The Dust Bowl Faeries share some candy, Anjimile babies you with his moves, Thrillsville are running a fever, Smrtdeath is all out of love and much more in your killer Friday The 13th Roundup. Today’s absurdly diverse crop runs the gamut from cabaret-pop to Christmas carols — but for my money, you can’t beat those Sam Coffey, Kokoroko and Tash Neal cuts.
1 | The Dust Bowl Faeries | Candy Store
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “My grandmother loved to play piano. She knew all of the old time hits, but Candy Store was a dark Depression-era song and it burned its way into my memory like a lithograph,” explains Dust Bowl Faeries frontwoman Ryder Cooley, discussing the eight-minute video novella Candy Store. Based on a traditional Yiddish folk song, Candy Store is the first single from the New York cabaret-rock band’s album The Plague Garden, out Nov. 20. “I always liked the sinister stuff, like the story of Aunt Dorothy who accidentally lit herself on fire and burned to death,” confesses Cooley. “Maybe that’s why my grandma played Candy Store, because it reminded her of Dorothy. Or maybe it was because her husband was a candy salesman and she was diabetic so she couldn’t eat any of his candy. Or maybe it was because grandpa’s ancestors were slavic gypsies who immigrated from Eastern Germany and Poland. There are so many layers of family history embedded in this song.”
2 | Anjimile | Baby No More
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Do you love Baby No More? Have you been feeling cooped up during quarantine? Do you dream of watching sweet old ‘Jimile dance like an absolute freak of nature? Then you’re going to love this super cute sweet weird fun music video. If you like what you see, please share this little nugget of good vibes across the World Wide Web (and yr socials)! If you’re REALLY a dang freak-a-leek, tag me on Instagram with your funkiest moves & we will (remotely) dance battle to the ends of the earth.”
3 | Thrillsville | The Fever
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A.’s Thrillsville have revealed their new addiction and obsession-driven video single The Fever, previewing the EP Say Goodbye to the Light, out in December. An amalgamation of dark electronic, industrial, synthpop, goth-rock, dark dance, EBM and alternative rock, Thrillsville is composer/producer Rani Sharone. “This EP represents my voice as a producer and artist. These five songs were therapy for me and all have their own vibe and style. My pop sensibility as well as my darker, cinematic and heavier side is represented on this release.”
4 | Smrtdeath | Don’t Love Me
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Winnipeg’s Smrtdeath, born Mike Skwark, drops his new album Somethjngs Wrong on Nov. 20. Don’t Love Me epitomizes what Skwark does best, making anthems out of the everyday. “Don’t Love Me is about wanting someone you can’t have,” explains Skwark. “Kind of like meeting someone at the wrong time, or when you’re too focused on yourself to have time to pursue a connection anywhere else. It’s also about the misguided feelings people can have about someone based on a fleeting connection.”
5 | Fucked & Bound | Terror
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Seattle hardcore punk unit Fucked & Bound will reissue their Suffrage LP in December, in advance of a 2021 full-length. A band whose existence is essential for these times, Fucked & Bound encapsulate the frenetic energy, confrontational anger, and increasing anxiety that so many are feeling. The video for Terror captures the heavy intensity of the band’s live shows, a melancholy and yet much-needed injection of the band’s vivacity.”
6 | Cassa Jackson | He’s No You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London soul-pop singer-songwriter Cassa Jackson has unveiled a video for her single He’s No You. She says: “I think this might be the coolest music video I’ve made as it has such a clear narrative and it gets so epic towards the end with the girl running through the night back to her ex-boyfriend’s house — it’s a real story of the song!”
7 | A Few Too Many | Someday
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rising Cambridgeshire pop-punks A Few Too Many combine captivating melodies, deliciously infectious hooks and relatable lyrics in their songs, alongside an energy-packed live show. Today, they share the video for their single Someday, which they say “represents our determination to continue to chase our dreams despite setbacks, disappointments and toxic relationships. This song is our survival anthem.”
8 | The Happys | Bipolar
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Bay Area indie-rockers The Happys premiere a video for Bipolar, off their most recent EP of the same name. Frontman Nick Petty says, “Bipolar is a song written about a girl who I once liked who had bipolar disorder. In hindsight, this song is based on the give-and-take nature of love. The song dives into personal struggles from my childhood with bipolar emotions and tendencies. I always want to empower people through my lyrics to never feel less than anyone else for struggling with their mental health and differences.”
9 | Old Cross | Gates
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Old Cross are a three-piece melodic punk band from Portland, Oregon. Prior to COVID, Old Cross toured about three to four times a year, they plan to resume when the world returns to some sort of normalcy. Old Cross has one self-titled EP that came out in December of 2018 and their debut full-length Daggers. Here’s their latest video for Gates.”
10 | The Buckleys | Glad You Did
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Coming off the release of their debut album Daydream, Aussie Americana-pop trio The Buckleys are releasing the enthusiastic new video for Glad You Did, bringing with it a gust of warm vivacity and bright, electric energy. Taken from their recent live concert Daydream with The Buckleys, Live from Byron Bay recorded inside their local church near their hometown, the performance video showcases the band’s fresh take on roots-inspired pop and their natural charisma.”
