Dez Dare: When I'm Alone (I Forget You're Real)

Darren Smallman expanded his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare to a trio for his new single When I'm Alone (I Forget You're Real), enlisting Mike Gale (Black Nielson, Co-pilgrim) and Maria Marzaioli (YOU&TH, Slum of Legs): to help him out with the backing vocals. He tries to get a grip on the weirdness of time, which seems to be shifting a bit, throwing him off course as he reaches out his hand to a helper who might be real or not.

Jo Carley and The Old Dry Skulls: Lover Love Spell

English old school vaudeville blues trio Jo Carley and The Old Dry Skulls cooked a spicy Calypso-tinged potion for their new single Lover Love Spell. It is a concept as old as the hills - resorting to a bit of magic or more accurately voodoo - trying to ensure that a one-sided crush is turned into a mutual love affair.

The Fischer-Z Podcast: Episode 5 - "The Perfect Day"& "Say No'"

New Wave band Fischer-Z have launched a podcast to tie in with their 50th anniversary. In Episode 5 John Watts discusses bringing back the band after the demise of The Cry. He looks back on the recording of the Reveal and Fish Head albums, with special attention for The Perfect Day and Say No, his favoruite songs from that period.

Blase: show in Carolina Beach

photo: Blase Settecase

Dreampop multi-instrumentalist Blase will be playing at The Sandspur in Carolina Beach, NC on March 7 (2-5). Expect lots of songs from his latest album Somewhere Out There: "[He] plays the kind of dreampop that is able to transport listeners to an alternate reality where things are quite beautiful and, as an added bonus, age is not a number, but has come to a standstill."

» Blase on Facebook

HCTF review of Somewhere Out There

The Happy Somethings: Heaven Is Divine (3 versions)

English twee trio The Happy Somethings did not see the light on their new single Heaven Is Divine, but a cause could made that thye once agian mastered the art for coming up with angelic melody. This is the sort of thing that Paul McCartney could have written before having his first cigarette or breakfast in 1966. It is a subtle blend of folk and vaudeville and since the subect matter of the lyrics is being grateful for what they got - taking a walk by the riverside, enjoy the flight of couple of birds - it is the perfect soundtrack for a glorious Spring day. It comes in three flavours and all of them are pretty damn tasty.