POSTS TAGGED : Alterantive

Beev Rations – ‘Mystic Lover’

artworks-000291382026-xwvgs9-original

Based in Santander, Northern Spain, Beev Rations is the musical alter-ego of Alan James, a songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist, with a loving flair for psych-tinged, country & western flavoured folk jams.

Beev Rations introduced his wonderful wares with single ‘The Bigger Tricker’ – which as far as introductions go, you couldn’t ask for more. James’ latest ‘Mystic Lover’ is similarly lovable and in under two minutes, it waltzing its way into your heart with an old-word charm and rootsy blend of Doo Wop, Blues and Country. Filled with warmth, the vocals (and indeed the song itself) swoons with joy as the clip-clop percussion meanders through Everly Brothers-esque heavenly harmonies as guitars twang, shimmer and sparkle. There is something extremely familiar but different and original, brought no doubt by James’ unique and peculiar touch.

‘Mystic Lover’ is warm, charming and hard to resist – an incredibly heartfelt bundle of joy!

You can listen to ‘Mystic Lovers’ below now & if that is to your liking, there’s plenty more where that came from, over here.

Paracutá – ‘We Are’

Album Art

Paracutá are New York City trio Caroline Feldmeier (Vocals, Guitar), Ernesto Lúcar (Vocals, Guitar) & Sean Vinci (Vocals, Drums), whose sound comes from a fusion of Americana, Indie, Power Pop and Post-Punk.

Bring these influences together in one unified sound, the trio’s enviable aim is to distill a sound and a feeling comparable to the adolescent experience of finding that new album you completely wore out listening in your bedroom. Their latest single ‘We Are’ certainly evokes similar emotions and embodies their mission. It is a melodic and swooning cut of americana-tinged indie buoyed with heart swelling melodies. Aided and abetted by a warm organ hum, everything is coated in a mild, warm layer of fuzz and interspersed with buzzing riffs and burrowing basslines which creates the most natural (and finest) environment for tender, open and intimate vocals to win what’s left of your heart over.

You can sample the delights of Paracutá below, with their sublime new single ‘We Are’.

 

Steve Mason returns with ‘Planet Sizes’ & News of a New Album

Steve Mason 2016

Steve Mason is back and is set to release new album Meet The Humans next month.

Following on from the exceptional Monkey Minds In The Devil’s Time (2013) and Boys Outside (2010), Meet The Humans was shaped by Mason’s recent move from London to Brighton. Recorded with Elbow keyboardist and producer Craig Potter, the new record will reportedly move towards a more simple ethic; ‘an album where each song is a separate entity, where there is no great narrative running through it’, while swinging musically across dance, pop, folk, dub, and deep house influences. Coinciding with this most auspicious news, Mason has returned with a first taste of his new album, in the form of ‘Planet Size’. An introspective exploration brimming with optimism and a redemptive tone, ‘Planet Sizes’ slowly unfurls into a beautiful heavenly acoustic melody and climaxing in an enraptured euphoria – a perfect backdrop for his recognizable soft, lilting vocal. Mason delivers again, excelling as always but surely that was never in doubt?

‘Planet Sizes’ is accompanied by an animated video directed by Anna Ginsburg, which you can check out below. Meanwhile, Meet The Humans is out on the 26th February 2016 on Double Six.

The Foetals – ‘Nothing’

Manchester based lo-fi pop outfit The Foetals is the latest project from Jolan Lewis (who also fronts of The Pink Teens, plays in Francis Lung’s (ex WU LYF) band & Aldous RH too – busy guy).

Lewis and his cohorts released their debut LP Meet The Foetals, last week through PNKSLM Recordings, and with that a new single. Entitled ‘Nothing’ – The Foetals new single – is the latest of Lewis’ tunes to convey his preference for fuzz-drenched, ’60s inspired nostalgic garage pop and provides a timely reminder of his finesse and knack for a good pop tune. Irresistible scuzzy fuzz is the name of the game here, allied gloriously by jangly guitars, earworm melodies and muffled drums, to leave us with a retro fest of to allure your ears and warm your heart. Endearing and charming, Lewis makes crafting wonderfully catchy songs seem so simple.

You can check out ‘Nothing’ for yourself below. The debut LP Meet The Foetals, is out now via PNKSLM Recordings on limited edition 12″ vinyl and as a special edition deluxe package. One worth checking out for sure, and not to get lost in a sea of end of year lists.

hdhdhdhd

hdhhdhd

hdhdhdh

Coves return with new single ‘Stormy’, and news of a second album for 2016

2015Coves_Press_RobRegan_031115.hero

Coves have returned with a brand new single ‘Stormy’. Released on 18th December, it is the first track taken from their forthcoming second album, penned for release in March 2016.

It follows the duo’s much vaunted debut album, Soft Friday; one of last year’s high points it was an atmospheric, distinctive and very enjoyable blend of spectral vocals, swirling psychedelia met with sweeping grandeur and dreamy synths. Coves’ new single ‘Stormy’ picks up where the pair left off, retaining the essence that made Soft Friday such a great record. It’s a well honed, thrilling and intoxicating three-minutes where soaring riffs and vocals mingle amid flickers of shimmering psychedelic, some rampaging guitar heroics, rhythmic grooves and plenty of swaggering confidence to boot. An emphatic indication to what we should expect and judging by ‘Stormy’, we’re in for quite the second album from Rebekah Wood and John Ridgard.

You can check out ‘Stormy’ below now. Coves play Servants Jazz Quarters in London on January 28th & their as-yet-untitled second album is penned for release through 1965 Records in March 2016.