Chicago-based Americana singer Jules Klee tackles the ups and downs in a thorny relationship on her new single He Don't Know A Thing. A craving for illegal substances, loss and various less challenging issues could not stop her from persevering and she was rewarded with a Hollywood ending of sorts. She is blessed with a crystal clear delivery - country twang included - that should get her on stage on the Grand Ole Opry some day.
Welsh synth duo Martyrs have made a video for You've Been Here Before, a sound collage from their Church Street EP. Since the main theme of that release was nostalgia, an abstract track about the demise of physical media - note the references to VHS tapes - fitted in nicely along the "proper" songs. The footage looks beat up and blurry on purpose, to show the slow degradation of it that happened over time.
HCTF review of the Church Street EP
Chris Neville (vocals, B3 organ), John Fournier (saxophone), Jon Paul (bass), Fran Banish (guitar), and Kevin Brunson (drums) have been bringing the funk, soul and old school R&B to the windy city for longer than they care to remember. They got together and started recording an album in fits and starts as The Meadowlark Lemons.
Now, after five years their self-titled album is finally good to go and it will be released on March 27. Lead single Meet Me At The Sidebar is a sunny-side up invitation to forget about everyday worries and dance the night away on a Friday night, with the band playing up a storm on a cramped stage.
Richmond, VA jangle pop postmodernists The Melody Chamber do a fine job to sound quintessentially English by way of the Athens, GA indie guitar scene on their new single 1 + 1. The band's songwriting team Dan Deckelman and Wallace Dietz have a soft spot for The Monochrome Set, who mastered the art of melancholic melody driven vignets. It became the stepping stone for their own take of post-punk meets New Wave. The single is a study of sadness and doubt, wrapped in a luscious arrangement.
Deckelman and Dietz are partners at Sound of Music Studios, so they did not have to worry about the clock when they were recording the self-titled debut album with their band mates Blee Child (drums) and Randy Mendicino (bass).
Hard-hitting Canadian rock band GreenWing try to find closure for a relationship gone South on their new single All Hard Feelings. Something beautiful turned nasty, but after all is said and done they are not willing the blame for that: "I know i'm no peach but don't you dare preach // You're so grounded on your high horse". The track is painted with broad strokes, but it will offer some solace to anyone who has been there. Tailor made for a get together with your mates and a bunch of six-packs.
Nashville neo-soul quintet Saycouth sneaked in short and sweet rock guitar solo into the slick jazzy sound of their new single It's the Ride, gving it an edge that is not that common in their niche, but it works rather well. It will be interesting to find out if they have the guts to explore it even further when they play it live. The video was made by Freaks of Nashville.
Live date:
Chicago based musician AJ Rosales does not need an electric guitar to rock out. His new single Leitmotif does what is says on the tin, and then some. Recurring musical phrases? Check. Subtle changes by adding different textures? Check. But there is more. The song's title can also refer to a false narrative or a rhetoric trick to get inside people's heads. No bonus points for figuring that one out. Suffice to say that he is no particularly happy about what is going on in the States right now. Hint: when he speeds up and it gets more loud, that is when the righteous anger can no longer be contained.
Nashville neo-soul quintet Saycouth try their hand at pop with their new single, Phantom Love, a radio-friendly song about being ghosted by a ghost. One moment you are dancing with a prospective lover and then it turns out it wasn't real at all. As per usual they will give the song its first live outing at The Late Great Speakeasy in the Virgin Hotel in their hometown tonight.
Chattanooga, TN based folk singer Catherine Campbell offers a warning about possibly going for the wrong guy on her new single Long Hair. It is kinda cool he rides a bike and all that, but is it enough and does it match what she is actually looking for? Kudos for bass player J. Tom Hnatow for adding a solid yet swinging foundation. It is a track from her new EP Outline.
Nashville neo-soul quintet Saycouth bring back the smooth sound of the early 70s with their new single Magic, topped off with a bit of late night light jazz that will be liked by people who claim not to like jazz. It is fitting that they will make their live debut at The Late Great Speakeasy in the Virgin Hotel in their hometown tonight. Fingers crossed that the attendees have the decency to shut up and listen. The stylish lyrics video was made by Freaks of Nashville.
Punk rocker Kate Fagan is not afraid to take a stand. On her new single Go Faster she makes a plea for not playing it safe. It is much more fun to be loud and abrasive, with all the impending doom hanging heavily over the world. When billionaires want you to shut up and do their bidding, it is high time to plug in and turn it up to 11.
