Kyle Sparkman camps it up, Holy Fuck get glossy, Romano Nervoso goes wild with Danko Jones, Dearly Beloved take a vacation and more in today’s Roundup. Time for a drink. I think we’ve all earned it.
1 | Kyle Sparkman | HomeSick feat. Emily Drinker
THE PRESS RELEASE: “HomeSick is a laidback groovy tune I created with fellow Philadelphian singer-songwriter Emily Drinker and producer Melvin Darrell. It’s a fun & whimsical tune, but the lyrical subject matter is all about longing and hurt. We’re particularly excited about the music video—it’s our first ever, and in it, I get stranded in the woods without food reaching a point of starvation-induced delirium while Emily contemplates my rescue at a pool party.”
2 | Holy Fuck | Free Gloss
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Holy Fuck have today released an incredible new single, Free Gloss, featuring Pond frontman Nicholas Allbrook, and taken from their upcoming album, Deleter (out Jan. 17). “Our music can be dark and pummeling at times, unrelenting even,” write Holy Fuck. “Free Gloss was designed as a way for us to shed some light, and bring some bliss and buoyancy to the table whilst still maintaining that ecstatic energy and intensity that we love. We started tinkering with the main riff and structure on this one as an idea to take the listener on a euphoric sonic journey and explore the push/pull, tension and release you can take people with on the dance floor.”
3 | Romano Nervoso | Wild Boy feat. Danko Jones
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Fronting an Italian-Belgian band with a wide range of influences, in just a few short years Romano Nervoso has tore up the live music scene at full speed. From local bars and taverns to some of the biggest concert venues and festivals in Europe, having proven himself the undisputed ‘Godfather of Spaghetti Rock’, with his charismatic onstage presence and unmistakable style he is without question a worthy addition to any venue. Leading the charge into the New Year is the release of lead single Wild Boy, featuring the talents of none other than Danko Jones.”
4 | Dearly Beloved | Vacation
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Dearly Beloved recently released Times Square Discount. When on a European tour with Sebadoh to support the release, the band filmed the video for Vacation at the former home of Knights Templar on the Thames. “Our guitarist KT Lamond edited the video between shows on our tour,” says Niva Chow. “Armed with robes, wine, a speaker and iphones, we took to the hotel’s stunning grounds and had as much fun as we possibly could without taking our pants off. Well, pants do come off in the video but you get the point.”
5 | Strike Master | There’s Never Enough Knives
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Thrash Metal Masters of Mexico Strike Master release their third video from their brand new EP Death Based Illusions. There’s Never Enough Knives pays tribute to all cold steel, sinful, sultry, sharpened edges and is written from Col. KMU’s love of all things sharp and bloody!”
6 | Tedy | Stuck
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Tedy has released his new song Stuck, which was co-produced by Mike Wise (Ellie Goulding, The Chainsmokers, Bulow, Upshal) and Herag Sanbalian. With central themes surrounding sadness, depression and self-destruction, it underscores that despite whatever traumatic situation we have experienced, we need to accept the good and the dark side of ourselves in order to move forward. In Tedy’s words, “Hopefully this time, I’ll learn and it will be the last, but I’ve heard these words before.” The video captures the message that Tedy is trying to convey about accepting the pain and moving forward rather then being held in a perpetual cycle of suffering and self-loathing.”
7 | Jeff Parker & The New Breed | Max Brown
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Composer and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Parker releases a 7” single featuring parts one and two of his song Max Brown. A video for the track, filmed and directed by interdisciplinary artist Mikel Patrick Avery, also debuted today. The song was produced by Parker alongside Paul Bryan, who also plays bass; additional featured are Josh Johnson (known for work with Kiefer, Leon Bridges) on alto sax, Nate Walcott (Bright Eyes, M. Ward) on trumpet, and Jamire Williams (Moses Sumney, Solange) on drums. Max Brown is a sneak peek of Jeff Parker’s new album, the first to be released via this partnership. Further details of the early 2020 release will be announced at the start of the New Year.”
8 | Vance Gilbert | Good, Good Man
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Vance Gilbert defies stereotypes. It’s little wonder then that he also exceeds expectations. In this case, those two qualities go hand in hand. “I’m black, I sing, I play an acoustic guitar, and I don’t play the blues,” Gilbert insists. That may be a broad statement, but it rings with truth. It all come to full fruition on Gilbert’s upcoming album, the appropriately named Good, Good Man, out Jan. 24. Recorded with an A-list support cast that includes bluesman and singer/songwriter Chris Smither, Al Green’s organist Stacey Wade, Tommy Malone of the Subdudes on guitars, Mike Posner on backing vocals, and Celtic harpist and vocalist Aine Minough, it sums up the strengths that Gilbert’s always had at his command — that is, a gift for compelling melodies, insightful lyrics, a witty and whimsical point of view, and the ability to maintain an inherent humanity that translates to his connection with his audiences. In short, it’s Gilbert at his very best, a set of songs that deserves to bring Gilbert the wider recognition that’s eluded him for far too long.”
9 | Raincity | Give This Up
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Vancouver funk rock group Raincity are excited to announce the release of their Give This Up video. Give This Up is a track from Raincity’s self-titled EP which was released in June. “Give This Up has been with us for a long time, back to the jazz trio days of 2016,” says Raincity vocalist Clare Twiddy. “It has changed so much, in reflection of the ways that we too have changed. Over time, the song came to describe the freedom that we found in letting go, in embracing ourselves, finding confidence in our voice, and striving to be the ideal self. The fun and energetic video for Give This Up embodies that freedom and embrace during a time where many people may need a reminder to love themselves and to look for the joy in life, family, and friends.”
