Webster’s Wheel come blow their horn, San Holo makes way for some Sunshine, Gabriel Guardian shares his cliff notes, Orden Ogan fires up the inferno — and we’re just getting up to speed with Stage 2 of your mighty Midweek Roundup. Who’s up for seconds?
16 | Webster’s Wheel | Little Boy Blue
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Webster’s Wheel are a rising acoustic indie folk duo from the southern hills of Alabama. Their captivating harmonies, poetic lyricism and southern charm are a surefire heart revival. They released their debut album Rest My Weary I’s in July 2020. The duo are now gearing up for the release of their second full-length album Made in Sunshine. Bluegrass harmonies and country bass lines are written all over this upbeat sophomore LP. Little Boy Blue is the first single.”
17 | San Holo | Find Your Way (ft. Bipolar Sunshine)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “For San Holo, everything is personal. Every note is a story and each lyric a memory, a hyper-real exploration of purpose and shared experience. This emotion shines through on San’s forthcoming album bb u ok?, out May 21. Alongside the announcement San Holo shares a euphoric and hopeful new single, Find Your Way (ft. Bipolar Sunshine). The track is an ode to staying optimistic and positive during hard times, a theme that runs throughout the album. “I tend to look at the music I put out as different chapters in my life. When I wrote my last album (album1) I was in love. You can hear it in the music. It’s uplifting. Hopeful. But love is such a complex emotion, it’s fluid, it’s fleeting, it comes and it goes. Sometimes love gets dark, but most importantly, sometimes it ends. For me, when the love has gone, a part will always remain. It’s about learning to move on — even if it hurts.”
18 | Gabriel Guardian | Cliffs Of Dover
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Immortal Guardian guitarist/keyboardist Gabriel Guardian, well known for his incredible multi-instrumental cover videos, is sharing his latest rendition of Eric Johnson’s Grammy-winning single Cliffs of Dover. Gabriel Guardian adds: “I’ve always been absolutely fascinated by this song. It’s one of a kind in its composition, tone, phrasing, and all around badassery. Eric Johnson, you sir are a genius. Thank you for inspiring me as a young Texan guitarist. I covered this song in my 8th-grade talent show and from then to even now, it never got any easier, but my passion and feeling towards every note felt the same! I love how some songs with no lyrics can pull so much emotion and nostalgia outta me.”
19 | Orden Ogan | Inferno
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Orden Ogan have released the video for Inferno, the third single from new album Final Days, to be released March 12. Says Orden Ogan vocalist Seeb: “The Corona virus didn’t stop at our doorstep and killed all of our timing, especially in the video department where everything that could go wrong, went wrong. People know that we produce our music because we love what we do and work on it until everything sits perfectly. We are not wiling to compromise this and inbstead have to aim for the 100% result.”
20 | Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno | Love and Chains
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno’s self-titled record is old-soul roots music to its core. Though both just out of college, the duo’s musical talents extend far beyond their years. Produced by Grammy-winning Cajun roots heavyweight Joel Savoy at his Louisiana studio, Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno (coming March 12) is not some soulless collection of songs imitating previous masters of American music. Rather, the pair have responded to one of the darkest eras in American history with an album of stunning breadth and originality. It’s an aptly biting, bittersweet group of songs for an uncertain time. Yet, Leva and Calcagno balance this with a sense of optimism — a notion that at our most vulnerable we might emerge better humans because of it all, perhaps beginning with our own intimate relationships.”
21 | Rachika Nayar | Losing Too Is Still Ours (ft. Yatta)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brooklyn ambient-electronic composer and A/V artist Rachika Nayar shared a hazily impressionistic music video for her new single Losing Too Is Still Ours (which features contributions from poet/vocalist Yatta) from her forthcoming album, Our Hands Against The Dusk, out March 5. Losing Too Is Still Ours extends from rippling guitar figures and keening vocals to methodic, marching strings. The song title stems from a Rainer Maria Rilke poem of great personal import. Fittingly, the song arrives alongside a self-directed dreamlike music video which evokes poetic imagery of interpersonal experiences, isolation, memory, mystery and transformation.”
22 | Fleece | Do U Mind? (Leave The Light On)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal quartet Fleece continue their run of single releases with Do U Mind? (Leave The Light On), along with sharing a video directed by Adam Capriolo. Do U Mind? (Leave the Light On) is about temporary love — a commentary on hookup culture, presented on a beautiful bed of reverb and indie pop goodness. Songwriter/vocalist Matt Rogers stated, “It’s about meeting up with someone and pretending like you’re in love for the night, even though you both know you’re not. It’s a little wink to all the people out there who feel the same way, and want to feel that sense of belonging for just a moment. I feel like hookup culture has made it really hard to be vulnerable with each-other. This song is my attempt at explaining the intersection of love, isolation, and frustration that apps like Grindr make me feel.”
