Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the best tour announcements from the last seven days and that begins with more huge stadium shows from Coldplay.
After the success of their ‘Music of the Spheres’ stadium tour this summer, the band have revealed that they will return with multiple shows in both Manchester and Cardiff in 2023!
Another artist with new tour dates to reveal this past week was KT Tunstall. Tunstall will be hitting the road hard early next year along with special guest Andy Burrows.
Tunstall’s new album, ‘NUT’, is out September 9th.
Rounding out the tour announcements in our News Report this week are Himalayas who have revealed that they will head out around the UK later this year.
We move our News Report onwards now to the best new releases from the past week. Arctic Monkeys have announced their long-awaited new album, ‘The Car’, will be out October 21st!
Muse debut video for ‘YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IT’S HALLOWEEN’
Muse – ‘YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IT’S HALLOWEEN’
The week saw Muse release new album, ‘WILL OF THE PEOPLE’, on which Matt Bellamy says:
âWill Of The People was created in Los Angeles and London and is influenced by the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world. A pandemic, new wars in Europe, massive protests & riots, an attempted insurrection, Western democracy wavering, rising authoritarianism, wildfires and natural disasters and the destabilization of the global order all informed Will Of The People.
It has been a worrying and scary time for all of us as the Western empire and the natural world, which have cradled us for so long are genuinely threatened. This album is a personal navigation through those fears and preparation for what comes next.â
Muse also debuted the new video for single, ‘YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IT’S HALLOWEEN’, which you can check out above.
Alien Weaponry debut video for ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’
Alien Weaponry – ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’
We continue our News Report with Alien Weaponry who have shared a video for ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ taken from their ‘Tangaroa’ album.
“This was an absolute blast to film! ‘Down The Rabbit Hole’ represents the growth I’ve experienced throughout my life and putting to bed demons from the past. The video captures the meaning well – the broken objects representing said demons. Itâs the rough times in life that make you who you are, as long as you rise above it.” – Lewis de Jong
Ayron Jones debuted new single, ‘Filthy’, this week which you can listen to above.
âWhere Iâm from the word âFilthyâ is used as the highest compliment in the land. It means that you are so good at what you do and who you are that it should be a sin,â shared Jones. âThatâs what was on my mind when I began working on this song. I wanted to celebrate counterculture and promote pride in what means to be considered âdifferent.ââ
This week saw Eva Under Fire reveal the release dates for their highly anticipated debut album, ‘Love, Drugs & Misery’, which will arrive September 23rd.
Thrilled to be sharing the news, lead singer Eva Marie said, âWeâre super excited to finally be releasing our album Love, Drugs & Misery. We canât wait to show you guys the full scope of what weâve been working on for so long. It was kind of a wild ride because when weâd completed the record, we were super proud of it, it was some of our best writing to date, and then the world shut down. Itâs been long-awaited, much-anticipated, and thereâs so much heart and soul in this record. I canât wait for you guys to experience it with us.â
Recent guests on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast guests IOTA returned this week with a new single, ‘Sometimes’.
Speaking about the single, vocalist Jodie Robinson states, âThis song was written about a loved one after a freak accident that I witnessed. It really put everything into perspective and threw me into a realm of gratitude with a whole new found respect for having that person in my life. It’s a love letter to this person and a reminder to appreciate what you have before it’s too late.â
‘Never Felt Before’ is the new single from Final Stair who release debut album, ‘Hope’ on September 30th.
The band comments: â Never Felt Before is about the passionate attraction between two people. It’s about a special moment. You can feel the excitement at first glance. Your hands are starting to sweat and your stomach is tingling. They both have the same overwhelming feelings towards each other that just can’t be described. You’ve just never experienced anything like it.
When we wrote the song, we didn’t have to think twice. We realized very quickly that this song describes the topic of passion very well, as it rushes forward uncompromisingly from start to finish, is incredibly intense and hardly leaves any time to breathe.â
Northern Captives – ‘Every High’
‘Every High’ is the latest track from Northern Captives.
âMusically we wanted this song to push the dynamics to far extremes. We boiled down our verses to just kick, snare, bass, and vocals to match the intimacy of Cook’s lyrics. We kept drum parts very percussive, staying away from unnecessary ringing crashes allowed us to sonically explore low fi and broken textural sounds which would normally have been lost under cymbals.
We allowed the choruses to explode into a rich and dark sounding textural wall featuring distorted guitars and keys that amplified the desperation in the hook line âwhy must every high come down? Wonât you stay around?ââ â Northern Captives
Dohny Jep – ‘Wine And Dine’
Kent-based alternative-rock trio Dohny Jep share new single, ‘Wine And Dine’.
. “Wine and Dine in its purest form is about love. Itâs about those first moments of meeting someone new and the adventures that you are about to go on together, but also those first moments of conflict and how you pull together to get through those harder moments,” says vocalist Pete Herbert.
