Datura4 ride high, WE R OK get spooked, Sine survey the desolation, Oceans of Slumber come down to Earth, Black Stream play dead, Destruction hit the nail on the head and more in another double-stuffed Friday Roundup. Pro tip: Go deep to dig up some winning numbers from Alligator Wine, All Them Witches, Ty Segall, Los Straitjackets and The Bobby Lees. What, you want me to do all the work for you?
1 | Datura4 | West Coast Highway Cosmic
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 followup 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.”
2 | WE R OK | Ghosts
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Ghosts is the debut single from newly formed New York-based duo WE R OK. Having met while studying Music Industry & Tech at Mercy College, Frank Dal Pra and Brian Delaney quickly hit it off after meeting in the smoking section like two kindred souls separated at birth. Behind their smiles, hidden from the world, their souls lay tormented and their minds swirled in an endless state of chaos. It was this mutual dysfunction that helped lay the foundation for their friendship. In the beginning of the year, and after about a year of not seeing each other, Brian headed to Frank’s house (with his wife’s blessing) with the intention of having a night on the town. The pre-game quickly turned into over-time and Brian and Frank never ended up making it out of Frank’s dank basement studio. Frank, a life-long musician pulled up an instrumental from the stash and the hook melody instantly came flying out of Brian’s mouth without warning. Tuned up and ready to rock, Brian and Frank wrote and recorded Ghosts in the span of a few hours, highly inebriated and completely out of whack. Spontaneous, unhindered and completely in their element, this one session was enough to ignite a fire inside that was moments away from going out. In attempt to fan the flames and keep the fire burning, Frank and Brian quickly formed a group, designed a logo, printed stickers, mastered the single and dove head-first into a project that not a single person knows or cares about.”
3 | Sine | Desolate District feat. Chris Connelly
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Alternative electronic act Sine release their first video single of the year from their forthcoming album Mantis, with the track Desolate District. The song is highlighted by a compelling vocal and lyrical contribution from Chris Connelly (ex-Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface), marking one of Connelly’s first appearances since announcing his departure from the previous 2020 Ministry tour. The song was written in December of 2019, before the pandemic drastically changed our lives. Chris’ lyrical content and song title seemed to predict our future, which makes this song so relevant to the current times. Wrought with a heavy, mid-tempo synthetic pulse and foreboding seductiveness, Desolate District marks a distinct and impressive advancement in Sine’s high-fashion/dark aesthetic approach.”
4 | Oceans Of Slumber | A Return To The Earth Below
THE PRESS RELEASE: “US prog metal outfit Oceans Of Slumber announce the release of their new and self-titled album Oceans Of Slumber, due to be released on Sept. 4. With A Return To The Earth Below the band releases the first single off the new record. Vocalist Cammie Gilbert is checking in with the following comment about the new song: “Within ourselves, just as within our societies there are cycles that need to be broken. Cycles that hold us down, that tear us apart, that give us anguish. Sometimes without warning these cracks surface and they trigger a cascade of emotional vulnerabilities, emotional turmoil, even hopelessness. But at some point we must stop running. Stop running from the pain, stop running from the truth, stop running from ourselves. In the light of this self reflection is where we will find peace, both inwardly and outwardly. A Return To The Earth Below is about that journey. It is about the collision of the heart and mind in struggling to find that internal resolution. We feel that the timing of this single couldn’t be more appropriate, as we have all found ourselves at the crossroads of change.”
5 | Black Stream | Dancing Dead
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Formed in 2015, the alt-rock duo Black Stream express their vision of society with a rock composed of powerful riffs and catchy melodies. A style that asserted itself through the stages, between the thickness of a T-Rex-like Gibson and the post-punk nervousness of Refused. Rock, punk, a melodic voice, samples … an original, dynamic and modern cocktail which sweeps everything away on its path! Today they share the first track from the album Transition (2019), Dancing Dead. A free interpretation of the epicurean thought: the fear of death prevents us from living happily. So let’s try to be strong and take care of ourselves; we’re the only masters of our destiny.”
