Walt Disco are hair today, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown take a ride, Dirty Clergy are born losers, Taggart & Torrens want to buy what you’re selling, Gordon Koang gets mixed up, Single Mothers are in the wrong and more in the latest ridiculously long Friday Roundup. No mas. No mas.
1 | Walt Disco | Cut Your Hair
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Glasgow-based band Walt Disco are today the sharing the video for their new single Cut Your Hair. Directed and filmed by Walt Disco themselves, the clip was filmed in isolation in the Glasgow flat they share. The tongue-in-cheek video features the band in a variety of settings in and around their home; featuring a synchronised dance in the back garden (the dance moves already a longstanding landmark moment in the band’s live se), guitar solos performed on top of a bed, and risqué leg shaves in the shower. Cut Your Hair exemplifies everything Walt Disco are about. Lifted from the band’s debut EP due later this year, the track unites a cacophony of genres and sounds, blending elements of glam-rock, pop, new-wave and post-punk to create something very much of their own. Working with idiosyncratic producer Thomas McNeice of Gang of Four on the single, Walt Disco have realised their vision of an anthem for a new generation of misfits.”
2 | Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown | Ride
THE PRESS RELEASE: “It’s all about the ride, baby! Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown have revealed the video for Ride, which finds the band knuckling down (and dirty) on their instruments while in the back of a conversion van and plugging into amps stashed in the trunks of their cars. “Sometimes it’s too easy to miss magic moments while you’re worrying about the future,” says Bryant. “To me, Ride is a reminder to find the good in the present while you’re in it. I don’t wanna look back and wish I would’ve lived life any different. I wanna milk all these moments for all they’re worth. Whatever comes next can’t affect right now.” The track appears on the band’s latest album Truth & Lies, out now.”
3 | The Dirty Clergy | Born to Lose
THE PRESS RELEASE: “With 2020 marking a decade into their musical careers The Dirty Clergy vacillates between shoegaze-esque ruminations on love and struggle and more straightforward garage numbers that surge into ecstatic cacophony all accented by eerily laconic vocals, The Alabama-based trio (featuring vocalist/guitarist Brian Manasco, bassist Ky Carter and drummer Cody Moorehead) are looking to expand their already respectable discography with their upcoming full-length, the aptly titled In Waves. After having a couple of other singers in the tenure of the band, founder Manasco uses this latest record to give his own voice to the lyrics and melodies that he has crafted. “Everything was different because we had a different lineup,” Manasco recalls. “I wrote all of the new songs and when we started rehearsals, the former singer had wanted to rewrite the lyrics. But we had already recorded all of the music. I was then talking to Anton Newcombe from The Brian Jonestown Massacre and he said ‘tell that dude to hit the road.’ I was not planning on singing the songs myself, but ultimately I didn’t have a choice.”
4 | Taggart & Torrens | You Sellin? I’m Byron
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Taggart & Torrens — featuring Jeremy Taggart, legendary rock drummer and multiple Juno Award-winner formerly of Our Lady Peace, and Jonathan Torrens, 30-year veteran of Canadian TV (Street Cents, Jonovision, Trailer Park Boys and Mr. D) — announce that their much anticipated debut musical comedy album titled Bahds will be released on June 11. Taggart conveys that they “can’t wait to share this wild musical trip with everyone.” Today, the dynamic duo debut their new track You Sellin? I’m Byron. The video features appearances from a number of Canadian notables: Dean Murdoch (Fubar), BNL’s Ed Robertson, Michelle Mylett (Letterkenny), former NHLer Sean Avery, sports anchors Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole, Dan Mangan, and Tim Oxford (Arkells).”
