Silver Clouds examine the Peter principle, Blues Pills get rhythm, JJ Wilde wants what’s best, Napalm Death are in the throes of a moral quandry and plenty more in another gargantuan Friday Roundup. If this damn thing gets any longer, I’m gonna have to start doing Friday’s post on Thursday.
VIDEOS OF THE DAY
1 | Silver Clouds | Peter Sellers
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Winnipeg’s Silver Clouds release Peter Sellers, the second single from their self-titled debut album. It’s accompanied by their first video, which captures them in full flight on stage, along with references to the song’s inspiration, the legendary British comedian and actor. Songwriter/vocalist Rod Slaughter on Peter Sellers: “The song is sung from the perspective of the actor, circa 1974, at a time when he was in a professional and personal slump. His primary goal was to play the lead in a film version of the book Being There, but unfortunately he now lacked the commercial draw to land such a role. So reluctantly, he agrees to once again team up with Blake Edwards to resurrect the character of Inspecteur Clouseau, a move that he felt was a step backwards, as he did not want to simply “play the part exactly like he used to.”
2 | Blues Pills | Rhythm In The Blood
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Swedish psych rockers Blues Pills shared a raucous new video for Rhythm In The Blood, from their new album Holy Moly!. “This album was created in darkness and it guided us into the light again,” the band said. “One can only hope it will give you comfort, too.” With a jolt of Janis Joplin/Led Zeppelin/etc, Blues Pills’ previous albums shot to the top of the German charts. New LP Holy Moly! was recorded with some help from The Hives’ Nicholaus Arson and Johan Gustafsson.”
3 | JJ Wilde | Best Boy
THE PRESS RELEASE: “In just over a year, JJ Wilde has gone from paying her dues and playing whatever shows she could to become the first female artist to have a debut single go to No. 1 on all three Canadian rock radio formats. Now, JJ is back with a new song that marks the next chapter of her evolution: Best Boy. Here’s JJ on the song: “For me, this song is about trying to change the narrative that society has accepted about women. It is clear, especially in the music industry that women are viewed more like objects a lot of the time than actual humans — seen not heard type of thing. Well, I want that to change — what women “should and shouldn’t do”, what society deems acceptable, what women are shamed for. All of the above. We are beautiful creatures. And I don’t think we should feel ashamed to express that. This song is taking a stab at what men have always been free to talk about in songs — doing whatever they want with whoever they want — but from a woman’s perspective.”
4 | Napalm Death | Amoral
THE PRESS RELEASE: “U.K. grindcore pioneers Napalm Death return Sept. 18 with Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism, their first album in five years and it packs both a wallop, both musically and in message. “The theme is basically the other — the treatment of the other, the perception of the other and the reaction to the other. There are many reference points at the moment, not just the Black Lives Matter movement but the general treatment of people who are Afro-Caribbean or Southeast Asian, the treatment of transgender people, and this fear that they can somehow cause huge trauma merely by their biological differences,” explains Shane Embury. “It’s also about emigration and migration. The world wouldn’t be as it is in many positive ways without migration. The world we know wouldn’t exist. But people are invaders — they’re the other, and we don’t want to understand. So we keep them out with walls and barbed wire, and we deny them food, assistance or anything else, because ‘We inhabit this patch of land and you’re not worthy of what we have.’ That’s really problematic and you can see the consequences everywhere, whether it’s nationalism and protectionism or people being conditioned to believe that there’s only one way to live.” The band released the single Amoral this morning.”
5 | Mipso | Hey, Coyote
THE PRESS RELEASE: “As any touring musician will likely tell you, life on the road certainly has its high points, but it can also feel somewhat surreal at times: days of the week and cities across the vast landscape all start to blur together. After a funny encounter he had while on tour with Mipso, singer and guitarist Joseph Terrell was inspired to put pen to paper. Hey, Coyote is a dreamy rumination about the odd realities of life on the road, and the longing for home. Terrell recalls, “We were playing a show in Missoula, Montana, and I had the afternoon to explore town, and I was feeling like a very fluent traveler and very at home in the world. A barista looked at me flatly and asked, ‘Where are you from?’ and it snapped me out of my little delusion. I’m not at home here, and in fact, we travel so much that I don’t really feel at home anywhere. We spend our days moving between impersonal commercial spaces: hotel lobby, gas station, restaurant, venue, bar. I remember realizing once that every room I’d been in all day had been selling Doritos. Coyote is like Hermes, the trickster figure, God of travellers and transitions and commerce and language. I guess this song comes from wanting to have the option of leaving these in-between spaces and really being home somewhere.”
6 | Colter Wall | High & Mighty
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Colter Wall just dropped High & Mighty, the final single from his upcoming, self-produced album Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs before its release on Aug. 28. “High & Mighty is a Saskatchewan saddle bronc song written by Lewis Martin Pederson III,” says Wall. “LMP hails from around Abbey, Sask., not far from where I grew up. He’s known for rodeoing, his poetry, and in the ’70s he put out three great records that I know of. Saddle bronc riding is my favourite rodeo event and upon hearing Pederson’s album Rodeo No.1 Sport, I immediately knew I wanted to cut it on a record.”
https://youtu.be/ZO8L1lYU_JU
7 | The Bloody Hell | Last Word
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Halifax punk rockers The Bloody Hell are sharing with their latest music video Last Word with fans and horror lovers. The video is homage to the great horror films of the ’70s, ’80s and 90s, particularly the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The band adds: “We filmed this music video at the wildly popular Riverbreeze Fear Farm in Truro, NS, which is a rural family farm that is transformed into an amazing series of haunted houses and corn maze every October. We thought it was the perfect setting for this video so we reached out to the owners and to our delight, they loved the idea. They put so much detail and effort into the esthetic and atmosphere of a truly frightening, yet fun experience, and I feel we did a good job of capturing that vibe on this video while giving a nod to the horror classic of our childhood.”