It always feels like a momentous occasion whenever superstar rockers Muse release a new studio album. The otherworldly act are shrouded in the grandiose with their over the top visual presentations.
âWill of the Peopleâ is the groups ninth studio album and has seen the band mix up their approach slightly with the first glimpse of new music coming on social media in a video filmed in frontman Matt Bellamyâs car. A handful of festival appearances and shows have followed as promotion has been ramped up, but really there hasnât seemed to be the usual sense of anticipation.
That is until the play button is pushed and the opening of âWill of the Peopleâ instantly grabs hold of you and screams that Muse are back! Second track âComplianceâ serves as confirmation that the over the top and grandiose soul of Muse is in full effect.
âLiberationâ shows that âWill of the Peopleâ isnât a one trick pony before âWonât Stand Downâ escalates the intensity as the album continues to ebb and flow. Yes, the various musical identities of Muse are seemingly all present and correct on this all encompassing record.
The hard rocking, symphonic, galactic, political and quite frankly absurd sonic buffet on offer will surely be enough to please Muse fans of all ages. It really does feel like the band have just thrown everything at the wall to see what sticks like a maniacal splatter painter in the midst of a moral breakdown.
âKilled or Be Killedâ, whilst a standout track could also be the bands motto at this point, and there is no way that they will allow themselves to be killed! Sit back, strap yourself in and enjoy the majestic lunacy of Muse at full throttle!
LAURAN HIBBERD – GARAGEBAND SUPERSTAR – ALBUM REVIEW
Lauran Hibberd has spent the past few yearâs releasing a steady stream of singles and playing an endless run of shows and festival slots. During this time she has built a solid following and garnered much praise from those taking notice.
With a firm groundwork beneath her and anticipation high, itâs now time for her to unleash her debut album, âGarageband Superstarâ, and complete her world conquering mission.
Despite that stream of pre-album singles, âGarageband Superstarâ, was always going to be a major hurdle for Hibberd. A debut album for any artist is a statement and whilst there are some famous exceptions, this first impression is often make or break for artists.
LISTEN TO ‘STILL RUNNING (5K)’ FROM LAURAN HIBBERD ON YOUTUBE
Lauran Hibberd – ‘Still Running (5K)’ feat. DJ Lethal
Hibberd manages to navigate this hurdle with ease, with her debut album an all out statement of intent. âGarageband Superstarâ is brash and in your face yet also vulnerable and relatable. This highly accessible thread runs throughout album standouts such as âStill Running (5K)â, âAverage Joeâ and âIâm Insecureâ and adds layers to the pure enjoyability of the album.
Musically the album captures everything that helps Hibberd standout live with a bouncy indie pop vibe making this a very fun record. Lyrically âGarageband Superstarâ is brutally honest and completely unashamed. This combination feels like a winning one, with the early hype now justified and that anticipation more than met.
This is no doubt the first step in a very long and prosperous career for the talented garageband superstar!
Broadcast details and additional guests for the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Show
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with an update on the two Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts scheduled to take place next month in London and Los Angeles.
The two shows promise to deliver a spectacular celebration of the life of the legendary drummer. The already stacked list of special guests joining Foo Fighters grew this week with London additions including the likes of Travis Barker, Justin Hawkins, Brian Johnson and Lars Ulrich.
Those not lucky enough to have tickets were also provided details this week of both livestream and on demand options to watch the London show as below:
A singular piece of festival news in our News Report this week and it comes from Croydon event Cro Cro Land!
Our recent ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast guests BERRIES have joined a packed line-up with the likes of She Drew The Gun, Dream Wife, Bang Bang Romeo, Big Joanie, Wooze, Fraulein and more!
Red Hot Chili Peppers debut new single ‘Tippa My Tongue’
Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Tippa My Tongue’
We move our News Report on now to the best new releases from the past week and where better to start than with the new single from Red Hot Chili Peppers?
The group surprised fans recently with the announcement that new album, ‘Return of the Dream Canteen’, will be released on October 14th.
Now the iconic band have given the first taste of what to expect with new track, ‘Tippa My Tongue’, which you can check out above.
The Struts shared their new single, ‘Fallin’ With Me’, this week, and you can give it a listen above.
âThe songâs lyrics were written down whilst on numerous nights out with someone that I was seeing at the time,â frontman Luke Spiller says. âWe always kept meeting at the same place on the Sunset Strip and after a while I had a collection of phrases and lines that all had a certain feel to them.â
âThe songâs lyrics were written down whilst on numerous nights out with someone that I was seeing at the time,â Spiller says. âWe always kept meeting at the same place on the Sunset Strip and after a while I had a collection of phrases and lines that all had a certain feel to them.â
âFallinâ With Meâ is something that The Struts have never done before. We’ve done a lot of straight-up rock, but this feels different,â Spiller says. âThe response we have been getting while performing it live has been electric, so I’m excited for everyone to hear the studio version!â
As they prepare for the main stage at Reading & Leeds Festivals, DMA’s have shared their brand new single, ‘I Don’t Need To Hide’, which you can check out above.