6 | Destruction | Nailed To The Cross
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The giants of German thrash metal Destruction release Nailed To The Cross, the second single from their live piece Born To Thrash – Live In Germany that will be physically released on July 17. Singer and bass player Schmier on this song: “Nailed to the Cross is one of the newer-generation Destruction songs that we could never take off our setlist. It became a fan favorite right away and is one of those songs that never get old, especially live.”
7 | 4 Guys From The Future | A New Life
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Danish art rock band 4 Guys From The Future are back to present the most fabulous pop track from Bjarke Porsmoses’ unsentimental songwriting: The new single A New Life. A New Life is a big ear hanger of hope — hope that tomorrow can always be a new beginning. The song is challenging in and out of familiar frameworks, bouncing off with arms in its play of dreams and the desire to find peace of mind in a modern world: “It is personal for me,” says Bjarke, “this with all the time to look forward to a new age and be aware that it is not too late to change and evolve — even as a society. The song revolves around the hope of a new day, the hope of one day finding and creating what I dream of. Accept, calm. I cannot let go of the neurotic sensation of new possibilities that are constantly flickering on the surface of the water in the future. Maybe I will find some tranquility one day, but not yet.”
8 | Skeleton | Mark Of Death
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Austin, Texas-based blackened metal/punk practitioners Skeleton unleash their visual accompaniment to Mark Of Death. The track comes by way of the band’s self-titled debut, set for release next month. Having plied their black-market trade for several years in grime infested underground dungeons and sub-basements, Skeleton’s first LP is a cataclysmic expansion of the band’s unhallowed vision venturing well beyond its earlier borders.Though some might be prone to lazily apply simplistic genre tags to Skeleton’s style, the reality is far more sweeping. Probably the most savage and intelligent dark punk/metal hybrid in years, the eleven tracks comprising Skeleton signal the black dawn of a new breed; war-like hymns for the soldiers of a scorched apocalypse to come, from which a bleak alternate future will emerge. And when the final somber strains of Catacombs close out the album, an eerie sense of the end as the beginning lingers like a morbid premonition.”
9 | Vampire | Serafim
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Deep in a musty, age-old cellar of old town Gothenburg, Vampire have been plotting something wicked…again! In 2020, frontman Hand of Doom, guitarists Black String and Sepulchral Condor, bassist Command, and drummer Abysmal Condor proudly present their third studio album, Rex, which proves to be a tremendous sonic and compositional highlight in their career thus far. Today, the third single Serafim is released. Hand of Doom says about the single: ”This was the first song title we had for the album, and its style lead the way for all the others and for the album title as well. However, these were the last lyrics to actually be penned. Inspiration struck unexpectedly one dreary October morning as I pondered the famous monologue at the end of the film Blade Runner: “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe”. What follows is probably the best simile of all time. Hugely inspirational and obviously impossible to outdo.”
10 | The Alligator Wine | Voodoo
THE PRESS RELEASE: “After releasing their debut album Demons Of The Mind in April, German retro rock duo The Alligator Wine treat us with yet another mesmerizing video, this time for Voodoo. Here is what the band says: “Ladies and Gents! It’s time to cut loose! Let’s dive into the madness of the Alligator! Shake your hips, bang your head! Here comes Voodoo!” The Alligator Wine were founded in 2016 as an experimental Krautrock project by: Rob Vitacca (voice, organ, moog bass, percussion) and Thomas Teufel (drums, spooky voice) Combining the vibes of experimental ’70s music with a certain, modern pop appeal was the goal. Their unique instrumentation makes them stand out immediately. Going for a distorted organ in a 100% guitar dominated scene and replacing the bass guitar with an analog synth was the key to their sound.”
