene. Just one of many quotes about the band - "This is an Iowa band you need to know... they’ve matured into an excellent indie rock band capable of weaving tones together into a bright, rocking and melodic dose of pure pop." - Ames Tribune ...

Oakes & Smith - Closer To Home (featuring Jon Anderson).

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Oakes & Smith - Closer To Home (featuring Jon Anderson). Background words - Oakes and Smith perform gentle, acoustic folk with voices blending in close harmonies. They sing soothing and soulful tunes inspired by nature, love, spirit, art and poetry. The harmonious blend of their voices creates an ethereal sound and unique quality not often heard in today's popular music, and their songs evoke a sense of wonder, expressing themes such as love, beauty, innocence and mystery. Their debut album, First Flight, mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Oz Fritz and released in November 2013, was received warmly by listeners and critics alike. The duo has appeared at The Guthrie Center in Great Barrington, MA; the NJ Folk Project in Morristown, NJ; Infinity Music Hall in Norfolk, CT; FloydFest in Floyd, VA; the Hudson Music Fest in Hudson, NY; at Andrea Clearfield's Salon in Philadelphia, PA; at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, MA; and have had a weekly residenc...

Singers & Songs: Rolla Olak - Vandaveer

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Rolla Olak - 2AM Background promo - Heavy Feather is Rolla Olak’s highly anticipated third album, released January 19, 2016 on Older Records. Heavy Feather was recorded on Vancouver Island, Canada and produced by Aaron Older (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) and engineered, mixed and mastered by Colin Stewart (Black Mountain). In Addition to Olak’s hauntingly appeasing voice, original song writing and refined guitar playing, the accompanying musicians on this record are impossibly well suited to this project: Kathryn Calder (The New Pornographers) sings and plays piano with great talent, Nick Petrowitch (Bend Sinister) is on percussion and plays with distinctive precision, Louise Burns (Lillix) harmonises with Olak brilliantly. Aaron Older is on synths and drum machines and Francesco Lyon (Sun Wizard) adds world-music-styled vocal arrangements. Olak’s sound is original, warm and evocative; it’s an invitation to experience a mosaic of gratifying emotions. Heavy Feather is a na...

Tuesday At The Double: La Sera - Foxtails Brigade

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La Sera - High Notes. Background promo - The title of La Sera's fourth album says a lot by saying so precious little: Music For Listening to Music To. So, in other words, "music." After the punky heft and wildness of 2014's Hour of the Dawn, an LP that thrashed against expectation, Katy Goodman returns with a set of songs that double down on solid simplicity — the power of wry lyrics, glorious guitar, driving back beat, and the occasional pump organ groove. And as the record cover gives away, Goodman isn't alone. La Sera is a duo now — that's guitarist/co writer/new husband (!) Todd Wisenbaker standing up there. And Ryan Adams joins to produce the fruit of their union, La Sera's first live-recorded analog album, featuring 10 tunes about good love, bad love, dead men, and confused kids. Music For Listening to Music Toopens on "High Notes," where rollicking guitar and punk drums chugga-chugga beneath Goodman's assured coo. Her lines deftly ...

Affairs - Play

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Affairs - Play. Background promo - Having launched into 2015 with two well received singles Brothers and Blood Science, picking up support on XFM, BBC 6Music, Radio 2 and Amazing Radio, Manchester band Affairs return with their new single Play – a melancholic synth-pop anthem featuring Jim Robinson’s signature vocal style. Play is produced by Suede, White Lies and Pulp producer Ed Buller and recorded at The Kinks’ legendary Konk Studios. The track draws you in from the first bar with its strident intro synth-riff played by Dan Parker while drummer Michael Bradnam’s infectious tom-tom pattern boldly drives the track along. Lyrically, Play is about the complexities of relationships and how we sometimes hide behind a facade or ‘play games’ with one another. The artwork was created by graphic artist Matthew Cooper (Caribou, Wild Beasts & Arctic Monkeys) & continues a cohesive theme with previous imagery for the singles Brothers and Blood Science. 'Play' exudes warmth...

