Them Moose Rush get rude with Jude, Jade Hairpins fire up a J, Carla Geneve turns you down, Shopping deliver an ultimatum, All We Are skate and more in today’s Roundup. You hit it, I’ll quit it:
VIDEO OF THE DAY
1 | Them Moose Rush | Jude’s Got Another
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Hailing from the city of Bjelovar in Croatia, Them Moose Rush are a rock band unlike any other. Combining vintage vibes with math-rock, prog and unusual time signatures their approach to making music explodes with innovation. This month Them Moose Rush return with their first offering since 2018’s critically acclaimed, Don’t Pick Your Noise. “All of the songs on our new record are titled with names of our heroes dancing through a conceptual maze where every one of them has a unique path and goal to reach,” explains guitarist/vocalist, Nikola Runjavec. “Some of them are famous, but it just sounded weird and fun. For example, Dolly Parton is shaving her monkeys in one of our songs. It’s really a cool scene if you just try and imagine it.” Leading the charge on behalf of new album Dancing Maze (out May 15) is the brand-new single, Jude’s Got Another. Heralding a radical shift in sound, style and substance, as you might expect, both song and video come with no shortage of DIY fanfare. Cats, balding Russian mobsters and volatile chemical compounds combine with searing angular riffs, devastating vocals and a neon battle tank of a rhythm section, fuelled by the majesty of electric rock and roll and bass grooves. As Runjavec best explains, “Its goal is to be unconventional, but catchy at the same time. Ultimately, we want you want to dance like nobody’s watching.”
ALSO ON THE PLAYLIST
2 | Jade Hairpins | J Terrapin
THE PRESS RELEASE: “After pulling the curtain back last month, Jade Hairpins present their music video for new song J Terrapin. The energetic and absurdist how-do-you-do serves as the opening song from the London group’s debut album Harmony Avenue, arriving May 29. Jade Hairpins snuck onto the scene in late 2018 with a mysterious 12-inch and a couple of poetic sentences about hiding in trees. Fast forward to 2020, when Fucked Up drummer Jonah Falco and songwriter/guitarist Mike Haliechuk burst out of the proverbial trees with Harmony Avenue, a collection of songs written and recorded in real time. Pop foraging with analog acoustics and electronic landscaping. As the project expanded, Falco took on frontman and main lyricist duties for the first time and built a live band based in his adopted hometown of London, England. He describes the new record as “straddling the post-post-punk of something like New Order, Scritti Politti, and Orange Juice, with a primordial sense of humour and absurdity not unlike Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Television Personalities, or The Monks.”
3 | Carla Geneve | Don’t Wanna Be Your Lover
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Western Australian artist Carla Geneve releases a new standalone alone, Don’t Wanna Be Your Lover, and an accompanying video. The track is the first taste of her debut full-length due later this year. Don’t Wanna Be Your Lover is an exploration of the grey areas between platonic and romantic relationships and “how two people might want different things but knowing that that doesn’t undermine the connection you have,” says Geneve. Its accompanying video, directed by Duncan Wright, delves into the intersection between masculinity and femininity. “Don’t Wanna Be Your Lover introduces Carla Geneve visually to the world for the first time,” says Wright. “The video aims to promote Carla’s bold and unique outlook through a wide range of emotions, vulnerabilities, tension and braveness.”
4 | Shopping | All Or Nothing
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Last month, Shopping released All or Nothing, their most articulate record to date. Today, the band releases a new video for the album’s title track. All Or Nothing is propelled by a thrumming bassline, angular guitar, and Rachel Agg’s near-spoken chants. Its accompanying video, directed by Lessa Millet, is entirely animated and features collaged photos of the band. “The song made me think about all the things we have to fight through in our life, all the internal and external obstacles we encounter,” explains Millet. “I spent a couple weeks just developing the visual language for the video, building all the scenarios, and finding the right balance of photo real images and abstract color shapes. I think it’s one my favorite videos I’ve worked on in a while, I had a lot of fun staying late at the studio and creating this imaginary world.”