8 | Johnny Iguana’s Chicago Spectacular | Land of Precisely Three Dances
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Pianist Johnny Iguana (of the Chicago bands The Claudettes and oh my god) has toured with Otis Rush and Junior Wells and recorded with Buddy Guy and James Cotton — but he’s never released a blues album as a leader…’til now. His debut Johnny Iguana’s Chicago Spectacular! features a host of Chicago greats (Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Lil’ Ed and more) and pairs new spins on Chicago classics with Johnny’s soulful-yet-surreal instrumental compositions. The video for Land of Precisely Three Dances premiered today.”
ALSO ON THE PLAYLIST
9 | Steven G | Blue Hunnads
THE PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. singer and rapper Steven G releases the video for his track Blue Hunnads, directed by Richy Films (Usher, Travis Barker, J. Balvin, Tyga). The track is featured on his new EP ShowGreat University, which came out last week. The collection of tracks shows off Steven’s ability to give you hard-hitting rhymes as well as smooth serenades. Steven G recently released the video for Sex Commandments and I Need All That, botH featured on the EP and also directed by Richy Films.”
10 | Dolche | Breathe In
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Dolche is a world-acclaimed Italian-French singer, songwriter, composer and record producer. The choice of this unusual stage name is, in part, a tribute to the melancholic and nostalgic vision of old Europe depicted in the drama film and masterpiece by Federico Fellini, La Dolce Vita. But the name also cleverly nods to the Italian word “dolce”, meaning sweet, alluding to her musical style. The song Breathe In, alternating upbeat synth electro-rhythms with the sound of flutes playing a relaxing Chinese-ish melody, is a wonderfully calming, yet fun, pop trip in Dolche’s experimental musical universe. The song is all about taking in ‘the moment’ and finding peace. In our crazy modern world we sometimes we forget the simplest way to get back in contact with ourselves and find balance: just breathing!”
11 | Pyramaze | A Stroke Of Magic
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Danish Progressive Power Metal group Pyramaze will put out their next full-length studio album Epitaph on Nov. 13. On their third album with their current lineup, Pyramaze continue to fuse their signature meld of memorable melodies, powerful riffs and soaring catchy vocals to keep listeners coming back for more — pleasing both old and new fans alike. This upcoming release will prove to be their most melodic and accessible creation to date, featuring guest appearances by Brittney Slayes of Unleash the Archers, and former singers Matt Barlow and Lance King. With their majestic a clearly progressive first single A Stroke Of Magic, Pyramaze show that they belong to the top of the European Progressive Power Metal Genre!”
12 | Terry Uyarak | Inuit Nunangat
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Terry Uyarak is a self-taught singer/songwriter and musician from Igloolik, a small and vibrant Inuit community located north of the Arctic circle between the Canadian mainland and Baffin Island in Nunavut. Igloolik is one of those special places in the Canadian Arctic, where Inuit language and culture are still strongly embedded into everyday life, and there’s a strong sense of community within. Terry releases his first new music of the year, Inuit Nunangat, produced by Jace Lasek. Terry says: “I decided to write Inuit Nunangat back in 2012 because I always wanted to write a song about our ancestors who were absolutely my heroes. In ways I could not explain, I was starting to understand how powerful nature can become. In beauty and extreme. For many,many generations, our knowledge kept evolving and still today we still know much about how beautiful our culture and language is. So for me, having much pride in our people is in the words of the song.”
13 | Ziminy | Venom
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Former Awolnation bassist and multi-instrumentalist Dave Amezcua has released debut album Love Language. In the days leading up to the album release, Dave released the tender piano ballad Venom, which addresses the issue of mental health. He describes it as one of his most honest and vulnerable songs written to date. “I’m very open about my own battle with mental health,” Amezcua said. “I think we need more people sharing about their experience. Lately we’ve seen it play out on the world stage with Kanye West and his very public episodes. This song touches upon the topic of using extremely toxic language with the people who matter most. ‘My bite is venom’ refers to when you’ve already attacked before you thought out your actions. It’s about how our defense mechanisms can ultimately hurt more than they protect. If anything, I hope the take away from this song is for others struggling with mental health to know they are not alone, and if needed, to seek help.”
14 | Thousand Below | Chemical
THE PRESS RELEASE: “During the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, Thousand Below, described as a “post-hardcore slamdown band,” have used their time in quarantine wisely. The band recorded Let Go Of Your Love, a stripped-down EP featuring acoustic and reworked versions of four songs from their sophomore album, 2019’s Gone In Your Wake. The EP also features a brand title track. The band has just shared the video for the reimagined version of Chemical. “When we wrote the original version of Chemical, it was one of the first songs we built from scratch with electronic instruments and production instead of coming up with guitar parts and adding the production after,” says bassist Josh Billimoria. “This version takes that idea even farther and strips out all the guitars completely. I spent the first few weeks of quarantine just messing around with sounds and trying to put a new spin on the song but still keep the same vibe.”
