It’s Friday, and you know what that means: Publicists have been dumping press releases into my email like unwanted babies on an orphanage doorstep — and then high-tailing it for the hills. Well, two can play at that game. So without further fuss, muss or matters to discuss, here’s another fast and loose Friday Roundup. Let’s get a move on:
1 Vancouver rockers Black Mountain unleashed their fifth album Destroyer today — along with a new video for the ’70s-fueled rocker Licensed To Drive, inspired by frontman Stephen McBean‘s own recent adventures in motor vehicle mastery. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Directed by Zev Deans, the video is a blast down an 8-bit highway colliding with tougher than leather heavy metal barbarians, trash can drums, and a flame broiled 1976 GMC Sprint. As described by Deans: “Licensed to Drive is a deep dive into the soul of a late 1970s living room, an exploration of the deep psychedelic fantasy at the core of the birth of the video game.”
2 They are the band that time forgot. They are the band that refuses to die. They are the Helsinki vampires of 69 Eyes — and their next album West End arrives on Friday Sept. 13 (natch), preceded by the single 27 & Done. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The track deals with the idea of Hollywood and everyone coming there to make their dreams come true, but it’s very seldom that they succeed and this is something you can see there everywhere”, Jyrki 69 contemplates. “It’s a place that makes you desperate and I wanted to get these dark vibes into the song. But on the other hand the track is also a celebration of life – we should be excited to be here and everybody’s a legend and they should realize that we should enjoy what we do instead of worry what other people think.”
3 Swiss metal trio Cellar Darling share the animated video for Pain, the latest single from their recent necromantic concept album The Spell. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Brought to life by the incredible Costin Chioreanu, Pain is the very beginning of the story of The Spell.”
4 Vancouver indie-proggers Colour Tongues put their money where their mouth is with the video for their single Southbound. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Southbound tells the story of a friendship imploding under the pressures of long-standing emotional neglect and insidious hardships. “It’s about what happens when the needs and considerations of another are left untended for too long, and everyone gets left in the dust wondering what went wrong. Where did everything go Southbound?
5 Italian orchestral-death metal maestros Fleshgod Apocalypse dropped their fifth album Veleno today — along with a visualizer video for the track Worship and Forget. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “New (old) frontman Francesco Paoli comments, “The time has finally come. I lost count of the number of times I wrote and deleted this statement, since it’s almost impossible to find the right words to describe the feeling or explain how much this new album means to us. The fifth release, apparently, is crucial for every band and for us, considering what we’ve been through in the last couple of years, it is even more… it’s a new beginning, a new era. I’ll just say that Veleno embodies this spirit, being the best portrayal of this renewed strength within the band. So, let’s cut the chatter and let the music speak!”
6 Award-winning multi-instrumentalist and erstwhile Barenaked Lady Kevin Hearn releases the second single and video The Silent Collapse from with his widely anticipated new solo offering Calm and Cents, out June 14. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “There’s a significant visual component to Calm and Cents. The Silent Collapse video directed and animated by Sonia Beckwith Cole is abstract, exploring the extinction of countless species through unique animations based on Hearn’s own drawings.”
7 Canadian singer-songwriter Jessica Rhaye and The Ramshackle Parade toast Bob Dylan’s birthday today with their gospel-folk-rock spin on Ring Them Bells — the first single off their forthcoming release Just Like A Woman: Songs of Bob Dylan. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Our version of Ring Them Bells — off Dylan’s 26th studio album, 1989’s Oh Mercy — takes on a gospel rock groove. When Dale played the piano and organ parts, he followed the approach of “organist” Al Kooper on Like A Rolling Stone … Kooper wasn’t an organ player but wanted very much to be on the record, didn’t know how to play the song, and played late on all the chord changes. It created a signature sound.”
8 Singer-songwriter David Picco shares the video for his song Down the Road and Gone, from his fifth album Out of the Past, due May 31. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “On his fifth album, Out Of The Past, David Picco takes a cue from the title in offering a classic alt-country collection, one that echoes the gloriously raw and edgy recordings of Uncle Tupelo, Songs: Ohia and Drive-By Truckers. But in other ways the St. John’s singer/songwriter uses this approach to address the present with searing clarity, as he’s adapted to life’s harsh realities. What can a poor boy do? The best answer is still: to play in a rock ‘n roll band.”
9 Halifax singer-songwriter Gabrielle Papillon releases Shout It Out, a new single poised as a protest song for the modern age. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The single sees Papillon leaning harder than ever into her penchant for pop production and arrangement. Working with collaborators Sarah DeCourcy (Kylie Minogue, Armin Van Buuren) and Corey LeRue (Neon Dreams, Port Cities) on the track, Shout It Out pulsates with arpegiatted echoing pianos, deep fuzzed-out bass, and a steady head-bopping drive.”
10 Vancouver indie-rock outfit Tanglers unspooled the video for their latest single Tallboy, from their May 4 album Tangled in Time. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The foundational concept of the Tallboy music video is a person who feels out of place and isolated from society. The character is struggling to get through a normal day, feeling like nothing is meant for them. Thinking long and hard about their place in the world and where they are going to end up, It also touches on the importance of human connection and the lack thereof at some points in life.”
11 Roots artist Ken Stead offered up the video for his song Trouble, from his May 31 album Civil War. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sometimes we find trouble, sometimes trouble finds us, and sometimes trouble is exactly what we need. The concept for the video was based around two women out on a date. One woman brings her camera on the date to capture the moments they have on the date. In essence, they are capturing what trouble looks like. I wanted to use two women for two reasons. First, I believe it is important to show many different kinds of love in media to continue to create a new culture of acceptance and kindness. Secondly, it’s not something you would normally see from a male artist and I want people to ask why?”
12 Singer-songwriter and face-tattoo enthusiast Fences — the alter-ego of Seattle’s Christopher Mansfield — previews his June 21 album Failure Sculptures by delivering the single Paper Route. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Perhaps most well-known through his collaborations with Tegan and Sara (the latter of whom produced his 2010 self-titled debut album) and Macklemore (who he’s teamed up with on various tracks), Fences upcoming release is Mansfield’s first new LP since 2015’s Lesser Oceans, which featured production by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, Jacquire King (Of Monsters and Men) and Ryan Lewis.”
13 Texas singer-songwriter Johnny Stimson gets into the spirit of the season with his new single Vacation. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Vacation details the relatable feeling of wanting to take a break from all the responsibilities that come with growing up. Showcasing Stimson’s vocal ability, with his stunning falsetto gliding gently atop the bassline and slick jazz infused guitars reminiscent of Tom Misch, the euphoric track oozes a warm, sun-soaked vibe.”
14 Vancouver’s Ponytails saddle up and ride out with their latest song Too Long. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The song was inspired by the experience of passing someone by on the street that you once shared a life with. I feel like it’s close to something we’ve all experienced, so it felt good to write about. I was with Travis when something like this happened, and we decided to take the long way home. As we did, the lyrics and melody just came out.”