11 | In Flames | Clayman (Re-Recorded)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sweden’s influential and long revered heavy metal giants In Flames are celebrating two major milestones in 2020 with their 30th anniversary as a band, and 20th anniversary of their seminal, critically acclaimed album, Clayman. In honor of this monumental occasion, a special 20th Anniversary Edition of Clayman will be released on Aug. 28. Today, the band releases the lyric video for the first single, Clayman (Re-Recorded). Frontman Anders Fridén says of the 20th Anniversary Edition: “This record changed our career in a number of ways. Being the 20th anniversary this year, we had to do something massive for the fans. Going back into the studio to re-record some of the original tracks took us right back in time to when we first recorded them. Every detail of the new artwork and visuals was deeply thought out keeping in mind what the Jesterheads would want to see most. This one’s for you.”
12 | Firespawn | Heathen Blood
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sweden’s Firespawn release another video from their latest studio effort Abominate. Firespawn is the incarnate abomination of LG Petrov (Entombed A.D.), Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir), Fredrik Folkare (Unleashed, ex-Necrophobic), A. Impaler (Necrophobic, Naglfar) and Matte Modin (ex-Dark Funeral).”
13 | Black Crown Initiate | Sun of War
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Progressive Death Metal masterminds Black Crown Initiate have released another single, Sun of War, from their upcoming new album Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape. Guitarist and founding member Andy Thomas offers of the track, “Sun of War is a song that sort of continues the theme of our Song of the Crippled Bull EP. It centers around life in the end of a repeating universal cycle, and basically mourns the disconnect from what humans truly are: power, truth, and timelessness. It seems appropriate to be released now.”
14 | Drift Mouth | The Book of Allison
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Americana trio Drift Mouth has released its new digital single The Book of Allison off of forthcoming full-length album Loveridge Is Burning. “It’s a song about the frustration of a relationship that is going nowhere and draws the comparison to trying to read a book that you’re stalled out on,” explains vocalist and guitarist Lou Poster. “You know that feeling when you get partway through a book and just lose interest and can’t finish it? This song tells the story of a relationship that feels like that. The song contains elements from just about every corner of Poster’s musical background including Americana, Alt-Country, Country Rock, and Garage Americana. It has harmony, grit, big guitars, wide dynamic range, twang, hollerin’, all of it. Drift Mouth is for fans of American Aquarium, Chris Knight, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, The Bottle Rockets, and everyone in between.”
15 | The Gay Agenda | Army Of Me
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Self-described “homo riot hardcore punk outfit from San Diego,” The Gay Agenda just dropped a new record titled Penetrating. Recorded entirely live in one take, the album was mixed and mastered by Ed Talorda and blends punk and metal into punishing queercore chaos. Influences on their sound range from Limpwrist and The HIRS Collective to Napalm Death, Tragedy and Disrupt. The 11-track album includes the song Homo Riot, featuring Justin Pearson (The Locust, Retox, Dead Cross). The vinyl edition includes the band’s pummeling cover of Bjork’s Army of Me. “The idea of covering Army of Me came from our drummer Luis. He identified with the songs message of reaching your personal limit while dealing with someone who is selfish, constantly complaining and pushing you to the verge of exploding. He prognosticated “this is going to sound kick ass on the record”, and took the reins on the on the composition.”
16 | The Gabbard Brothers | Too Much To Feel
THE PRESS RELEASE: “From the ashes of the acclaimed Ohio rock band Buffalo Killers, singers/songwriters/siblings Zachary and Andy Gabbard have re-emerged as The Gabbard Brothers. And while there are still similarities to their previous band, with nods to greats like Neil Young, James Gang and Buffalo Springfield, there’s a hazier, organic, earthy-psych vibe running through the brothers’ new music. Fresh from their Black Keys tour (Zachary and Andy are current bassist and guitarist, respectively, in the expanded tour group), The Gabbard Bros. have released their follow-up single Too Much To Feel — a musical middle finger to the bigots, racists and folks holding on to an old, outdated way of thinking. This new single will be included in their forthcoming debut studio album, out later this year.”