5 | Gordon Koang | Mal Mi Goa (Ginoli Remix)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Legendary South Sudanese pop star Gordon Koang releases a new track/ video, Mal Mi Goa (Ginoli Remix). As remixed by Ginoli (moniker of James Ireland, Perth-based producer and drummer of Pond), is an eclectic mix of Koang’s joyful voice, thom (an East African stringed instrument that Gordon has modified to suit his unique style of playing), and danceable, swelling synth. It marks the first release from Music In Exile Remixed EP, out June 5, part of a series of collaborations between producers from Australia’s burgeoning electronic scene and artists from a refugee and migrant background. Gordon Koang was born blind and began playing music from an early age, busking on the streets of Juba and producing his own self-released CD-Rs and cassettes. With Mal Mia Goa (Ginoli Remix), Gordon hopes to reach as many new listeners as he can in his adopted country, and around the world.”
6 | Single Mothers | I’m Wrong
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Single Mothers are releasing the deluxe edition of their Juno-nominated Through A Wall. They are also sharing the new track I’m Wrong, along with a charming DIY video filmed by the band while in isolation after the cancellation of their North American tour with Pears. Vocalist Drew Thomson says of the reissue, “I love alternate takes, alternate mixes. Some of my favourite songs are versions that weren’t on the original record. I thought Through A Wall would be a perfect record to revisit and tweak and give a new personality.”
7 | Ric Wilson & Terrace Martin | Move Like This
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Chicago-based hip-hop artist Ric Wilson and LA-based producer/musician Terrace Martin release their new collaborative EP, They Call Me Disco, and present the video for standout track Move Like This. Energetic and bouncing with a crisp beat, Move Like This is driven by a woozy synth and Wilson’s lively voice. The accompanying video, directed by A Solo Vision, was filmed in Chicago. Featuring Wilson and close friends, the video presents his vibrant, colorful aesthetic. “Me and Terrace literally were watching videos from the Chicago House Festival when he was making the beat,” says Wilson. “I was dancing and this song was made for moving.”
8+9 | Call Me Malcolm | Wake Up, The Monster Said + What You Burn
THE PRESS RELEASE: “South London, UK Ska/Punk 5-piece Call Me Malcolm will unleash their new full-length album Me, Myself and Something Else on Friday, May 15.The announcement follows the release of the band’s two recent singles and music videos from the album, Wake Up, The Monster Said, and What You Burn, both of which you can watch below. Call Me Malcolm is a five-piece ska/punk band from Kent, UK, blending hard punk, a crunchy ska sound, and three-part harmonies. Described by Vinnie Fiorello (Less Than Jake) as “a saving grace of the genre”, the band was originally inspired by the US third wave leaders of the late 90s. Since then, Call Me Malcolm has evolved a harder, sharper edge, creating a unique sound which is eliciting plaudits from around the world.”
10 | Wilder Adkins | Mother
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Birmingham, AL-based singer-songwriter Wilder Adkins did not intend for his latest single Mother to be autobiographical. Instead, it’s a tribute to and a call for grace for mothers everywhere. “This was a song that really began with just the first line,” says Adkins of the inspiration behind the tune. “My stepmom, who was the youngest of three girls, used to say that her mom could never just say her name without accidentally saying her sisters’ names first. So then I thought, ‘that’s just the order that their names are stored on your tongue.’ I don’t know that I really intended to write a serious song at first. I was kind of just thinking about trying to write a clever country song, but it sort of changed as I was working on it, into a song about grace.”
11 | Pristine | Fireball
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Norwegian rock band Pristine announced the release of their new digital EP Fireball. The band states, “In these challenging and strange times we felt the need to reflect on humanity and what makes us who we are. The beautiful cover art is designed by the Norwegian artist Christian Muri Clemetsen. Christian created the cover art from a series of old movie posters that were cut into long strips and woven together into a new motif. A very descriptive representation of the diverse human being, full of fragments and colours.” In celebration of the EP, the band offer fans a music video for the title track Fireball. Pristine continues, “Fireball is a story about the close relation between love and loss. It’s an elegy of the part you once played, in a world you took for granted, when what you used to know suddenly is fragmented and senseless because you have lost someone.”