Guitarist Jonny Took comments: âThereâs a confidence you obtain when you find someone who loves you for all your faults, quirks and obscurities. They make you feel like you donât need to hide anything from anyone anymore.â
The Murder Capital share video for single ‘Only Good Things’
The Murder Capital – ‘Only Good Things’
Our News report continues with news that The Murder Capital have shared the video for their single, ‘Only Good Things’, which you can watch above.
Speaking on the new single, front man James McGovern says,
âThis track for us has been an exciting evolution for the band. Itâs so bright. Itâs so colorful. This is a part of the narrative of the overall record that we feel reaches a real place of inner calm, inner peace but at its core, itâs a love song. You get a song like this where, the protagonist in this song is quite simply asking – not pleading – just willing to ask their counterpart to rid them of their intrusive thoughts, the devils on their shoulders and to be truly vulnerable.
Weâre so excited to go to a place like this because perhaps itâs not what is expected of us. It stood out to me during the creation of this record that it is more about the friends that are still here and celebrating those connections, those relationships and being unafraid of life and itâs many seasons. Where âOnly Good Thingsâ stands within the record is at a moment where the sonic and the lyrical narrative especially, are of newfound joy.â
Beth Orton has shared her new single, ‘Friday Night’, which you can listen to above. The track will feature on new album, ‘Weather Alive’, which is out September 23rd.
Orton states, âFriday Night is someone reflecting on, and trying to decide, what to give up or what to surrender to. Passion or ambivalence? Whether to âbleed or rust in the rain.â
âMost of us are struggling to make sense of where to put the love we have for those that are lost to us, let alone the ones that remain. Sometimes there is no right answer except to find the wisdom in the spaces between the endings and beginnings, in the remembrance of things past or in search of lost time, there are always re-percussions to the choices we make. We are listening to the internal dialogue of someone living it out, what is futile and what is worth fighting for, and trying to do as little damage along the way. Friday night being the night that makes the week more bearable, there is hope.
âComing to realise what is real and what is out of reach can be unbelievably painful, waking up to the love that remains can be the greatest gift and the most wonderful surprise. Even in absence there is presence, there is no escape but to look for where the love is still alive within us.â
As ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist alumni, Liverpool’s Courting prepare to release their debut album, ‘Guitar Music’, on September 23rd, the group have dropped a new single.
You can listen to that single, ‘Jumper’, above.
Speaking on the new single, frontman Murphy-OâNeill says, âJumper is an outlier on the album. It is a gentle story of true unrequited love, meant to playout like a 2006 romcom. It is about growing old and believing everything will fall into place, the mundanity of doing dishes, and leaving oppositional film reviews.â
There was new music on offer this week from The Skinner Brothers, who debuted the title track of their upcoming EP, ‘Lonedon’.
Zac Skinner says, âI wanted the EP to have a mixtape kind of feel. Itâs four different songs which I feel captures the essence of the band at this point.â
You can listen to the track above, and pre-order the EP here.
Many Reading & Leeds performers are sharing new music, another being Witch Fever. The band has debuted their latest single, ‘I Saw You Dancing’, which you can check out above.
The song will feature on their debut album, ‘Congregation’, which is out October 21st.
On the track Amy Walpole says, âThis is a song on the album that weâre really excited about as really itâs the first time weâve written and allowed a song to have space and time to breathe! Weâve been so used to writing quick thrashy tunes it was fun to experiment and write slower ones for the album. We really love the drone of the guitar, the rattle of the bass and the reverb on the snare drum, as well as the vocals being a little more relaxed and expressiveâ.
Speaking on the video Amy adds, âHorror has always been a genre that weâve drawn inspiration from for lyrics and artwork because itâs such a potent and multi-layered genre. Horror has such a potential for holding a mirror up to society to reveal the oppression it continues to uphold. Typical elements of horror include violence, suspense, fear and the abject which are powerful fictional tools to expose the dark underbelly of society. Horror isnât known for being the most progressive or inclusive genre, often centring straight white men, and portraying women and people of colour as either helpless victims, monstrous villains, or a side story to push the male characters plot line forward. Furthermore horror has also historically ignored the existence of marginalised genders and members of the LGBTQ+ community.â
Walpole says on the album, âAs our first album weâre really excited to just get it out there. We feel that itâs a step above what weâve done before as we had a chance to experiment with sound and structure. It was our first opportunity to explore writing a body of work which was challenging but has been so rewarding!â
She continues, âIt pushed our creative process because we also had to think about the songs sitting side by side on an album! We tried to break out of what makes a typical âwitch feverâ song whilst still being true to what makes our sound what it is.â
South London trio PVA have shared a new single titled, ‘Bad Dad’, which you can listen to above. The track comes ahead of new album, ‘Blush’, which is out October 14th.