11 | Moose with a Scarf | I Am Moosebot
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Moose With A Scarf is the brainchild of Anthony Sabatino, a composer based in Los Angeles. Sabatino explains, “About a year ago I had the idea of creating a robot DJ. Since my EDM name is Moose with a Scarf, I knew that inevitably the robot DJ would need to be called Moosebot. And thus the idea was born. That Christmas I bought a programmable dancing robot and during the lockdowns starting producing its intro track I Am Moosebot and learned how to program dance moves for the robot itself.”
https://youtu.be/FJwuGYftd3c
12 | Dizzy Mystics | Centre Of The 8
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “One of Canada’s most versatile and vibrant rock bands, Dizzy Mystics unveil a new track and live-off-the-floor performance video. Centre of the 8 is a tease of the next Dizzy Mystics album, which follows 2019’s groovy and psychedelic Wanderlost. The band comment: “This song is a small example of things to come on the upcoming album. We’ve upped the ante on heaviness, breathing room, and melodic/emotional depth.”
13 | Villages | Upon the Horizon
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cape Breton’s Villages follow up their 2019 self-titled debut with a three-song EP entitled Upon the Horizon, which takes their combination of indie folk, experimental pop and sun-bleached psychedelia to new heights. Upon the Horizon is Villages‘ most dynamic and exploratory work, recorded at New Scotland Yard studio in Dartmouth, just after Nova Scotia lifted social distancing rules in July. Guitarist/vocalist Matt Ellis says, “Being locked up naturally conjured visions of escapism. Escaping to the wilderness has always been a way to find peace, but when even that was not an option it was yet another thing that had been taken for granted.”
14 | Bonjay & Queer Songbook Orchestra | Medicine for Melancholy (Live From Yaad Version)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “What new terrain exists at the intersection of the Queer Songbook Orchestra’s lush arrangements and Bonjay’s dancehall-evolved soul? These are the questions that drove the creation of the Queer Dancehall Orchestra’s Medicine for Melancholy (Live from Yaad Version), a live performance video that reimagines electronic bedroom sounds back out onto human hands, touching wood & brass, generating waves that travel across open air.”
15 | Jeshi | Look Like Trouble
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The sequel to the poignant and 2020-appropriate Mask On, Look Like Trouble is a reflective moment from Jeshi. Produced by Kwes Darko, Look Like Trouble speaks on the madness of youth, and how our younger years rub off on us; we walk around with them forever. Jeshi explains: “All these experiences mould you into the person you are. Into the trouble they see you as.”
16 | Quinn Pickering | Supernova
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “It’s Friday the 13th, but Vancouver musician Quinn Pickering isn’t the superstitious type. Not only is he releasing his new Supernova EP today, he’s also premiering the video for the title track. “Supernova on the surface may feel like a pop song about a relationship but when you peel back the layers, you’ll find that it explores uncertainty and fear that your partner might not have the same depth of feeling,” says Quinn. “It’s about how you can project those thoughts and emotions to the point that they manifest themselves into reality, threatening the very thing that you’re trying to hold on to.”
17 | Soccer Mommy | Royal Screw Up (Demo)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Soccer Mommy – aka Nashville native Sophie Allison — released her sophomore album Color Theory earlier this year, and today she surprise-releases Color Theory (Selected Demos) featuring early versions of singles like Royal Screw Up. Just like the demos, the video was made entirely by Allison, who says, “I made this video by driving around and exploring a little bit of Nashville. Most of the footage is from my house or my favorite nearby nature spots.”
18 | Beyries | Graceless
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Encounter, Beyries’ sophomore album, is out today. The singer-songwriter takes this opportunity to unveil the video for Graceless, a rousing, Springsteen-style anthem that leaves no emotional stone unturned and gets you bobbing your head — a song that simultaneously hits your gut and sticks in your brain.”
19 | Stolen Wheelchairs | Already A Ghost
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Stolen Wheelchairs are authentic teenage punk rock. You can’t fake the energy that they emit. Straight from the depths of Hostile City, they play fast, angsty, anthemic hardcore punk with an authenticity that has been lacking in today’s scene. Stolen Wheelchairs are the latest in a series of forebearers of the punk banner in the Philadelphia area. Their debut album The America was recorded DIY by vocalist Oscar Capps and the band at the family home. The America is a record lathered with traditional punk influences and sprinkled with much, much more.”
20 | Paul Alexander Low | Autumn Breeze
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This song is about how sometimes one person in a relationship can be carrying on, oblivious to the fact the other is drifting away. Suddenly they discover that things have come to an end and you move straight from summer to winter without ever having noticed the cool breeze of autumn until it was too late. The song is on my debut EP Hell Yeah.”
