Summersets turn back the clock, Gone Gone Beyond head for the wide open spaces, Kristen Martell shares a private picture, Chris Connelly raises a toast, The Gorstey Lea Street Choir go Hollywood — and there are plenty more artists getting in on the act in your Thursday Roundup. Places, everyone:
16 | Summersets | Before You & I
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Summersets want to tell you a story. More specifically, the story of how two people met on a Saturday night, and how that chance encounter led to a series of events that changed the course of each other’s lives. No, this isn’t the origin story of the band, but rather the narrative lore told over the course of an album that spans a fabled union from conception to conclusion. This initial idea was the inspiration behind Kalle Mattson and Andrew Sowka’s new duo project, and is the driving force behind their forthcoming EP Small Town Sunday (out August 6), a collection of what they call “story songs.” Small Town Sunday is a companion EP to their debut Small Town Saturday. “We recorded in the same studio, reunited with all the same collaborators, and wrote about the same characters,” says Mattson. “When we started Summersets almost a year and a half ago it came from a very natural place for Andrew and I. We were inspired by a lot of the same music from the late ’60s to early ’70s and I was writing all these songs that weren’t autobiographical for the first time.”
17 | Gone Gone Beyond | Canyons
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “International four-part musical hybrid group Gone Gone Beyond have released their new single Canyons and anounced their new album 2030, which comes out June 25. Their sophomore album, 2030 is a collection of existential love songs, exploring our connection to each other and the planet. The title refers to a year in the not-so-distant future which many believe is a tipping point for humanity. “The album title symbolizes the potential for change,” explains vocalist Kat Factor. “It speaks to the drive we have as a band to see the planet and us as a human species regenerate together for the greater good, for the collective whole, not just us as individuals. We want all the future generations to be able to thrive in the same ways that we have been allowed to.”
18 | Kristen Martell | Photograph Of Secrets
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kristen Martell shares her dreamy single Photograph of Secrets, a collaborative effort between the Nova Scotian artist, producer Daniel Ledwell and songwriter Gabrielle Papillon. Together they weave a rich tapestry of sound that takes the listener on a journey towards a better future. “At the time I was deep in doubt and catching myself in negative cycles,” said Martell. “I was also witnessing the same in those around me. But there was a determination to move past this period, and it all started with envisioning a better way forward. The result is a dreamy, comforting landscape that is meant to remind you to trust in yourself.”
19 | Chris Connelly & Monica Queen | Tae The Poets
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Chris Connelly (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface) and Monica Queen (Thrum, Bell & Sebastian) have announced their collaborative album The Birthday Poems, previewed by single Tae The Poets. The 18-track LP is an exploration through history, presenting a fictionalized account of the romance between Scottish personalities Stella Cartwright and George Mackay Brown, and their friendship with Stanley Roger Green. With 2021 being the 100th birthday of Orkney-born poet Brown, this album represents a sometimes-overlooked but important part of Scottish culture.”
20 | The Gorstey Lea Street Choir | Bluebird, Hollywood …Domino
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Gorstey Lea Street Choir are gearing up to release their album …from Prince’s Park to Farsley – Volume I on July 9. Today they present us an advance slice of goodness in the lead track Bluebird, Hollywood … Domino, along with quite the trippy video. “This song is a cautionary tale of days gone by, what may have been and where we are now,” says Michael Clapham. “We are two men in our mid lives (average age 51 and a half). We have a lot to look back and learn from and a lot to look forward too! It’s amazing what we have created … fumbling around with some of our favourite musical toys in Russ’s converted garage.”
21 | Planet Of The Dead | Escape From Smith’s Grove
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A year after the release of their debut album Fear Of A Dead Planet, New Zealand stoner and doom four-piece Planet of the Dead are back with a new album titled Pilgrims. Produced by James Goldsmith at The Surgery, Wellington, NZ, Pilgrims is set for release on July 23 and sees Planet Of The Dead churning out supermassive and megalithic riffs inspired in creepy tales of classic science fiction and horror. The band comment: “Our second album came together around the titular track Pilgrim, which is based on the book Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut. Musically, it plays upon the themes of moments trapped in the amber. Our basic concept is heavy music played heavy, and we try to keep it simple. There are recurrent themes in our riffs which gives the album a sense of coherence, but we’ve experimented with some new sounds in the latest album which we feel results in a greater sense of dynamism.”
22 | Unidad Trauma | 33 (Ars Sinistra)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In advance of their debut EP Arte Médica Siniestra’s May 28 release, Unidad Trauma reveal the bloody video for the track 33 (Ars Sinistra). They have also issued this collective statement: “The video for the song 33 from Arte Médica Siniestra is a visual adaption of the general lyrical content from the Tijuana-based doctors of Unidad Trauma. The fears of the common citizen in regard to medical practices being performed by professionals who are mentally unfit or have twisted ulterior motives is a topic that these physicians wanted to dissect and expose to onlookers, the ultimate goal being for the viewer to put themselves into the seat of the patient, who lay unconscious as devious hands move and reconstruct their insides, more often times in an irreversible, violent manner.”
