Over the period of lockdown (and I admit even before that) I’ve been sent a variety of singles/songs/demos for my listening pleasure. Unfortunately, some don’t get past the delete button (not always because they are… well, you know) but because I’m overwhelmed and don’t have the headspace to deal with them.
Over the last couple of weeks when I was on holiday in between day trips (avoiding the crowds and sweating masses) and decorating, I filtered out some of them….
Katherine Aly – God Breed
Following up her previous singles, The Skin I’m Made of, Sunny Days and Misty Me, this time around the silkily angelic-voiced Katherine Aly serves up a slice of absorbing brooding electronica with her latest single, God Breed. This moody backdrop provides an ideal partner for the intriguing lyrics delivered in an equally enthralling way in Katherine’s own inimitable mesmerising manner, like laying her soul bare for all.
The lyrics paint pictures of lows “Getting harder to believe, the more you hurt the more you bleed, In silence is where everybody’s screaming.” but it isn’t a tale of despair, it is one of resilience and never giving up. “Start again” she implores before adding “We are incomplete, but our blaze is still so frantic”. Exquisite.
Katherine Aly Website
Streaming/Download options
Minerva Wakes – Tell Me
Staying with electronica, feisty punk sisters, Jo and Nicky of dirty noisy bass and attitude heavy punk duo The Twistettes are about to release the latest fruits of their labours revealing their new project, Minerva Wakes with their darkly sinister debut single Tell Me.
Musically, this might be far removed from The Twistettes, but this forebodingly dark and intense trip hop tune it is no less edgy or bruising for it. If God Breed is brooding, this is evocatively menacing. As the blast of distorted electronic noise grabs your attention from the off and the haunting vocals reel you in helplessly like the call of the siren, there is no escape.
I can’t wait for more. Expect a full-length album, “Mirrored Moon” at some point.
Minerva Wakes – Facebook/Twitter
Deer Leader – Four Deuces
On the subject of haunting, the latest single from Deer Leader, Four Deuces scribed as just that. A gentle hum builds slowly before the evocative vocal slips gently into your psyche backed by plaintive piano. The vocal gradually increases in timbre and volume taking on an almost gothic tone as the melody builds and layers majestically to its zenith ultimately blending emotive sax, crashing cymbals and a mêlée of vocals to an impressive climax.
Deer Leader – Facebook
Garlands – Happy
On the face of it a more upbeat track comes from Garlands. Happy is their fourth single in as many months and on first listen, I had a Blur type vibe going on in my head but with a Beatles type influence on the vocal. The lyrics revealed this to possibly be an astute assumption, “I was Paul and you were John” sings Gordon.
The melody and rhythm are fairly upbeat in even if the lyrics reveal it not to be as positive as the title suggests with the questioning chorus “Are you happy with me? Are you pleased?” If I was to make other comparisons, I could also suggest elements of The Bluetones, but if they had been mixing with grungier US alt-rock bands like Pixies.
Garlands were headlining the last gig I was at before lockdown, but I had to leave before they hit the stage to do a pickup. Little did I know at that time it would be the last opportunity to see live bands for an age. I shall remedy that at the earliest opportunity.
Garlands – Facebook
Rubyhorse – Punchdrunk
Another tenuous link then. The Beatles. Or more specifically, George Harrison (I now need to make a reference to Ringo somewhere…). Rubyhorse is a band from Cork who formed in the 1990s after moving to America, they released an album “Rise” in 2002.
OK, I hear you ask. Why is this in a singles round up for Summer 2020? And what has it got to do with George Harrison?
Here goes. George Harrison recorded a slide guitar part for the track, Punchdrunk, which was an album track on the aforementioned album. The band parted with their label, Island, and split up after a further album before the track ever got released as a single.
During the pandemic, the band (who haven’t performed together for 17 years and live in the USA, Netherlands and Ireland) re-recorded their own parts and mixed with Harrison’s original slide guitar part record in 2002 in his own home, Friar Park Studio, Henley in Thames.
