Sunliner shoot for average, Silver Clouds bust out the minor chords, Khost see the light, Lynn Jackson eyes the storm, Ruston Kelly burns rubber, Ben Kunder feels stranger, Liza Anne has FOMO and more in another fat-assed Friday Roundup. My two options right now: Cut the lawn or open a beer. I think we all know how that’s going to turn out.
1 | Sunliner | Average At Best
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Last month, Sunliner released their new EP Structure / Average At Best. Today, they release a new music video for the track Average At Best, made in lockdown with things bassist Caffs found around his house. Vocalist Jake McAllister shouts, “The ground’s moving, and I’m spinning plates,” on Average at Best, evoking the sense of modern overwhelm that we can all relate to. Describing his songwriting, Jake says, “I always try to make lyrics personal and to tell an arc, but I want to the listener to feel like I could be talking about them. We all struggle, and all have our worries and problems. I might not be able to fix them, but hopefully we can make people feel even a little less alone.”
2 | Silver Clouds | Minor Hesitation
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Silver Clouds is the latest offering from Winnipeg’s always vibrant alt-rock scene, comprised of veteran players Rod Slaughter (Duotang, Novillero), Dave Berthiaume (Novillero), Sean Stevens (Novillero, Transonic) and Steve Payne (Boy, Transonic). The band’s self-titled debut album will be released June 26, with the first single, Minor Hesitation, available today. When asked about Minor Hesitation, Slaughter says, “‘It describes a feeling of apathy, paralysis, and a fear of letting go of the known. We feel it’s a rather fitting introduction to a band that, until the global pandemic, had remained in a state of self-imposed delay.”
3 | Khost | Yellow Light
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Birmingham, UK industrial metal duo Khost have released a video for Yellow Light, a track from their fourth album Buried Steel. The song features Stephen Mallinder of Cabaret Voltaire and Wrangler, who who delivers a desolate but direct spoken word offset by the trademark damaged, sulphuric atmospheres for which Khost is known. The band offers, “Steven Mallinder is the voice here, he’s a legend and a hero … He is the figure you see in the video too: he did this specifically for the video.”
4 | Lynn Jackson | Stormy Eyes
THE PRESS RELEASE: “On the heels of releasing her 11th album Lionheart, Lynn Jackson shares the video for Stormy Eyes, one of the record’s standout folk-based tracks. Directed by Waterloo, Ont., filmmaker Lindsay Stewart, the clip utilizes visual effects to emphasize the loneliness embedded in the lyrics, along with the song’s overall timeless qualities. Stormy Eyes finds Jackson pushing her established sound in new directions, something she does throughout Lionheart, her most dynamic and satisfying collection of songs to date.”
5 | Ruston Kelly | Rubber
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Ruston Kelly will release his highly anticipated new album, Shape & Destroy, on Aug. 28. In advance of the release, Kelly’s new song, Rubber, has debuted.”
6 | Ben Kunder | Stranger
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ben Kunder reveals new single Stranger and its accompanying video. Co-produced with Aaron Goldstein and featuring guest vocals from Carleigh Aikens, Stranger is off of Kunder’s anticipated new album Searching For The Stranger, now set for an Oct. 2 release. “Stranger is me really letting go,” shares Kunder. “It’s about exploration, nostalgia, searching for something greater and deeper than anything you’ve known. The stranger is the unknown, the different, the fight, the human connection we long for but haven’t yet experienced. It also represents the strange and weird that exists inside of us, the genetic makeup that we tend to hide but makes us who we are.”
7 | Liza Anne | I Wanna Be There
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Liza Anne released another dreamy summer single, I Wanna Be There, from her forthcoming album Bad Vacation, out July 24. Bad Vacation marks a new sonic direction of sound for Liza and is a hybrid of new wave, art rock and 90s indie grunge-pop, set to establish Liza as a breakthrough independent artist and a bold young voice in mental health self awareness. Discussing the new song, Liza stated, “When something is being outgrown or something is just not meant to work out — those growing pains of separation feel impossible. They can cause such uproar of sadness and isolation and if you’re not the first to feel the “I think we should just leave things off here”, then you’re left to fill in the blanks on your own time.”