12 | Capstan | Livebait
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Florida’s Capstan — Anthony DeMario [vocals], Harrison Bormann [guitar], Andrew “Bozz” Bozymowski [bass, vocals], Joseph Mabry [guitar], and Scott Fisher [drums]— have shared the video for a new-ish song titled Livebait. “During these strange times, we found it really important to do something fun and enjoyable for our fans,” Capstan explains. “This is a song we have had for quite some time, and even though it didn’t make it onto our album Restless Heart, Keep Running, we always knew we wanted to track and release it someday. This is our little gift to all of you. Turn it up and turn ’em loose. Cheers!” Capstan released their latest album Restless Heart, Keep Running last fall.”
13 | Benjamin Tod | Cannon Fodder
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Founding Lost Dog Street Band vocalist/guitarist Benjamin Tod has issued a new video from his second solo album, A Heart Of Gold Is Hard To Find, which saw release in November. A video for the somber Cannon Fodder has been premiered. Tod humbly offers, “I wrote Cannon Fodder for one of my oldest friends when I hadn’t seen him for almost a year. It was at a time when both of our lives were in a heavy upheaval and truly felt like one of us would be swept into the ashes of history. Sometimes in deep despair, a bottle is easier to bring to your mouth than a face is to draw in your mind.”
14 | Reuben and The Dark | We Will Get There
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Reuben and the Dark has always made an effort to put community first and foremost. Take a look at his recent videos on Facebook and you’ll see the undeniable connection he has with his audience, all openly sharing their fears and triumphs that have resulted from quarantine. Today, Reuben and the Dark releases a new song, We Will Get There, an uplifting and auspicious tune meant to acknowledge the current situation of the world, and create some hope for the future. In Reuben Bullock’s own words, “This song was written in a little cabin in Joshua Tree, California, before our North American tour. Before the madness of everything we are in now. It feels different from other Reuben and the Dark songs. It is intentionally gentle and upbeat. It was written from a perspective of hope; hope is looking ahead to a future that is unknown. Those words feel even more current than the day they were written.”
15 | Aversions Crown | Born In The Gutter
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Australian metal destroyers Aversions Crown will release their fourth studio album, Hell Will Come For Us All, on June 12. Today, the band releases the second single entitled Born In The Gutter. Vocalist Tyler Miller comments, “Born In The Gutter is a heavy take on the great divide between the rich, the poor, and the ones felt uncared for. It ultimately represents the harsh reality that is the crude nature of the world and the people within it.”
16 | Godlands | Drop It Low
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bass champion Godlands taps up-and-comer Yung Bambi to spit high-octane bars over her rhythmic trap banger Drop It Low. Drop It Low arrives on the heels of Smoke Em Up, released earlier this spring, and continues to showcase her bass-driven cohesion of hip hop and trap. Since arriving in 2017 with a pair of sharp singles (Finally and Hit Em Like This), Godlands’ confident beats and refined techniques established her position as one of the key players in the Australian underground. A rare presence indeed, her fans have grown from casual listeners to loyal fanatics, embracing her unique songs, captivating stage energy, and world class sense of style.”
17 | Sabaton | The Attack of The Dead Men
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sabaton continue their global assault in support of their latest album The Great War, with a new live version of the album track The Attack Of The Dead Men featuring Radio Tapok. Radio Tapok is a Russian artist who gained popularity by covering a plethora of famous rock and metal songs in Russian. He has a huge following in Russian speaking countries with millions of fans and subscribers across a range of social networks. Sabaton bassist Pär Sundström comments: “It’s a special honour for us to collaborate with Radio Tapok. He is a very talented artist and his cover of our song The Attack Of The Dead Men was so well received, that we did not think twice when we decided to invite him on stage to perform the song with us in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The performance was so good that we had no other option but to release this collaboration!”