The resultant song is a mainly acoustic and piano based touchingly beautiful ballad, of course showcasing the melancholic slide guitar of said Beatle. So not only a beautiful tune, but featuring a piece of history, one of George Harrisons last recordings.
Rubyhorse – Facebook
Knifebear – Idiot Death Smile
From the sublime to the, well, fuzzy.
To quote the press release “Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had a snare, Fuzzy Wuzzy also had a sh*tload of effects pedals so was, in fact, very fuzzy, contrary to previous reports.”
It is a fairly accurate description of the knifebear demo that I found attached to the e-mail. All one minute and 56 seconds of it.
What hit me when I pressed play was a furious ball of raw, fuzzy, visceral energy from Chloë Ní Dhúada, Eric Farrell, Danni Nolan, and León Ó Gríofa, previously plying their trade as Mother Mooch. The vocals at times resembling a hollering PJ Harvey at her early angry best. I loved it, so I pre4ssed play again. And again.
Unfortunately, the album is delayed, like many others, due to the effects of COVID 19. I’ll be keeping my ear to the ground for more news from the band and hear more of their fuzzy wuzzy world of effects pedals.
Emperor of Ice Cream – Everyone Looks So Fine
I don’t know if it is called the “Power of Dreams effect” but since I published a review of their long-awaited new single, my inbox has been battered with submissions from Ireland.
And long may it continue if they come in the form of “Everyone Looks So Fine” from Emperor of Ice Cream which was released in June.
This is a slab of electrically charged power pop that brings sunshine to the dreariest and wettest of summer days. The indie power pop sensibilities bolstered by crunching guitars for the feelgood refrain. From knowing friends from Ireland, “fine” is a mighty compliment. This song sounds mighty fine to me. Like Power of Dreams, the band formed in the 1990’s. Unlike Power of Dreams their album never saw the light of day. It is coming soon…
Emperor of Ice Cream – Facebook
Warehouse 53 – Growing Up
Closer to Home and it is Glasgow based Warehouse 53.
Like Emperor of Ice Cream, Warehouse 53’s Growing Up is a belting slab of summery feel good indie guitar pop with lyrics dealing with the realisation that it is time to leave home. While the tune is upbeat and uplifting the lyrics have a feeling of sorrow and loss “I feel alone in my own home…Yes I know, it might be time for me to go” while still having the element of joy and excitement for what the future will bring. Addictive.
Warehouse 53 – Facebook
Maya Maya – Fever Pitch
This one has been in my inbox for a while. I wish I’d got around to it earlier. Maya Maya are an unsigned band from Glasgow. If you like bands like Sacred Paws, I imagine you’d love their song Fever Pitch. Their guitar based indie pop has an element of afrobeat styled guitars. The type that have me finding it hard not to move. As a result, it is increasingly difficult typing this as I listen again.
Another band I hope to hear more from in the coming months.
Maya Maya – Facebook
Sunstinger – Nothings Alright, Leave Me Alone
My love of all things shoegaze was given a boost again recently with the latest release from the wonderful Sunstinger. This drum sound and guitar tomes on this latest track recalls Chapterhouse at their finest, and when the wall of noise guitars fade, they reveal an acoustic guitar and tambourine that pays homage to the mighty Jesus and Mary Chain.
“Nothing’s Alright, Leave Me Alone” is the perfect soundtrack for when you feel exactly as the title suggests. Bang on the headphones and lie back filling your head with the beautiful white noise and calming vocals. More please.
Sunstinger – Facebook
Tulsaqueen – Headless
A quick last-minute addition. Just out is the latest track from Tulsaqueen. The Gram Parsons’s influenced goddess of gore and country has released her track Headless based on a dream she had when she was, yes, you guessed it, Headless.
Kicking off with plenty of eBow reverb and feedback, the plaintive song has an eerie dream-like quality as you might expect based on how the song came about, closing again with the much loved eBow, this is a welcome addition to my summer of solitude playlist.
The Cundeez
Just one more. I’ve just heard another exclusive sneak preview of another track from the new album from The Cundeez. It is going to be an absolute belter. Nuff said.