The song was co-written with NOLA artist Jeremy Joyce, who played a mean and crunchy lead guitar. Fagan has been making noise since the 80s, when she was fronting ska band Heavy Manners. And she shows no signs of slowing down or ageing gracefully.
Singer-songwriter Eliot Eidelman has been all over the place before settling down in tiny house trailer in a remote canyon outside of Ojai, California. Making money as a private music teacher gives him enough wiggle room to work on his own songs and share them with the world. California Blues is slow and intense, a peak behind the curtain of a depression that kept him from creating for a couple of years, as he had visions to return to "The Golden State", when that would financially feasible. The lyrics are a 101 for telling a humorous and self-deprecating story
Watch Scott Collins tear through Shittin' Tears. It was recorded live with The Slutz, proving that a bit of distortion goes a long way when in need for an extra layer of oomph for a slow, menacing blues explosion. No, it is not all glitzy polished country in Nashville. Dig a little deeper and you might run into this versatile guitarist player up a storm, either as a solo artist, as half of the duo The Smoking Flowers (with his wife, Kim) and or as the resident guitar hero for Justin and The Cosmics.
Chicago based guitarist Brett Ratner shows off his dexterity on Caribbean Street Fest, a sunny side up celebration for the Windy City. Co-written with his long-time collaborator Monica da Silva, it became a radio-friendly tune with a laidback jazzy vibe. The video follows a cyclist - Ratner himself is a big time bike enthousiast - peddling at a leisurely pace making his way to the festival. The clip was created by digital artist Dull with additional art direction by Brett Ratner and August Forte. Quite a bit of AI was part of the equation.
He is the composer of countless themes for TV shows and commercials, so he knows what it takes to grab the listener's attention pretty much instantly. This particular composition was part of a multimedia presentation on Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, one of Chicago's early settlers. Going out on his own is a first for him, after decades of working as a musician for hire, and being member of a tons of bands. Caribbean Street Fest is the first taste of his forthcoming debut EP CityScapes, due for release on June 21.
Los Angeles based musician Ward White has made a video for Here Come The Dowsers, the title track from his new concept album of sorts, a tongue-in-cheek collection about the movie business. What the Hell is a dowser? It is the name given to people who claim that they can find water or other vital and valuable things, without using proper equipment. So, it is basically peddling snake oil or other questionable practices to fool the punters.
It falls nicely into place with the glamorous facade that Hollywood is showing to the world, to hide the shenanigans that are going on off-camera. White looks at it with wonder and amusement, bringing it home with an ace melody, gently soaring guitar, and acting as his own backing vocalist.
Chicago based multi-instrumentalist Mark Lofgren (The Luck of Eden Hall, The Thin Cherries) sticks to an acoustic guitar as the main instrument for his new single Ne'er Do Wells by his Black Moon Book project. It fits the melancholic mood of the song like a glove, as he contemplates the pros and cons of living in a big city, with the rich making sure to keep the less fortunate at arm's length. Melody is king on this track and it bodes well as the forerunner for his forthcoming album Black Moon Book 3, due for release on May 3.
HCTF review of Black Moon Book 2.
Los Angeles based musician Ward White has made a visualizer video for his new single Continuity, a track from his forthcoming album about the movie business, Here Come The Dowsers: "(..) served up in a comfy blanket of swirling guitars, tinkling piano and a subtle rhythm section playing catch. White uses the upper reaches of his vocal register to tell the tale of hope and dreams. Being an art rock crooner is as far you can get away from what is popular right now, but his way of conjuring up an ace melody will be appreciated by fans of Sparks and David Bowie."
Chicago quartet Cosmic Bull sing about taking risks on their new single Once the Dust Settles, a progressive funk song wherein Zappa-esque keyboards join forces with a catchy walking bass. Band leader Mark Vickery pitches in with a gruff vocal part that has "ear worm" written all over it. It is a track from their forthcoming new album Band Substances, which will be out on March 8. They will be playing a record release show on that date @ Gallery Cabaret.
Hoboken's underground psych rock quartet The Special Pillow show how it's done when a track is in need of some start-and-stop shehanigans. Their latest single Three On A Sundial pokes fun at true-and-tried time signatures like only seasoned musicians are able to pull off without things falling apart. Recommended if you like Frank Zappa in a demented power pop guise.
Chattanooga, TN based folk singer Catherine Campbell is pointing to the light at the end of the tunnel with her new single Too Late, a deceptive title since she is actually sings "it's not too late" over and over again, as some kind of mantra. Pushed gently forward by a percolating guitar motif that gets stuck in the listener's head pretty much instantly, she sounds like a soft-spoken indie version of Suzanne Vega.