5 | All We Are | Bad Advice
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Liverpudlian trio All We Are today share a new song, Bad Advice. Bad Advice continues in the same technicolour vein as L Is For Lose, complete with propulsive drums and rousing synths, alongside an 80’s-inspired, roller-rink video directed by Moon. It gives a further taste of what is in store for All We Are’s third album, to be announced later this year. All We Are say on the new song: “In this jungle of half-truths, pseudo-science and vagina scented candles, what seems like the best advice isn’t always given with the best intentions. That is Bad Advice and it’s just not good enough.”
6 | Kult Of The Skull God | Black Magick
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Kult Of The Skull God unveil their first single and video Black Magick off their forthcoming debut album The Great Magini due out May 8. Taking inspiration from the titans of rock including Danzig, The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath, they have combined slick heavy riffs with smooth yet haunting vocals that are perfectly demonstrated on the first track Black Magick. Seeking a pure rock n’ roll sound away from the electronic elements of their previous band, Army Of The Universe vocalist Lord Kalidon and guitarist Davide Tavecchia have returned with Kult of The Skull God. Armed with the drummer Joey Amato, they have energized their infrangible attitude, fury, and raw talent to save the world from mumble rappers, auto-tuned pop stars, and rock mediocrity. The band comments: “Black Magick is about the mysterious and powerful power of feelings, which we cannot explain, but like magic, we can feel. The song has a Rolling Stones vibe with a modern twist.”
7 | Hala | Emotional R&B
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Hala, the project of Detroit-based musician Ian Ruhala, announces his new album, Red Herring, out May 1. Today, he shares the lead single, Emotional R&B, and an accompanying video. Ruhala’s music is at once precise and playful, skipping breezily between decades and their musical aesthetics while executing them with care and sincerity. Lead single Emotional R&B showcases this infatuation with kaleidoscopic tonalities and narrative double-entendres. The track is about the early stage people go through in relationships, when things begin to become more intimate. “Things feel a lot more cinematic, maybe because these moments of a relationship are portrayed and documented in countless Romantic Comedies,” says Ruhala. “It’s the feeling of riding a romantic high, perhaps turning a blind eye to things that would normally set you off in pursuit of what could possibly become a substantial, long lasting relationship.”
8 | Lili Refrain | Mul
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Experimental dark folk priestess Lili Refrain unveils a magical video off her new EP Ulu, due out on March 20. Mul explores a magical approach of the sound, sometimes deep and meditative, always stripped-down and intense. The video was made by Carlo Settembrini, and the song was recorded live at 16th Cellar Studio by Stefano Morabito. Ulu is a one-track EP with three different topics, closely in relation to one another. From experimental Goblin-inspired soundscapes to Dead Can Dance mysticism, Lili Refrain’s new record explores the darkest parts of the human beeing with poetry, complexity, unearthliness and infinite beauty. Says Lili Refrain: “Ulu is everything we are forgetting.”
9 | Colour Tongues | Control
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian rockers Colour Tongues release their latest single and music video Control. The upbeat and explosive track explores themes of free will, servitude and the fine line between lust and romance. From the opening guitar riff through to the synth drop at the bridge, everything about this song is fun, with a pumping beat that will make you move whether you are on the on the highway or on the dance floor. Recorded with producer Matt di Pomponio in Vancouver’s Echoplant studios, Colour Tongues is excited to offer the first taste of a new generation of the band’s evolving sound; while still paying homage to the indie and progressive rock roots that forms the band’s main influences.”
10 | Fifth Angel | Dust To Dust
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Fifth Angel released their first album in nearly thirty years, The Third Secret, in 2018. Today, they reveal a new live video for the song Dust To Dust from that album. Ken Mary comments: “We hope you all enjoy our newest single from The Third Secret album, Dust to Dust. This is a track we feel has an energy and dynamic to it that will resonate with our longtime Fifth Angel fans, as well as our newest fans. We had a great time at the Rock Hard festival; it was a beautiful day for a concert and we had an amazing time performing and meeting our fans face to face. This video commemorates that incredible time, and we look forward to seeing our European fans very soon!”