23 | Abigail’s Affair | Pain
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Texas metalcore outfit Abigail’s Affair launched the lyric video to Pain. The track is taken from the band’s upcoming album Shattered, due for release on Feb. 19.”
24 | Moonlight Social | What Do You Want From Me?
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Eclectic duo Moonlight Social are kicking off the new year with their stellar single and lyric video for What Do You Want From Me? The group share: “We wrote this song at one of the lowest points of the year for us, personally. We both tested positive for COVID-19 and it really upended a lot of things. Jennica postponed her wedding; Jeremy lost out on some really important creative opportunities. After about a week, Jeremy finally felt decent enough to hold a guitar again and this riff is what came out. He sent a snippet to Jennica, who was isolating in Texas, and the wheels started turning. By the time she got back to Nashville, we literally couldn’t think about anything besides finishing this song. It really helped us get through a tough time and we’re just so thankful for it.”
25 | Newfamiliar | How Can I?
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Newfamiliar have released their debut track How Can I? Originally from Belfast, Ryan Johnston (vocals), Will Booth (guitar) and Danny Hepworth (guitar) have collaborated together in various projects, with Newfamiliar representing the realisation of their collective potential. “My ambition has always been to make music that stands the test of time, that provides something for generations to come, like the music that has stuck with me,” says Johnston. “Music is more than a vehicle for self-fulfillment. It’s a part of me. Sometimes I tell myself I’m having a break for a while then I’ll wake up with something in my head. When I was young I’d use it as an escape from things that might be upsetting me. That’s never changed. It’s a way to navigate and understand my own emotions.”
26 | Sombria | Ballet Of Sadness
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Melancholic dark metal band Sombria released a video for Ballet of Sadness, a track from their debut album Chirographon Dei, released in late 2020. The band comment: “Ballet of Sadness is a song that portrays the struggle, the pain, the beauty and divinity behind art. Being an artist is something that words can hardly describe. Giving your body and soul in exchange of mastering your precious gift, the only thing that gives you peace, serenity and purpose while at the same time breaks you down … This piece is dedicated to all the people who in spite all the odds persevere, commit to the fullest and never cease till they achieve the best, not only on their field but as humans as well.”
27 | Communions | Bird of Passage
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Through shimmering, grand guitar hooks and emotional vocals reminiscent of The Appleseed Cast, Preoccupations or Suede, Copenhagen’s Communions show us how personal identity is intertwined with, and shaped by larger forces. Bird of Passage tries to put words to the themes of change and variability; that one is never the same person from one day to another,” says lead singer Martin Rehof. Introducing the theme of self-understanding that’s at the center of Communions’ upcoming sophomore album Pure Fabrication, Bird of Passage also goes one layer deeper, showing how their individual identity — and ours — is embedded and intertwined within history and culture.”
28 | Norseman | Horizon
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Norseman’s new single is dedicated to those who have left away from their loved ones beyond the horizon. Norseman play colorful heavy metal inspired by the Nordic mysticism and they are preparing to release their second album later this year! For starters, they present a video for album track Horizon, dedicated to children who have lost their parents. Norseman were founded in 1994 by Esa Eerola and have operated with the same lineup ever since. Their debut album was released in 2007. The followup Immortal Superminor will see daylight in 2021. It’s an album built on big stories and minor keyed melodies.”
29 | Dräger | The Villain You Need
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brooklyn artist Dräger has shared his new single The Villain You Need. The synth-driven single dives into a fantasy of being saved and how heroes are plagued with stereotypes of self-righteousness, living in barriers of their own restrictions and principles where sometimes they need to be the villain. Dräger is the ethos of Spencer Draeger’s dystopian modern era. With his hand on the pulse of a generation saturated in anxiety and melancholia, part satirical, part sarcastic but overall playful — Spencer takes a light hand to the heavy themes of technology, love and society at the precipice of a new world. He writes, produces, records, and mixes all his music in his home studio in Brooklyn, taking influence from the driving rhythms of late ’70s punk, synth-heavy pop of the ’80s, and dashed with a touch of alternative soul.”
30 | Misc | Mad
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Partager l’ambulance, Misc’s sophomore album, is out today. This new offering by the instrumental trio formed by Jérôme Beaulieu (piano & synthesizers), William Côté (drums & percussion) and Simon Pagé (double bass & electric bass) follows the 2016 release of their eponymous album. With this new album, the trio pursue their musical exploration and further blurs the boundaries between jazz and other genres. Mad, the album’s focus track, showcases their ability to dig into their artistic background and deliver songs that are both complex and restriction-free. On Partager l’ambulance, Misc play with textures using percussion, synthesizers and solid bass lines, all without compromising the melodies.”