18 | Joe Nolan | Tupelo Honey
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Edmonton singer/songwriter Joe Nolan releases Drifters, continuing a remarkable creative run over the past two years. This time out he gets down to the bone with a 10-track predominantly acoustic collection. Drifters begins the next leg of his journey, made at Riverdale Recorders in Edmonton with engineer Scott Franchuk, which takes fresh material written in the midst of touring and combines them with songs that date back to Nolan’s late teens. However, the common thread among them is reflected in the album’s title: songs of longing, wanderlust and lost love.”
19 | Joe Goddard & Hayden Thorpe | Unknown Song
THE PRESS RELEASE: “After a career-long appreciation for each other’s work, Unknown Song is the first time Joe Goddard and Hayden Thorpe have found themselves musically entwined together, to glorious effect. Written and recorded in early 2020, Unknown Song is an uplifting and euphoric dance track, delivering a sense of hope and positivity to remind on and recall better, simpler times. Unknown Song is intended as a soundtrack for reminiscing, embracing and awaiting those joyous and energetic dancefloor moments for all. As Thorpe says, “The lockdown has really made it apparent how music allows us to feel a synchronicity with our fellow beings. In the absence of touch, music is that sensual meeting point.” Similarly, Goddard notes, “We are in the midst of a crisis but gaining that new appreciation of dancing together is a small positive that I hope to hold onto after all of this.”
20 | Sinisthra | Eterne
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Finland’s Sinisthra, featuring Amorphis vocalist Tomi Joutsen, are sharing the new music video for single Eterne off their forthcoming album, The Broad and Beaten Way, due out May 15. The band adds: “Eterne is the most straightforward song on the album, almost a total opposite to the first single Closely Guarded Distance. It’s the album opener and sets the stage for things to come, with the expulsion from Eden taking place and everything irredeemably changed. The video was shot in a ruined house that was my childhood home. It solidifies the fact that things can’t be reversed although some echoes might remain of what used to be.”
21 | The Hello Darlins | Still Waters
THE PRESS RELEASE: “What happens when a few of Canada’s most in-demand session musicians decide to create something new? You get The Hello Darlins! Their first single Still Waters, features Juno winner Matt Andersen. Written by Lacina, Little and Clayton Bellamy, the song perfectly encapsulates the spirit of The Hello Darlins and stays true to what is real — right now. With the album release plans and a cross-Canada tour now being pushed to a later date, The Hello Darlins are charting a different course for releasing music this year. “We thought it would be fun to put together a band with long-time, professional musicians who are often the people behind the songs you hear on the radio,” Candace explains. “It’s a collective, with friends and special guests. It’s like the Broken Social Scene of Americana.”
22 | RAC | Stuck On You (ft. Phil Good)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Grammy-winning producer and songwriter André Allen Anjos, known as RAC, releases his new album Boy along with the music video for his track Stuck On You (ft. Phil Good). Boy is a melody-driven indie-electronica record that sees Anjos push his artistic limits by thematically exploring his complex childhood. “This album is about growing up,” writes Anjos. “I was tapping into melodies that remind me of that period of my life. Rooted in a sense of nostalgia, growing pains and coming of age. It’s an elusive feeling but I tried to capture it and ultimately re-interpret it through a modern lens.”
23 | Destruction | Born To Thrash: Live In Germany
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The giants of german thrash metal release their all-new live-album Born To Thrash: Live in Germany, to deliver the live festival atmosphere we actually miss right to the fans. Singer and bassist Schmier calls it the “most spontaneous idea, we ever realized.“ To mark this special occasion, the band releases a live video for Curse The Gods. Schmier states, “Curse The Gods is the first of the three video clips that we will release until the album is out physically in July! There is no better opener for a Destruction show, and the song and its lyrics are still a true classic! Still one of my faves to play live, even after all those years!”