Speaking on the themes of the single, Ella Harris says âBad Dad explores the internal world of a new father checking in on his son at night, afraid of the lineage of masculinity and how it might impact someone so untainted.â
On their debut album: âWe wanted to surprise people and do something more than just get across how we sound at a gig,â explains drummer Louis Satchell. âItâs quite an anxious record sometimes that is relating to mental health issues and carries within it the anxiety of making an album. Itâs been a rocky ride but we always pick ourselves up.â
The new music continues in our News Report as this week The Beths presented their new single, ‘Knees Deep’, which you can check out above.
The track comes from forthcoming album, ‘Expert In A Dying Field’, which is out September 16th.
Liz Stokes shares: âI’m the kind of person who wants to go swimming, but takes like ten minutes to get all the way into the cold water, slowly and painfully. I hate this about myself, and am kind of envious of people who can just jump straight in the deep end. In a shocking twist, this is also a metaphor?! For how I wish I was the kind of person who was brave and decisive instead of cautious and scared.â
Glasgow’s Humour share their latest single, ‘live and well’.
Frontman Andreas had the following to say about how the song came together:
“Alive and Well came together quite suddenly after a prolonged period of trying to make it work. Jack and Ross had written the bones of the song, and showed it to me with the music in a more or less complete form. They sent me a voice note in which they were muttering along to the music, saying things like âI was so confused, I couldnât understand it. Everyoneâs pissed off at me,â and I could hear laughing, and didnât think they were that serious about those being the lyrics.
Jack then suggested that I scream the lyrics as loudly as I could, which sounded right for the song when I did. I wanted the vocal to sound like somebody drunk and feeling sorry for themselves. I then wrote the lyrics to the chorus, which are loosely about getting away from a place and a feeling, but sensing that you wonât ever manage to.”
Dog Race – ‘Terror’
Bedford’s Dog Race have shared their debut single, ‘Terror’.
Vocalist Katie Healy had the following to say about the themes behind the single:
“Terror was written during a time of DPDR and anxiety episodes where I would frequently wake up screaming in the night due to night terrors. I tried to encapsulate something that spoke of a period of turmoil but important growth in my early 20âs, an experimental experience where I thought if Iâd embrace these night terrors instead of hiding from them in the hope I could put them to rest completely.”
Young Fatigue – ‘love/them’
Punk trio Young Fatigue return with their latest single, ‘love/them’.
âlove/them is a protest song against the parents of LGBTQ+ children who fail to accept and embrace their kids. It’s something that particularly enrages me because I remember when my mum came out to me and my siblings when I was a teenager. We found it so overwhelmingly easy to embrace and celebrate her; after all, she was our mum.
Yet time and time again I’ve watched as the families of my friends have failed to accept their sexuality and/or gender identity. My mumâs also an artist and kindly allowed us to use one of her wonderful pieces for the songâs artwork. She created it during a particularly difficult stage in her life and we felt it perfectly represented the power of turning something dark into something truly beautiful.â – Ash Dixon (Lead singer and Guitarist)
Pale Waves only released their second album last year, but with momentum in their favour they are back already with album number three. âWho Am I?â was a huge release for the band, taking them to number three in the charts and taking them into larger venues and bigger festival slots.
Eighteen months later and the band are ready to capitalise on their hard work and push for greater success. With a date already set for the legendary Brixton Academy this November, could new album, âUnwantedâ, be set to push them into arenas?
Well, opening with the epic, âLiesâ, is a very good start for the album, and the pace doesnât really ease as the group let their pop punk side out!
Across their three albums the band has now shown strong evolution and confidence in creating an eclectic mix of sounds. That being said each album has been distinctively a Pale Waves album with a familiar sonic undertone throughout.
With Heather Baron-Gracie at the helm their sound continues to feature an uplifting element despite the often dark and personal themes. This album fits a continued narrative of relatable music which helps to create a strong connection between band and listener.
Tracks such as âThe Hard Wayâ, âJealousyâ and âReasons To Liveâ have given a accurate view into the make-up of âUnwantedâ as a whole. If youâve enjoyed the pre-release singles then youâll love this uninterrupted tour de force of an album.
If âWho Am I?â was the album to put Pale Waves on the map, then âUnwantedâ is raising their flag aloft and stating their ambitions for world domination!
KASABIAN – THE ALCHEMIST’S EUPHORIA – ALBUM REVIEW
To say that Kasabianâs seventh studio album, âThe Alchemistâs Euphoriaâ, comes with a burden of added pressure would probably be an understatement. When one of the biggest bands in the country loses an iconic member then eyes will naturally be on what comes next, this is amplified when that iconic member is the singer!
Not to mention that itâs the nature of the world that we live in that those eyes watching are bound to be highly critical. No doubt, there will be many looking on and hoping to see Kasabian fail for various reasons.
Thankfully for the band they have already taken the time out to prove the doubters wrong in the live setting, with the band confirming that they are still one of the best live acts on the scene, the question is now turned to their studio output.