15 | Kinky Friedman | I Love You When It Rains
THE PRESS RELEASE: “There’s something special about memories made at summer camp. Just ask any kid who’s been to one. Or ask famed Texas singer-songwriter and novelist Kinky Friedman, who grew up spending idyllic summers at the camp his parents founded in 1953. Kinky and his sister Marcie Friedman want to hear that laughter again. So the Friedmans are resurrecting the Texas Hill Country camp, outside of Kerrville, as the Echo Hill Ranch Gold Star Camp, where children of Gold Star families can experience the healing power of summer-camp fun, free of charge. “They’ll meet some good role models, make good friends and hopefully, come back the next summer,” Kinky says. They might also hear the outlaw-country raconteur and one-time Texas gubernatorial candidate crack jokes or tell a tall tale before serenading them with kid-friendly versions of his irreverent classics, or songs from his newest album, late 2019’s Larry Campbell-produced Resurrection. Maybe he’ll even reenact scenes from the beautiful new video for its second single, I Love You When It Rains.”
16 | The Sea At Midnight | We Share The Same Stars
THE PRESS RELEASE: “L.A.-based, Chicago-bred postpunk artist The Sea At Midnight have released the new single We Share The Same Stars, complete with intriguing new video. Produced and mixed by Chris King of Cold Showers and with Brandon Pierce of Glaare contributing drums, this is a fresh taste of this artist’s eponymous debut album, due out later this year. The Sea At Midnight is songwriter Vince Grant. Inspired by classic postpunk bands like The Cure, Joy Division, Psychedelic Furs, Siouxsie and the Banshees, New Order and Echo and the Bunnymen, he bought his first guitar at 23 and played in various Chicago bands before eventually moving to Los Angeles.”
https://youtu.be/52VBxBnpRHw
17 | Julian Shah-Tayler | Evolution ft. MGT & Gene Micofsky
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Julian Shah-Tayler aka The Singularity has released his new single Evolution, which also involves guitar contributions by MGT (Tricky, The Mission UK, Peter Murphy, Ashton Nyte, The Wonder Stuff) and Gene Micofsky. “Evolution is about the difficult process of evolving towards loving kindness through the layers of love and loss in a society that cares nought about the human heart, and more about ‘norms’. It is about holding on to the pure ideal of the heart despite the cynicism of the intellect,” says Shah-Tayler. “Each human contains great beauty within, and it is impossible to disregard a connection however brief once made.”
18 | Molly Tuttle | She’s a Rainbow
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Award-winning singer-songwriter-guitarist Molly Tuttle has unveiled a cover of The Rolling Stones’ psychedelic landmark, She’s A Rainbow. The track heralds Tuttle’s eagerly awaited new LP, …but i’d rather be with you, arriving Aug. 28. She’s A Rainbow is joined by an inspiring star-studded video, conceived by Tuttle as opportunity to express her belief that feminism and the fight for equality require work from all people. “I embarrassingly couldn’t name 10 songs by The Rolling Stones,” Tuttle says. “I have never been super into classic rock, to be honest. That being said, I heard this song and fell in love with it. I thought it would be fun to do a version from the female perspective. I don’t know what The Rolling Stones had in mind when they sang this one, but for me it’s a love song to all feminine beings. She comes in colors everywhere, she’s like a rainbow!! YES!”
19 | Max Parker | Right Back Where We Started
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter and pop artist Max Parker is set to reveal the new video for his newest song Right Back Where We Started. The accompanying video evokes warm feelings of nostalgia for a simpler time, calling to the dog days of summer and the good clean fun of childhood antics. Right Back Where We Started is the upbeat followup to Parker’s current single Something About You.”
20 | Gulfer | Forget (Friendly)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal-based emo-punk band Gulfer announced their self-titled album will be out Oct. 16, and also shared the first single from the record, Forget (Friendly). Riding bikes, cleaning bars, fixing brains and booking shows are all part of Gulfer’s daily lives, as seen in the adorable and charming video. Vocalist/guitarist Joseph Therriault explains: “Forget (Friendly) is about how you deal with developing a crush on someone in the context of a monogamous partnership (especially if it’s reciprocated). There are so many things we can’t control. The song has no lesson — I’m just as clueless about this as when I wrote the lyrics.”
21 | Larkins | Are We Having Any Fun Yet? (Ayokay Remix)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Rising Manchester act Larkins, one of the brightest crossover hopes of the year, have teamed up with U.S. producer Ayokay for the official remix to their huge release Are We Having Any Fun Yet? Serving as the followup to their critically acclaimed EP Hit & Run, the new remix from one of America’s brightest producers, whose credits include the likes of Jeremy Zucker, Quinn XCII and Nightly, is complimented by a vibrant visual crafted by one of Gen Z’s favourite animators Dedouze to bolster an already exciting package.”
22 | The Dears | We’ll Go Into Hiding
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The Dears, led by husband & wife duo Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak, released their latest grand opus Lovers Rock digitally in May. In celebration of Lovers Rock‘s arrival on vinyl, the band shared an acoustic studio recording of We’ll Go Into Hiding. The Dears work within certain sonic and aesthetic parameters that can be both unsettling experimental and impossibly lush. You could still call it pop music, “but it’s a different kind of pop music,” says Lightburn. “It’s very focused on a certain type of person. I’m embracing the idea that we’re providing a service,” he adds. Part of that, he thinks, comes from being a parent: “I’m in service to these other humans, so I embrace that role as an artist. I’m making this music because I know that there are people out there who need it.”