24 | Loviet | The Thrill
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto-based indie-pop rocker Loviet (pronounced like Soviet) releases her upbeat, nostalgia-fuelled single The Thrill. It’s the second track off her anticipated debut EP Everyone Knows The Thrill When It’s Over — written during a heatwave in NYC — out June 19. Says Loviet, “The Thrill is a fast, driving track, lining up how falling in love can either feel the same as speeding down a highway with someone or driving off a cliff.” In making the video, it was a matter of finding visuals that went in line with the aesthetic once the theme and mood of the track was established. “Vintage cars, California, dancing, driving…crashing.”
25 | Quix | Somebody (Feat. Alex Hosking)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Taking a swift departure from his signature eccentric trap beats, Quix crafts a moody downtempo jam through Somebody, featuring the serene vocals of Australian singer songwriter Alex Hosking. While Somebody veers away from Quix’s traditional bass-forward sound design, it highlights his versatility as a producer, capable of making songs based not only on how he feels, but reflective of the current global climate. “This may be the chillest song I’m about to put out,” he states. “Being that we’re in quarantine I thought it may be suitable to release such a chill record.”
26 | Project Renegade | Respirator (Quarantine Version)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Never thought that this song would take such a meaning during these weird times. We originally wrote it for family members that we will always remember. But we felt we had to revisit it with a different kind of approach, both musically and mentally. With the little means we have from our homes we managed to perform Respirator in a different way and with a different vibe. This is a raw, live performance hoping to exorcise all bad thoughts and express all the hidden feelings that are quarantined in our minds. The video was recorded on our phones and put together by Ody and Marianna.”
27 | Catbite | White Riot
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Philadelphia’s soul-ska outfit, Catbite and East Bay’s newest ska-punk trio Omnigone — featuring members of the beloved late 90’s ska-core band Link 80 — will release a unique split 7-inch at the start of June. To celebrate their new found e-friendship, Catbite recorded a cover of the classic Clash tune White Riot. “We had just learned a bunch of two-tone ska songs and a couple Clash songs for a local London Calling anniversary show. So I said, fuck it let’s record the punkest, least ska song we know right now for this. Thus White Riot,” says Tim Hildebrand of Catbite.”
28 | Bella Alubo | Loneliest Girl In The World
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Who knew rising international pop songstress Bella Alubo could predict the future? She wrote her new single Loneliest Girl in the World, the perfect dance pop anthem for our quarantine pods, in December of last year, aiming to recap a tough 2019 with a joyful and honest bop. While 2019 was a rough year for many, no one expected the craziness of coronavirus in 2020 or the impact it would have on our lives. “What inspired me to write Loneliest Girl in the World is that I felt like the loneliest girl in the world,” Bella explained simply. Loneliest Girl in the World will give you the energy to bounce, to dance, to clean, to lounge, to get some sun and fresh air, to reach out to loved ones, and do whatever else is saving your soul while sheltered. Just as importantly, the single offers the vibe we need to pull through this wave together.”
29 | Distant Cousins ft. Lindsey Ray | Here & Now
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Dov Rosenblatt, Duvid Swirsky and Ami Kozak — aka Distant Cousins — released Here & Now (featuring Lindsey Ray), their new single. The song was serendipitously written only two weeks prior to our current situation, but its message is timely. In fact, following her visit to Los Angeles to record in late-February, Lindsey returned home to Nashville to self-quarantine. And due to current travel restrictions and social distancing guidelines, a Here & Now video was recorded Zoom-style capturing the reality of here and now for so many.”
30 | Jill Barber | Summer Nights In Montréal feat. Yann Perreau
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Jill Barber releases Summer Nights in Montréal featuring Québec’s Yann Perreau. The French version of the new single is from her forthcoming French album, Entre nous, due out on June 19. Watch the video for the English version here. “On Summer Nights in Montréal, I savour the memory of a past encounter: a sweet recollection of a steamy evening in Montréal;” shares Jill. “But more than that, it is a love letter to Montréal, to the intoxicating effect it has on me, and the joie de vivre that I feel each time I’m there. I loved the idea of this song being a duet, a back and forth ‘dance’ between a woman and a man, so I approached Yann Perreau about singing it with me. He is a coup-de-coeur of mine and I am thrilled to have him as my duet partner on this song.”