17 | Yard Arms | These Four Walls
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Quick off the back of their latest successful single release Mantra, Yard Arms are back again with their third, gloriously melancholic EP Sanctuary Lines, due for release June 26; by far the Bristol-based melancholic pop duo’s most polished and defined group of tracks since they formed in 2018, bursting with alt-indie hits set to soundtrack your summer. Ahead of the EP comes the second single These Four Walls, the isolation anthem they never knew they had written. “Musically it’s reminiscent of mid-’00s shimmering indie combined with a more vehement emo instrumentation — think if Biffy started a supergroup with Interpol and Death Cab For Cutie,” state the duo.”
18 | All Them Witches | Saturnine & Iron Jaw
THE PRESS RELEASE: “All Them Witches will return with Nothing As The Ideal on Sept. 4. Unremittingly forward-looking, the new album is their most experimental work to date. Tape loops coincide with unplugged minimalism. It’s their heaviest album marked by their broadest atmospheres, intimate and pummeling. Nothing as the Ideal is also their first full length album as a paired down trio, their smallest iteration as a band. Today brings the album opener Saturnine & Iron Jaw. Regarding the song, guitarist Ben McLeod says, “We very specifically wanted to lead with this track. I think it’s the most well-rounded track on the record; it’s constantly changing, it has a lot of different vibes to it.” Giving a hint at what to expect with the rest of Nothing As The Ideal, he adds, “Obviously there are way heavier songs on the record,” but Saturnine & Iron Jaw should let fans know All Them Witches are still very much rooted in psychedelic and bluesy rock.”
19 | Sammy Brue | Gravity
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sammy Brue’s new track, Gravity, holds a timely message for listeners. In his own words: “The social pressures in life often get us down, this song is about the moment you let them all free and don’t feel anything weighing you down anymore.”
20+21 | Wylde Ratttz | Flow + Judy’s Blues
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The Wylde Ratttz recorded an epic late night of improvised instrumental space jams during their 1997 album sessions. Flow b/w Judy’s Blues is the first of a series of singles and eps of those recordings.”
22 | Ty Segall & Cory Hanson | She’s a Beam
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Cory Hanson and Ty Segall have decided to release the much anticipated single She’s a Beam, recorded five years ago, and recently rediscovered. They will be donating 100% of the first week’s sales of both songs to Black Lives Matter LA.”
23 | Los Straitjackets | Venus
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Venus, the enduring radio single popularized by both Shocking Blue and Bananarama, is flipped on its head and turned into a surf rock staple thanks to Los Straitjackets! The track is the first song in over two decades to be produced by legendary vocalist, songwriter and producer Nick Lowe that wasn’t one of Nick’s own performances.”
24+25 | Paige Drobot | Woman + Everything
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Winnipeg’s Paige Drobot is back with her second solo offering. In keeping with the retro vibe we love her for, Woman / Everything is released in the classic two-song single format.”
26 | Goan Dogs | Zombies
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bristolian quintet Goan Dogs announce their third offering Zombies. Converging eerie experimental synths with jangling guitar pop, Zombies reminisces over happy recollections of one’s past. Given the world’s current circumstances with the global pandemic, it seems only fitting that this ambitious track is next on the band’s release radar.”
27 | Race Banyon | Pressure Off
THE PRESS RELEASE: “New Zealand electronic producer Race Banyon (aka Eddie Johnston) teases more new music with Pressure Off, the second offering from his upcoming new EP, set for release on July 7. Putting a fresh spin on straightforward tech-house club construction, Race Banyon created Pressure Off around an Ableton’s arpeggiator loop, with the track’s rhythmic pulse moving through ambient tech-house to what Race Banyon describes as a “very interesting beat, almost like a New Orleans bounce beat gravitating towards jungle’s territory but without ever quite getting there. It’s like the hint of something that you can’t quite taste.”
28 | Grizzly Coast | End Of The Night
THE PRESS RELEASE: “From the imaginative, yet highly-analytical mind of Alannah Kavanagh comes Grizzly Coast, the Toronto-based indie-rock project with heavy-hitting instrumentation that tears up the stage and heavy-lifting lyrical narratives that compel you to think deeper. Formerly performing as an acoustic singer-songwriter, Kavanagh wears her expansion into full-band territory well on the brand new Party of One EP. Grizzly Coast’s newest single, End of the Night, is about leaving your creature comforts to go have fun around others. It evokes the dearly missed, brimming energy of live music through an upbeat melody and fuzzy/almost triumphant guitar lines.”