8 | Aversions Crown | Paradigm
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The wait is over! Australian metal destroyers Aversions Crown released their fourth studio album, Hell Will Come For Us All. In celebration, the band offer fans the music video for Paradigm. Chris Cougan comments, “We are a generation that has been desensitized and traumatised by a daily dose of violence straight into our living rooms. Innocence has been stripped by the cruel nature of human kind leaving nothing but a bleak and hopeless future.” Jayden Mason adds, “The final single concludes the build up to our new record showcasing a subtle yet apparent change with strong lyrical content and aggressive tunes to follow, this sets the mood for the rest of the record Hell Will Come For Us All which is a strong force moving forward for the band.”
9 | The Clockworks | The Future Is Not What It Was
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The Clockworks have released their exhilarating latest single: The Future Is Not What It Was. Blending, visceral tight-knit rhythms akin to The Smiths or Idlewild and matching them with the foreboding intensity of Interpol or Forward Russia!, The Future Is Not What It Was is the London-based band’s heart-stopping third single for Alan McGee’s Creation 23 label. As James McGregor of The Clockworks explains: “This song is about trying to bring together two main ideas: The feeling that everywhere you look things are going wrong, to the point of cynicism, and the way that the idea of the future is better that its reality. Art and articles in the past would talk about 2020 and expect us to be driving flying cars in houses that clean themselves where nobody has to work. In reality we’re driving third hand Fiat Punto’s to 9-5’s that barely pay the rent. I guess the point is that the lifestyle may change but a lot of the problems are the same.“
10 | Venus Furs | Paranoia
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Venus Furs is the moniker of Montreal’s Paul Kasner, a multi-instrumentalist, writer, and producer. In preceding years the act has taken many forms, supporting the likes of The Horrors and The Twilight Sad as he worked on refining and determining exactly what Venus Furs was meant to be. Now, Kasner is on the verge of releasing Venus Furs, a rigorously crafted set of songs that voyage through sonic and mental terrain. The release of his album is set for July 10. Kasner’s shoegaze influences can be heard on new single Paranoia, offering textured layers and a melodic bass line.”
11 | Graduation Speech | Ourselves
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Earlier this year, Graduation Speech teamed up with Twin Peaks Sessions to film a live performance. If you’re not familiar, Twin Peaks Sessions captures musicians playing stripped down sets on a San Francisco rooftop that offers quite the backdrop. Graduation Speech performed Ourselves, from the Maintenance Required EP, which was released on Nov. 8.”
12 | Solar Fake | Invisible
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Solar Fake just released a visual taste of their upcoming double album Who Cares, It’s Live, which will be released on June 26. “A lot of people keep asking us to release a live album,” says singer and band founder Sven Friedrich. Therefore, it was just a matter of time, and Who Cares, It’s Live presents their fans a top-level band in great shape. It seems incredibly easy for Solar Fake to catch their audience at Täubchenthal (Leipzig, Germany) — playing through a 100 minutes set, performing old and new songs with a completely new energy. Whether listening to Solar Fake on CD or live on stage: the band’s catchy Future Pop hymns turn into a rousing and emotional experience for everyone.”
