Bewitcher walk through the valley, Jesse Maxwell tries to change your mind, The Hello Darlins keep their eye on the sparrow, Craig Stickland gets Darwinian — and we’re just getting into second gear in your latest gargantuan Weekend Roundup. Settle in for the ride:
21 | Bewitcher | Valley Of The Ravens
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Valley Of The Ravens is the third preview of Bewitcher’s upcoming third studio album Cursed Be Thy Kingdom, set for release on April 16. In keeping with the tradition of throwing curveballs and shattering expectations of who Bewitcher is, Portland’s speed metal heathens offer up their most dynamic tale of revenge and death yet. Paired with a music video inspired by ’70s Hammer horror films through a Tarantino/Lynch lens, Valley of the Ravens is a menacing funeral dirge encapsulating the entire Bewitcher sound.”
22 | Jesse Maxwell | I’ll Make You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto artist Jesse Maxwell says his next project Hellion will land May 7 – almost one year after his 2020 debut Radio Silence. Hellion sees Maxwell experimenting with soundscapes and moods, allowing listeners to lose themselves in the six-track collection, building upon his talents and highlighting all that Maxwell is capable of. The new single I’ll Make You is available today, accompanied by a live video featuring Maxwell and his band. Jesse says,“I wrote the lyrics of this song a couple years ago, while I was living in Brooklyn, NY. As songs do at times, this one took many different forms instrumentally, it wasn’t until my co-producer Andres showed me an instrumental he made that sparked my interest. From there, we recomposed and restructured it as it evolved into the final form of I’ll Make You.”
23 | The Hello Darlins | Prayer For A Sparrow
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With their full-length debut Go By Feel set to arrive on June 11, The Hello Darlins are offering another preview with the single Prayer For A Sparrow, a gorgeous ballad sung by co-founder Candace Lacina. She says, “I believe humanity is becoming more understanding and compassionate. We’re experiencing a new beginning, and a renewed hope. Dolly Parton is an inspiration to me, and was for the creation of this song. The sparrow is the ultimate sign of a changing season and it feels like a good time for change.”
24 | Craig Stickland | Only The Strong Survive
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Fresh on the heels of receiving his first Juno nomination, troubadour Craig Stickland releases his EP While We Wait For The Sun To Rise. In addition, Stickland releases a performance video for Only the Strong Survive. He says, “This EP was written when I was really struggling with a lot of things in my life. Only The Strong Survive is a song written from a time when I was at my worst, trying my best to put down exactly how and what I was feeling. The funny thing about how long it takes for songs to be released after they’re written is how you may not be in the same place when the song finally gets out into the world.”
https://youtu.be/32AHwYXqcHE
25 | Belle Tower | She Moves In Phases
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Belle Tower is the lo-fi indie-folk rock project of Isabella Harned. Isolation, solitude, pain, love and healing are key themes at the heart of Belle Tower’s upcoming EP Tend To; songs that are heavy in their vulnerability, but that simultaneously carry you weightless through the processing of emotions. Belle Tower’s newest single She Moves In Phases, is a preview of what’s to come on the EP, out April 27: ethereal vocals, dreamy guitar lines, and varied layered instrumentation resounding a sonic lightness.”
26 | I Don’t Know How But They Found me | Leave Me Alone (Piano Version)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “IDKHOW have released a stripped-down solo piano version of the hit single Leave Me Alone, from their debut album Razzmatazz. Leave Me Alone was the first No. 1 hit from the new project led by frontman, multi-instrumentalist, and mastermind Dallon Weekes.”
27 | The Ghost of Helags | Chemistry
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Ghost of Helags’ new album Chemistry offers 12 tracks of slick, stylised dream-pop with a Lynchian sheen. Today the duo celebrate the album’s release with a remarkable new video for one of its standout moments: Chemistry. With shades of cult cinema the likes of Drive or Mulholland Drive, their enigmatic new video was shot in Berlin. Paying homage to their cinematic influences, the sleek new video finds the band’s Teresa Woischiski and John Alexander Ericson escaping from Berlin against a backdrop of twilight’s eerie stillness. Cruising through the city in a classic 1991 Jaguar, their journey leads them to the wilds of the Baltic Sea where they face an uncertain destiny.”
28 | Fvb X | Raptor
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Fvb X makes his entry into the rap game with his video Raptor. This Montreal trap-style song serves as an introduction to his debut EP Long Story Short, which is set to be released mid-April. “The guy who wasn’t supposed to be here is now here, you can start to panic,” says Fvb X. This track is among the important songs for the artist because it is the first text he wrote.”
29 | Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell | Noyalain (Burn)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell, best known for their work as part of the legendary Dead Can Dance, present Noyalain (Burn), the first single from their forthcoming album Burn. “Noyalain is a song of welcome. An invitation to walk in peace, unlock the passive passion within, engage in the diversity of life and celebrate,” says Gerrard. “Jules and I began our creative journey with Dead Can Dance. We realised that we could connect through improvisation and that musical exploration continues to evolve with this present work.”