https://youtu.be/_TuCzF66ezY
31 | Molitoth | Confessional Lock
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Brandt (Molitoth) is a Vocalist/Producer/Composer from Kansas City, Missouri. As a student of vocal coaching, Brandt brings a focus in atmosphere, range, and vocal dynamics to provide a distinct presence with undeniable charisma, all while wrapped in thoroughly written lyrics that are metaphorically relative, without becoming too abstract. Molitoth is set to release The Tribunal, which is the first full length conceptual instalment of the project. Be prepared to embark in an emotional chronological timeline of regrettable actions and consequence, resulting in five stages of grief.”
32 | Yard Arms | Mantra
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Yard Arms return with their promisingly melancholic new single Mantra, described by lyricist and frontman Villeneuve as a ‘triumphant love letter to the anxious’. The track exudes the playful exuberance of Psychedelic Furs and INXS combined with the romantically morose lyricism a la Ben Gibbard or Paul Buchanan. Think John Hughes movies if they were soundtracked by Tim Burton. A pulsating stadium sized emo-anthem to soundtrack your summer time. Formed in 2018, the Bristol-based transatlantic duo are a jangle-pop powerhouse offering up a taste of late noughties euphoria and heartfelt melancholy.”
33 | Var | Moments
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Reykjavík Iceland emotional post-rock collective Var are debuting a gorgeous new video for Moments, a track from their critically acclaimed new album The Never-Ending Year. Moments was shot in the town of Stokkseyri, about an hour outside of Reykjavik on the southern coast of Iceland, at the country’s only existing organ workshop (which happens to be owned by the father of brothers and bandmates Júlíus Óttar and Egill Björgvinsson). “We recorded the song Moments before we had decided to make the full record, and we contacted our friend Eiður to work with us on the single. He had a specific sound that we wanted to try out, and the collaboration was really great — so we moved forward with him from there,” says Júlíus Óttar.”
34 | Local Nomad | Getting Old Is A Bitch
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Indie-pop/alt-rock artist Local Nomad releases his self-titled EP on 6/19 — the day before summer starts, which is appropriate considering the last track from the EP which will be revealed that day is called Summertime. Here’s his latest video+single, Getting Old is a B**tch.”
35 | Bobby Briz x iNTeLL | PENdulum
THE PRESS RELEASE: Staten Island rapper Bobby Briz has decided to give the world a quarantine treat by releasing the new video and track PENdulum from his new collab EP with 2nd Generation Wu’s iNTeLL, He’s Black / He’s White. The video was shot entirely on iPhone by Kennedy Price. The spare acoustic beats on the track allows for the focus to shift to the duo’s rapidly traded off bars. Bobby Briz’s sawthoothed dynacism provides the perfect yin to iNTeLL’s cool, calm, and collected yang, with the twosome swapping braggadocios and entertaining lyrics about their talent at rapping; a Bad Meets Evil for the modern day.”
36 | Ulthar | Churn
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Providence is the forthcoming new full length from Bay Area blackened death trio Ulthar. Slated to drop on June 12, the follow-up to 2018’s debut catapults the band’s signature brand of furiously paced, inverted death metal and scathing angular blackness into new diseased realms of chaos and audio sickness. The unyielding Ulthar attack doubles down on Providence with figures becoming more sickening and shapes more savage. An immensity like spiraling ancient monoliths too tall to comprehend and bending inward upon themselves envelops adherents to this dominion. Duly diabolic voices guide this odyssey through the incongruous caverns of absurdity, obscure texts, and manifold vitriol. In advance of the release of Providence, Ulthat unveils opening psalm Churn for public feasting, the band noting simply, “We welcome you back to the transcosmic gulf.”
