Great Danes make a Czech mark, Marc Ribler falls to pieces, All My Faith Lost… work a double-shift at night, River Hooks lets you know what you’re missing, Kavrila preach equality — and we’re officially heading into the cool-down phase of the lengthy workout of your latest Weekend Roundup. Don’t forget to rehydrate:
84 | Great Danes | Czech
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Czech is a punch-drunk love song,” says Fredericton duo Great Danes’ singer/guitarist Bruce Duval. “It was initially written as a hip-hop song, but as it turns out, it’s a lot easier to write a guitar riff than it is a hip-hop beat.” The lyrics speak for themselves: “Spit it out I know you’ve got no faith at all / I can’t see straight, I should refrain from alcohol,” Duval wryly sings, on this world-weary indie rock song, replete with a punchy rhythm section, heavily effected organ, and layers of ambient synth. “I’ll convince you to go to the Czech Republic.” He explains: “I visited there in 2013, and years afterward, kept picturing The Prague Astronomical Clock. I remember walking into Prague Square and that thing going off, it was so captivating to everyone there. The clock is surrounded by figures representing the best and worst of humanity, virtues and vices. It’s also haunted. I thought this was a fitting song to match such an image.”
85 | Marc Ribler | Shattered
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Marc Ribler, singer-songwriter-musician-producer and music director for Stevie Van Zandt, offers the single Shattered in advance of his new solo LP The Whole World Awaits You. Reflecting on the beginning of his love of music, Ribler recalls, “One of my first memories was at age 5, waking up to the radio alarm clock with WABC pouring out tunes like Donovan’s Mellow Yellow, Tommy James’ Crimson and Clover, The Beatles’ haunting She’s Leaving Home and The Byrds’ rendition of Mr. Tambourine Man. Those pop ditties melded deep into the fabric of my very being, with great hooks that the artists seemed to be singing straight to my soul.”
86+87 | All My Faith Lost… | Violent Dreams II + Awakening The Moon
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Italian neoclassical darkwave/ethereal neofolk quartet All My Faith Lost… present their first record in 11 years with the immersive Untitled. The beautiful, sprawling album is nearing release on March 9, preceded by two songs. As with the previous albums, Untitled is profoundly motivated by art where each song takes inspiration from paintings of some of their favorite artists related to the Surrealism movement. Each painting suggested us a story, instilled feelings and emotions that were eventually translated into lyrics and musical compositions.”
88 | River Hooks | You Lost A Real Friend
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “New York singer-songwriter River Hooks’ new single is You Lost A Real Friend. She’s only been releasing music for a short time, but you can really hear her rapid evolution in this latest cut. Here’s what she had to say: “I want you to dance to this song and sing your heart out! I just want you to feel something and give you an anthem for when you might be feeling down. So much of me went into this song and I’m so proud and happy to share it! The entire song was made by me in my bedroom. Inspired by Kanye, Childish Gambino, Daft Punk (RIP).”
89 | Kavrila | Equality
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rituals III, out March 26, is the spawn of Kavrila’s rage, anxiety, gloom, self doubt, pure energy, and grit. A vicious beast that crawls out of a pool of darkness, and suffering that has a hold on the world around us, that we are constantly fighting to overcome. Today Kavrila reveal the second single Equality. They comment: “Violence is easy. Until other eyes can see. Numerous events inspired me. Mostly when news regarding police violence hit my eyes and ears. Not only the police are behaving harshly wrong in situations. Many people out there have a great lack of respect when it comes to their fellow human beings.”
90 | Monster Rally | Submersible
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Submersible is the first Monster Rally single of 2021. This track was inspired by the psychedelic nature of deep ocean exploration and the feeling of floating in the technicolor sea.”
91+92 | The Authorities | Talk To Me + Just An Excuse
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “California punks The Authorities are back with their first material with their new lineup, and it’s as gloriously old-school punk as you can get. Ever meet someone and experience that intense, electrical attraction? Sometimes you just dig the way they talk to you right from the start. That’s where Talk To Me is coming from. Any punk who’s ever walked down the street knows exactly what Just an Excuse is about: Getting hassled by cops just for being who they are. Just an Excuse could be the soundtrack for police brutality.”
93 | Ryanhood | Appy Returns
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Award-winning Tucson acoustic duo Ryanhood have unveiled their fiery new single Appy Returns, the second from their forthcoming album, Under The Leaves, set for release on April 16. Appy Returns showcases the pair’s serious chops as they set their strings ablaze, paying tribute to the music cultivated in the Appalachian Mountains — with their own Arizona-style, heat-infused spin. While most of their repertoire is vocal-led, co-founder Ryan David Green says he was inspired by the fretwork of electric guitar-slingers like Joe Satriani and acoustic legends like Béla Fleck.”
