It's Karma It's Cool: One Million Suburban Sunsets

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool are fully embracing the electric guitar in their new album One Million Suburban Sunsets. Going for a rougher and harsher rock sound, the songs deal mostly with dealing with modern life, a world wherein shifting paradigms have taken over.

Leaning heavily on tension and release the songs are allowed to wander around a bit, without ever getting lost. The band themselves have labeled it alternative rock, but there also forays into prog-metal (21st Century Meds), 60s pop (Serotonin) and Floydian flourishes wrapped in college rock (Sidewalk Flowers).

It's Karma It's Cool: Goliath

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool's new single Goliath captures the demise of a powerful person holding you back, either physically or mentally.

All high powers will come down eventually and nothing lasts forever, so don't let them get upper hand when they no right do so. It is a track their forthcoming new album One Million Suburban Sunsets.

It's Karma It's Cool: 21st Century Meds

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool show some compassion for people who revert to using self-medication as means to cope with life on their new single 21st Century Meds. Some of the stuff they pick is not exactly legal, but pointing a finger does not help. After all, most folks are addicted to something, trying to deal with stress, grief or pain. Better have a look at yourself before crying wolf. The high energy rocker is a track their forthcoming new album One Million Suburban Sunsets.

Solitary Bee: Last Of The Romantics

Solitary Bee an off-shoot from English neo-psychedelic power pop band It's Karma It's Cool, try their hand at a piano ballad with Last Of The Romantics. It is quite subtle, with a hint of static sprinkled on top to give it an edge, as singer James Styring faces the fact that he is getting older, but also realises that memories never age.

It's Karma It's Cool: Crashability

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool have unveiled the first track from their forthcoming One Million Suburban Sunsets album. Lead single Crashability ask a pretty serious question: if things go terribly wrong, will you be able to deal with it and survive a clusterfuck? Hold on to each other and hope for the best.

Solitary Bee: Autumn Recruits

Solitary Bee, an off-shoot from English neo-psychedelic power pop band It's Karma It's Cool, sing about the leaves of the trees on their new single, Autumn Recruits. It is a happy-sad song about saying goodbye and counting the days before they return in the Spring. Liking their appearance to "golden space suits" and "hoping they all leaned to fly" once again shows that they a have firm and poetic grip on the words. Musically, it is a fine blend of the sound of the Canterbury scene and indie rock.

Solitary Bee: Love Wakes Up

Solitary Bee is an off-shoot from English neo-psychedelic power pop band It's Karma It's Cool. They felt that the more electronic poppy side of their material deserved another monicker. They share a love for Death Cab for Cutie and sure enough some of that band's sound has rubbed off on them, but the trio's debut single Love Wakes Up is more likely to be labeled as an extension of the output of the Canterbury scene. Tailor-made for being streamed from a top-off-the-line bluetooth speaker set during a picknick in the Summer. By that time the debut EP Bloom will be available as well.

It's Karma It's Cool: Thrift Store Troubadours

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool are in a melancholic mood on their new album Thrift Store Troubadours. They sound mostly cheerful and upbeat, but the lyrics tell another story. Time flies and there is no way of slowing it down, although looking back may help a bit to cope. Songs like the glam rock infused Old Bones and gentle 70s strut they used for Ghosts Wear Jeans serve as vessels for serious soul-searching. The acoustic intro of Jenni, We're All Fighting Wars will be a head-scratcher for all budding guitarists.

Singer James Styring is a fine form, but it is the rhythm section that steals the show. Mikey Barraclough and drummer Danny Krash do not settle for a simplicity, but provide a backbeat that is a challenge for guitarist Martyn Bewick. Anyone with a craving for the nearly lost art of the middle-eight will love it. And let's not forget they got dB's member Peter Holsapple to pitch in. He needs just a few notes to introduce himself, playing the keyboards on A Gentle Reminder. That particular song celebrates the comfort that only music can bring when dealing with anxieties, both real and imagined. And if doesn't do the trick, turn it up.

It's Karma It's Cool: Old Bones

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool have released Old Bones, the second of six standalone singles that will see the light of day over a three month period. It is a melancholic song - with a bit of glam rock courtesy of guitarist Martyn Bewick - about getting older and coping with disappointments. Following self-appointed gurus led to nothing, because the pain is still here. Maybe someday the happy days will make a comeback. "Cheerleaders // Of the masquerade // We take a bitter pill // With a sweet champagne // And pray those days // Roll round again // Suzanne, old bones do ache me".