37 | The Lagoons | Something Good
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Los Angeles-raised brother duo The Lagoons, composed of Ryan and Joey Selan, found music at a young age. Their unique blend of genres was first heard on their debut single California (40 million plays and counting) and was followed up by the Gems EP & Escape EP. The Lagoons have been featured in the Netflix series Easy, in a BMW ad with Kate Upton, and played across Bose stores worldwide. Something Good, the latest single taken from the brothers’ forthcoming new album, is a reminder that everything will be okay and that we can get through the tough times by helping each other.”
38 | J. Graves | Lo The Mourning
THE PRESS RELEASE: “J. Graves is Portland’s most passionate dance punk trio. For fans of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sleater-Kinney and Gossip, this highly-charged, sweet and agonizing garage rock lures listeners towards angular guitar work, skittering disco beats, and thudding, melodic bass. Front woman Jessa Graves, who takes her cues from Karen O, Corin Tucker and Kathleen Hanna, is joined by Aaron MacDonald on the drums and Kelly Clifton on the bass. Writing, performing, and recording music is in Graves’ blood and will forever be her lifeblood. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, her mother was a musician and recording artist. Graves remembers waking up in studios, sleepy-eyed, with the feeling that this was home. Watching her mother build an independent label, release her own records, and tour the country, Graves was sure she was destined for the same path. She’s never been more sure of anything in her life.”
39+40 | Kandle | How Can You Hurt Me + Little Bad Things
THE PRESS RELEASE: “British Columbia born singer-songwriter Kandle Osborne sings honest and raw, vulnerable yet empowered songs, never afraid to pen even life’s heaviest moments. While her fourth album, untitled, may have been recorded under extraordinary circumstances (during the current Coronavirus pandemic of 2020), Kandle streamlined her focus and vision. In anticipation of the forthcoming full-length, Kandle shares two new songs written prior to the pandemic. Self-produced alongside Dave Genn, How Can You Hurt Me (co-written with Louise Burns) and Little Bad Things are available to stream.”The premise of the song is essentially about self preservation. Being completely abandoned by a great love with no explanation and thereafter seeking the cold comfort of an unobtainable, simple relationship inept of love,” says Kandle on How Can You Hurt Me.”
41 | Filthy Tricks | Leah
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Filthy Tricks have released their new single Leah. It follows their last release Walk In Line — a track which had their 2020 off to a flying start when local rugby league team Warrington Wolves used it to soundtrack their 2020 season promotional video — and the new single promises to leave the band’s mark firmly on the indie music scene. Gerard Van Den Hoek explains how a trip to Australia had a profound effect on him: “Leah is about changes in myself and meeting a very special person that’s come into my life and made a massive impact. A couple of years ago, before we reformed Filthy Tricks, I was in a bad place and didn’t realise until the band and friendships slowly started to crumble beneath me. That was down to me and my weekend ways, always putting those nights out before the important things that I had in front of me. So I finally had had enough and was sick of being stuck in the mud, so I decided to take a year out from everything and go travelling in Australia to sort my head out and wake up a little, because you only get one crack of the whip in life, and that was going to be in music with Filthy Tricks for me. It still remains the best thing I’ve ever done because I cut ties with a lot of people and I’ve never been so driven to achieve this dream of mine and now it’s paying off.”
42 | Tru Trilla | God’s Mercy
THE PRESS RELEASE: “God’s Mercy is the third single by New Jersey rapper Tru Trilla to be taken from his forthcoming album God of Barz, out May 29. Following on from Word of God and God’s Sympathy, the Brick City lyrical marksman brings more of his customary savage firepower to God’s Mercy. Going on a ferocious verbal rampage through a series of relentless hard bars and punchlines, the raw energy is intensified by the explosive production courtesy of Chicago’s DNA Beatz. Set the dial high and prepare for the onslaught, this is the real deal. God of Barz includes further production by Jamal Neuve (aka Clinton Place), the UK’s Chat One and Barcelona’s Sumerio Square with guest featured artists Prince Ak, Fly Kwa, Middy Murdock and Confucious all reppin’ the Garden State.”