21 | Michael Peter Olsen | Cloud Parade
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto songwriter, composer and producer Michael Peter Olsen has announced his debut album, Yearning Flow, arrives Jan. 15. Cloud Parade is accompanied by a video featuring choreography from Mateo Gallindo-Torres and directed by Adrienne McLaren. Olsen offers, “Cloud Parade journeys through late 19th-century classical influences illustrating the connections between ‘real’ and ‘fake’ sounds in modern music (i.e. what is really being performed and what is simulated) and ‘real’ and ‘fake’ emotional states (genuine feeling vs. constructed fakery).”
22 | Depths Of Hatred | Fastidious Imitation
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Depths Of Hatred’s new album Inheritance is due out on March 19. Ready to kick off the upcoming new year with a new vocalist as well as a new sound, Depths Of Hatred have lost none of the technical edge that made them stand out from the death metal pack. As if that wasn’t enough good news, the band have unleashed lead single Fastidious Imitation.”
23 | Hail The Sun | Secret Wars
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hail The Sun share a video for Secret Wars. Originally released on the 2017 EP of the same name, the band decided to create the video as a commentary to the actions and events that have occurred in 2020. As guitarist Shane Gann explains; “After all that has transpired recently, we can’t help but think of this song, written back in 2017. Secret Wars is all about the influence of those in power and how they keep us unaware.”
24 | Madre Sun | Everybody’s Gotta Live
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Trading the blasting, riff-heavy classic rock found in their debut EP for something a little more laid back, London outfit Madre Sun have released a gorgeous, stripped-back cover of the Arthur Lee/Love classic, Everybody’s Gotta Live. “As soon as I heard this song I fell in love with it,” comments Madre Sun’s Tyson Schenker. “My girlfriend heard it playing in a café and told me I should check it out. I love the simplicity of it but the message is powerful and honest. We are born and then we die, simple as that. Enjoy and appreciate the life you have.”
25 | Solar Fake | This Pretty Life
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Solar Fake are back — melodic, danceable, and bittersweet. Pretty Life is an appetizer for their album due next year and shows the band from their best side. “This Pretty Life is not the typical Solar Fake song, but on the other hand I am not even sure if there is something like a typical Solar Fake song,” comments singer Sven Friedrich. He is right; This Pretty Life adds a new aspect to the Solar Fake sound, yet it still has everything fans of the band know and love: A catchy beat, simple yet deep melodies, and the unique voice of Sven hypnotizing listeners.”
26 | Spectrograph | Dead Kittens
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A Giant Leap Of Faith, the debut EP by Spectrograph, will be out on Nov. 27. The band are a post-industrial and electronic project formed in 2012 by electronic/dance producer and DJ Phiorioand singer/multi-instrumentalist Virginia Bones (Geography Of The Moon). The video for Dead Kittens is directed by experimental visual artist Less Than One.”
27 | Violent Life Violent Death | Grave Walk
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Violent Life Violent Death’s Grave Walk is found on the Charlotte, N.C. metallic hardcore act’s fourth EP, The Color Of Bone. The Grave Walk video was filmed by Justin Beasley. VLVD vocalist Scott Cohen offers, “Grave Walk is about the deafening silence in graveyards and what that silence is saying — the memories and emotions that are left behind in the ground, trapped in stone and dirt.”
28 | Limahl | One Wish for Christmas
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Limahl releases the festive single and video One Wish For Christmas. The holiday-themed track is an update to his previously released song London for Christmas (released in 2012), reflecting the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has had. “I was thinking about the lyrics and how they’ll have more value/poignancy because they talk about the many things we’re all unable to do,” Limahl explains. “With all the extra time in lockdown to be creative and as it’s been eight years since we first wrote it, we decided to revisit the production.”
29 | Cadet Carter | The Best Part
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “British-Bavarian indie-rock quartet Cadet Carter share the video for The Best Part. They explain: “The song explores the foundations of a long-lasting friendship. An abandoned childhood home reveals a wealth of happy little memories of our heroes youth. The video skillfully folds the viewers into a comforting hug of positivity, camaraderie and the important building blocks that help create the adults we become.”
30 | Das Mörtal | It Comes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Renowned producer Das Mörtal shares the video for It Comes, from his album Miami Beach Witches. The video was directed by Kevan Funk, who tells us a little more: “As soon as I heard the track the visual language and aesthetic immediately felt present in my mind. I loved the idea of reaching back to these teen films from the ’90s, playing with that nostalgia while having a chance to update that genre in a way that felt more urgent and weighty.”
31 | Blutengel & Massive Ego | Nothing But A Void
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “It is a story that is almost too beautiful, too perfect to be true: Blutengel singer Chris Pohl and Massive Ego frontman Marc Massive go on tour together, become friends, and in the end, write a song together. Confirms Chris: “Marc and I are not just colleagues. On our tour together, we realized that we have many similar views and interests. He has also become one of my favorite singers.”