23 | I Am Your God | In Those Times
THE PRESS RELEASE: “I Am Your God combine melodies and heavy riffs in a way that is world-famous for Scandinavia and transfer the melodic death metal of the 2000s into the present. It is the energy as well as the pure ability of this band that makes them stand out from the mass of newcomers and gives hope for a great future of the band. Since 2018, the band has been constantly working on their music and their career, shaping their anger and emotions into first-class, catchy, yet heavy songs that radiate a lot of power. Names like Children Of Bodom and In Flames in their best times might come to mind, as there is such tremendous power in their music. In Those Times is only the first, impressive sign of life — I Am Your God are ready for the next level. The mini-album will be released on Oct. 23.”
24 | Nightly | Summer
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Nashville indie-pop band Nightly have released their latest single Summer. Nightly, formed by cousins Jonathan Capeci and Joey Beretta, and drummer Nick Sainato, have released a steady stream of music since their 2016 debut honest EP, which featured the single XO. With a fresh start to 2020, the band recently released the cinematic track The Movies (ft Charli Adams). Previously released singles include You Should Probably Just Hang Up and Not Like You.”
25 | Earth’s Yellow Sun | The Infernal Machine
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Five years ago Toronto’s Earth’s Yellow Sun released their sophomore EP The Infernal Machine. To celebrate the anniversary of that EP, they are re-releasing the tracks in the form of animated videos. Earlier this month they unleashed the first video for Part I – Assembly and today they reveal their second animation for Part II – Unveiling. The band explains the track: “Part II – Unveiling is about the machine sent out into the world on its first mission of pacifying the hostile territories surrounding the advanced civilization. It encounters a group of nomadic tribes and in accordance with its programming proceeds to “pacify” them.”
https://youtu.be/HwqAjvVWUTc
26 | Lauren Mann | Missing You
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Four years after the release of her last album, B.C. singer-songwriter Lauren Mann is back with a new studio album, Memory & Desire, out on Oct. 16. The first single Missing You is out today. Memory & Desire is Mann’s fourth album, and decisively her most honest and vulnerable, chronicling the years following her last release, Dearestly, with the ending of a marriage, the rediscovery of self, and the exploration of love, community, and meaning. All of this comes through on Missing You, a song of longing that Lauren wrote in the midst of a Canadian tour. “Missing You was written while I was on tour across Canada among the changing landscapes and shift from winter to spring,” says Lauren. “It captures the excitement and uncertainty of new love, and the bittersweet feeling of longing for someone while being out on the road.”
27 | Fivio Foreign | 13 Going On 30
THE PRESS RELEASE: “After his breakout hit, Big Drip, hit the streets at the tail-end of last summer, Fivio Foreign has spent the past year solidifying his space in rap music. Now, he returns with a new song, 13 Going On 30 . As Fivio Foreign looks back at his year in the music video, the song tells an even deeper story, showing a different side to the often charismatic Brooklyn-born artist. As he gears up to release his debut album, Fivio shows no sign of slowing his momentum.”
28 | Nightmare | Lights On
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The French power metal export Nightmare release their second anthemic video-single Lights On, from the new forthcoming album Aeternam, due Oct. 2. Lights On is a high-energy, riff-pounding power metal song with a fist bumping rhythm and big melodic choruses! 2020 sees Nightmare back, unbowed, unbreakable and inspired, ready to take their music to a whole new level. They return with hugely talented female vocalist, Madie (Faith In Agony) on the mic, and have recorded their most ambitious album to date.”
29 | Carcass | The Living Dead At the Manchester Morgue
THE PRESS RELEASE: “English metal legends Carcass will return this fall with Despicable, their first collection of new music in seven years. The forthcoming EP features three brand new tracks, including The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue, as well as the previously revealed song Under The Scalpel Blade. The EP is scheduled for release on Oct. 30. Says Jeff Walker: “Well the Covid situation has put the release of the new Carcass album on the back burner for the time being. Given that we said there’d be new music in August we thought it would be cool to have a stop gap release and let you hear some of the tracks that never quite made the cut. Don’t say we never give you anything.”
30 | Falcon | I’ll Admit It
THE PRESS RELEASE: “As Falcon, Amanda Lindsey Cook is crafting a poetic pop sound, influenced by her classical roots, informed by her life experiences, and enlightened by imaginative melodies. Amanda has released her first single as Falcon, I’ll Admit It. The song ups the emotional ante with an agonized vocal torn between resignation and anger. As the singer takes the blame for the emotional distance that kept her from fully surrendering to her feelings, strings, melodic percussion and a slow, relentless rhythm add to the track’s emotional tension.”
31 | Styx | These Are The Times
THE PRESS RELEASE: “For the first time, Styx have released their 14th album Cyclorama on download and streaming platforms. Originally released in 2003, Cyclorama was the band’s last full-length studio album of all-original material prior to 2017’s The Mission. As a thank you to the nation’s first responders and frontline workers and to coincide with the stream launch, Styx created a conceptual video for These Are The Times (with lead vocals by guitarist James “JY” Young). “It’s amazing how a song that was created in a certain timeframe, can fit into another timeframe 17 years later and that is the case with These Are The Times,” notes Young. “It’s even more amazing how this song encompasses the current world situation, and that it can fit into a song so beautifully. It’s a fascinating thing.”