13 | Safehold | LetTheRainFall
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Safehold is an upcoming emo-pop/emo-rap artist from Chicago, IL who began experimenting with early releases on Soundcloud in 2017. Safehold’s upcoming album titled Boyish effortlessly blends emo and rap into a first-class debut, for fans of: Lil Peep, Iann Doir, & Lil Lotus. Stream the new single LetTheRainFall now.”
https://youtu.be/qRWiIF9gmZQ
14 | Old Blood | Dead of the Night
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Halifax heavy rockers Old Blood simulate white-out conditions in their monochromatic video for new single. Dead of the Night hails from Old Blood’s long-awaited album, Reckless Calm. Old Blood’s Josh White says of the video for Dead of the Night: “When we wrote and recorded this one, it was very much with the mindset of summertime, windows-down road trips and big groups of sweaty people rocking out at festivals and shows — long before words like social distancing and self-isolation had entered the global lexicon. Clearly, much has changed these last few weeks. That said, we wanted to offer up new music now more than ever, as folks need something they can turn up LOUD. Take care, be kind, and look out for one another.”
15 | Christwvrks | A New Corpse
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Christwvrks has launched a video for the brand new track A New Corpse. The song is taken from his forthcoming album Messiah Complex, penned for release on Aug. 7. Jamie Christ comments: “A New Corpse is my personal anthem; forcefully pushing my life forward through self-betterment. On the whole, my new album Messiah Complex delves deep into an analysis of the worst parts of myself but this song comes at the end of the album where the most important question arises — what can be done about this? This is a question I fear is missing from most art regarding depression and mental health issues.”
16 | Andrew Cushin | Waiting For The Rain
THE PRESS RELEASE: “20-year-old newcomer Andrew Cushin is quickly building a reputation in an old school, word-of-mouth style. A strong following in his hometown of Newcastle saw him sell out The Cluny before officially releasing any music. Now Andrew shares his new single Waiting For the Rain. Raising the bar from that compelling debut, the track proves that Andrew has a rare talent for channeling personal anguish into cathartic songwriting with a maturity beyond his young age. Waiting For The Rain is the very first song that Andrew wrote when he was just 15. It was inspired by tumultuous events. After witnessing a family argument, upset Andrew ran off to a friend’s house where he explained what happened in the garden.”
17 | The Hempolics | Place Is Here
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Place Is Here is the latest offering from The Hempolics’ forthcoming album Kiss, Cuddle & Torture Volume 2, due for release on July 3. Place Is Here is a wonderfully textured call to arms for people to seize the day led by resplendent piano hooks and the velvety tones of former Faithless singer Harry Collier. A feel-good summer anthem all the way, demonstrating The Hempolics can execute Indie Pop to match their vaunted Reggae numbers. In the band’s own words: “The establishment is constantly writing people off as irresponsible, clueless, and basically a bunch of wasters. The video for Place Is Here is an ironic take on that sentiment but shows that these so called wasters all have hopes and dreams of living in a better world. The song urges us all to seize the day and fight — the place is here and the time is now.”
18 | Jared Grabb Among Thieves | We Drink Whiskey
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Jared Grabb Among Thieves’ We Drink Whiskey is the second music video from the album Among Thieves, which was released on June 5. The song is a rowdy drinking anthem that tells the story of Peoria, Illinois becoming the “Whiskey Capital of the World” in the late 1800s. The whiskey taxes placed on Peoria’s production paid off more Civil War debts than any other community in the country. The chorus doubles as a salute to the innovators, makers, and builders of the world, which led to the music video featuring a wide variety of creative personalities and performers (members of Planes Mistaken for Stars, The Forecast, The Serpent Son, and Moon Ruin to name a few) from the Peoria area.”
19 | Hendrix Harris | Caliente En El Frio
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Fast-rising Parisian artist Hendrix Harris enlists renowned Cuban superstar Cimafunk and rising Latin rapper Barbaro ‘El Urbano’ Vargas for their emphatic new single Caliente En El Frio. Harris’ distinctly rich vocals meeting Barbaro’s raw grit and Cimafunk’s blended flavour tying it all together; the new single leans on bold trap elements, with a soulful edge as each artist speaks to vivid realities and a unique Caribbean identity in their very own way. Linking up in La Habana for the new video, as they tread the streets and show love to the locals of Marianao, Caliente En El Frio is a celebration of all things real in Cuba and the beauty that lies within it.”