10 | The Deadnotes | Courage
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Freiburg, Germany-based indie-punks The Deadnotes are pleased to announce their new album Courage will be released Feb. 14. To celebrate the news the band have shared a new single from the album, titled Hopeless Romantic, together with a spirited new tongue-in-cheek music video which sees the band perform on a chat show where they are joined by a panel of dubious personalities. Lead singer Darius Lohmüller explained: “Hopeless Romantic is presented live at the 22Lives Late Night Show with obviously over-exaggerated talk show guests which nevertheless don’t seem to be too far-fetched from real life. People like these really do exist. They walk around and talk a ton of nonsense on TV and the radio and spread it unchallenged in numerous comment sections”.
11 | Agnostic Front | Conquer And Divide
THE PRESS RELEASE: “New York hardcore pioneers Agnostic Front released their 12th studio album Get Loud! last month. Today, the band are proud to unveil the music video for Conquer And Divide, which was directed by Punchdance Studios, the same team behind the I Remember video. Roger Miret comments, “That’s it, nothing new. The rich stay rich, the poor stay poor, but we’ve lost sight of how we are pawned against each other for political gains as we fight to simply exist.”
12 | Beast in Black | Cry Out For a Hero
THE PRESS RELEASE: “International heavy metal group Beast in Black have just completed the second leg of their European tour in support of their sophomore album From Hell With Love. To round off this enormously successful year, which includes the release of the aforementioned record on Feb. 8, Beast in Black are proud to unveil the official live music video for the opening track of their latest hit album, Cry Out For A Hero. The video was produced by Dust in Mind guitarist Damien Dausch. Bassist Mate Molnar states, “During our recent From Hell With Love tour, Damien of Dust in Mind came to us and offered to record our show in Strasbourg in order to make a live video out of it. The result he sent to us was way above our expectations. His video truly shows the real power of the Beast in Black live performances!”
13 | Syryn | Dead Men Tell No Tales
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Syryn shares the powerful grandiose shredding lead single off the upcoming full length, Dead Men Tell No Tales, out Jan. 3. The track tells the story of an all-powerful Siren pulling out of her dungeon, the Pirates she has captured. Defeated, the Pirates are forced to kneel in surrender and with one swift swipe of a blade, they are deprived of existence and the seas are turned to red.”
14 | Matt Megrue | We
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Continuous evolution is the name of the game for Charleston, S.C. songwriter, Matt Megrue. From fronting the Atlanta pop-punk outfit, The Unusual Suspects, to the indie rock stylings of Loners Society, to now releasing music eponymously blending punk, emo, Americana and 80’s pop-nostalgia, no two records ever sound the same. Today he releases a lyric video for the Mourner’s Manual’s opening track We. Matt writes, “I cannot believe that this day has finally arrived. I have lived it in many a dream over the last few years, and yet, here we are. My first solo LP, The Mourner’s Manual, is finally here. I began this project as 2016 was coming to a close with the help of Sean and Brendan Kelly and, over the next three years, we saw it to completion. The Mourner’s Manual is Loss. Love. Anger. Hope. Longing. Vulnerability. Spirit. May you find a little bit of that here. Think less, feel more. Yours en mourning.”
15 | Khruangbin & Leon Bridges | Texas Sun
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Khruangbin & Leon Bridges are pleased to announce Texas Sun, their forthcoming collaborative EP out Feb. 7. In conjunction with today’s announcement, they present its title track. Over a slowly rolling backbeat and strums of flamenco-style guitar, Bridges sings of the pull the unique Texan landscape can have on you, even from miles away. It’s a stunner of an opener, kicking off the EP’s own journey through homesick reminiscences, backseat romances, and late-night contemplations.”
16 | Sweet Lizzy Project | Technicolour
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Every debut album represents a journey, but few have come as far or struggled so tenaciously for the chance to be heard on their own terms as Cuba’s Sweet Lizzy Project. The five-piece rock band built a strong following in its native Havana with scant resources or infrastructure to support them, in a cultural setting where they could never be entirely themselves. The band’s U.S. debut album, Technicolor, due out Feb. 21, is a statement bigger and bolder than the gulf separating Cuba and the United States, or even than the album’s polychromatic, pulsing sound. It’s a musical bridge SLP hopes others will cross. The feisty, infectious album draws on several eras of rock and pop, adding subtle Latin undertones.
17 | Ren Harvieu | Yes Please
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Having earlier signaled her return via the track Teenage Mascara, Ren Harvieu has today announced news of her long-awaited new album Revel In The Drama, due for release April 3. The album is a brilliant and bolder take on her timeless pop classicism, a compelling diary of a struggle with self-belief and a celebration of liberation and survival, seven years after her Top 5 debut album and having overcome a life-threatening injury. Think of Revel In The Drama as Harvieu’s second debut album; a new beginning. To celebrate the news Harvieu has shared a new track titled Yes Please which she describes as “A slow sensual dance of desire. I wanted to write about the art of seduction and the teasing power of being an unapologetic sexual being.”
18 | Esmé | Come With Me
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Christmas is coming early for Esmé’s fans with the special single Come with Me. The sultry track is a very symbolic release for the Sydney-based singer/songwriter: a previous version already saw the light of the day exactly two years ago. While the original belonged to the jazzy realm, this new electro soul rendition produced by the German producer Amillian echoes Esmé’s desire to create an intimacy with her listeners, whether they are early supporters or have just started riding her wave. “Come With Me was actually my very first single. I wrote and recorded it all in one day with my guitarist Sean Harlor and never planned on releasing it until we got the master back from Nick Herrera (Hiatus Kaiyote)”, Esmé explains.”
