Thanks to the inexplicable popularity of my Submit Music page, I always have a digital backlog of albums, EPs, singles and videos awaiting my perusal. Here are the latest submissions that caught my ears and eyes. As usual, it’s a pretty eclectic lineup, with everything from gritty rockers to eccentric popsters in the mix. Something they have in common: Any one could easily be your new favourite artist. To that end, I’ve included Bandcamp links wherever possible so you can buy the music straight from the source. Tell ’em I sent ya. And if you’ve got something I need to hear, send it my way. If I think you’re half as good as you think you are, I just might include you next time.
Joan Smith & The Jane Does
Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Joan Smith teamed with Tom Juhas to form The Jane Does – a female-fronted dance-rock machine with cutting vocals that amp up to the edge of sanity, pulsing rock beats and relentless guitars reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age and early PJ Harvey. Smith spent the past decade fronting guitar/organ rock trio Little Foot Long Foot — playing any stage willing to handle their volume and achieving familiarity with song placements in shows like Orange is the New Black. For the past several years, Joan has been touring internationally with Juno winner Serena Ryder as her guitarist and background singer. Juhas is an accomplished touring and studio guitar player, producer and sound maker known for his work with Bret Higgins’ Atlas Revolt, Jadea Kelly and Ryan O’Reilly. The traditional song Where Did You Sleep Last Night was made famous by Lead Belly and later by Nirvana. Our approach is as dark and aggressive as possible while remaining true to its blues roots. You’ll find the video done with heavy nods to Blair Witch.”
Buffalo Bill
The Good, The Bad & You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: Take the British Invasion, mix it with the Sunset Strip, add a little bit of sloppy Southern hot sauce, shake and garnish with a dash of thrash and that’s the Buffalo Bill cocktail of sound.
Buffalo Bill is an electrifying three-piece outfit hailing from Toronto. They pack a brass-knuckle punch of biker-bar blues, fully loaded with vicious licks and pounding rhythms guaranteed to keep heads banging and the whiskey flowing. Leading the musical charge is frontman Jorge Sousa. His southern rock and heavy metal influences shine through in his impassioned vocals and blistering guitar work that deliver a gritty combo of true-to-life lyrics and soaring riffs. Drummer Jeff Mastronardi channels the iconic vibe of the Sunset Strip and adds his own mix of classic rock and grunge stylings to keep the freight train barreling down the tracks. Bringing it all together are the razor-sharp rhythms and growling bass of Will Shannon. With a steady hand and a mean mug, Will bolsters the bottom end and gives Buffalo Bill their signature groove. Started in late 2018, this trio of ramblers mix musical passion, relentless energy, and a few hard-knock life lessons to serve up an unapologetic Molotov cocktail of thrashy, blues-based hard rock that’s best served cranked all the way up.”
Lord John Rook
Love In The Gulag
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Too pretty to be taken seriously. Too old to sing songs. Poor decisions should only be discussed with fast guitars. I used to be her and them, now I’m just him. This is my new single. It’s my critique of capitalism.”
Erroneous
Shut My Head Up
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Erroneous is a singer-songwriter in Brooklyn. She has been in several NYC bands and is currently doing solo music, including the new Shut My Head Up EP, which draws on many influences to present a hand-crafted electronic sound with lush vocal harmonies. This music has a very chill vibe, with delicious harmonies floating over old-school clockwork Zero-7-like electronic constructions.”
Cardboard Sundown
No Job
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hear hear! We are Cardboard Sundown, a new indie band from Utrecht, The Netherlands. We just released our first songs. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did making ’em Our sound is best described as quirky, playful, adventurous. Not fixed to one specific style or genre. Yet poetic, sultry and sexy. From small and dreamy to massive and explosive, often within one song. Or like Dave says: A bread roll, crunchy and fresh from the oven, with a hint of blue. Lyrics handle subjects like: Alien abductions, second-hand monkey suits, anti-Trump protests, band auditions, acid trips, sex, death, and of course the occasional broken heart. For lovers of: Low, Big Thief, Sonic Youth, Broken Social Scene, dEUS, Portishead.”
Sam Irving
Baby Baby Baby
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “I’m a Chicago-based electronic musician and producer. As a producer, I’m currently working with a number of emerging artists, including the avant-pop singer Franny London and independent rappers Brendan Bennett and Donte Thomas, among numerous others. But Baby Baby Baby is my debut single as a solo artist.”