29 | Katie Wood | Uh Huh Yeah
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Katie Wood is unveiling Uh Huh Yeah. The self-produced track narrates the singer’s struggle with agoraphobia and the powerless feeling it entails. Wood confides, “I couldn’t face leaving my flat, let alone go to work or see my friends and I just felt so powerless. So the song is about that feeling and in many ways accepting it as a way to move on through it, I do believe that you have to face your fears to overcome them.” Uh Huh Yeah depicts everything that comes with agoraphobia — the frustration, anger and resentment, but also hope and self-acceptance. Detailing the journey of finding light at the end of the tunnel, Wood has crafted a poignant song of sincerity and self-discovery. Uh Huh Yeah features muted tones, ’80s drums and emotional, raspy vocals reminiscent of Haim meets Kate Bush. Drenched in ethereal backing vocals, Wood has established a distinct sound and strong identity that is entirely her own.”
30 | Jon Stancer | Comes A Time
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Alternative pop-rock artist Jon Stancer’s plans for 2020 were to include the release of a collection of new material later in the year, the recording of which was in progress when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in January. His latest single Comes A Time offers a new take on a Neil Young number that Stancer has sung throughout his life. This rendition is a less gleeful, perhaps more dramatic rendering than the original — likely, a reflection of how the world has looked and felt to Stancer the last few years. There’s an air of disquietude to it.”
31 | The Bobby Lees | Blank Generation
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The Bobby Lees’ new record Skin Suit was produced by underground punk legend Jon Spencer of the Blues Explosion and will be released on July 17. The Bobby Lees are a young bone-shaking Garage Rock band out of Woodstock, NY. In the past year they’ve played with The Chats, Future Islands, Boss Hog, Daddy Long Legs, Shannon & The Clams and Murphy’s Law. Their sound mixes classic garage-punk hits with raw and emotive storytelling. Today they share their cover of Richard Hell & The Voidoids’ punk classic Blank Generation.”
32 | Becky Bowe | Don’t Darken My Door (Peer Kusiv Remix)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “UK singer-songwriter Becky Bowe has released the Don’t Darken My Door remix by renowned progressive house producer Peer Kusiv. Speaking of his inspiration behind the track, Peer Kusiv tells us, “When I first heard Becky Bowe’s Don’t Darken My Door, I thought about turning this major-feeling pop tune into something warm, electronic and a more atmospheric piece of music. I tried to bring some moody layers of different pianos and pads together with some more forward going four to the floor beats. In the break parts of the song, I used a xylophone to underline the overall mood. For me, the goal was to keep the sound deep and warm, but at the same time energetic and club related.”
33 | Jane’s Party | Change Her Mind
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Jane’s Party’s hook-heavy brand of organic indie rock has earned international acclaim via a diverse string of releases. The band combines colours and textures from various styles into a constantly-evolving sonic tapestry that can shapeshift from song to song, while staying consistently compelling and true to themselves. The band’s newest release, Change Her Mind, explores the raw, stripped-down rock production of the ’60s and ’70s that initially inspired the song.”
34 | Sola Rosa | Searching For Love feat. Kiko Bun
THE PRESS RELEASE: “New Zealand artist Andrew Spraggon, crafting under the moniker Sola Rosa, returns with the fresh new single, Searching For Love feat. Kiko Bun, the first offering from the forthcoming album, Chasing The Sun. A celebration of finding ‘the one’, Searching for Love captures the timeless groove that Sola Rosa is renowned for, with the soulful addition of vocals and lyrics from rising British soul and reggae star, Kiko Bun. Says Bun; “The song came together quite quickly, when I sat down in the studio, I heard the first stages of the beat and thought ‘Yep, that one’ and it kind of wrote itself. I always try to write from my life experiences, so this wasn’t too difficult. Straight from the heart.”