One of the reasons for Kasabianâs success over the years has been their adaptability and willingness to experiment. This works in their favour when reflecting on âThe Alchemistâs Euphoriaâ, as whilst it doesnât give the band a free pass it certainly allows extra freedom to explore their sound.
With guitarist Serge Pizzorno moving to the vacated lead vocals position, some clearly wondered if he would take the band down the more electronic route of his SLP side project. Alternatively would the band return to their early sound or maybe just continue on the path of 2017âs âFor Crying Out Loudâ.
The answer here is the one that probably shouldâve been expected from the start â all of the above!
You can certainly feel the Pizzorno influence taking a bigger hold, there are nods to the early lad-rock leanings of the band and there are some playful festival favourites the likes of which emerged from the albums predecessor.
To an extent this is clearly Kasabian pressing the reset button. With âThe Alchemistâs Euphoriaâ, the band has reassured fans that the past isnât forgotten but the future remains one of exploration just as it would of done.
This album does what it needs to do to shore up the ship, but it almost leaves you now asking whatâs next. This isnât a forgettable album but it is a cleansing album to purge the difficulties of recent years and set up whatâs to come.
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report, where we roundup the best news from the past week. We start this week with the latest tour announcements, including the above from The Hunna!
Having just revealed the details of their upcoming new self-titled album, the band have now scheduled in a lengthy UK Tour for later this year. Support comes from Kid Kapichi and Lucy Deakin.
‘Trash’, the lead single from the new album kicks things off by giving the music industry both barrels, taking pot-shots at the execs who told them âTikTok, TikTok or else you get droppedâ.
âWeâre not calling anyone specific out,â explains Ryan. âitâs just overall industry suckiness. It highlights things weâve experienced in the industry over the years and things we see going on and hear about now. Thereâs a lot of bad shit that still goes on in the industry and a lot of it gets swept under the rug. But weâre in the position where weâre on our fourth album, we feel refreshed and confident and this is what weâre going to say. You either like it or you donât, itâs cool either way. We are who we are.â
Speaking of lengthy tours, Blossoms will truly be putting the work in at the end of this year with the above trek around the UK. With shows already starting to sell out, these aren’t ones to sit on.
Nile Rodgers & Chic announces End of Summer Parties
The legendary Nile Rodgers and Chic have announced two massive concert appearances at the iconic London venue O2 Academy Brixton, on Monday 19th September 2022 as well as a second show at O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester on the 21st of September.
Nile Rodgers said, âAfter the blues of Covid weâve had an incredible summer in the UK getting up front and close with all of our incredible fans. What better way to celebrate the last day of summer and the first day of autumn than with our final UK shows of the year at Brixton and Manchester. We want to invite all the Lionesses whoâve made the whole country so proud to get up on stage for what will truly be Good Times!â
Black Honey this week announced a special one-off show at OMEARA in London. The band has teased the show as the beginning of their new era. Tickets have already sold out, for more info check here.
Another band with new tour dates to reveal as we continue our News Report is none other than The Wonder Years, who will hit the UK this November!
Speaking of the tour, frontman Dan ‘Soupy’ Campbell, says “Fun Fact: Weâve been touring the UK longer than anywhere in the world, including the US. This year marks 15 years since our first UK tour and the memories weâve madeâfrom playing literal basements up to Alexandria Palaceâhave been and continue to be some of our most treasured. So itâs with an immeasurable joy that we get to tell you today that, for the first time since 2019, weâre doing a headlining UK tour this November. We canât wait to play everything for youânew stuff from THGOF, old favourites, the whole damn thing.”
A single piece of festival news in our News Report this week and it comes from Manchester event Neighbourhood Festival.
The festival has revealed a second wave of acts including Pastel, Himalayas, Michael Gallagher, Planet, Rats, Rosellas, and Youth Sector.
They join the already announced The Snuts, Everything Everything, Sundara Karma, Baby Queen, Lauran Hibberd, Louis Dunford, Stone, Ten Tonnes, The Goa Express, The Royston Club, The Skinner Brothers and Courting!
We move our News Report onwards now to the best new releases from the past week and we begin with Slipknot.
The band continue to prepare for their upcoming album, ‘The End, So Far’, which is out September 30th. This week the band debuted new track, ‘Yen’, which you can listen to above.
Another massive rock act with new music this past week is Alter Bridge. The band shared their latest track, ‘Silver Tongue’, which you can listen to above.
The song will feature on upcoming album, ‘Pawns & Kings’, which is out October 14th.
This week also saw IDLES debut the video for their track, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’.
Speaking on the video, directors Charlotte Gosch and the bandâs own Lee Kiernan explain, âThe process of making the video was very fulfilling for the both of us as we were able to physically create what we were imagining. Both the masks and shapes were handmade and painted by ourselves and friends.
Working with our DOP Rob French we were also able to realise the long shots of each verse and the opening scene of the dancers. We both love the exhaustive and immediate feeling that a long shot can convey, like in Gus Van Santâs Gerry, which we referenced quite literally.