32 | Groovenom | Warum Weinst Du
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Groovenom just released Mitten ins Herz, an epic, modern metal album that carries the roots of the band into a modern era. They say: “Mitten ins Herz is packed with rage, pain, sorrow, and hope. Born in the midst of this bewildering and frustrating time, working on this album was a challenge for us and both trauma and therapy in one. Mitten ins Herz is an unembellished reckoning with the dream of true love and, at the same time, the unconditional desire for it.”
33 | Tori Handsley | Polar Retreat
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tori Handsley has shared a video for Polar Retreat, from her Nov. 27 album As We Stand By. It’s a brave and powerful work that also showcases Tori’s writing ability not only musically but also lyrically and conceptually. Tori says: “this album means so much to me and distils my observations, feelings and deepest expressions, reflecting on where we stand at this point in time, and our place in nature. It is the right time to stand and see the disruption humans have caused to nature’s balance and our growing disconnection from our natural landscape.”
34 | Oldblood | Kuebiko
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “North London’s blackened doom foursome Oldblood announce their debut EP Arms to the Sky is due Dec. 4, and unleash the gut-wrenching first track and video for Kuebiko. Arms to the Sky is themed around the dropping of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima — both aurally and lyrically. Crushing riffs combined with devastating melodies paint an agonized picture of life before, during and after the nuclear explosion.”
35 | Our Oceans | Face Them
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Our Oceans share an energetic preview of their upcoming album While Time Disappears via a behind the scenes video “Face Them is by far the most energetic song on the album, inspired by a drumbeat and guitar riff that Yuma came up with. It’s an incredibly busy song, with its dense rhythms and many key changes. It’s also a very fun song and perhaps a bit more uplifting than the rest of the album. This isn’t a stylized or serious music video; instead, it gives you a genuine impression of our studio process.”
36 | TV People | String
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rising Dublin indie-punks TV People reflect on addictions and self destructive behaviours in brooding new cut String. Frontman Paul Donohoe details: “String is about my past experiences with addiction and using self destructive behaviour as a coping mechanism for life’s problems … The song is about the feelings of hopelessness, regret and frustration that I’ve felt in the past when I’ve been stuck in that situation and the damage that they do to your mind over time.”
37 | Passenger | Suzanne
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “British troubadour Passenger (Mike Rosenberg) shares new song Suzanne from his forthcoming album, Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted, set for release on Jan. 8. Rosenberg explains, “This song tells the tale of an older lady, drinking alone in a bar and thinking back to a time when she was youthful and beautiful and had her whole life ahead of her. I think it’s a subject that I keep on returning to in my songs — The fleeting nature of youth and the inevitable passing of time.”
38 | Tones & I | Fly Away
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Australian artist Tones And I has returned with the single Fly Away, a preview to her full-length debut. “Fly Away is about chasing your dreams, reaching your goals and the realities that comes with it. Being a busker, I obviously had bigger dreams. However, this song is inspired by the way I thought I would feel versus the way I actually feel. It’s about genuine happiness and what we think we need to have happiness versus what we actually want. The truth is we only ever want anything because we think it will make us happy, but it’s never that simple.”
39 | Lilla Vargen | Blueprints
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Lilla Vargen is one of Ireland’s fastest-rising new talents. As she builds towards next year’s release of her debut album, she sharing her single Blueprints. “Blueprints is a song I wrote during a time of change in my life. I was saying goodbye to someone I loved and starting a new adventure on my own. We all tend to plan ahead so much, but sometimes life can send us in a different direction. This song is about making sure you plan for yourself as well as for those you love.”
40 | Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs | Back With The Gang
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “It’s been three years since Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs released their triumphant debut. Their new album Real One (out Feb. 19) is a work of loving, earnest maximalism. Single Back With The Gang is a glammed-up ode to the joys of togetherness that exemplifies the new albums playful pomp. “It’s an instructional, motivational song. Get back out there, get swingin’, you’re back with the fucking gang! You got this, daddy!”
41 | Tash Neal | Something Ain’t Right
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tash Neal (former frontman for The London Souls) has released his solo debut Something Ain’t Right. It chronicles the injustice and inhumanity that prevails in society. Something Ain’t Right was written in response to repeatedly witnessing the “televised murder of our people,” said Neal. “I was pissed and I was sick of it and I didn’t want to write a ‘come together’ song because we cannot come together on issues like evil. I find it absurd to have to explain humanity to humans.”
42 | Pop Evil | Breathe Again
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Michigan’s Pop Evil debut their third single of the year, Breathe Again, and reveal the title of their sixth album, Versatile, due out in 2021. Frontman and band founder Leigh Kakaty stateds: “We won’t bore people with the same song over and over. When you come to our live show, we feel like there should be an ebb and flow, peaks and valleys, that are similar to real life. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down. We like to take people on a journey when they listen to our music.”
43 | Bark | I’m a Wreck
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Bark are a metal band from Antwerp, Belgium, born in 2014 from the ashes of the band Aguardente. With a view to the release of Written in Stone, their third full-length due Dec. 10, the group present the video for I’m a Wreck. The track is a brutal and faithful demonstration of the essence of the band: Aggressive riffs, forceful drums and fierce voices.”