20 | Imogen Clark | My Own Worst Enemy
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Imogen Clark’s My Own Worst Enemy is the second single from her forthcoming EP Making of Me, out Aug. 21, 2020. Written with Alex Lahey, My Own Worst Enemy is an arena-ready up-tempo pop-rock fusion, gritty and raw, showcasing Imogen’s powerful vocal. Lahey, who also lends guitar and synth to the track, is underpinned by music legends Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) on cascading synths and piano, and Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and the Attractions) on drums, both infusing the song with their own unique rock-flavor. “I’ve been a fan of Alex Lahey’s since her first singles came out”, says Imogen. “We met in Nashville while I was writing and she was on tour, had some drinks at a dive bar and wrote My Own Worst Enemy a few months later in Melbourne. We opened up a vein about shared experiences in past relationships and the song just flowed out. I loved writing with Alex, and I love having her DNA in the guitar and synth on the final recording.”
21 | Dojo Cuts | Here We Are
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The fourth single as part of Colemine Records’ Brighter Days Ahead weekly series is from Australia’s hottest soul outfit, Dojo Cuts (featuring Carlton Jumel Smith). Dojo Cuts play Soul Music. Roxie Ray’s voice resonates profoundly. Her tones are filled with the sounds of heartache, the feeling of hope, first love. The band dig deep into soul music to assemble the perfect vehicle for the delivery of this sonic imagery. All together this is the real deal making classic, timeless music that will perpetually speak to generations to come.”
22 | Bedsore | Brains On The Tarmac
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Rome, Italy’s purveyors of death metal dementia, Bedsore, presents their latest single, Brains On The Tarmac. The band will release their bludgeoning debut LP Hypnagogic Hallucinations in July. A debut album of considerable imagination and subconscious peculiarity, Hypnagogic Hallucinations is an uninhibited first step for a band emboldened to travel to the farthest reaches of the possible within the celestial spheres of death metal. Fans of Ghastly, Black Hole, Morbus Chron, Sweven, Sentenced, Sepulchur, Execration, Venenum, and Goblin, strap in.”
23 | Jess Knights | Best Kind of Light
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Calgary soul-roots singer-songwriter Jess Knights is sharing the tender title track from her debut full-length record, Best Kind of Light, out next week on June 19. Co-written with Donovan Woods in a Toronto diner over slices of pie, the ballad about a graceful end to a relationship presents Knights’ luminous voice in its rawest form. “I know you’re lonely/I’m lonely, too/But I won’t dare call you/Even though I want to,” she sings, channeling that yearning tug-of-war to go back. It’s a relatable sentiment to anyone that’s left a relationship and chosen instead to move on. “It’s a choice to move on from any relationship with grace and integrity,” Knights says. “Best Kind of Light traces a reflection on what was with a recognition of what is, and a choice to remember the good and hopefully learn from the not-so-good.”
24 | Lakes | Kids
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Watford, UK indie rockers Lakes are debuting a new track titled Kids. It appears on the band’s upcoming EP This World of Ours, It Came Apart, which will be released on July 24. The band says: “As well as being lucky enough to have Dan Lambton (singer of Real Friends until very recently) on a track, we are also super lucky to have the songs recorded by Steph Carter in Watford (guitarist in Gallows), produced and mixed by Neil Strauch in Chicago (who has worked with Owen, Owls, Joan Of Arc, Iron & Wine, Slow Mass).”
25 | Avatar | God of Sick Dreams
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Avatar has shared their latest single God of Sick Dreams with an accompanying visualizer from their highly anticipated full-length, Hunter Gatherer, due out Aug. 7. The track finds the band with no shortage of chugging riffs that revolve around some of the band’s catchiest choruses and heaviest moments to date. God of Sick Dreams exemplifies how each song across Hunter Gatherer can stand on its own while carrying thematic threads throughout the album. Their bold manifesto Hunter Gatherer is an unflinchingly ruthless study of a clueless humankind’s ever-increasing velocity into an uncertain future, furthering the reach of the band’s always expanding dark roots. The forthcoming album is the darkest, most sinister version of the band yet, with deep studies of cruelty, technology, disdain, and deprivation.”
