Devils Teeth cook up a platter of spaghetti, The Damn Truth have an existential epiphany, Art Bergmann watches everything fall apart, Cristóvam pens a love letter to love, Rose Crest take the fall — and we’re speeding right along in your latest epic Weekend Roundup. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion!
61 | Devils Teeth | Son Of Chong Li
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Devils Teeth just shared their new single Son Of Chong Li, off their upcoming album La Leggenda di Chong Li, out April 2. The new album is a spaghetti-western garage -rock operetta inspired by the character Chong Li from the martial arts film Bloodsport. Self-recorded, largely in a barn-turned-art space next to an insect-infested forest on the outskirts of Milwaukee, La Leggenda di Chong Li sprung from the cinematic mind of guitarist/vocalist Jon Hanusa (Jonny Canine, Jonny Glissando), was produced under the keen direction of bassist/vocalist Eric Arsnow (Eric Incisor, Erico Bello), is driven by the unparalleled rhythmic prowess of percussionist/drummer Chuck Engel (Chuck Molar, Chazz Bolognese), and is augmented with the melodic saxophone contortions of Caleb Westphal (il Snaggletoots).”
62 | The Damn Truth | This Is Who We Are Now
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The flagship band of the Montreal rock scene, The Damn Truth, share This Is Who We Are Now, the first single from their third album Now or Nowhere, to be released on May 7. With six of the nine tracks recorded in Vancouver and produced by the legendary Bob Rock, Now Or Nowhere is without a doubt the most powerful and accomplished record of the band’s career. This Is Who We Are Now is proof that inspiration can strike anytime: “This song was born on the road and can be considered a 100% group collaboration,” says Tom Shemer. “I was driving to a concert in East Texas and PY was sitting next to me. I said to him, ‘Hey, press RECORD on the voice recorder,’ and I hummed ‘This is who we are now’ into his phone. Months later, while we were in the studio, Lee-la took the microphone and without putting anything on paper, she did the take. That’s it, that’s all.”
63 | Art Bergmann | Entropy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Art Bergmann’s music is meant for our current times. As we struggle to make sense of world events and the conflicts they have spawned, Art’s songwriting — as it has consistently done for the past four decades — cuts through the bullshit and hypocrisy with unflinching focus with the aim of finding some remnants of humanity that will pull us through. Art’s latest album, Late Stage Empire Dementia, will be released May 21. The lyric video for second single Entropy premieres today. Art states: “Each discarded life jacket represents a North African, Afghan, Iraqi, or Syrian refugee who braved the waters for freedom at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos.”
64 | Cristóvam | Love, Be On My Side
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cristóvam is a singer-songwriter from Portugal. Born amongst the deep blue of the Atlantic and the lush green of the beautiful Azores islands, his music shines with a warmth that you won’t find anywhere else. Love, Be On My Side was recorded in Lisbon and Cristóvam’s own Fortitude Studios in the Azores. The song narrates the need for that special someone to stay next to you during even the worst of times. Cristóvam began the writing process around an addictive guitar riff sharing, “It was one of those guitar riffs that you just know there’s got to be a song around the corner. This is the song that came with it.”
65 | Rose Crest | The Fall
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Emo/alternative rock band Rose Crest have blossomed onto the scene with their debut single The Fall and its accompanying lyric video. Written about the painful experience of cutting a toxic person from your life, this track serves as an introduction to the band’s upcoming EP. Says singer Brandon Sorrell: “To me, The Fall is about the painful process of trying to cut ties with a toxic person who has drained you of everything, choosing to not be a part of their downfall. I think this single is a good introduction to Rose Crest.“
66 | The Ember, The Ash | Becoming The Eidolon
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Ember, The Ash have released Becoming the Eidolon, the third single from their upcoming album Fixation. Accompanying the track, The Ember, The Ash have also shared a bludgeoning lyric video, continuing the album’s stylized visual aesthetic. Born as a solo project from a musical polymath known only as 鬼, The Ember, The Ash’s latest single showcases a more symphonic side to their textured metalcore sound.”
67 | Alex Shera | Wish I Never
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. singer Alex Shera’s infectious yet vulnerable track Wish I Never explores the difficulty of recovering from a broken relationship. “Wish I Never outlines the story of liking someone so much that the heartbreak you carry with you almost cripples you emotionally,” says Alex. “You kind of wish you had never met that person because it almost caused too much pain … nearly to the point that you couldn’t recover.”