44 | Morgan Rose | The Answer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In a year filled with unexpected twists and turns, Sevendust stickman Morgan Rose has announced his debut solo release. Controlled Chaos, out Nov. 27, shines the spotlight not only on Morgan’s drumming prowess, but his songwriting, singing, and production chops as well. Morgan co-wrote the EP with Sevendust bandmate Clint Lowery, and the lyric video for first single The Answer is out now.”
45 | Halviah Mighty | Atlantic
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Friday the 13th may be unlucky for some, but Toronto artist Haviah Mighty continues to eradicate stigma through sound. Today she releases Atlantic, her first new single since her 2019 album, 13th Floor. Atlantic examines the ugly truths of money, the roots of unequal labour, and its impact on marginalized communities worldwide. “This concept that we can’t escape, is so disgusting, and the reason they say, ‘money is the root of all evil’. Specifically, the Atlantic Ocean was used as a vessel of support for these wicked practices, at the expense of my Black ancestors. Now we are the ‘bottom of the barrel’ in the Americas, a disposition I explore with the lyrics ‘Never seen Atlanta, but we travel the Atlantic’.”
46 | Cryptodira | What Can’t Be Taken Back
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “New York progressive death metal group Cryptodira share their newest single What Can’t Be Taken Back, from their LP The Angel Of History, due out on Dec. 4. Drummer Matthew Taibi says: “The most valuable resource anyone has at their disposal is time. What makes it so valuable is the fact that it can’t be reversed — time cannot be taken back. Barring the larger philosophical implications of time’s unreserved movement, suffice it to say that an hour of time should be worth far more than $15.”
47 | Bonobo & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs | 6000 Ft.
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Recently featured alongside their collaborative Heartbreak single, 6000 Ft. sits as a perfect counterpoint to the disco-fuelled, upbeat A-side. Born from the same sessions as Heartbreak, 6000 Ft. shows off another side of this unique collaboration, with the warmth, melody and intricacy that both artists exude in their individual output on full display as the track unwinds over the course of its five-plus minutes.”
48 | Shatter Brain | Choosing Beggars
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Adelaide metal outfit Shatter Brain release a video for Choosing Beggars, the fourth single on their debut album Pitchfork Justice. “Although the meat of the track is relatively short, the outro takes the listener on an epic, almost hypnotic journey as it fades out to end Side A of the record. The performance footage was recorded by the band themselves during the brief COVID lockdown period in Adelaide earlier in 2020.”
49 | Steve Perry | Most Of All (Stripped)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In the fall of 2018, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Perry made his long-awaited return with Traces. On Traces (Alternative Versions & Sketches), due Dec. 4, Perry revisits several of his favourite tracks, stripping away the grand production touches, taking the songs down to their essence. “When writing these songs, the original inspiration is always my first compass — where the songs should go,” stated Perry. “Alternate Versions & Sketches is exactly that.”
50 | Running Red Lights | Isadora
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto band Running Red Lights take a dive into the weird and wonderful world of pop psychedelia with the third single in their retirement series Isadora. It’s yet another fresh sound for a band that has explored everything from classic ’50s AM country to ’80s darkwave. The song opens intimately to a mesmerizing soft vocal and a Mellotron piano that sway back and forth like a cradle song. In the span of a few measures Isadora unpredictably unfurls over a fuzz guitar that rushes like water toward a technicolor collage of piano, electronics, Prince-styled harmonies and a distinct 1967 Beatles influence.”
51 | Kokoroko | Baba Ayoola
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The new Kokoroko single Baba Ayoola will brighten up any day. Baba Ayoola’ was written as a tribute to the grandfather of the band’s alto saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi & is “an invitation to celebrate life.”
52 | Flying Moon In Space | Faces
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ahead of the release of their self-titled debut album next month, Leipzig seven-piece Flying Moon In Space have shared Faces. Utilizing propulsive four-to-the-floor rhythms and all manner of loops, samples and manipulated vocals, Faces is an eight-minute workout that calls out for wide-eyed, late-night hedonism.”
53 | The Myrrhderers | God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Myrrhderers are a punk supergroup featuring prominent members of the North Pole underground music scene. In 2020, Al Frankincense (Dead Kringles), Elliott Gold (Prancid), and Bill Myrrhey (Sleigher) entered the studio, putting to tape their debut, The Myrrhderers Sleigh Christmas, an historic documentation of North Pole underground Christmas culture. Discussing the first single, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Gold says, “Making Christmas punk music is a bit of a balancing act — you need to give the songs some kind of twist to make them work in a punk context, but you also don’t want to push a song so far that it loses its original Christmas feeling.”
54 | Tami Neilson | Pretty Paper
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tami Neilson is back with musical partner-in-crime, brother Jay, for a special Christmas single, a cover of Willie Nelson’s Pretty Paper. The song resonated with Tami as it is told from the viewpoint of a homeless person, and she well remembers the hard financial times her musical family endured during her childhood and the struggles faced by so many right now. She says, “At a time when many of us celebrate the birth of a baby who was the personification of love, acceptance and compassion, this song embodies those reminders that we need to extend those same things to each other.”