The initial idea of the video was to try and visualise the monotony hell of having to work to survive and how the âmachineâ eventually engulfs you and strips you of your freedoms. But we wanted to achieve this in a metaphorical way that kept the meaning as open as possible. So it becomes rather a visual representation that can be read in many different ways.”
There was also new music from LIFE this week as they debuted new single, ‘Duck Egg Blue’, which you can check out above.
The track will feature on new album, ‘North East Coastal Town’, which is out on August 19th.
Speaking on the new release vocalist Mez says: ââDuck Egg Blueâ is a realist’s love song. The journey of trying to navigate through each otherâs feelings and emotions, the strains of close quarters trapped in a tiny flat, the minutiae of everyday life. The overarching sentiment is that no matter what happens, after all that is said and done, we love each other, and we are there for each other.â
Pet Needs debut new single ‘Fear for the Whole Damn World’
Pet Needs – ‘Fear for the Whole Damn World’
‘Discover’ New Music Playlist alumni now, and Pet Needs have shared their brand new single, ‘Fear for the Whole Damn World’, which you can listen to above.
The track comes ahead of new album, ‘Primetime Entertainment’, which is out September 9th.
Fellow previous ‘Discover New Music Playlist members Oakman have also released new music this week. You can listen to new single, ‘All The Way Up’, above.
About the song, the band says, ââAll The Way Upârepresents this long journey in a life between fear, hesitation and the desire to never stop going further. Since we were born, we all have dreams that we never stop fighting for. For which we will always be regarded as an alien by others because we are often misunderstood and not supported. And when everything else gets in the way, it’s often psychologically hard to continue to find strength. But every day is a new day and every day brings a new strength to keep going all the way up.â
The Lounge Society have shared new track, ‘Upheaval’, the latest track to be taken from their upcoming debut album ‘Tired of Liberty’, out August 26th.
The band comments, “Upheaval has a calmer atmosphere than anything weâve done before and looking back on the album as a whole, it may in fact be one of the most important tracks on there. In the studio Dan [Carey, producer] really helped us bring a certain vintage feel to life – with deep textured acoustic guitars, heavily impacted by the ambient room mixing we focused on in the closing stages of the album. This song, more than anything else weâve ever done, feels like us together as four mates playing a song that we love.â
Grave Goods – ‘Source’
Grave Goods have shared their new single, âSourceâ, taken from debut album ‘TUESDAY. NOTHING EXISTS.’, which is out 9th September.
On the track, drummer Sarah Grimes said, âThis was the second song we wrote. It was written on drums and guitar first, we wanted it to be really minimal in the verse with drums and vocals and contrasted with louder choruses with the guitar and drums working together with bass added later. When we were structuring the song we took the guitar line from the chorus and used it as the intro to hook people in.
When we wrote the song initially, I had a mic set up beside me and I whispered âha haâ at the end of each bar during the verses. Those were dropped as we started to play the song live but while we were recording we decided to add it back in – me whispering âHa Haâ on my tiptoes trying to reach Loisâ mic.â
ENOLA – ‘Strange Comfort’
Melbourne-based singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist ENOLA, sharesnew single âStrange Comfortâ.
ENOLA says of the track, âThere is a comfort in knowing that suffering can be a universal experience. We are alone, yet together in our aloneness.â
On the accompanying video they say, âIn the film I am not playing a role or character & Iâm not playing myself as I am today. I am looking back at a past self and a time & place gone. A time of fearlessness, hopelessness & rebellion.â
Youâll likely have seen The Interrupters name gracing many festival bills over the past five years. You may also have noticed their name moving higher and higher up those line-up posters. Yes, there has been a slow but meaningful buzz building around the band for a while now.
It hasnât been overnight success for the band and new album, âIn The Wildâ, is their fourth album; their debut self-titled release coming in 2014. As with many bands the pandemic came at the worst time as far as career momentum is concerned, with the hype surrounding The Interrupters fully taking hold.
Now then is probably the ideal time for the band to release a new album and get back on that horse, there has also never been a better time than now for you to jump on the bandwagon!
âIn The Wildâ sets its stall out early with âAnything Was Betterâ and âAs We Liveâ which features Tim Armstrong and Rhoda Dakar. This is another anthemic riot of ska punk that will grab you by the hand and pull you onto the dancefloor.
Musically this album is packed full of the upbeat ska infused punk that has garnered The Interrupters such attention. They really do seem to have perfected a mix of these genres that works to elevate that basic punk sound without reaching the potentially comical capabilities of ska.
Lyrically this a personal, unshackling record in which singer Aimee liberates her troubled past. It can be tricky to tackle difficult subjects whilst pumping out ska punk, but on âIn The Wildâ, Aimee and the Bivona brothers have managed to do so faultlessly.
