The mighty Gloo are up to get down, Marianne Faithfull and Warren Ellis stroll through Lord Byron’s back pages, Morcheeba get their yeah yeahs out, Hollow Graves check into the Marriott — and what’s that I see up ahead? That’s right: it’s the centre of today’s everlasting gobstopper of a Weekend Roundup. And the licks keep on coming:
41 | Gloo | Down
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “U.K. south coast trio Gloo have just released Down, a further precursor to their forthcoming album due in summer. “Yes, it’s another breakup song, but this is a new thing for Gloo. Down is based around an experience that really shook me, and coming to terms with the reality of being alone again after a long-term relationship. Ultimately, the song is about trying to be happy in yourself. The track was almost deleted from my voice memos until we played the riff as a band, immediately gaining the uplifting feel the song needed. It’s Gloo, whilst avoiding any depressing vibes wherever possible, and stood out while we were recording. Hearing it back was our first glimpse at how good the session was going to be.”
42 | Marianne Faithfull and Warren Ellis | She Walks In Beauty
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Marianne Faithfull and Lord Byron, a match made in heaven, if not the heaven of the orthodox. Add music by Warren Ellis and you have one of the most singular songs in Faithfull’s multi-faceted career as a recording artist. “It’s very romantic, not like you imagine Byron to be,” says Marianne. “It’s so beautiful, and that’s why I like it. I love the other side of Byron too, but this is really amazing, sublime. And I was very drawn to the ability to do really beautiful rhymes. I think that’s from being a songwriter. It’s incredibly nice. Not what I connect with Lord Byron at all.”
43 | Morcheeba | Oh Oh Yeah
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Morcheeba share Oh Oh Yeah, the second single from upcoming studio album Blackest Blue, due May 14. Speaking on the track the band say: “It’s about getting stoned. Back in the day we didn’t think about the A&R guy, the single, we need to hear the chorus in 30 seconds. You’d have seven, eight-minute songs. So we went for it.”
44 | Hollow Graves | Marriott
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hollow Graves keep the fire burning with an arsenal of new material, all written in a live performance setting to capture the fervent energy of the band. Their newest single Marriott was self-produced and dives deeper into experimental territory for the band, balancing grunge and psych rock intensity with indie sensibility.”
45 | Reuniøn | Before I Forget
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Reuniøn are producers Jon Green and Eliot James. Before I Forget tells the story of a loved one living with dementia. The title itself is lifted from conversations with and about the loved one at the heart of the song. “It’s a simple phrase, but one that is also quite loaded,” Reuniøn explain. “This song has a subject matter that is personal but one that hopefully touches and resonates with listeners across many different life experiences. For us, it’s mostly about missed chances, hope, redemption and remembering what is really important.”
46 | Palm Ghosts | The Dead Inside
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nashvile’s Palm Ghosts present The Dead Inside, the latest preview of their album Lifeboat Candidate out March 19. Joseph Lekkas says: “The unrelenting The Dead Inside is sonically influenced by three decades of music. ’90s drum and bass sounds mixed with ’70s funk and ’80s post punk. The drums for this song were based on a James Brown groove and were entirely recorded on an iPhone 6 in New Jersey and emailed to Nashville. We pieced together the song with the drums and arpeggiated synth as the centerpiece and added call and response guitars and vocals. It’s equally dance-y and menacing.”
47 | Baby Cate | If I Fall
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Boston hip-hop artist Caitlin Simon, aka Baby Cate, released her latest single If I Fall with a lyric video. It addresses mental health on a personal level. Cate says: “Right now nothing’s promised. I love to vibe to the song, but the main message is that it’s OK to have someone to lean on … everyone has their own path; keep going and be patient.”
48 | Nickolaj | First Place
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vancouver musician Nickolaj has released First Place, the lead single from his debut EP Step Into The Light, set for release this summer. Uplifting and pop-driven, First Place is about feeling victorious, successful and confident. “I wanted to affirm that I believe in myself and my abilities,” says Nickolaj. “First Place is ultimately a song about greatness, and by sharing this song, I strive to inspire others to pursue their definition of greatness.”
https://youtu.be/VJ4zRzp5K48
49 | Cappa | Colder
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Pop darling Cappa is releasing her new single Colder, the second from her forthcoming 2021 EP. Colder is a testament to Cappa’s knack for creating catchy yet clever pop numbers. It’s an instantly infectious track tethered by snappy pop grooves, sparkly synths, and Cappa’s honeyed vocals. “I wrote this song about when you’re going through a breakup and trying to replace the person but nothing quite feels the same,” Cappa explains of the inspiration behind the track. “You want to feel a warm body next to you but it never feels quite like it did with the person you were in love with.”
50 | Zayde Wolf | Madness
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nashville’s Zayde Wølf presents his single Madness and announce his forthcoming album Neon Blood Type, which is due out on May 7. Dustin Burnett, the creative mastermind behind Zayde Wølf, has always been drawn to shows and movies with dark storylines and broken-should-be-heroes. “Madness is somewhat of an internal monologue of myself,” says Burnett “and what I imagine these dark heroes would be faced with. If you put Kylo Ren, Jon Snow and Batman in a blender, the sound it would make is Madness.”
51 | Zoe Zobrist | Fade Away
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Zoe Zobrist just released her single Fade Away. “It’s about growing pains and healing as you work your way to and from different chapters in your life,” Zobrist writes. “It’s about looking towards something better while also embracing the process that it takes to get there.” Zobrist’s dusty vocals and stripped-back acoustic guitar guide the track with a raw intimacy that immediately envelops the listener into her thoughts in a way that feels like a peek inside her diary.”
