Allison Russell runs for her life, Matt McManamon cracks a smile, Molly Tuttle does it for the ‘gram, Kay Jay Keller takes her pick — but there’s no need to be choosy; your Weekend Roundup has something for everybody. Go ahead and try to prove me wrong. I dare ya:
52 | Allison Russell | The Runner
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Allison Russell will release her first solo project Outside Child (produced by Dan Knobler) next Friday. Today she shares the deeply personal track The Runner, with guest vocals from Yola. Russell elaborates: “I left home at 15, I managed to finish high school, start my first year of college — I worked terrible telemarketing jobs … My adoptive father continued to stalk and harass me around the city. When I was 17, I ran farther — across the country — from Montreal, QC to Vancouver, BC. I was deeply despairing, suicidal, self-harming — and then music saved me.”
53 | Matt McManamon | Mulranny Smile
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With a twist of traditional Irish sounds, Matt McManamon releases his touching single Mulranny Smile. Stepping away from the ska-addled sounds of The Dead 60s he once captained, his latest single instead pays homage to his Celtic connections on a track that decisively puts the folk in Scally Folk. With a lush, idyllic sound laden with sweeping flutes, fiddles and traditional folk arrangements, Mulranny Smile is one of many tender and unexpected surprises to be found on his forthcoming debut album (out May 28). Matt explains: “I never met my grandfather as he died before I was born, yet when I first moved to Mulranny I always felt as if I could feel his presence, as if he was watching over me. I was aware that he could be regularly seen in and around Mulranny when he was still alive, and I often used to conjure up an image of seeing him and being with him in his company, it’s a bit of a fantasy really, a daydream if you like, I absolutely love the idea of walking in his footsteps.”
54 | Molly Tuttle | You Don’t Get My High Anymore (ft. Iron & Wine)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist Molly Tuttle just released the digital three-song covers EP …but i’d rather be with you, too, along with a video for her cover of Phantogram’s You Don’t Get Me High Anymore, featuring Iron & Wine. Produced by Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, Andrew Bird), the EP is an addendum to her acclaimed 2020 covers LP …but i’d rather be with you. It showcases a remarkable trio of creative covers performed with some of Tuttle’s friends and favorite fellow artists, including renditions of Sheryl Crow’s Strong Enough with Madison Cunningham and the Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks classic Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around with Nathaniel Rateliff.”
55 | Kay Jay Keller | I Choose You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Jay Keller is not your average Americana artist. With a bold sense of humor and endearing songwriting style, the Charlotte native embraces imperfections with confidence. Reminiscent of crossover stars like Shania Twain and Maren Morris, Keller writes infectious pop songs with a country twang and trademark optimism. Drawing from songwriting inspirations like Brandi Carlile, her single I Choose You is a quintessential ballad about enduring love, showcasing Keller’s softer side. She says: “I Choose You is about enduring love: Accepting the evolution of our relationships and making a conscious decision to grow closer together instead of apart despite the challenges. Sometimes love is about finding perfection in imperfection. With a chill acoustic track and a subtly deep emotional vocal, Kay Jay leaves listener feeling hope for the future.”
56+57 | Andrea von Kampen | Take Back Thy Gift + Of Him I Love Both Day And Night
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nebraska singer-songwriter Andrea von Kampen has released two new songs: Take Back Thy Gift and Of Him I Love Both Day And Night. Both tracks were produced by Andrea and her brother and collaborator David. Of Him I Love Both Day And Night is an introductory vignette, incorporating poetry that has inspired Andrea and evoking a feeling of expectancy. As is often the case with her work, Take Back Thy Gift has deep literary references.“I stumbled upon this Tennyson poem called Tithonus and I thought the words were beautiful,” she says. “Then I read the Greek story of Tithonus and discovered this is a story about a man who was cursed to live forever. This story felt like an ancient cautionary tale that I wanted to breathe new life into.”
58 | Annie Keating | Nobody Knows
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brooklyn artist Annie Keating has released Nobody Knows, the latest single from her forthcoming album Bristol County Tides, due on June 4. Like millions of us across the globe, Keating found herself grappling with the uncertainty during the early pandemic days. “On a personal level, the song explores ways the past can affect and impact the present,” she explains. “The lyrics ‘There’s a little box locked in my chest, a vestige of an untapped past, I tried to put you in that little box too but it broke apart like a skin outgrew, the past I buried deep beneath rattled like a ghost in me’ explore the power of our tapped (and untapped) pasts, the ways we try to put uncomfortable feelings away but ultimately can’t bury what needs to be reckoned with. Truth has a way of surfacing.”