26 | Sval | (I Can’t Be Your) Medicine
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Oslo, Norway singer Sval returns with her new single (I Can’t Be Your) Medicine. Speaking on the new single, Sval said: “It’s about caring for someone so much and wanting to do everything for them and then realising that you can’t really save anyone alone, but you can do your very best to try. I think we all have our demons and our struggles, and this song is about trying to help someone, whilst also trying to make them want to help themselves.”
27 | Palace Winter | Top of the Hill
THE PRESS RELEASE: “At the center of Tenerife stands Mt. Tiede, inviting you to climb its beautiful slopes, yet reminding you of the destruction it can unleash at any moment. The volcano has become the symbol at the center of Palace Winter’s third album … Keep Dreaming, Buddy, and their lead single from the LP, Top of the Hill featuring Soffie Viemose of Lowly. Much of the upcoming album was written through a long-distance correspondence of demos between Carl Coleman and Caspar Hesselager, while Coleman was living in Tenerife last winter. In Top of the Hill, Coleman’s fears of relationship fallout are set on the stage of the island. “I was walking around this weird volcano island. The retro hotel was like a forgotten paradise resort. The whole thing felt like a Lynchian alternate reality. Caspar was sending me these synth hooks and drum loops from Denmark, so I started coming up with melodies and lyrical ideas to record into my phone” says Coleman about the contrast in which the new album was written, “coming from two entirely different environments.”
28 | Amanda St John | Take A Leap
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Amanda St John is releasing her beautiful new single Take A Leap. Recorded in FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Take A Leap was inspired by Amanda’s walks on the beach at her home on the North Antrim Coast where she often goes to contemplate on her thoughts and feelings. This song is about chasing dreams and taking a leap of faith in the hope of creating a more fulfilling and successful life. Talking about the experience, Amanda reports “It is was a dream come true for me and my band members (Paul Tierney and Producer Michael Mormecha) to get the opportunity to record in FAME along with Swampers bass player David Hood (Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Percy Sledge, Paul Simon, Alicia Keys, etc) and piano/keys/hammond player Clayton Ivey (Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Joss Stone, The Supremes, etc).”
29 | Robin Moss | The New Weird
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The New Weird is a catchy psych-rocker from Los Angeles-based artist Robin Moss. It comes from his upcoming LP Salt, showcasing a catchy key-laden spirit amidst psych-friendly vocals and hypnotic guitars. Salt is a broad cast of daydreams. Releasing on July 7, Salt is the process of falling deep into your imagination and finding your way back out. In the age of quick singles and short EPs, Moss is focused on making full bodies of work. Inspired by the likes of David Bowie and The Beach Boys to MGMT and Frank Ocean, he takes a retro-pop approach in his writing and colors it with a modern and relevant paint brush. Salt is a record that takes you on a roller coaster of a ride and lands you gently on some distant beach of your longing.”
30+31 | Az Izz | Ghetto + Crazy
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Rapper and producer Az Izz, formerly of legendary New Jersey group The Outsidaz, returns with the self produced AA side single Ghetto b/w Crazy out today, the third from his new album Dopeliss releasing July 3. On Ghetto, the classic sound of the east coast prevails through guitar hooks and blaring brass on journeys to the gritty underbelly of the city, bars portraying street tales from the hood in the daily battle between survival and aspiration. Meanwhile on Crazy, aptly named for these times, heavy kicks and electronica fuel the adrenaline of a chaotic Brick City ride accompanied by fellow group member D.U.”