94 | Voodoo Bloo | Her Name Was Human
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Voodoo Bloo are a powerful alternative-rock act that whose first single is Her Name Was Human. Singer and songwriter Rory McDonald says “the track has a lot to do with broken relationships, and the idea of Stockholm Syndrome, which I felt that some of my close mates were experiencing to some degree at the time of writing the lyrics. You know something’s bad for you, but you keep going back for more, in hopes something better comes of it.”
95 | Melissa Carper | Back When (ft. Sierra Ferrell)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has unveiled her newest single Back When (ft. Sierra Ferrell), a track from her forthcoming album Daddy’s Country Gold, set for release on March 19. “A lot of my songs are based on my real-life experiences and with ‘Back When’ every single word of that was lived and true,” Carper says. “I started writing it a bit after a breakup while longing for the relationship I once had with someone — that is, the beginning of the relationship when we were in love and everything was wonderful.”
96 | Kyle Edward Connolly | Quick Thought
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On Arrival, the debut solo album from Kyle Edward Connolly, is out today. It includes the track Quick Thought. Kyle says, “On Arrival is a spontaneous album trying to capture a feeling and moment in time. Recorded from the comforts of home in Toronto, periodically over the course of a year, using outdated and at best semi-functional recording equipment. Friends stopping by now and then, inevitably, would also participate even if it was just to capture a fleeting glimpse of an idea.”
97 | Combichrist | Not My Enemy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Combichrist are back with the single Not My Enemy, their first new music since 2019’s One Fire album. Aggrotech / industrial pioneer Andy LaPlegua proves once again to be a master of electronic brutality, with a track powered with stomping drums, fuzzy guitars, emotion-evoking synthlines, and cutting vocals.”
98 | Layla Kardan | Underwater
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer Layla Kardan shares Underwater, the fourth and final instalment of her debut EP Abscission. Written with producer Juan Ariza and songwriter Miette Hope, Underwater serves another evocative and haunting slice of glitchy alt-pop. Lyrically audacious, Layla continues exposing the messiest parts of human behaviour, creating another powerful self-empowering song filled with a tale of love and loss. Layla says: “It’s a final plea for solace before drowning in a tumultuous relationship I desperately try to save but end up breaking myself in the process instead.”
99 | Cujo Moon | Watch You Shine
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nashville singer-songwriter Cujo Moon (aka Trevor Willmott) has released his latest single Watch You Shine, taken from his upcoming EP Bridges II, due March 26. He says: “The lyrics were inspired by a TV show where a father is estranged from his son due to years of drug use. The song sat in my voice memos for months before I felt moved to produce it.”
100 | Sea Fever | Crossed Wires
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Manchester outfit Sea Fever share Crossed Wires, the first single taken from their upcoming debut album set for release in summer. They say: “Crossed Wires is a song about running away from confusion, untangling yourself and heading into clarity. We live in a whirlwind of information and wired up to technology. It’s about breaking free from it. We deliberately stayed away from our comfort zones and tried to create a sense of euphoria. We’re always gonna be driven by Mancunian melody but we try to mix it with futuristic, soaring sounds and dark escapism.”
101 | Julian Shah-Tayler | Earthquakes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Earthquakes is a paean to the earthquaker, the lifechanger, the Love of my life. When you find the ONE who makes you shake, who makes you glow, who floods your brain and body with complete ecstasy, the world turns into a tectonic, organic lava flow. The mention of her name, the sight of her face inspires explosions and delight. Thank you, darkling delight.”
102 | Leahy | Tears
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Juno-winning progressive folk-roots group Leahy release the single Tears from their new album Good Water. Lead vocalist Denise Flack says, “I would like people to take away the gift of tears. We most often associate tears with sorrow, suffering or pain, but there are equally powerful tears of joy, love, healing, and freedom. The list goes on. It’s also interesting to me that from our suffering often comes something good — understanding, empathy, awareness, forgiveness. This list, too, goes on. These tears are also a gift. Lastly, the gift of physically expressing or ‘getting out’ our emotion. I think we too often hold things in.”
103 | Holy Monitor | Naked In The Rain
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Athens’ Holy Monitor return with the first single from their most accomplished album to date, Southern Lights. Naked In The Rain is inspired by the traditional music of Epirus and the Bacchanalian frenzied rites. Holy Monitor’s wild, intoxicating psychedelic groove vibes triggered by elaborately carved soundscapes take listeners into hedonistic, mad dance to exorcise the rain and revolt against reality. This Bacchic ritual to the sun symbolizes the human need to rebirth, the ecstatic loss of self, a provocative critique of conformity.”