There isnât a bad song on this album and too many highlights to bother listing. Realistically the best thing for you to do, is go and find âIn The Wildâ and press play. You won’t regret the time spent savouring these incredible songs and you will get to jump on that bandwagon just before the band takes that final leap to superstardom!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report, where we roundup the best news from the past week. This week we start off with tour announcements and the above run of dates from You Me At Six.
The band will be joined by Waterparks, The Maine and Bears In Trees for the tour that finishes up at Alexandra Palace in London.
The fantastic Beans On Toast this week revealed another lengthy trek around the UK for early next year.
Speaking about the upcoming tour Beans says:
âFolk music is an age-old art form, and itâs more relevant than ever in these wild and crazy modern times. You can expect an inspiring and entertaining gig, a relaxed and fun affair that leaves you feeling like you’ve met up with an old friend, and you’re all the better for it.â
Kodaline have announced a special intimate run of UK shows in support of their forthcoming stripped-back live album ‘Our Roots Run Deep’, out October 14th.
Speaking about the tour the band say, âWe canât wait to be back in the UK to bring you some super intimate shows to celebrate the release of Our Roots Run Deep with some of our favourite Independent Music stores around the country. These will be some of the smallest shows weâve done in a long time and we cannot wait to see you there.â
Marking the announcement they have also released the new single âWherever You Areâ taken from the album. You can check it our below.
Kodaline – ‘Wherever You Are’
Regarding âWherever You Areâ vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Steve Garrigan says, ââWherever You Areâ is a song I originally wrote as a present for my girlfriend. Itâs a newer song from our fourth album One Day At A Time. Itâs connected with a lot of people around the world and has been fun to play live at festivals and full band shows. It was great to hear the crowd singing along to this acoustic version in such an intimate setting. Itâs a moment we wonât forget.â
Continuing about the album the band say, âThis album is something weâve wanted to do for a very long time, itâs also something entirely new to us. Itâs a stripped-down acoustic show with no click, which basically means, itâs very raw and unfiltered. We wanted to try and capture the energy and atmosphere of the night as best we could. It was an intimate show recorded in one of our favourite venues in the world, in Dublin City at home in Ireland. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed playing it.â
Burn It Down Festival adds Wargasm as special guests
Our News Report turns now to festivals and Torquay event Burn It Down, who this week added Wargasm as special guests.
They join a stunning line-up featuring Trash Boat, Deaf Havana, Static Dress, Our Hollow Our Home, Cassyette, VUKOVI, Tigercub, Death Blooms, As December Falls, Salem, Haggard Cat, IOTA and many more!
Smith/Kotzen announce new release ‘Better Days… And Nights’
Smith/Kotzen – ‘Hate and Love’ (Live)
New music releases now as our News Report continues. We start with the Smith/Kotzen collaboration and their news this week that they will be releasing ‘Better Days… And Nights’ on September 16th!
The release will comprise five previously unreleased live tracks, plus for the first time ever on CD, the four studio tracks featured on their sold out, limited edition 12â vinyl EP, ‘Better Days’, released in conjunction with Record Store Day in November 2021.
Adrian Smith comments, âI think everyone in the band was extremely happy with how our very first tour turned out. We were all naturally a little anxious as weâd never played live together before but once we got out there, everything fell into place really easily and we all had a tremendous amount of fun. I canât wait until we can do it again and get to play in many more places next time round.â
Richie Kotzen adds, âWe spent a lot of time discussing which of the songs from the live show to include on this CD. We wanted to capture an accurate snapshot of the special vibe we all felt on the tour and I think weâve achieved this in the songs weâve selected, and hope our fans will agree. Weâre looking forward to seeing everybody again on future tours.â
The Hunna have announced their brand new self-titled album to be released on October 28th. The album is preceded by new single, ‘Trash’, which you can listen to above.
âWe had so much fun writing the lyrics,â recalls vocalist and guitarist Ryan Potter. âAll of us were together, joking around and letting loads out. Even though it has got an angst to it, we donât take life too seriously, weâre just having fun.
âWeâre not calling anyone specific out, itâs just overall industry suckiness. It highlights things weâve experienced in the industry over the years and things we see going on and hear about now. Thereâs a lot of bad shit that still goes on in the industry and a lot of it gets swept under the rug. But weâre in the position where weâre on our fourth album, we feel refreshed and confident and this is what weâre going to say. You either like it or you donât, itâs cool either way. We are who we are.â
Charlotte Wessels shares new single ‘Human To Ruin’
Charlotte Wessels – ‘Human To Ruin’
Charlotte Wessels will release her new album, ‘Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II’ on October 7th. This week saw Wessels share the second single from the album, ‘Human To Ruin’, which you can check out above.
On the song, Charlotte comments,
âWith ‘Human To Ruin’ I wanted to make a song that has an old school symphonic feel to it, but at the same time doesnât get too polished or âprettyâ to reflect the theme of the track. The vocal processing on the choruses is inspired by 90âs grunge and the instrumental middle part gives off something psychedelic, all in all itâs quite eclectic.