23 | Drawn & Quartered | Rotting Abomination
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Seattle death metal warhorses Drawn And Quartered debut the repulsive track Rotting Abomination (The Cleansing). The track serves as the first single from their upcoming eighth album Congregation Pestilence, which comes out July 2. Vocalist/bassist Herb Burke states: “Unearthed from the decomposing graves of Proliferation of Disease, these unseemly pieces of neck-snapping and twisted riffery, crushing rhythms and merciless violence are stitched together with primitive outbursts of hatred towards humanity and its superstitions.”
24 | Desaster | Endless Awakening
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On June 4, Desaster will release their new album Churches Without Saints. For a preview, a lyric video for the single Endless Awakening is out now. Since 1989, Germany’s Desaster have been churning out their unique and unholy blend of extreme metal, and in 2021 they return with perhaps their most powerful album to date. “It’s a typical Desaster old-school black-death-thrash metal album, with a lot of aggression, but also great atmosphere and epic tunes!” enthuses guitarist and founding member Infernal. With a simple remit of making an album full of “neck-breaking songs,” the quartet have once again proven themselves leaders in their chosen genres, giving their faithful and newcomers alike plenty to salivate over.”
25 | Johnny O’Neil | Comin’ For You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Johnny O’Neil has released Comin’ For You, the second single from his debut solo album Truth or Dare. “This was more of a story video, with the guitar as metaphor for a woman, and my son, Rory portraying a much-younger version of yours truly. We also wanted to capture the band in a more laid-back atmosphere, and went for an attitude of us being at a rehearsal just having fun. The shoot was a bit more involved as well in that we had two different locations, Vig Guitars in Saint Paul for Rory’s cameo appearance, as well as the band playing in a warehouse location on East 7th Street in Saint Paul. I should also mention that Rory’s ‘co-star’ is the O’Neil family dog Steve, a 116-lb. pure-bred Great Pyrenees that we imported from North Dakota through a rescue organization.”
26 | Boss Keloid | Smiling Thrush
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “British heavy-prog band Boss Keloid have released the single Smiling Thrush, a touching tribute that details the memory and pain of losing a parent. It’s the second preview of their new album Family The Smiling Thrush, out June 4. Written by guitarist Paul Swarbrick as a catharsis for his own grief after his father passed away last year, the track gives an uplifting insight into the relationship they treasured. Paul says: “My father passed away suddenly last year. I’m very grateful to Alex and the chaps for giving me the opportunity to write the lyrics and dedicate the song to him. It has been the most challenging period of my life since his death, having to deal with previously unknown levels of grief, insecurity, confusion and anxiety. However, going through this period and process of writing the lyrics enabled me more than ever to reflect, be inspired and be extremely grateful of the relationship and bond I had with my father.”
27 | Shadecrown | The Loss
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Finnish melodic death/doom band Shadecrown released The Loss, their second single from their upcoming third studio album Solitarian, set to be released later this year. Songwriter Saku Tammelin comments: “The loss of a loved one can cause a major emotional crisis. You might stop living your life — feel dead inside. That’s what this song is all about.”
28 | Felix Cartal | Only One (ft. Karen Harding)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Platinum producer Felix Cartal has announced that his upcoming album Expensive Sounds For Nice People, arrives on June 25. The producer teamed up with pop icon Karen Harding on the single Only One, along with a tongue-in-cheek video. Returning to his favourite dingy bar for a night of over-the-top karaoke, Cartal and Harding create the perfect song to let loose and embarrass yourself to. Cartal tells us: “We all have that one friend that takes karaoke a little too seriously … Continuing at the same dive bar’s karaoke night where the Happy Hour video left off, we see a patron channeling her inner Karen Harding and crushing the performance.”
29 | Siena Bjørn | Easy Tiger
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Siena Bjorn is a singer-songwriter whose music dances between pop, alt-R&B and jazz. Capturing the attention of listeners across the globe, Siena uses her distinct, powerful vocals and captivating melodies to express her feelings and experiences as a woman, while touching on self-discovery and self-love. Her latest single Easy Tiger marks a new chapter for the singer-songwriter. With a strong vision and identity, the empowering song narrates letting women take control of their decisions, whether that be in a romantic relationship, friendship, or at work. She confides, “Sometimes I feel like people aren’t listening to you when you ask for something or say something. It’s about stepping into the alter ego and telling men around you that you are strong and smart and beyond capable and that it’s their turn to listen.”
https://youtu.be/18J40vzb6jc
