DATE ARCHIVES : March 2017

Public Service Broadcasting announce new album; share ‘Progress’

PSB_PressShots_2017_Retouched-8218_Web

Two years on from the release their wonderful second album The Race For Space, Public Service Broadcasting are back!

Their return is marked by news of a new album Every Valley; which shines a light on the mining industry in Wales. The album, out in July, is previewed by new single ‘Progress’ featuring vocals from Tracyanne Campbell of Scottish heroes Camera Obscura. It is euphoric, bright and dreamy, building toward a triumphant climax filled with horns and layers of beautiful vocals. Campbell’s voice sits perfectly alongside the band’s signature studious, sampling retro-futuristic motifs and crisp synths. Few, if any act, garner as much excitement around news of a new album as much as Public Service Broadcasting – and taking a listen to the new single below, its easy to understand why.

Every Valley will be released in July and you can listen to ‘Progress’ below.

Introducing: Gadget and the Cloud

gadget-and-the-cloud

Gadget and the Cloud is the moniker of Cork-based producer Kelly Doherty.

The Cork native has a clear preference for the experimental, pushing electronic sounds into ever more interesting settings. Despite the relatively youthful age of the project, the diversity of sound on display from her releases to date, is rather breathtaking. This is the sound of after hours and early mornings; peaceful, reflective and sombre. Doherty’s latest effort ‘And I Told You Something True’, is a jittery, fluttery and angular listen that is both serene and spectral – and ultimately entirely hypnotic. Debut track ‘3600 Seconds’ is just over two minutes of sinister ambience, floaty synth stabs that render the track both disturbing yet upbeat, with its bright hooks and ravey undertones subverted by a general awkwardness. While equally as captivating, ‘You Asked Me Who I Was’ is more in the instrumental hip hop vein. Plenty of quality to delve into here and hopefully plenty more to come soon.

You can check out some choice experimental sounds below. Gadget and the Cloud is playing Open Ear Festival on the June Bank holiday on Sherkin Island – tickets/details here.

The Cats Never Sleep – ‘Wide Open’

14606422_1218081631591515_1258871299908479474_n

‘Wide Open’ is the second track lifted from The Cats Never Sleep‘s debut full length, Massage, released last month through Le Pop Club Records.

The Swiss five-piece’s sound pulls from are wide and varied source of influences, ranging from German Krautrock to progressive pop to Fela Kuti. It’s a brew that translates into groovy, funky, laid-back and loungey lo-fi indie/psych-tinged jams. This loungey vibe is joined by lazy, dreamy and jangly instrumentals, and chilled vocals imbued with a beautiful lethargy. A perfect companion to kicking back and enjoying some sunshine.

Check out ‘Wide Open’ below (the video is fun) and if it is to your liking, The Cats Never Sleep’s debut LP Massage is streaming here.

Bad Sea – ‘Tell Me (What I Mean)’

16903432_1789045158088594_5144598714813823214_o-930x930

Dublin-based duo Bad Sea return with their glorious new single ‘Tell Me (What I Mean)’.

The stellar nature of the new track will come as no surprise to anyone who had the good fortune to get acquainted with previous, equally stunning tracks, ‘Solid Air’ & ‘I’d Want You’. The swooning new one from Bad Sea – aka Ciara Thompson and Alan Farrell – is a mix of retro Americana-tinged jangle and exquisite pop finesse. Beautifully infectious, it shuffles along a groovy drum beat stabs of guitar and impressive  pop melodies, while the soaring, scale-shifting vocal from Thompson elevate the song to new euphoric heights. ‘Tell Me (What I Mean)’ is utterly compelling craft and resembles a cross between Tennis and one Anna Calvi at the peak of their prowess.

‘Tell Me (What I Mean)’ is out now & you can listen to it & emotive double a-side companion ‘Over My Head’ below.

Bad Sea play Mistake #3 at The Hut, Phibsboro alongside Beauty Sleep & Shrug Life on Friday, March 24. Kick off @ 8pm & €6 door tax.