32 | Kate Bollinger | A Word Becomes A Sound (Demo)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “My EP A Word Becomes A Sound is out now in full and available to listen everywhere!!! I wrote the title track with my producer John. He came to me with a guitar part he had written and I wrote lyrics inspired by the short story Terror by Vladimir Nabokov. In the story, the narrator slowly goes insane and objects are reduced to their names, houses and trees and other people no longer make sense to him anymore. He describes being unhappy in his loneliness but being equally unhappy and overwhelmed by the idea of being around another person. This song is about those things and also the flawed nature of verbal communication, the weight of your word, and the harm it can cause if it is misused. Here’s a demo I found on my phone of the title track as it was being written by John and me.”
33 | DLMT | Love The Way You Move (Ft. Sara Diamond)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian producer DLMT blends bold, layered house production with Sara Diamond’s invigorating vocals on the uplifting single Love The Way You Move, from the Restart EP, out Sept. 4. Says DLMT: “I had the idea for the record sitting around for quite a while, having made it as a follow up to my single Freak. It is a pretty intricate instrumental so it was really tough to tie a solid vocal in with it and piece the song together. Right after I moved to Montreal from Toronto, I sat in the studio with Sara and she bodied the song in under an hour!”
34 | Ella Fitzgerald | Mack The Knife
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Today brings a preview of of a never-before-heard stellar live recording from the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald. The Lost Berlin Tapes were recorded — incredibly in both mono and stereo — at Berlin’s Sportpalast on March 25, 1962 and finds Ella at the top of her game with a trio led by pianist Paul Smith, Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. The Lost Berlin Tapes will be released on Oct. 2. One of the tracks was Mack The Knife. Ella famously flubbed the lyrics in the known 1960 recording, and two years later, nails them. But — she forgets the name of the town she’s in. On the recording, she charmingly says, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m so embarrassed. This is where the first time I sang Mack The Knife and when I got to the part of the town, I couldn’t think of it!” The audience is enthralled, nonetheless.”
35 | Krane + The Griswolds | All I Need
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Krane larger-than-life soundscapes collide with The Griswolds’ profound vocals on the full-bodied future bass single All I Need. As fans await Krane’s highly anticipated sophomore LP, the Oakland-based musician resurfaces with the sultry single. “For me, this song is about old repetitive things and being resigned to the destructive patterns when we struggle. It’s about that stuck feeling when we think we are missing something. All I Need was written at a time in life when I was contending with these wasteful patterns, and I think others may be too. And through trying and failing, what’s left is this feeling of time wasted and feeling that life is elsewhere. We know how the cycle ends, but we keep going back to them again and again.”
36 | Jonathan Personne | Terre Des Hommes
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Jonathan Personne — alias for Jonathan Roberts — is perhaps best known for his work in the Sub Pop-signed Montréal post-punk group Corridor. He’s sharing his new single Terre Des Hommes, the latest to be lifted from his new record Disparitions out Aug. 28 Terre Des Hommes is a personal favourite from Disparitions assimilating the sounds of 60s twelve-string psych, ’80s jangle-pop akin to Flying Nun-signed acts, The Go-Betweens, etc and new wave. It further mines what Jonathan has described as “spaghetti western rock”, a genre given to himself that looks at dispirate themes such as loneliness, sparsity and feeling at one with yourself.”
37 | Saints of Death | Soldiers of Metal
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Unleashing their new album Ascend To The Throne in July, Vancouver’s Saints of Death are sharing their new lyric video for the track Soldiers of Metal. The band wrote the song as a tribute to the metal community and all that is metal. “Inclusion and standing for the great cause. Putting away your prejudice and uniting as a force. A homage to the great bands that paved the way and the bands that will carry the torch.”
38 | Corners of Sanctuary | We Never
THE PRESS RELEASE: “We Would Never Surrender, Never Give In, Never Back Down;” the lyrics scream a call for fire, of resistance, of defiance, a pursuit for a better way of life. Yet, for every purpose as this, one has to struggle, fight hard, put down an effort to reach a goals that isn’t necessarily a walk in the park. Hailing after the announcement of their seventh album, Heroes Never Die, to be released on Oct. 3, Philadelphian warriors Corners Of Sanctuary unleash their first single We Never, providing a mere glimpse of things to come. Heroes Never Die is where the building blocks of Heavy Metal meet, melodies and hard hitting riffs, ol’ US Metal merged with European Metal, Riot meets Judas Priest & Satan, Malice meets Accept & Blitzkrieg and the list goes on and on.”
39 | Donovan Woods | Seeing Other People
THE PRESS RELEASE: “For many musicians, the coronavirus-caused quarantine put a halt on creating new songs; however, award-winning singer-songwriter Donovan Woods adapted quickly from his makeshift home recording studio to create his new album Without People due Nov. 6. The tender track Seeing Other People is available today. “This was the last song written for the record,” says Woods. “Dustin Christensen and I worked on this one in Nashville. Probably a lot of us have dated someone who seemed more desirable than us. I think it’s about that first experience of realizing the person you’re with operates at an energy you can’t live beside. You’re in love with them because everyone is in love with them. I have a specific night from my life that I believe this song is about, but, again, I can’t figure out why I think that. I was imagining that specific night even while we wrote it. Nothing like any of the things described in the song happened that night, there seems to be no connection whatsoever, but the feeling remains and that’s why I figured it was a good song.”