55 | Iron Mask | Wild And Lethal
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Iron Mask’s new video & single Wild And Lethal are taken from their seventh album Master Of Masters, out Dec. 4. They managed to write their best material ever and all 12 songs have that perfect combination of pure metal, easy-listening feel with progressive touches, beautiful orchestrations with virtuos playing and catchy melodies. The band succeeded again — even during these strange times — to record with full-on passion, energy and fire.”
56 | Pony Bradshaw | Calico Jim
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “It was paramount that we practiced restraint, to not abandon tradition in the name of originality,” says singer and songwriter Pony Bradshaw of the recording process for his new album Calico Jim. “ ‘Less glamour, more nutrients’ was something I reminded myself of every morning over coffee before heading to the studio.” That thought process aided in Bradshaw’s commitment to not overshadowing the stories he’d set out to tell; stories about the relationship between man and nature and about a region and community connecting with its history and its pasts which come to life through Bradshaw’s powerful, earnest voice.”
57 | Gentlemen Rogues | Do The Resurrection!
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Austin’s Gentlemen Rogues celebrate aggressive guitar pop, with punk-inflected energy, polished, precise songwriting, and hooks as sharp and sleek as the Rickenbackers they bang them out on. Of their new single, they say, “Do the Resurrection! is a fuzzed-out blast of power-pop that playfully tackles love and loss, life and death, dying and undying devotion, rinsing and repeating. It also has a dueling guitar solo that gives White Reaper a run for their money.”
58 | Hello Halo | Under The Starlight (ft. Fred Mascherino)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Feeling the collective uncertainty and anxious energy rising across the country, New York alternative pop/rock band Hello Halo holed up at the home studio of guitarist Fred Mascherino (Taking Back Sunday). Their collaboration, the ethereal hopeful ballad Under The Starlight, speaks to the present-day turbulent social and emotional climate and offers solace. “Our peril is mostly of our own making, born of manufactured ideological incompatibility,” singer Paul Nathaniel shares. “We know we are stuck together and must find a way to productively coexist despite our differences.”
59 | Jupiter In Velvet | Let Your Tears Flow
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Caught somewhere between the realms of dance, psychedelia and new wave, self-prescribed ‘musical alchemist’ Jupiter In Velvet has returned with a new single. On the heels of the recent What Will Be Will Be, the ’80s-inspired enigma adopts a more pensive, reflective approach with Let Your Tears Flow, combining light, dreamy verses with a punchy chorus section to create a dynamic and exciting journey of musicianship.”
60 | Moxi | Blame It
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Moxi, a husband/wife indie-pop duo from L.A., are built on the dreamy, introspective vocals of Anna Toy and the cinematic musical landscapes of Andy Toy. Their latest single Blame It is “a peek into my brain”, explains Anna. “I tell friends a lot that I wish they could just be in my mind for a second because it’s so insane in there lol. There’s a lot of chaos, self sabotage, weird ideas, and a lot of beautiful things too … It can get very dark but it’s also a lot of fun in there.”
61 | Black Violin | Celebra (ft. De La Ghetto)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The hip-hop-meets-classical duo Black Violin release Celebra, featuring reggaeton singer De La Ghetto. The song is the second single released from Black Violin’s debut holiday album Give Thanks (out Nov. 20). “Give Thanks employs playful storytelling, whimsical strings, and hard-hitting rhythms to highlight the unifying pillars of the holiday season: Giving back to others and being wholeheartedly thankful.”
62 | La Chica | Drink
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Venezuelan/French composer, pianist and singer La Chica is proud to announce La Loba, out Jan 29. Today, she shares the first single Drink, about personal loss. Unlike the rest of La Loba, which is in Spanish, Drink is sung in English and is a frank admission about the loss felt and love held for her brother, who passed away earlier this year and can be seen on the front right of the album cover. La Chica says it’s about “having my brother inside of me when I drink, and to be able to stay in that state of consciousness.”
63 | Bassically | You Got It
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Stranded in quarantine on a remote beach in Thailand during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Raz Olsher aka Bassically, developed his new album, writing a track a day for the entire month of April. It became known as the Audio Diaries. Olsher said: “I am confronted every morning by a blank canvas which excites me immensely. Audio Diaries is as much about the apocalyptic state of the world as it is about the small things we get to benefit from in the human and natural community.”
64 | Tomberlin | Hours (Draag Me Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tomberlin, the Los Angeles-via-Louisville artist, has shared a Draag Me remix of Hours, a highlight of her Projections EP. She says: “Zack from Draag Me and Spirit of the Beehive makes some of my favourite music. Last year he released Draag Me’s first full length, I Am Gambling With My Life and it blew my mind. I couldn’t stop listening to it all winter.”