Sunday With: SpaceCream - Beverly

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SpaceCream - Killer. Promo words - Pterodactyl Sky is a stunningly unique new album by Hollywood Glam / Prog/ Glitter Rock band SpaceCream. Pterodactyl Sky is more than a collection of songs; it's an intellectually charged revival of stellar Rock N Roll, told from the point of view of a sex-positive feminist revolutionary. Powered by the formidable vocals of Savannah Pope (hailed as "Ann Wilson in David Bowie's edition of Rocky Horror Picture Show," - Natalie, Ninja Betty) the album presents an entirely unique, contemporary spin on 1970s Glam, Glitter, and Prog Rock. Engineered at Kitten Robot Studios by LA music pioneer Paul Roessler (Nina Hagen, 45 Grave, Elliot Smith), Pterodactyl Sky is peppered with intricate chord progressions and enticing time signatures. Its artful lyrics run the gamut from Jurassic extinction and heartbreak to tantric space exploration and literature. Since winning 2014's LA Battle for Vans Warped Tour at House of Blues Sunset, Spa...

Saturday Double: Treetop Flyers - The Minerals

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Treetop Flyers - 31 Years. Background promo - For Treetop Flyers, the last few years have been a case of needing to fall apart, in order to rebuild, and come back stronger. Two and a half years on from their acclaimed debut album ‘The Mountain Moves’, fate showed its macabre sense of humour in dramatically shifting the ground beneath the London five-piece. The grief for lost parents, broken marriages, the near-death of a close friend, the departure of long-time bassist Matthew Starritt, the loss of numerous behind-the-scenes personnel (as well as an accountancy bill that they say “would make the government weep”) led to a prolonged period of upheaval and an unsettled and anxious camp. It was perhaps natural that Palomino was to become an honest, raw, and reflective record. As vocalist / guitarist Reid Morrison puts it; “We'd been through a lot individually and collectively. Coming together to make this record was very therapeutic for us, in a sense. It brought us closer and allow...

Start The Weekend: The Flavr Blue - Tinted Sun

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The Flavr Blue - Supply. Promo info - In celebration of the release of their EP L​ove Notes and the announcement of their upcoming tour, the Flavr Blue is proud to share "Supply". Coming after the releases of upbeat satin thrill ride "Oxygen" (feat. Jarell Perry) and sensual synth wave "Majesty", "Supply" is another eargasm that showcases the trio's ability to create multi-textured masterpieces rife with beautiful vocal layering and harmony. After a 2015 of major milestones, including a main stage performance at Seattle’s Capitol Hill Block Party and a sold out performance with Kiesza for Red Bull's 30 Days in LA Festival, Seattle-based trio the Flavr Blue sets out in support of their newest release, the Love Notes EP, a collection that marries the group's crackling energy with a soulful musical wisdom inherited from influences ranging from Cut Copy and Miike Snow to Feist and Sade. The band's success is driven by the way i...

Four More: CLAVVS - Crystal Cities - SheLoom - Andy Ferro

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CLAVVS - Leviathan. Promo words - Atlanta based duo CLAVVS have just released their stunning new single titled "Leviathan." Filled with stunning vocals from frontwoman Amber Renee, she is accompanied by the intricate instrumentation of Graham Marsh. Together the two bring to the table, an honest, heartfelt, and emotional brand of electro-laced-pop that brings their sound to life. "Leviathan" kicks off 2016, one to be a high-profile year for the group, as their charming, yet haunting sound lingers in your ears; drawing you back in every timeIf not for a chance meeting at a house party in Atlanta one summer night in 2013, Amber Renee might never have met Graham Marsh, and the pair might never have realized their shared love for hip hop and Radiohead. That same love would ultimately evolve into CLAVVS, a musical partnership fronted by Amber and produced by Graham, the four-time Grammy winner behind artists like Gnarls Barkley, Kid Cudi, and T.I. Over two years late...