40 | Abstract Symphony | The Hidden Empire ft. Mark Boals
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The Neo-Classical Firestorm from Valparaíso, Chile, Abstract Symphony, launch the first single, The Hidden Empire, from their upcoming album Tartaria: The Empire Hidden From History. The song features the vocal prowess of none other than Mark Boals, whose iconic performance on Yngwie Malmsteen’s Trilogy album has set a mark for Neo-Classical albums ever since. Boals delivers another classic performance on The Hidden Empire” which fits perfectly with the high-velocity progressions of the band.”
41 | Anna Krantz | We Could Be High
THE PRESS RELEASE: “We Could Be High was written on a Zoom call during the recent global lockdown. Anna Krantz, like many writers, had her reservations about collaborating over the internet for the first time, yet when all other options become suddenly stripped away, creatives get creative. She explains, “I couldn’t write about the experience of being separated from my family and friends, in a city I had only recently moved to and had barely begun to call home when the world shut down. I wasn’t ready to tap into those layered and conflicting emotions. I wanted… no, I needed to write a song which gave me hope. A song which lifted my spirits when I sang it.”
42 | Jack Henderson | Nobody Gets Hurt
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Glasgow songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jack Henderson returns with the new single Nobody Gets Hurt. The track is the latest to emerge from Jack’s forthcoming album, Where’s The Revolution, out Oct. 2. Mulling over notions of fate and destiny, success and failure, the universe and our place in it; Henderson delves deep into the human psyche with probing philosophical purpose. Like an intimate session with a shrink for the first time, Henderson’s thoughts impact with frank, incisive and ultimately constructive honesty. As Henderson says of the track: “Giving up on a dream often entails the painful acceptance of a perceived failure. Having set ourselves goals and applied ourselves to them we finally come to acknowledge there’s no cosmic certainty to how things work out merely because we dedicate our efforts to notions of being true to ourselves. What then remains for us is finding new meaning for our lives and reassessing what being true to ourselves might look like in light of a new reality.”
43 | Howie Payne | It Feels Like Summer
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Liverpool singer, songwriter and guitarist Howie Payne releases a new single, It Feels Like Summer, the first taste of the ex-Stands frontman’s much-anticipated solo album, to be released in early 2021. Talking about It Feels Like Summer — which speaks tenderly to the human solace that sees us through testing times — Payne notes; “This is a song about coming through something, about making it back to a place that’s OK, and wanting to tell the people who were there for you how much it meant to you that they were, and how much it helped, even if you seemed out of reach at times. It’s not easy to find the words to express that kind of deep gratitude I suppose, at least I find it hard, but at the same time it’s something you really want to get across to them so it’s on your mind, how they were like a light in the darkness for you, a glimpse of blue through the clouds, enough to give you hope.”
44 | Burundi | Nightcrawler
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Ambitious and bittersweet, Brudini’s Nightcrawler is the new single ahead of his long-awaited debut album From Darkness, Light, due out Oct. 9. An odyssean portrayal of a limping vagabond whose nightly descent into darkness is interrupted by a brief moment of nostalgia, the song sits sonically somewhere between the organic textures of Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool, the frenetic rhythm section of early Beck and the wanderlust romanticism of Beirut. Brudini comments: “Nightcrawler is the tale of a jaded, worn-out character’s march into darkness; briefly overcome by a triumphant moment of warmth and nostalgia, before the night swallows it all.”
45 | DJ Shub | Shake Ya Bustle
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian producer DJ Shub continues the support for his forthcoming album with another pounding offering Shake Ya Bustle. Originally making his mark as a member of A Tribe Called Red, winners of a Juno Award in 2014 as well as being dubbed the Godfather of PowWowStep, he has continued to confirm his reputation as one of Canada’s most forward-thinking artists. Shake Ya Bustle features a sample of the Grandmaster Flash classic Superrappin, which gives it a fresh yet familiar feel. While the hook of the track focuses on the retro aesthetic of the hip-hop sound, his own production adds layers of contemporary beats and throbbing basslines that give this new stomper a bold and vibrant direction.”
46 | Soheill | Can’t Stop Thinking
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Nashville-based artist Soheill has released the catchy rocker Can’t Stop Thinking. The track is about the unraveling that happens when you fall for a toxic person. You know it’s wrong, but you can’t help yourself. It’s moody, edgy, sexy and fierce. Soheill’s musical diversity inspires the way he writes today. He infuses his love of synths, bass, drums, and piano with organic lyrics, bringing to life stories in a song.”
47 | Heidi Newfield | Whitley’s Tombstone
THE PRESS RELEASE: “A good-timing, honky-tonkin’, band-leading, song-writing, love-song-singing, blues-harp-blowing, tradition-nurturing, genre-busting, crowd-carrying, full-hearted flag bearer for all that’s true about music. That’s Heidi Newfield. And on her new solo album The Barfly Sessions — recorded without heed to music business convention — she’s finally captured her full range. Credited with writing on 12 of the collection’s 14 songs, she brings her musical stamp to all of them. Today she shares Whitley’s Tombstone — “As Country, honest, sparse….and strong as its message and title.”
48 | Marie-Clo | Shell
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter and dancer Marie-Clo began her artistic career on stages worldwide performing in musicals, but honed in soon thereafter on her true passion project — music. She is currently promoting the second of three EPs which will make up her full-length English album entitled Shell(e); a conceptual feminist narrative slated to be fully released in 2021, produced by producer Olivier Fairfield. Marie-Clo wrote her newest single, Shell, while incredibly sick with polycystic ovary syndrome. Throughout the song, she speaks to anyone who has been told to slow their roll, as if passion and ideas are negative. Nothing kills art or growth like trauma, anxiety, and systemic barriers.”