32 | SC.Undercover | Morals
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Birmingham, UK born artist SC.Undercover started creating music as a way of escapism from what, at one point, seemed to be a permanent road to severe depression and addiction. The mysterious crossover artist blends influences of indie, dark pop and R&B, offering something distinctly unique and relatable in today’s industry. With the release of an EP approaching SCU looks to showcase his talent and story on a global scale. The highly anticipated single Morals follows directly on from his previous release Darkness Before Life. SCU tells the story of a character scarred by the darkness of his past, admitting his faults and showing his regret for the decisions made in his life, whilst seeking closure in a new world. He explains, “It was important to me for this to feel and sound different from the last single but have a connecting story.”
33 | Tenny Eddy & Mwuana | Komaro
THE PRESS RELEASE: “New duo Tenny Eddy & Mwuana released their debut collaboration Komaro, an explosive introduction to a pairing built on contrast and unlikely brotherhood. Speaking on the collaboration, Mwuana said: “I went to meet up a friend that I hadn’t seen in a long time. We jumped in is car and he told me about this guy he knew down in Nigeria called Tenny Eddy. He played some music Tenny had sent to him on WhatsApp, and then he played Komaro. The whole car was bumpin and I thought, yo who is this guy?” He adds “finally my friend asked me if I wanted to jump on the song and there was no question about it. Tenny came up to Sweden where we started to make more music and structure the whole thing. The rest is history.”
34 | Close the Hatch | Psycho Killker
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Ohio-based atmospheric doom metal unit Close the Hatch recently unveiled a cover of Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer. The rendition follows the recent release of the band’s lauded Modern Witchcraft full-length. “The band has been actively working on bonus material for Modern Witchcraft,” issues the band. “This track by Talking Heads is just one of a handful that we are working on remotely during quarantine. We want to record covers that represent our influences as musicians but in a way that feels like our material. It is our goal to have people view these songs in a different light. Psycho Killer was chosen first mostly in that it was completed first but with the chaos going on, it is sadly fitting. It is obviously up to the listener to find their own meaning. Stay safe out there.”
35 | Cocktails | Bun E. Carlos
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Cocktails waste no time in cutting right to the hooks immediately on their new record Catastrophic Entertaiment. Case in point: The album’s lead track Bun E. Carlos. While the song title references the iconic Cheap Trick drummer, it’s more about the summertime feel-good vibe that sets the tone for much of this record. Main singer and songwriter Patrick Clos says, “It’s almost like a fantasy we all (or at least Cocktails) long for right now (especially given the current pandemic times): traveling the world, playing music, finding love, drinks with friends, beating the shit out of a drum set. Simpler times.”
36 | Jesse Mac Cormack | LBTA
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Jesse Mac Cormack unveiled a brand new song titled LBTA. Jesse shares the topic of his song: “This song is basically about anxiety in relationships. How it blocks you from simply being there and living in the present as it happens. Being stuck in a loop where you are always looking back and thinking ahead.” The song was mixed by Grammy-award winner John Congleton (David Byrne, The War on Drugs, Suuns).”
37 | Dirty Streets | On The Way
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Scan the press on soul-groove outfit Dirty Streets and you’ll see numerous references to rock, soul, and dirty-blooze touchstones like The Faces, Humble Pie, Otis Redding, CCR and more. Spin Dirty Streets’ records and you’ll hear all of those echoes, plus others — some jazz timing, some acoustic balladry. But by and large, what you’ll hear is a raw, rowdy blend of Motown, Stax and rock — the pure American blood-beat moving through the heart of Memphis groove. Rough and Tumble, out July 31, includes eight positively explosive takes from three of the Memphis trio’s previous studio albums, and also features two meaty, revved-up covers by the great Joe South.”
38 | Bombay Bicycle Club | Let You Go
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bombay Bicycle Club are very pleased to unveil details of a brand new EP, Two Lives. The four track EP is out July 24, and features three acoustic reworkings of songs from the band’s recently acclaimed Everything Else Has Gone Wrong LP, released in January, and a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s Two Lives. The stripped-back versions were mostly recorded at vocalist Jack Steadman’s home studio during lockdown, and took on a real back-to-basics, DIY approach to the recording and production process. The first track to be lifted from the acoustic EP, Let You Go, is streaming today. The band’s new album, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong, marked an explosive comeback at the start of the year following several years hiatus.”