11 | Nobody’s Girl | Kansas
THE PRESS RELEASE: “We always joke that it started out by accident,” offers singer-songwriter Rebecca Loebe when asked about the fortuitous aligning of stars that officially brought her and fellow Austin-based troubadours BettySoo and Grace Pettis together as Nobody’s Girl. “Well, actually, Grace and I like to joke that we tricked BettySoo into being in a band with us …” BettySoo, sitting across the table from her two bandmates at a post-rehearsal Tex-Mex dinner, laughs at this, but Grace is quick to correct the record. “It’s not really a joke, though,” she insists with a mischievous grin. “It’s true!” The power of three they share has never been stronger than it is now, and it’s captured like bottled lightning on the trio’s strikingly assertive — and yes, striking fun, too — full-length debut Nobody’s Girl, out July 10. Wizard of Oz-inspired opener (and lead single) Kansas is a stirring call to technicolor adventure and self discovery.”
12 | R Grunwald | Said He To Thee
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Later this week, R Grunwald will release his debut solo piano LP Oma. Today, the Toronto keyboardist for Jill Barber and Donovan Woods shares the new video for LP track Said He To Thee. “This song is a composition that came out while searching for strategies to cope with writer’s block,” says Grunwald. “During my Banff residency I found myself struggling to come up with new ideas and so I took some of my favourite piano music and analyzed it harmonically. The piece that struck me the most was the 3rd Gymnopedie by Erik Satie. I loved the darkness of the main harmonic movement in the piece. I also love how the middle section or bridge that lifts the mood and makes the listener feel hopeful for a moment. Said He To Thee is my take on this piece. The video was created by Kyle Laurin and it combines a filming technique involving coloured inks and dyes with raw footage that I shot of my Oma and her home back in January of 2019.”
13 | The Chimpz | What Are We Fighting For
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Five Piece Los Angeles rockers The Chimpz are yet again bridging the gap between hip-hop and hard rock as they are happy to announce their brand new lyric video titled What Are We Fighting For! With a fresh songwriting approach and memorable lyrics, What Are We Fighting For is about living life with pain bottled up inside. While all we want to unbottle that pain, a question can still haunt us, the pursuit of happiness within is something the The Chimpz want to motivate and spark a flame to make happy. It was produced and engineered by the legendary Ryan Green, which only ensures that pursuit of happiness is brought into focus!”
14 | Silverstein | Madness
THE PRESS RELEASE: “While many bands would take their 20-year anniversary as an opportunity to rest on the laurels of nostalgia, Silverstein (vocalist Shane Told, guitarists Paul Marc Rousseau and Josh Bradford, bassist Billy Hamilton, and drummer Paul Koehler) see the landmark as a time to appreciate how far they’ve come, while also channeling all those years of experience into something new. A Beautiful Place To Drown, Silverstein’s ninth, and perhaps strongest album to date, is set for release this coming Friday March 6. The album fittingly encapsulates the best of Silverstein while pushing their sound into daring new territory, and that boundary pushing spirit is on full display with the latest single to be shared off the LP, Madness. It features a guest appearance from critically acclaimed rapper, Princess Nokia, with the band’s trademark aggression serving as an unexpectedly natural fit for her dynamic vocals. “We’d seen Princess Nokia mention that she was a fan of ours and we had the chance to hang out last time we were in NYC and just hit it off,” says Shane Told. “Madness was one of the early songs we had musically and it kept evolving until we knew it needed a strong female voice on it to put it over the top. The first person we thought of was Princess Nokia. She had an amazing take on the vibe and meaning of the song and absolutely killed the verse. She’s such a talented and kind person. It was amazing to collaborate with her.”