Thematically, the words in ‘Human To Ruin’ are the things you say to yourself when you feel undeserving of love, or when you feel like you want love just for selfish reasons. I felt compelled to indulge in this feeling without nuancing it, because when you exaggerate a feeling like that, or make it larger than life in a song, it allows you to shout out the frustration on the one hand but it also reminds you that it is probably not all THAT bad in reality.â
Next in our News Report, we head to The Wonder Years, who continue to build towards their new album, ‘The Hum Goes On Forever’, which is released on September 23rd.
This week the band shared their latest single, ‘Low Tide’, which you can listen to above.
“This is my pandemic depression song. I feel like everyone gets one.”. The Wonder Years vocalist Dan Campbell describes the band’s new song out today with unflinching honesty.
“Itâs searching for some semblance of normalcy through small, newly formed rituals. Itâs being unsure if Iâll ever get to do the thing I love again, if live music will ever come back. Itâs deciding to just give up and then deciding not to give up and then deciding to give up again in alternating intervals. Itâs watching old movies and unconsciously thinking âOh my god, where are your masks?â when people are in public places because a deep anxiety now exists within me that may never fully leave. You know, all the normal stuff.”
Glaswegian rockers Gun have this week released a brand new version of their seminal single, ‘Word Up’, which you can listen to above.
Itâs the latest track to be cut from their upcoming album, âThe Calton Songsâ, out 14th October.
Jools Gizzi says of the album:
âWhen the pandemic hit we realised that it was the perfect time to try and counteract the bleakness that was all around. It felt like we couldnât write anything, or of course tour. Out of that darkness came a desire to completely rework these songs that we know the fans love, and bring a different, stripped down vibeâ.
Whilst Dante Gizzi adds:
âItâs ironic that those feelings of negativity led to something so positive, a celebration of our career up to nowâ.
noyou have shared the first single, ‘The Way You See Me’, from their upcoming debut EP, ‘This Game We Started’!
“‘The Way You See Me’ tells a story of long lost relationships and their eventual reunion, from the perspective of a not so perfect person. Friends, Family & lovers, will things be the same after time has had its way with us? Or has the distance changed us too much?â- NOYOU front man Connor Jobes.
Final Stair – ‘Headgames’
Final Stair release their very intimate single, ‘Headgames’.
The band comments: âIstvan, the band’s singer, fell into a severe life crisis a few years ago and suffered from extreme panic attacks and an intense anxiety disorder that took complete control of his body, soul and everyday life. He was guided only by the fear of fear. This vicious circle ended in alcohol and depression and in mind games that made him a helpless person. He developed into a small, helpless boy who could no longer cope with his life.
This song tells the story of this disease on the one hand, but also contains the strength to overcome it and to learn to live with it. With this song, the band wants to draw attention to the fact that there are many people among us who suffer from depression and similar illnesses. With “Headgames” they want to say: you are not alone!â
Oxbowlake – ‘Louis Theroux’
Oxbowlake unleash their latest track, ‘Louis Theroux’, on the world.
“Our latest single âLouis Therouxâ was released Friday 22nd July.
We wrote it in lockdown 2020 and it was inspired by the thought of partners not coping spending too much time together and arguing over watching too much TV! When some of their most magical moments were probably snuggled up watching TV together!
Recorded and produced by George Marriot of Pet Needs and includes group chants of âTheroux Therouxâ by Johnny Marriot, their partners and ourselves.”
THE KOOKS – ’10 TRACKS TO ECHO IN THE DARK’ – ALBUM REVIEW
The Kooks have been busy celebrating their seminal debut album, âInside In/Inside Outâ, on recent tours, but they are a nostalgia act just yet!
New record, ’10 Tracks to Echo in the Darkâ, is the groupâs sixth studio album, which isnât the most prolific discography but is on par with most of their contemporaries. What the band has done however is deliver consistency with each of their previous efforts showcasing their talents well.
Over the course of these releases The Kooks have evolved sonically and the differences between that debut and this latest release are clear. ’10 Tracks to Echo in the Darkâ features the bands now signature expansive sound and bursts straight to life with opening track âConnectionâ.
At just over half an hour this isnât a long album, which I feel helps it maintain the listeners attention. There is much ground broken on the record, now that youâre really expecting or wanted experimentation from The Kooks in 2022. That said there is enough here to fend off that nostalgia scene for a little longer.
The band do appear to have found their groove which is far removed now from the sound that broke them into the mainstream. Of course, those songs still exist and feature heavily in their live shows but if you are expecting another âInside In/Inside Outâ from The Kooks youâll be disappointed.
Expectation therefore is key when approaching ’10 Tracks to Echo in the Darkâ, something which the slightly ostentatious title does assist with. This was never going to be the so called âclassicâ Kooks sound.
Thatâs not a bad thing though and this isnât a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, it just needs a little perspective. The album isnât a bad way to spend half an hour, but it wonât leave much of a lasting impression either.