68 | The Backstays | Aquarius
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “New Brunswick’s Backstays adapt to the times with their dystopic single Aquarius. “Aquarius started out with just three piano parts and a beat; I knew I could build something with that, but I didn’t really plan for it to be so dystopic,” says The Backstays’ Pete Johnston. “This person, or character, is starting to lose their humanity and succumb to pressures caused by something they’re resisting, or fighting against, all while they thought they were just biding their time.”
69 | Ice War | Crystal Mirror
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian heavy metal band Ice War have just revealed the cover art and first single for their fifth album Sacred Land, which will be released on May 18. Ice War is formed solely by Jo Capitalicide (also in Aphrodite) and although his previous four albums followed a style closer to speed metal, in this new album Sacred Land, Jo has decided to make a turn towards the more epic sound of Black Sabbath.”
70 | The Ferocious Few | My Love
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Breezy, summery, infectious, passionate, My Love sounds like a classic banger from rock ’n’ roll’s golden era, set for these new modern times. The man behind it is Luxembourg-based American Francisco Fernandez, best known as The Ferocious Few. My Love is a song that’s been performed live as a favourite over many years, evolving from an angry song to a song about positive desires. The lyrics, about the longing to be with friends and family again, make even more sense now, in an age in which many of us have experienced forced separation from mates, relatives, lovers. As Fernandez says: “We made this song in hopes to give people something to look forward to.”
71 | Solis | Be Together
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Irish songstress Solis released her stunning new single Be Together, the second single off her forthcoming debut album Priestess. With hypnotic harmonies, ethereal licks, swinging percussion and dreamy ambiance, Be Together is an accomplished and expressive new cut from the rising Manchester artist. Hallmarked with Solis’ signature melodies, the track is a brooding exploration of complex emotions. Solis shares: “Be Together tells the story of someone who longs to be in a relationship all the time. When someone finds it difficult to be on their own and becomes infatuated by another they wish to be with … It’s not autobiographical, but there are elements of the unnamed narrator that I definitely relate to.”
72 | John R. Miller | Lookin’ Over My Shoulder
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “John R. Miller’s single Lookin’ Over My Shoulder is out today. Miller, who initially attracted notice for his spare, elegant, vividly imagined songs as the leader of indie band The Engine Lights, is working on his next album. Lookin’ Over My Shoulder wryly captures the trepidation of revisiting the site of a failed romance. “This song appears from the perspective of somebody who returns to a small hometown after some time away, attempting to avoid contact with an old flame while revisiting places they used to haunt together,” Miller explains. “Ostensibly it was through the narrator’s own actions that the relationship soured, and he remembers it bittersweetly, if regretfully. Out of sight, out of mind, but it only works for so long, as sometimes we are inevitably drawn back to places that contain painful memories for us.”
73 | Marco Dalla Villa | Wonderful Days (ft. Leanne Gage)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Marco Dalla Villa is a London DJ and producer originally from Italy. Instead of following a structure, his songs are simply a flow of real emotions which follow a strong, hypnotic beat. His latest release Wonderful Days is a modern take on the 1971 song Help (Get me some Help) by Tony Ronald. Telling the tale of longing for love after experiencing heartbreak, the melancholy lyrics are a juxtaposition to the uplifting melodies. Marco took the melody from a football chant from his local football team, deciding to put a fresh spin on the tune and combining it with the 1971 hit.”
74 | The Moon City Masters | Where You Wanna Run To
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Imagine you have the power of teleportation and your new love by your side. That’s what we did in our new tune “Where you wanna run to.” In the song we envision fantastical dates across the universe on a journey of love. The beat is held down by an insistent groove and pulsating interplay between the drums and bass, over top of which we layered sunshine harmonies made by the guitars and vocals. The recording brings a fresh and modern take to a classic and timeless style.”
75 | Dempsey Bolton | Wasteland
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Wasteland is a post-apocalyptic journey, moving seamlessly from dark ominous passages to fantastical, even euphoric soundscapes,” says Dempsey Bolton. “In a dystopian world (lovingly referred to as Fallout Days), the song follows two people who despite the dire circumstances, can’t help but be content because they’re with each other. I tried to make the intro subtly packed with allusion; the rustic piano being listened to on the radio being a throwback to days before the wasteland, the countdown of excited people serving as a countdown to the end of the world.”