15 | Datura4 | You Be The Fool
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed third album, Blessed is the Boogie, Australian rockers Datura4 have hit the motorway running for another sonic journey through burning boogie, dirty blues and rock & roll soundscapes on their follow-up opus West Coast Highway Cosmic. The title was inspired by the highways that the band has traveled to get to the recording studios they’ve been using over the four albums they’ve done so far. The two studios are 200 kilometres [124 miles] apart and situated along the southwest coast of Western Australia. The long and sometimes lonely drives back and forth along these routes have definitely played its part in the band’s creative process, and whether it be new ideas or just listening back to what they’ve done in a previous session the West Coast Highway Cosmic, as they like to call it, has been a constant spirit over all of Datura4’s studio recordings. West Coast Highway Cosmic sees Datura4 stretch out and experiment with their sound that they’ve been building on ever since their debut release Demon Blues in 2015. “I see every album as an extension from the previous one,” admits frontman Dom Mariani, “and I’m conscious about not rehashing the same things over. The collection of tunes on WCHC is slightly more eclectic than on the previous albums, which makes it really interesting and exciting for albums in the future. There was a more spontaneous and looser approach for the majority of the recording, where we would take the basic song idea and let things go until we had the take that we liked. We got into the grooves you might say.”
16 | Sun God | Colorful Noise
THE PRESS RELEASE: “I’ve had my trials and tribulations throughout my journey,” reflects Sun God, who is premiering his newest song Colorful Noise. “I ain’t really know how life was going to turn out but I’m here now. When the people need me, I’ll be there to deliver and play my part.” The latest track from the son of iconic rapper Ghostface Killah and collaborator of 2nd Generation WU continues to showcases his versatility as a rapper, teasing what’s to come as he prepares to release his new solo album later this year. Colorful Noise embraces a laid back pace, implementing a slower tempo and an ethereal flute melody that would fit perfectly in any nostalgic hip hop Song of The Summer. This helps give Sun God room to rap over the kaleidoscopic beat about his upbringing and accomplishments, all while managing to warn potential enemies. “Some knowledge I got from my pops is, ‘Don’t be afraid of trying something new, being unorthodox, while also building your own brand and carving your own niche’,” says Sun God. “I’m really just trying to pick up where I left off, giving the people good music they can nod their head to while continuing to make a name for myself.”
17 | Ryden | Whoever I Want
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Proclaiming her truth with motivational lyrics over funky club breaks, Ryden commands attention and respect on her inspirational Whoever I Want. Hailed as one of the most versatile producers and songwriters in the industry, Ryden is a multifaceted artist, bursting at the seams with talent. Her latest effort Whoever I Want is a bold call to action, rallying fans to leap over roadblocks and stay focused on their dreams and aspirations. As a teenage runaway who put herself through a Stanford education, all while battling a debilitating health condition, the Los Angeles native knows a thing or two about dream chasing and defying odds. Today, Ryden stands out as an emerging talent, mixing slick rap vocals over swagger-filled house beats. By trusting her gut and staying true to herself, Ryden became her own superhero, laying down a strong foundation for a promising career.”
18 | Bebel Gilberto | Deixa
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Iconic ground-breaking Brazilian artist Bebel Gilberto will release her new album Agora (Now) on May 1. This is Gilberto’s first new studio album in six years and was produced by Thomas Bartlett (Sufjan Stevens, St. Vincent). Here is her intoxicating new single Deixa. “I have gone through a lot while we were writing and recording this album. I lost my best friend, then six months later my Mom and then six months after that my Dad. It was very hard for me and still is,” says Bebel Gilberto. “I took a different approach with Agora, supported by the love and confidence I received from my long-time friend and producer of the album, Thomas Bartlett. Thomas trusted me – and let me be me. The album as a result is a little bit crazier, more mature and extremely sincere.”
19 | Caroline Rose | Do You Think We’ll Last Forever?
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Caroline Rose will release her new album, Superstar, this Friday, March 6. She now presents Do You Think We’ll Last Forever? This final pre-release single opens with a groovy bassline as Rose expresses the anxiety that comes with seeing a new partner. Eventually, it ends in a full blown freakout of bottled up nervous energy, bursting with synth, anthemic percussion, and Rose’s emotive vocals. “When I started forming the narrative for Superstar, I knew I wanted the first half of the record to feel upbeat in order to mimic the narrator’s excitement in following this big dream,” says Rose. “Do You Think We’ll Last Forever? is one of these tracks that showcases the false bravado the character has, but also exposes a few more cracks in their veneer of self-confidence. The song is fun, but it’s also tense, like a rubber band that’s stretched until it snaps. It’s not a love song, but rather a song about the anxiety that comes with the excitement of potential love. Is this person falling for me too? Am I good enough? Are we on the same page? Anyone who’s had a passionate fling knows this feeling, so I tried to get across that the narrator is just like any other uncool person with anxiety issues.”