Girlpool announce new album, Powerplant, share ‘123’

girlpool

On May 12th, Philly-based outfit Girlpool will make their return with a new LP, Powerplant. The album follows their brilliant 2015 debut, Before the World Was Big, and sees Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker joined by a full band.

Heralding this auspicious news is lead single ‘123’, which shows off this new dynamic, complimenting their stripped back guitar-and-bass approach. ‘123’ opens like a lot of other Girlpool song, with a slow, muted and watery-sounding guitar melody before the drums kick in. With that, it bursts into a life, in full colour. Yet, it is still the vocal harmonies which provide their edge. Imbued with a vulnerable, angst-ridden tone, it and the woozy, undulating quality compliments the dreamlike imagery perfectly.

As mentioned above, Girlpool’s much-anticipated Powerplant is out May 12th, via new label home ANTI- Records. For now, check out lead track ‘123’, along with the video.

Girlpool have also announced a pile of North American tour dates, hopefully some shows on this side of the Atlantic will follow soon.

 

The Fine Lines – ‘Gold’

gold

The Fine Lines are indie-rock foursome – John, Ben, Justin & Zach – from Madison, NJ.

The quartet’s debut offering is single, ‘Gold’; a glowing piece of classic indie-rock. Opening in a down-tempo, moody and somewhat melancholic fashion, it quickly shifts through the gears, burning guitars in tow, surging toward a crest of anthemic choruses. Mammoth as the anthemic surges are, ‘Gold’ manages to remain rather personal and intimate. There are shades of Idlewild, The Charlatans & late ’90s/early ’00s Bunnymen on show here; not a bad trio of acts to be name-checking whatsoever.

The Fines Lines have afforded us a magnificent first introduction and hopefully there will be more in the way of music, sooner rather than later.

‘Gold’ is out now. Listen to it below.

Zefur Wolves – ‘Stars of Omaha’ (A Tribute to John Trudell)

SoO 1400x1400

Revolving around the twin talents of Cian Ciaran from Super Fury Animals and Estelle from Baby Queens, Zefur Wolves have returned following a two year absence.

The Welsh outfit’s return is marked by new single ‘Stars of Omaha’; their first new music since their wonderful self-titled debut in 2015. The single is a tribute to Native American author, poet, actor, musician, and political activist, John Trudell, with all proceeds going to The Standing Rock Foundation.

‘Stars of Omaha’ continues in a similar vein to that of their debut LP, with a clear preference for creating powerful, emotive and politically tinged shoegazey-grunge. Imbued with a sense of awe and mysticism, a swirl of mellow, atmospheric sound surrounds Estelle’s impassioned vocal, which in turn is greeted by stripped-back bass and guitar, that gradually evolve heavier and louder. The chunky guitar chords are tempered by languid drumbeat as feint layers of vocal sustain a sense of otherworldly atmosphere and spirit. A wonderful political themed, shoegaze and psychedelic waltz.

You can check out ‘Stars of Omaha’ below or purchase from here; with all proceeds from the song will go to The Standing Rock Foundation. Buy it here.

John Wesley Coleman III – ‘Shovel’

5207

Texas-bred John Wesley Coleman, a self-professed ‘trash poet’, has cultivated a rep as one of the most preeminent and distinct artists on the US indie scene, since the ’90s.

Arguably, he’s made his biggest splash with psych garage five-piece Golden Boys but that would be to do his solo work a great disservice. The latest instalment, new album Microwave Dreams, was released last month and it captures exactly what John Wesley Coleman III is all about.

Coleman’s songs boasts a canny knack for witty storytelling and turn of phrase, none-more-so than the album’s opener, ‘Shovel’. An impassioned stomper driven by scratchy guitars, fuzz, whirring alarm and steady backbeat, it finds a balance between frayed-cuff wit and earnest sentimentality. There’s a weariness to Coleman’s voice – disenchanted and tired – all he do is laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. It’s gritty, catchy and passionate, and imbued by a real devil-may-care attitude, it a wonderful intro to John Wesley Coleman III’s new record.

You can listen to ‘Shovel’ below & be sure to check out the album, Microwave Dreams, here.