59 | Sean Watson Graham | Nice Night To Get Lost
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Sean Watson Graham’s musical journey started when his first band Modern Space bumped into an A&R person while walking along Queen St. in his hometown of Toronto. Signed to a major label based on nothing more than their demo, the band had songs on the radio, toured the country and opened for Arkells. Sean found inspiration for Nice Night To Get Lost within the movie Inside Llewyn Davis, falling in love with the acoustic sound and the storytelling aspect of folk music. He set out to create his own story-driven tune, partnering with producer Sam Arion (Mute Choir). This is the second single from his forthcoming debut EP.”
60+61 | Ilawgne | The Voidmaker + Golden Soul (Acoustic)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Voidmaker and Golden Soul (Acoustic), llawgne’s dreamy new singles, explore his love of British folk artists like Bert Jansch, Richard Thompson and Nick Drake. Of the former, Mathias states: “A voidmaker is a person that wants to be the one missing. If you can’t be the center of attention at the party by showing up, you can be by not showing up at all. The song is also about unconditional love — how hard it is to give, but also to receive.”
62 | 257ers vs. Eskimo Callboy | Hypa Hypa
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Eskimo Callboy surprises us again with another stellar cover of Hypa Hypa. Together with German hip-hop combo 257ers, who hilariously rap their way through the band’s fan-favorite party hit, Eskimo Callboy successfully continue their journey through musical genres.”
63 | Euro Gotit | Take Off (ft. Future, Bangladesh)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Atlanta rapper Euro Gotit adds yet another iconic project to his catalog with 4Reign 4Ever, which boasts galactic features from stars like Future, Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby, DaBaby and more. On the lead single Take Off, Euro collaborates with Future, and the dynamic duo trade high-energy bars about life in the fast lane. The flute-laced track was produced by famed hitmaker Bangladesh (Rihanna, Beyoncé, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber), while the cinematic visual was directed by Cricket (Migos, Usher).”
64 | Kwesi Arthur | Winning (ft. Vic Mensa)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rising Ghanaian superstar Kwesi Arthur releases his single Winning, featuring Chicago rap royalty Vic Mensa. The track is a taste of his forthcoming debut album pencilled for summer. A lilting guitar instrumental building to an explosive, rugged chorus allows the two artists maximum bragging rights, delivering uncut Drill vibes that are sure to resonate at street level from Tema in Ghana to Chicago’s South Side.”
65 | The High Breed | Forgiveness
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “U.K. hip-hop collective The High Breed make their return to the scene with the single Forgiveness, their first release of 2021. The track showcases the collective’s unique style, effortlessly blending conscious, relatable lyricism with hypnotic, trap-infused production and captivating cinematic visuals. The independent DIY collective keep the momentum going with Forgiveness. They say, “Forgiveness is an honest dialogue about what forgiveness truly means to the individual who has done wrong in a world full of self-denial. It is an expression and an acceptance of the ‘shadow self’, a vulnerable confession about the darker nature of our humanity and a poetic discourse on the morality of the human soul, highlighting the battle between virtue and temptation that no person throughout any age has ever been free from.”
66 | Iann Dior | Prospect (Lil Ghost Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Iann Dior releases a remix of his 2020 hit Prospect with Chinese rap superstar Lil Ghost. The remix, produced by KBeaZy and Wheezy, is Lil Ghost’s first foray into the American market. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Texas, Iann Dior (born Michael Ian Olmo) found instant success with the first song he ever wrote. Lil Ghost has been loved by fans for his outstanding singing and songwriting skills and his unique personal style. He undertook singing, lyric and melody writing for his works in 2020.”
67 | Odreii | Muscle
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Odreii is back with another energetic single release from her upcoming album Produced by Pako, Muscle combines horns straight from Cuba with a Latin rhythm driven by a powerful bass that will make you wanna crank the volume in your car just to feel your feet shake. “As a woman I often felt I had to work harder to prove to myself or others that I was strong enough, smart enough or worthy enough to be part of a group, and often I did to the expense of my health even in situations where it wasn’t expected from me. When I wrote Muscle I pictured a girl who had the state of mind I wanted to be in. I set the story on a hot summer day in Havana, Cuba where she is challenged to participate in a car race. She fears no one and remains calm and confident despite being heavily underestimated and teased publicly. She knows her worth and feels has nothing to prove.”
68+69 | J’Moris | Special + Not For Everybody
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Texas rapper and storyteller J’Moris has something for everyone on his new double single. Not For Everybody delivers a boozy R&B/trap love jam, while Special offers a heavy hip-hop banger with masterful hooks. A self-dubbed product of his environment, J’Moris has been drawn to music since he was a young boy. While battling the trials and tribulations of life, he’s always found music to be an unrivaled outlet of expression. During his college venture at Lamar University, he co-founded the organization Tru Misfitz. Continuing to maneuver more into the music industry, Moris found his southern influence played a heavy part in what he does, deeply embedded in his music and persona.”