65 | Tour-Maubourg | Saint Thé à la Menthe
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tour-Maubourg shares Saint Thé à la Menthe, a new track with electro tribal jazz influences that bridges the gap between the Parisian’s recognizable sound and a more experimental approach. “The idea of this track was to create a fusion between cool jazz and electronic music” explains Tour-Maubourg, who takes us back to his contemplative and melancholy universe. Stay tuned for the release of his debut album Paradis Artificiels on Dec. 4.”
66 | Lonely The Brave | Bright Eyes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Lonely The Brave’s third album The Hope List arrives Jan. 22. They continue their forward momentum with the release of a further new song today — the incendiary Bright Eyes. Front man Jack Bennett has said the following on the content of the song: “Bright Eyes was a song that came together about the importance of listening. Are we just trying to one up each other? Are we really just pointing people out now? What happened to being conversational?!”
67+68 | Field Guide | If I Keep Seeing You + A Memory
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Field Guide’s newest EP is a two-song reflection on his first significant relationship. The title track was penned following a somewhat abrupt move from Winnipeg to Toronto, in 2019. “I was living in a basement suite in the West End and was pretty much exclusively going out to shows every night and then waking up at the crack of noon to wander around my new home thinking about how different things were and then putting those feelings into song.” These two songs are a thoughtful slow burn, with delicate acoustic guitar and Field Guide’s signature plain-spoken lyrics playing perfectly off of warm piano sounds and understated backbeats.”
69 | Will Powers | Same
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Will Powers is the brainchild of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer Oli Palkovits. According to Oli: “I was moving around a lot during the writing of this album — mentally, socially, and geographically — and this record reflects that sense of restlessness and dynamism. A lot of ground gets covered in a very short amount of time on this album. It’s often vague and seemingly senseless, but my intention was to leave a significant portion of it to be interpretable.”
70 | Devan | We’re All Gonna Die Anyway
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Devan has been pursuing a music career since she was a kid; the brazen 10-year-old dropped off a homemade demo at the iconic Olympic Studio. Now in 2020, the Toronto-born/London-raised singer-songwriter is gearing up to release her debut solo project. Her new single, We’re All Gonna Die Anyway, is an R&B-tinged indie-pop apocalyptic love song — life is short and you never know when the world’s going to end, so there’s no point in wasting time with the weird social barriers that often prevent us from telling people how we really feel.”
71 | Little Hurt | My Head Hurts
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “2020 has been a year of trials and tribulations. So it’s fitting that as this year winds down, Little Hurt sums up this angsty time period with My Head Hurts, from the EP Every Second, slated for release Jan. 29. Little Hurt’s Colin Dieden explains” “I wrote My Head Hurts kind of out of necessity. This has been an incredibly tough year for everyone. And I’m no exception. So many life-changing events took place for me in such a short period of time and there were moments where I felt kind of hopeless.”
72 | Hollow Graves | Far Out Summer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hollow Graves keeps the fire burning with their arsenal of new material, all written in a live performance setting to capture the fervent energy of the band. Their new single Far Out Summer is self-produced by the band, enlisting help from long-time friend and musician Logan Trearty in mixing and engineering. Far Out Summer is a psych-inspired indie-rock track with surf guitar and distant, echoing vocals.”
73 | Peyton Stilling | Healing
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Peyton Stilling is carving out a niche as a singer-songwriter in the vein of Maggie Rogers, Lianne La Havas and John Mayer. Today she unveils the poignant and sincere Healing. Stilling confides, “I’d just broken up with my boyfriend and had to move back in with my parents, and I had no money or job. I had all of this time on my hands, but felt no motivation to write anything. If there is anything I learned in 2020, it is that healing takes a long time. I wanted to write a song that made other people going through what I went through not feel as alone.”
74 | Shanghai Restoration Project | Present Continuous
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Genre-bending multidisciplinary electronic duo, Shanghai Restoration Project, return with Present Continuous. The track is taken from their Brave New World Symphony album, due out Dec. 11. They say: “Present Continuous is a song about the sudden societal transformation brought on by the pandemic. The song opens with a choral sample stuck on repeat indicating a glitch in society. A series of digitally altered vocal lines start to weave in and out trying to make sense of the new world order. Eventually this anxiety gives way to a reset and eventual acceptance of a new normal with unaltered human voices breathing and sharing space with their instrumental counterparts.”
75 | Jovian | Where’d U Go
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brooklyn hip-hop and R&B artist Jovian is merging sounds in a way truly only he can. Where’d U Go sees Jovian enter the dark with a brooding and atmospheric hip-hop track. “Where’d U Go is all about me acknowledging my inner anxieties & the realization that I have a lot more inner work to do. We all have this “loop” we deal with, whether it’s love life, work, or just life in general. I wanted to share that becoming aware & addressing these things is the first step to being free.”
76 | Stimulator Jones | Cupcakes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Multi-instrumentalist, DJ and producer Stimulator Jones has released Cupcakes, from the album La Mano due in January. Drawing on a myriad of influences, Cupcakes oozes soulful fluidity over Jones’ dreamy production. Jones says: “It’s a smooth mellow funk groove for cruising and chilling.”