39 | Jimmy Heath | Con Alma
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Verve Records announces the release of Love Letter, a parting masterpiece and the first all-ballads album from magisterial tenor saxophonist-composer Jimmy Heath. The first single from the collection Con Alma is out now. Love Letter will be available worldwide on July 17. The collection includes Heath’s elegant arrangements of three less traveled originals culled from his vast body of work. He distinctively interprets Con Alma, an essential jazz standard by Dizzy Gillespie, his lodestar from the moment they met in 1946. One month before the masterful tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath died on January 19, 2020 at 93, he put the finishing touches on the final album of his luminous 76-year career.”
40 | Lord Finesse | I Want You
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Legendary rapper, hip-hop producer, and founding member of the influential collective Diggin’ In The Crates Crew, Lord Finesse is back with his most ambitious project to date: Motown State of Mind, a set of handpicked Motown classics remixed and reimagined. The inspired new remix album will be available to stream on June 26 and the remix of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You is available now.”
41 | Meg Lawrenson | Use My Body
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Brighton’s Meg Lawrenson is cementing her name as a real force in the pop realm and her latest release Use My Body will grab you within an instant. It is a track which takes influence from some of the commercial pop greats such as Paramore and Taylor Swift. But, yet the distinction in Meg’s delivery shouts volumes. Furthermore, we hear her deliver a sublime vocal on Use My Body with a full band behind her, giving a robust and in your face quality. Use My Body boasts an edgy guitar lead from the get go. The rhythm will shake your foot, and the vocal quality from Meg will leave you itching to hit the replay button. Also, it has an infectious melody which you will struggle to keep out of your head.”
42 | Tom Walker | Wait For You
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Tom Walker, whose debut album What A Time To Be Alive has never seemed more prophetic, releases a brand new single, Wait For You, recorded during lockdown. There’s a sense of urgency in this deeply personal new track that resonates strongly during this current climate. Written by Tom, Joel Pott (George Ezra, London Grammar, Mabel) and Cam Blackwood (George Ezra), produced by Cam Blackwood and mixed by Spike Stent, Tom’s voice has never sounded better. “This song is about a mate of mine who went through a life changing event as a teenager,” Tom explains. “It took a long time for him to heal and aspects of what happened have taken a toll on his life. Fast forward to now and he’s one of the most outgoing, positive people you could ever meet. It got me thinking that we can all go through tough times; it’s what you choose to do after that’s important. If something positive can come out of it, that’s a really special thing.”
43 | James Humphrys | All The Same
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bristol songwriter and multi-instrumentalist James Humphrys raises the bar once again with new cut All The Same, the second single to be drawn from his forthcoming EP Memory Palace. All the Same is a defiant, joyful, post lockdown summer anthem. With a driving bass line, interplaying rhythmic guitars and a triumphant horn section, the track builds in layers of increasing intensity and complexity. A perfect antidote to the uncertain times in which we’re living, Humphrys’s lyrics are a reminder that it’s OK to feel good about things; a call to us all to believe in something when it feels right and not to always look for reasons why it might be wrong.”
44 | Frass Green | She’s Not Game
THE PRESS RELEASE: “She’s Not Game is a catchy track from D.C. band Frass Green, off their new Death of Pop EP. “We spent the second half of last year fleshing out these songs as a band, then started recording in a Washington, D.C., rowhouse in December 2019,” the band says. “The process stretched into March’s shutdown orders, and we decided to finish remotely rather than wait until we were able to be a proper band again.” Informed in equal parts by the rambling energy of early garage rock coupled with the simple sounds and harmonies of the 1960s, Frass Green make basement beach-pop from the heart of Washington, D.C.”