43 | Thiago Nassif | Plastico
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Thiago Nassif — the Rio de Janeiro-based musician and producer — shared his new single Plástico from his upcoming album Mente releasing July 3. The second album single, which offers a criticism of the institutionalized “white cube” format of art galleries, is evidence that music can be all at once jarring and discordant, yet also head-noddingly catchy and satisfying. Plástico gives context to the interdisciplinary alternative scene of Rio De Janeiro as well as Thiago’s vocation as visual artist as well as musician. Arhythmic guitars and sporadically timed synth patterns accompany Thiago’s part-spoken, part-sung Portuguese vocals, which are harmonised by Laura Wrona and experimental artist Negro Leo. Claudio Brito on atabaque and timbau and Vinicius Cantuaria on drums are a Brazilian reminder of this music’s origin.”
44 | DDent | Volemie
THE PRESS RELEASE: “French instrumental post-metal project DDent unveil all details about their forthcoming third album Couvre-sang on July 3. With a third full-length that pushed its experimental side further than its predecessors, DDent depict their own vision of reality as a life time-lapse. Entirely written and recorded by its founder Louis Lambert, Couvre-sang is a striking instrumental essay that won’t leave the listener unmoved, while his noise, industrial, black and post-metal influences bring out a gloomy and elegant poetry. The artwork was designed by Swedish artist Rebecka Tollens. Travel through the abyss of language with Volemie.“
45 | Phntms | Towers
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sitting somewhere between arena rock and the classic sound of 1960’s soul singers, Philadelphia based band Phntms creates music bursting with vast soundscapes and colliding instrumentation. Together, Alyssa Gambino, Adam Jessamine, Mikal Smith, and Gene Murphy are bringing back rock music while simultaneously putting their own unique stamp on it. Phntms’ highly anticipated six-track self titled EP soaks up the band’s amalgam of influences, ranging from movie soundtracks and bands such as U2, Biffy Clyro, Kings of Leon and Deaf Havana, to powerhouse soul singers such as Amy Winehouse. Inspired by everyday situations, relationships, and growing up, the band aims to create a feeling with which listeners can easily identify. Gambino reveals, “I think as songwriters, we try to capture these moments and make them as detailed as possible. We’ll always be fascinated by the fact we can freeze these moments…”
46 | Emilie Nicolas | If I Call
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Norwegian singer Emilie Nicolas announces her third album Let Her Breathe, due for release June 5. Along with the album announcement, Emilie is also sharing new single, If I Call. A song centred around vulnerability and the fear of rejection, the R&B-tinged production is packed with fascinating twists and turns recalling the likes of SZA and Kehlani with a Norwegian flavour, showing Emilie’s creative and forward thinking approach to songwriting and orchestration. Speaking on the track, Emilie said: “Who hasn’t been outside in the middle of the night, wondering if you should call? And how terrible it would be if you were rejected? That feeling is at the core of this song.”
47 | Atwater Punx | Ghost Town
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Atwater Punx is the brainchild of family duo Stacy (American Hi-Fi, Letters to Cleo etc.) and Kristen Wagner Jones (Shut Up Stella, Bullet & Snowfox). Both Stacy and Kristen are lifelong musicians. The couple has each spent their entire careers making music apart, but it was the birth of their son that drove them to make music together. After their song Waylon was born, they started putting together ideas around toddler nap times and after bedtime in their home studio. When the shelter in place orders hit Los Angeles, their creativity kicked into overdrive and they hunkered down to finishing a batch of songs sonically inspired by bands like The Clash and Bikini Kill, naming the project Atwater Punx after their neighborhood, Atwater Village. Ghost Town, the first single off the three-song EP is about the isolation and disconnection of a once busy city turned quiet and nearly completely still, overnight. The song is steeped in the heaviness of the collective struggle to overcome what will most likely be one of the biggest challenges of our lifetime.”