49 | Dirty Freud | Intentions ft. Szou
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Dirty Freud unveils his debut for the label: Intentions (ft. Szou). A boundary-pushing, genre-clashing marvel, the track offers a first glimpse of an upcoming four-track EP Love In The Backwater, set for release this winter. Initially an instrumental, the finished track is notably graced by the unearthly siren-song of guest vocalist: Szou. Having crossed paths with the Manchester-based producer/songwriter on other projects, a gut feeling told Freud that only her unique vocal could take it to the next level. “I had always been a fan of what she was doing” he says, “so when I wrote the instrumental I had to get her involved. And she over delivered.”
50 | Tryzdin | A New Way
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Teenage sensation Tryzdin releases A New Way, his first single as a solo artist. Tryzdin further elaborates on A New Way: “The song to me is about empowerment and overcoming your fears and especially overcoming hate. The song speaks about finding a new way to life and following your dreams. It speaks about facing your haters and showing them that you are stronger than they think. We are really hoping to connect with people who are experiencing or have been bullied. The song really connects with me on a personal level because I was physically and mentally bullied: I was shoved into lockers, brick walls, have had food thrown at me in the lunchroom, I was told multiple times to kill myself and told that I was not worth anything and that nobody ever wanted me. A New Way talks about everything I am about and really everything I’ve wanted to say to those who have bullied me in the past: I am worthy and I am who I am meant to be.”
51 | Front Country | The Reckoning
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Front Country is a band on the precipice of a metamorphosis. As multi-instrumentalists, songwriters and composers, the instrumentation and setting have always been secondary to the musical vision that comes through no matter what stage they take. For a band with a genre in their name, genre has always been elusive for Front Country, as they refuse to pick sides or be constrained by any expectations outside their own singular aesthetic. From their beginnings in the SF Bay Area to their new hometown of Nashville, Melody Walker, Adam Roszkiewicz and Jacob Groopman have been on a journey to discover a sound. While making their third album — their first in Music City — they feel closer than ever to what fans have heard in them all along. To them, their namesake is about pushing the envelope, but never losing sight of their roots.”
52 | Family Of Things | Mess
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Hamilton, ON duo Family of Things drop a deluxe version of their 2019 debut full-length Oscilloscope. The release includes three previously unreleased tracks in addition to the original nine. Speaking on the LP’s newest single Mess, Family of Things reveal that it came out of a quiet, reflective stage. It’s soothing, nostalgic, and glimmering personality reflects that place and perspective. A tight groove that permeates the textured, prominent bass riff and a crisp vocal line comprise the verses of the song. This gentle soundscape then brashly collides with a cloud of colour and vibrancy for a contrasting chorus and bridge section. Perhaps this song encompasses some of the very foundational sonic landscapes that have inspired the evolution of Family of Things, or perhaps it is just a fortuitous kaleidoscope of timbre and texture resulting in a summer jam.”
53 | Zeb Samuels | Yellow (ft. MckNasty)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “London musician and multi-instrumentalist Zeb Samuels has released his EP Vibration Exploration. On the EP, one can find the exemplary track Yellow. The EP features Marc Cyril (Joss Stone) on bass, Byron Wallen (George Benson, Chaka Khan) on trumpet and flugelhorn and Mcknasty (Kammal Willaims) on drums. Speaking of the EP, Samuels gives some further insight to his fans: “I’m really happy to be able to present a purely instrumental EP that displays my exploration as an instrumentalist and producer. Writing vocal-driven music takes on a very different approach to my music and really happy with the outcome.”
54 | Eighty Ninety | Happier
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Eighty Ninety — the musical project of brothers Abner (vocals, production) and Harper (guitar, production) James — are releasing their new track Happier. The single is the first of a set of songs recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Gian Stone (Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa) earlier this year. Grappling with the themes of loneliness and loss, as well as love and hope, Happier felt like an obvious next single choice for Eighty Ninety: “There are so many people we love and miss that we can’t be with, and a lot of late night calls to try and bridge that distance.” Remaining true to the duo’s signature breezy indie-pop sound, Happier is guided by Harper’s gentle melodious guitar, laying a beautiful foundation for Abner’s ethereal vocals and harmonies. “We all want the best for the people we love. Sometimes, that means letting each other go. Happier is about wanting to hold on for just a little bit longer.”
55 | LMNL | Outliar
THE PRESS RELEASE: “LMNL (Simon Batten) teases experimental, alt-pop with Outliar, the final single from his debut eponymous EP. Outliar is a stomping rebuke of our own tendencies to make pretend. Intensity escapes out of every part of this track, from the bass lines to the build ups, no prisoners are taken. Batten explains: “It’s not really a spoiler to say that this song speaks about social anxiety, and how we keep forcing ourselves into situations that make us feel awkward and ‘other’. We intentionally tried to make part of the song uncomfortable to reflect this tension.”
56 | Area Resident | Jardinova
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Jardinova, the title track from the new Area Resident album due in a month, is out today. A celebratory song about finally getting my lazy, sick ass out of the suburbs and tackling a real future for me and my family. Features Dave Merritt from The Golden Seals.”