20+21 | Kevin Morby | Gift Horse / I Was On Time
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Kevin Morby releases his new single Gift Horse b/w I Was On Time. Gift Horse was written completely on the spot while Morby was finishing up his album Oh My God. “I started hammering out a few chords and suddenly was humming a melody and told Sam I thought I was writing a new song and that maybe we should record it instead,” says Morby. “An hour later we had Gift Horse, lyrics and all, like it had been floating around the studio and we just nabbed it out of the air. We re-cut it with the band a few weeks later, which is what you’re hearing now.” I Was On Time is “an ode to being a live performer,” says Morby. “To being late. To arriving on time. To seeing the beautiful people who have paid to see you play music night after night all across the world. To throwing them roses. To the gift of live performance and the spirit of music. I love both of these songs, as I love all my songs. Each one is a puzzle piece to my soul and though they didn’t fit thematically with the rest of Oh My God, I’m glad that they are now finding their way into the digital stratosphere for anyone and everyone who cares to listen to do so.”
22 | Phoenix da Icefire & Husky Brown | Cosmic Soul
THE PRESS RELEASE: “London duo Phoenix da Icefire and Husky Brown release their new album Panacea on May 5. As a member of Triple Darkness, Phoenix has long been regarded as one of the most gifted lyricists from the UK. In the new album he addresses some of the most pressing current issues covering the environment, mental health, racism, knife crime and aspiration in a highly creative and skilled narrative. Husky’s productions are a rare and fresh fusion of contemporary hip hop, electronica, dub, bass, R&B and soul, resulting in a dynamic and highly impressive soundtrack. First single released today is Cosmic Soul, a shamanic journey over a hard hip hop beat.”
23 | Pam Tillis | Looking For A Feeling
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Icon. Trailblazer. Award winner. Iconoclast. Vocalist. Pam Tillis, the Grammy-nominated and Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year is all those things, and more. Beyond being the child of Hall of Famer Mel Tillis, the Plant City, Florida-born songwriter/chanteuse has been blurring lines between country/rock/soul since before her critically acclaimed (and largely unselling) Above & Beyond the Doll of Cutey. And that has only deepened on Looking for a Feeling, her 11th studio album, due out April 24. “Looking for a Feeling is a song I excavated with Waylon Payne one dreary February day. It’s a non-judgmental look at a cast of spiritually adrift characters just trying to get right. With a dash of Bobbie Gentry soul and some Mavis Staples inspiration that’s floating around in my brain, this is what happened. Those characters, that searching — I see parts of myself in all of them. That same searching is what gave birth to this record.”
24 | Constrict | No Eden
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The hellish L.A. group Constrict make abominable metallic hardcore with an aggressively negative worldview. Today, the band shared the title track from their forthcoming EP No Eden. The track wastes no time showing off the unholy power of the band which is comprised of members from God’s Hate, Vamachara, Disgrace, Forced Order, and more. Due out March 20, the album is bound to turn heads with its abysmally dark themes and sheer ferocity.”
25 | Niika | Girl Of An Arc
THE PRESS RELEASE: “On her May 1 debut album, Close But Not Too Close, Niika invites listeners to step into her world of multitudes- warmth, intimacy, and tenderness collide effortlessly with experimentation and playfulness in her songwriting. Stimulating and beautiful, this record juxtaposes an inviting, feminine, and real voice with adventurous rhythmic and textural choices. Her single Girl of An Arc “is my ‘sad for the human condition’ song. We’re in such a heavy time right now, and I think all artists find themselves grappling with this heaviness in relation to their work. This song is my reflection on these cyclical patterns throughout history, and the unfailing resurgence of revolution (hence the reference to Joan of Arc).”