30 | Esther Ann Gove | Home
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Esther Ann Gove engraves rustic songs across the steel-string guitar using nothing more than the resonance of warm vocal tones. Oh Creation is her debut album and Home is its first single. Gove says: “The concept of the video was inspired by the meaning of the song, which is about trying to find a part of yourself you have lost and can never get back to. The video was filmed in both Santa Cruz, California and Talent, Oregon, and was an artistic collaboration between myself, Isaac Rigler of DAXMA/Mountaineer and Miguel Meza of Mountaineer.”
31 | W.o.W. | Reverse Cowboy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Portland, ME indie rock act W.o.W. (Winston Ophelia Walkering) release their second single Reverse Cowboy, from their forthcoming album A Dog Staring Into A Mirror On the Floor. The song was self-recorded during quarantine and edited, mixed, and mastered at the legendary Chillhouse Studios in Boston by producer Will Holland. W.o.W. is the brainchild of seasoned veteran songwriter and bandleader Whit Walker. Reverse Cowboy is a short but succinct and moving second single and features Dana Colley (Morphine), Robert Mitchell (Oak Ridge Boys, Moby), Will Bradford (Seepeoples, theWorst), Dan Capaldi (Sea Level), Jason Grosso (Antiseptic) and Arthur C. Lee (Sean Flin).
32 | Jace Heyman | One By One (ft. Jaq Moon)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Jace Heyman is a U.K. pop/R&B artist whose star is very much on the rise. His new single One By One is taken from forthcoming EP Lovin’ Under the Influence, which will be released in July. One By One is a cool collaboration with Jaq Moon: An internationally known singer, songwriter and dancer based in Miami and who is working on his own EP in London. The track blends an old-school feel with a new-school taste. Have you ever met that one person who stands out in a crowd, and you can’t wait to interact with their energy? This track captures Jace and Jaq experiencing this very situation.”
33 | Des Rocs | Pieces
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Des Rocs unveils the video for his latest single Pieces, from his five-track EP This is Our Life. The video visualises both physical and emotional fragments of the soul, with Des Rocs giving his heart away and speeding down an electric highway. “Pieces is about everything we carry inside us throughout life,” says Des. “Those moments and memories that make up who we are, all the little things that define us — the good, the bad and the ugly. Pieces means a hell of a lot to me and writing it helped me throughout a period of time when I was steeped in some heavy self-reflection.”
34 | Wild Youth | Can’t Say No
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Irish indie-pop band Wild Youth unveil their latest single Can’t Say No, taken from their forthcoming new EP Forever Girl, out March 26. With razor sharp lyricism and gritty, hypnotic rhythms, Can’t Say No hears the band confidently calling out an unfaithful partner and is yet another example of the band’s capacity to evolve and transcend genre barriers. The contrast between the floor-shaking bass and the euphoric pop hooks create a track so immense, whilst simultaneously encapsulating their down-to-earth, homegrown nature and lyrical vulnerability.
35 | Klink | Waste of Time
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Dutch indie-rock formation Klink have released a video for the single Waste of Time. After starting out as an alternative band with essential ’90s roots, Klink have opened the doors to a more modern, danceable sound with this song, which is about “a typical millennial problem: people want attention and it doesn’t matter how or when… And because the audience is overflowed by all kinds of visual content of people who seek attention, they don’t care about anything as long as it doesn’t waste their time.”
36 | Future Radio | Turn Up The Music
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Turn up the Music is the latest single from Future Radio’s debut album Freedom. The song celebrates the unifying power of music. “Our debut album dealt with some fairly weighty issues and Turn Up The Music resembles the lighter side of things,” states Johnny Future, the frontman and songwriter of Future Radio. “Even though the song has a message, I think it is important to sometimes just have fun. I wrote the chorus specifically with the idea in mind that people can sing along.”
37 | Kenny Mason | Pup
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kenny Mason is a 25-year-old artist from Atlanta whose genre-bending blend of rap and alternative rock has catapulted him from Atlanta’s underground DIY scene to the national spotlight. Today, Mason has released his newest single and video Pup. The song features Mason rapping over oscillating high-frequency keys as a heavily distorted guitar riff bleeds in and out of the track. Pup is the second offering from Mason this year, following his recently released sonic portrait Partments. Both singles will be on Mason’s upcoming album Supercut, coming out on April 16.”
38 | Haze | Fool The World
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Haze is Mirabelle van de Put from Ghent, Belgium. The honesty and fragility reflected in the music is reminiscent of PJ Harvey and Mazzy Star. Soothing vocals, edgy guitars, and laid-back drum beats set the tone for her self-titled debut album.”
39 | Firewoodisland | Gold (Live Acoustic)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Firewoodisland just released their single Gold. The second cut from their upcoming Unplugged EP, Gold is a soulful, acoustic singer/songwriter track. It’s about loving each other and learning to see the gold in one another, despite our differences. In addition to the song, the duo have filmed a beautiful acoustic live version during the golden hour in a local forest. Expect an emotional performance and stunning sunset-filled visuals.”
40 | Psychosomatic | Riot Squadron
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Sacramento thrash veterans Psychosomatic have deployed Riot Squadron, a video for one of the vicious tracks on their seventh LP The Invisible Prison. The video was directed by Jeff Salgado, who declares: “With political tensions at an all-time high, we felt Riot Squadron would be a perfect release for this period in time. The song has the vibe of U.K. punk with crossover thrash metal and fits perfectly into the chaotic lyrical content.”