57 | Mikey Votano | Crazy
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Australian music artist & performer Mikey Votano releases his second U.K. single Crazy. This was originally performed by Gnarls Barkley and became a global hit! Mikey brings new life to the song in his unique style with an infectious jungle groove, overlaid by spaghetti western guitars alongside screaming vocals and gospel backing. “Crazy has always had an extra special meaning for me, as I child I was often labelled that in a direct reference to the symptoms of my ADHD & anxiety. Many people suffer from mental illness & all of us have circumstances where we feel similar symptoms, possibly even asking the question, Does that make me crazy? Simply asking that question pretty much guarantees you’re not crazy, I like the idea of taking control of words used against you and that is definitely a large part of the reason why I really enjoyed reworking this track.”
58 | Cloud Baby | Blocks
THE PRESS RELEASE: “If The Cardigans, Clairo and Lana del Rey had a baby, you’d get Nashville-based dreamy indie-pop group Cloud Baby. Composed of frontwoman Jenna Scott, guitarist Cole Anderson, drummer/producer Timothy Ryssemus and bassist/keyboardist/producer Greg Graves, Cloud Baby bring you their debut single Blocks. Written by Scott, Anderson, and Ryssemus, Blocks provides a temporary escape: a chance to observe inward. Combining production elements of ’90s experimental pop with dreamy, cinematic vocals, Blocks encourages introspection in a hypnotic sort of way. The lyrics provide a new take on the old cliché, “The grass is always greener.” Insinuating that sometimes, the grass just “won’t grow,” and we need to learn to be happy with what we’ve already got. We’re left with an understanding that we may never feel completely satisfied, and becoming OK with that.”
59 | Purple Decades | Thought Forms
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Thought Forms, the new single from Purple Decades, is out now. Purple Decades is my new ambient project,” reveals Tristan Eckerson. “I’ll be adding singles on a monthly basis while I work on my first full length. But this music is completely different than my solo piano and contemporary classical work, so expect much more electronics, soundscapes, and immersive environments! And of course I will still be releasing solo piano singles on a monthly basis as well, while I work on a new full length in that world as well!”
60 | Wiese | Somebody Else
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Wiese just released the new single Somebody Else, a catchy, well-produced electropop-song about the ’90s.”
61 | Roman Clarke | Scared of Everything
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Opening up about the back-story behind his new single Scared of Everything, Roman Clarke says: “It’s about the distractions that I habitually use in order to forget or postpone problems. I use alcohol, drugs, my phone, sex, and a desperate need for attention to fill the space that I could be using to face my world.” The lyric is plainspoken and cuttingly introspective; all the while maintaining Roman’s perfectly dialed-in pop sensibilities. The huge hooks and crisp production, helped in part by mixing engineer, Christian Plata (who worked on Anderson .Paak’s breakthrough album, Malibu) are catchy and unforgettable. “Scared Of Everything points out the awareness that I have towards my habits, and how people with addictive tendencies use all kinds of stimulation to keep ourselves in a comfortable fog. The song has a chorus that you will not forget, a chorus that almost everyone can truthfully say about themselves: ‘I think I’m scared of everything, someone turn it off, I can barely watch’.”
62 | Madison Olds | 3’s A Crowd
THE PRESS RELEASE: “With the opening line “Diamonds in bubbly”, Kamloops, B.C. pop singer-songwriter Madison Olds pulls in listeners to her glitzy new track 3’s A Crowd, offering up the visual narrative of a “high-class bitch living her best life.” Filled with sexual tension and anxiety, Madison enacts the picture of a “dirty Audrey Hepburn lounging in a bathtub full of bubbles and diamonds while sucking back bottles of champagne.” Though the chorus leaves it ambiguous and up to the listener’s interpretation, it’s implied that part of the allure of this bougie lifestyle is the playgirl playground.”
63 | Ben Kunder | Breakers
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ben Kunder shares new single Breakers. Co-produced with Aaron Goldstein and Chris Stringer, Breakers is the third single off of Kunder’s new album Searching For The Stranger, set for an Oct. 2 release. Breakers is an uplifting song about finding purpose and shifting perspective when facing moments of adversity. “I was feeling lost and stuck in my life and in my music career,” shares Kunder. “I realized that I was putting so much pressure on myself to succeed in my career and to prove something to the world. needed to get back to the joy in creation. I needed to remember why I write songs and what makes me unique as a human and to tell my story. If ever I’m feeling this way I always come back to something Bob Dylan said, “An artist has got to be careful never really to arrive at a place where he thinks he’s at somewhere. You always have to realize that you’re constantly in a state of becoming. And, as long as you can stay in that realm you’ll sort of be alright.”
64 | Cap’n Marble | First Book
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Cap’n Marble are back to tease us with First Book, a new single that blends baroque pop with bedroom pop. Longing, melodic vocals work around acoustic strums and vox organs bringing its listeners back to the 1960s. First Book is infused with laid back vocals and a psychedelic pop sounding similar to The Beach Boys.”
65 | Halcyon | Neon Nights
THE PRESS RELEASE: “With Neon Nights, upcoming alt-R&B artist Halcyon releases his last single before the release of his self-titled debut EP. “I want to dedicate Neon Nights to one of my best friends who passed away recently. The golden moments that him and I shared emotionally, are exactly the kind of memories Neon Nights cherishes’. The video of Neon Nights was shot during the lockdown, when Amsterdam was completely deserted with citizens dreaming of nights that seemed like a lifetime ago. Next to being a visual interpretation of the storyline of Neon Nights, it became a tribute to the wondrous nightlife of Amsterdam and all the adventures that come with it.”