76+77 | Chicken Grass | Snakebites (ft. Princess Shaw + Trading Bullets
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Chicken Grass are a Finnish six-piece band with a rustic, New Orleans-inspired sound. With over two decades of passionate live shows under their belt, these professional musicians and missionaries of groove have a deep understanding of funk and soul. The group’s story begins ago in Oulu, a small, cold town in Northern Finland, where Tapio Wiik (vocals / keyboard), Mikko Räisänen (guitar), Janne Valppu (bass), Olli Tuomainen (sax), Janne Mathlin (drums) and Jallu Junnilainen (percussion) met and combined their wild ideas and passion for funk & soul. The result is a group called Chicken Grass.”
78 | Eleri Angharad | Delete It
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Delete It is a piano-led track about anticipation,” explains Eleri Angharad. I explore my own feelings of anticipation and anxiety around a WhatsApp conversation, debating whether to send or delete the message “I love you.” It’s a reflection of how current society currently lives, sending endless messages but not being able to express yourself fully without that human interaction. The track is moody, relatable and captures that darkness of our own battles with mental health. The excellent production adds to the emotional core of the song from long-time producer Lee House (XY&O, Catrin Finch) and is co-written with Write Like a Girl founder Beth Keeping.”
79 | Dany Laj & The Looks | Don’t Keep Me Guessin’
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Dany Laj and The Looks’ new single Don’t Keep Me Guessin’ is from their upcoming third album Ten Easy Pieces, set for release on June 11. Produced, recorded and mixed by Laj at La La Pop Shoppe in Sudbury, the music speaks volumes to the focus and determination it took to bring together this addictive assortment of tracks. “It’s an interesting collection of songs for me,” says Laj. “Don’t Keep Me Guessin’ was written in 2011 after I had met Jeanette Dowling (bass / vocals) and we started hanging out. Some of them represent some of the feelings that I wasn’t able to comfortably let out till recently.”
80 | Marie-Clo | Tides Of Fools
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A true creative chameleon, Marie-Clo is a born performer who ropes listeners into a feverish pitch in both of Canada’s official languages. Her eclectic indie-pop tackles current themes and conscious lyrics, while conjuring a colourful and enchanted world. Today, Marie-Clo has released her LP Shell(e), which combines her three EPs Shell(e) Pt. I, II, III and one new single. The album is a conceptual feminist narrative and kicks off with the new cut Tides of Fools — a funky, groove-driven track with driving rhythm while highlighting Marie-Clo’s powerful vocals.”
81 | Nightjacket | Just A Little
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. dream-pop quintet Nightjacket present Just A Little, the latest track to be lifted from their EP Following The Curves (May 21). A turning point for the band, the album introduces its new vocalist, Canadian Andrea Wasse. Recalling the haziness of ’80s and ’90s touchpoints such as The Cocteau Twins, Mazzy Star and The Sundays, Following The Curves is also a personal exercise in chemistry and musical partnership. Wasse says the charming alt-pop of Just A Little captures the feeling of being “lost in a daydream, hiding out in the midst of the hustle and bustle of a pre-pandemic world, hoping that someone will keep still for just long enough to catch up to them.”
82 | Trunky Juno | Daddy’s Gone For Cigarettes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Barrelling through the saloon doors with wobble-pop indie anthem Daddy’s Gone For Cigarettes and a point to prove, Trunky Juno continues his exploration of lo-fi bedroom pop, injected with a healthy dose of Americana. Driven by a gigantic hook capable of uniting hipsters and truckers alike, the track deals with running away from problems and expectations for a little while — or maybe even forever. As Trunky explains: “Sometimes we all feel like going out to buy cigarettes and never coming home. Escaping reality by shaving your head and moving to a farm in the Outer Hebrides. Or maybe just turning your phone off for a few days. I loved the phrase “Daddy’s gone for cigarettes” so much and decided to write a track around it. It took a really long time to get it right, but I hope the message is one the average anxious millennial cowboy/cowgirl out there can enjoy.”