77 | Bonander | Backseat
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ellinor Sterner Bonander creates experimental, cinematic pop with a penchant for electronica and alt-jazz composition. On Backseat, warm analogue sounds mirror the comforting safety of childhood, dreamlike strings envisage the daydreams and unlimited imagination that a child can have. Bonander tell us: “This song is about growing up and the unwillingness to see the world as it is. As a kid you would fall asleep in the backseat of your family’s car, with that comforting feeling. Now, you have to walk home alone with the keys in your fist, looking over your shoulder.”
78 | Eleri Angharad | New Sin
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Inspired by the Swansea venue Sin City, New Sin showcases Eleri Angharad’s pop susceptibilities. Stepping away slightly from her country roots sound, Eleri proves she’s just as comfortable writing a moody, sexy and alluring banger. “New Sin is about the thrill of two lovers, locking eyes and beginning a steamy love affair … It’s a love lesson to characters that should know better. Does it become a one-night stand or blossom into something more? I’ll leave that for you to decide.”
79 | 3OH!3 | Lonely Machines (ft. 100 gecs)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Electro-pop duo 3OH!3 kick off a new era with Lonely Machines (ft. 100 gecs). “If you start to Google ‘is 3OH!3 … ’ it autofills to ‘still together?’ ” says Sean Foreman, one half of 3OH!3 alongside Nathaniel Motte. “Well, it’s about time we answer that question with a resounding ‘um… well… we never really… um… YES!!!’ About a year ago, Nat and I found ourselves unsigned, unmanaged and frankly, under no pressure to just create and have fun — so we did just that. It just feels good again; unforced. And I believe the new music is a representation of that freedom.”
80 | Jewel | Angel Standing By
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Leading up the 25th anniversary reissue of her debut album Pieces of You, Jewel has debuted a previously unreleased live version of Angel Standing By. This rendition captures Jewel’s magnetic spirit and ethereal vocals that have been long-adored by fans for over two decades. “I wrote Angel Standing By when I was 16,” Jewel says about the song. “I had moved out on my own earlier that year and started having panic attacks. I was very frightened and lonely. I imagined everything I wished someone was telling me and made it into a lullaby to soothe myself at night before bed.”
81 | Riotron | Dark Highway (Wuki Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Riotron returns with a sensuous, slow-burn remix of Dark Highway by Grammy-nominated DJ/producer Wuki, whose star-studded resume includes remixes for Chainsmokers, Kill The Noise, RL Grime and Galantis. “I love working with Wuki because he’s an artist himself,” says Riotron. “He’s not afraid to take risks and he never goes for the obvious choice. He wants to surprise people with a new take they haven’t heard before.”
82 | Zach and Melissa Walker | Christmas Tears
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Expanding on a Christmas release intended mostly for family and friends last year, Zach and Melissa Walker spread joy into the 2020 holiday season. Christmas Tears was written by Sid Bass and Robert Crewe; Zach and Melissa breathe new life into the track, providing the perfect foundation into the record as a whole.”
83 | Pondarosa | As You Think
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Manchester/Liverpool four-piece Pondarosa return with their addictive, groove-fuelled new single As You Think. Adam Ghidouche explained: “We worked with Matt Heap for the third time, which made things very relaxed and easy from the start. Matt is comfortable with electronic music as well as guitar-based stuff, so he was able to help us capture a great blend of guitars and synths to create a more disco-infused sound.”
84 | Layla Kardan | No Place
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Multi-hyphenate artist Layla Kardan releases No Place, the second single from her EP Abscission, set for release on Febr. 26. In the new cut Layla continues exploring the darkest angles of an unhealthy relationship, taking a poignant deep dive into a loveless relationship, as her soulful vocals and vivid lyrics deliver another emotional blow.”
85 | Clide | Who You Liked
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “At just 20 years old, self-taught musician Clide continues to stand confident in his identity as an artist, as he delivers his refined sound, shaking up the scene along the way. All eyes are on the viral sensation as he continues to leave his mark on 2020.”
86 | Ferdous | Wish The Times Were Better
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The first taste of his upcoming new EP For My Own Sake, Ferdous’s Wish The Times Were Better emerges as a delicately emotive response to the era we find ourselves in. With his typically moving thoughtful craftsmanship, Ferdous drops a wholly appropriate offering to ease our collective consciousness during the uncertain days ahead.”
87 | Saint Raymond | Solid Gold
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Saint Raymond will release his second album We Forgot We Were Dreaming on April 16. Solid Gold is the album’s centerpiece. It’s a song that coalesces the varied elements of Saint Raymond’s sonics into a tightly honed whole. Raymond (real name: Callum Burrows) comments: “Solid Gold is about trying to rekindle the spark and make things work because you know that there is something special in the relationship and it’s worth fighting for. It’s about knowing that all of the good things override the negatives.”