52 | Mark Clennon | Stray
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Mark Clennon unveils Stray, the second song off his forthcoming EP Foreign, due out March 19. On this deeply personal dancehall track, the Toronto artist sings in Patois as he speaks on infidelity. Written about the stereotype of cheating black men, the single addresses the collective responsibility to dismantle said stereotype, and calls on individuals to look within before passing judgment. Clennon explains: “Stray is a song I wrote to dispel some of the myths about black men in context to relationships. It’s also the first time I’ve embraced all of my culture in my music to this extent.”
53 | Wode | Fire In The Hills
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Burn In Many Mirrors is the third scathing blast of profane black death from England’s Wode. It comes out April 2, preceded by the new single Fire In The Hills. The followup to Servants Of The Countercosmos, Burn In Many Mirrors presents the band’s most potently wild and predatory work yet. With Fire In The Hills, the band say, “The fires burn. Heeding the call of obscure origin, profane figures assemble to commune with forgotten Gods. The smoke of their worship shrouds the Sun. Deranged chanting leads the dance of flame and black metal.”
54 | Philip Kane | 8 Stone, Tall and Handsome
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Philip Kane returns with the scintillating new single 8 Stone, Tall and Handsome. Hallmarked with Kane’s typically impassioned vocals and lucid lyrical staging, the track also guest-features a blistering guitar solo by Boz Boorer, along with violin from Fiona Brice. It is the first single to emerge from the forthcoming album Book of Broken Things, to be released March 5. Bukowskiesque and owing a debt to Nick Cave while referencing Dr. John and Bill Hicks, the story follows a narrator who lands in a room the texture of a yellow lung with a £10 prostitute. Catching his reflection in the broken glass of a pocket mirror, he declares himself to be ridiculously handsome as the woman present spits in a cup.”
55 | Long Range Hustle | Comeback Kid
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto indie-rock outfit Long Range Hustle have released their first single of 2021: the electrically charged Comeback Kid. It’s the first sign of the band’s upcoming album due out later in 2021. Each of the five members had a hand in writing this powerful track that explores the theme of letting someone down when they need you the most. Paul Brogee (co-lead vocals, guitars, violin) shares, “What I love about this recording is the way it sneaks up on you. There’s no big drop, no obvious rock ’n’ roll production tricks, no section of the song that repeats the same way twice. But after three-and-a-half minutes you realize you can’t remember when you slammed your foot on the gas pedal of your car, trying to keep up with the frenetic anxious energy.”
56 | GoGo Penguin | Atomised (Machinedrum Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A GoGo Penguin remix album feels like a natural progression, but in this group’s true spirit, it never sounds like a predictable move. Since their emergence a decade ago, the Manchester trio (pianist Chris Illingworth, drummer Rob Turner, and bassist Nick Blacka) have been internationally hailed as electrifying live performers, innovative soundtrack composers, and as a collective who channel electronic and club culture atmospheres as much as minimalist influences or jazz legacy. GGP/RMX is a concept that the group have fostered for years; it comes to brilliant fruition as a vividly reimagination of their fifth album GoGo Penguin.”
57 | Summoning The Lich | The Gatekeeper
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Summoning The Lich have released their debut album United In Chaos. The album is a fully realised blend of blistering technical death metal with fantasy storytelling, serving as the first instalment in a trilogy of albums from the St. Louis, MO band. Accompanying the album release, the band released a visually entrancing lyric video for The Gatekeeper.”
58 | Heavy Feather | Sometimes I Feel
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Heavy Feather release Sometimes I Feel, the fourth and final single leading up to the Swedish roots-rock band’s sophomore album Mountain of Sugar. Delivering a psychedelic, organic tune that brings the true sound and feel of the late ’60s to the modern world. Mountain of Sugar consists of 11 roots-rock tracks oozing with a ’70s sound and feel. Catchy hooks and roaring guitar riffs are based on influences from the greats of the ’60s and ’70s, drawing inspiration from bands such as Free, Cream and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Heavy Feather then add their own unique touch to the tracks, creating a unique and intricate sound that few can deny.”
59 | LTtheMonk | Everybody Wants Some
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hamilton rapper LTtheMonk releases the first single from his album On The Wall, due Aug. 20. Everybody Wants Some is the first single from his forthcoming concept album that references filmmaker Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing and Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall. Everybody Wants Some was inspired by Richard Linklater’s 2016 movie of the same name. LT details his first days at college in Hamilton in 2017, aiming to focus on his music and performing — yet from the first day of orientation, romance is commanding his attention. The compelling video for Everybody Wants Some was directed by Because Design Matters.”
60 | Coolio | Out Fa The Bag (ft. AI & C.L.A.Y.)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Coolio is back with new single Out Fa the Bag. While Grammy-winning, multi-platinum artist may be best known for his 1995 hit Gangsta’s Paradise he has continued to build his catalog throughout the decades, proving to old and new fans alike that his music will stand the test of time. Having released a number of projects since the turn of the century, Coolio has made sure to keep the music coming proving that his work and legacy are more than nostalgia for Hip Hop purists. Hhis energetic new tune sees the three MCs bringing plenty of swag and a whole lot of bounce, each taking turns to kick things up a notch as they deliver braggadocios bars in pursuit of the bag.”
