William Denton Wilde: My Heroin

One-man band William Denton Wilde sings about his failure to juggle two kinds of addiction on his new single My Heroin. A lover who can never be fully his can be as devastating as a hard drug. Harsh, slow moving synth-driven neo New Wave, with an upfront electronic drum beat and a bass line for which Andrew Eldritch would have gladly handed over his firstborn. Like his previous single, We Are The Virus, he recorded most of it at home, playing bass, and using a drum machine and a computer, with some help from his mate Alex @ Polestar Rehearsal and Recording Studios in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Words about music (586): Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

It is a mistake to think that the practice of my art has become easy to me. I assure you, dear friend, no one has given so much care to the study of composition as I. There is scarcely a famous master in music whose works I have not frequently and diligently studied.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Natalie Bouloudis: Ossian Sessions (virtual gig) May 18

English bluesy folk singer Natalie Bouloudis will be playing songs from her latest EP Devil is Doubt during a virtual gig on May 18: "Bouloudis is always sounding intense, a smoldering presence that is both alluring and a bit scary, especially for those on the receiving end of her wrath. She is not to be trifled with, with her lyrics acting as a scalpel, cutting away the lies and the bullshit."

Yoo Doo Right: Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose

photo: Stacy Lee

Naming your band after a famous Can song is a bold move. For one thing it will raise the expectation of music lovers who are familiar with the legendary Krautrock pioneers. Canadian post-rock trio Yoo Doo Right come close with the sprawling soundscapes on their new album Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose and they can play in the kind of time signatures that will appeal to prog fans.

Embracing complexity and repetition is not a foolproof recipe for adventurous music. Besides being precise there has to be a sense of abandon and spontaneity as well and that is missing from some of the material. When they cut loose, however, like they do in The Moral Compass Of A Self-Driving Car, or find a prog metal groove in 1N914, they let the music almost play itself. They have studied a lot, but now it is time to write their own stories.

Razorhouse: Hobo Stomp

Chicago based psychedelic blues band Razorhouse invite the listeners to loose themselves in their lowdown lo-fi new single Hobo Stomp, a passage way into a world where clothes and booze to keep you warm are the most prized possesions. The 12-bar format has produced a lot of memorable songs over the years and this one deserves prominent billing. Mark Panick's hoarse vocals are not aiming to please, but to drive home a point: dance away the night in a way they don't teach at school.