It's Karma It's Cool: A Gentle Reminder

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool will be releasing six standalone singles over the next three months, and half of those will feature Peter Holsapple (REM, The dB's) on keyboards. They hit the ground running with the first one. A Gentle Reminder finds them in full swing, pushed forward by the tight rhythm section providing a rollicking backing for the vocals and freeflowing guitars. It is song about the comfort music can bring when dealing with anxieties, both real and imagined. And if doesn't do the trick, turn it up.

HCTF's best of 2021 (10-6)

• 20-16
• |
• 15-11
• |
• 10-6
• |
• 5-1

» Best of playlist

» Listen here

HCTF's annual list of the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come. As per usual many genres are represented. Here Comes The Flood covers a lot of ground and it shows in this eclectic, final tally.

Today: countdown from number 10 to 6.

Please shop at your local record store. Most of them have a website where you can order your stuff. Buy directly from the artist, attend live shows when it's safe to do so again. Tell your friends. Word-of-mouth can't be beat as the prime source to discover new music.

It's Karma It's Cool: "All Branches Break In Time" video

Watch the new It's Karma It's Cool lyrics video for All Branches Break In Time, a track from their Homesick For Our Future Destinations album: "an ode to melancholy that is filled to the rafters with jangling guitar goodness".

» It's Karma It's Cool on Facebook

HCTF review of Homesick For Our Future Destinations.

It's Karma It's Cool: Homesick For Our Future Destinations

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool have expanded their musical palette a bit on their new album, Homesick For Our Future Destinations, adding elements of baroque pop and progressive rock. The first four tracks are flowing seamlessly, with the instrumental Homesick as an overture before they launch into a trio of songs about the passing of time and wondering if it moves faster as it progresses. All Branches Break In Time, with its recurring licks and flourishes, is an ode to melancholy that is filled to the rafters with jangling guitar goodness, continuing into Wild Fire Flames where Martyn Bewick manages to channel both Johnny Marr and Hank B. Marvin. The final track of the trio, Absent Transient is a mashup of early Radiohead and Echo & the Bunnymen. It's hard to follow-up such a great start, so they dial it back a notch with the basic but catchy Playing Brave, as a breather track. Dream Big, Little Giant is a bluesy '70s song that will sneak into many classic rock playlists.

It's Karma It's Cool: "She Slept With The Radio On" video

English power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool made a video for their new single, She Slept With The Radio On, the story of a woman who firmly believes that she was Elvis's wife in another life. It will be included on their new album, Homesick For Our Future Destinations, due for release on November 5th via Kool Kat Musik (CD) and their own website.

It's Karma It's Cool: "Coffee Cup Circles" video

English power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool made a video for their new single, Coffee Cup Circles: "They go fast on this one - caffeine might have been involved, as singer James Styring reminisces about better days when the stains on the table were a bit of nuisance, but in hindsight not that big a deal. Drummer Danny Krash keeps it all together, when guitarist Martyn Bewick and bass player Mikey Barraclough are playing up a storm, only slowing down a bit when they switch to psychedelic rock for a bit".

It's Karma It's Cool: Coffee Cup Circles

English upbeat power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool are back with a new single, Coffee Cup Circles. They go fast on this one - caffeine might have been involved, as singer James Styring reminisces about better days when the stains on the table were a bit of nuisance, but in hindsight not that big a deal. Drummer Danny Krash keeps it all together, when guitarist Martyn Bewick and bass player Mikey Barraclough are playing up a storm, only slowing down a bit when they switch to psychedelic rock for a bit.

HCTF's best of 2020 (20-16)

• 20-16
• |
• 15-11
• |
• 10-6
• |
• 5-1

» Best of playlist

» Listen here

HCTF's annual list of the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come. As per usual many genres are represented. This blog covers a lot of ground and it shows in this eclectic, final tally.

Today: countdown from number 20 to 16.

Please shop at your local record store. Most of them have a website where you can order your stuff. Buy directly from the artist, attend live shows when it's safe to do so again. Educate your friends. Word-of-mouth can't be beat as the prime source to discover new music.

HCTF interview: It's Karma It's Cool

English upbeat power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool are working on the follow-up for their Woke Up In Hollywood album. Lead singer James Styring kindly answered some questions via email about the recording sessions and the belated release show in their hometown.

Woke Up in Hollywood was very well received when it came out in May, but you were not able to catch the momentum with a release show at the time due to the pandemic. The show finally went ahead in October. How was it to be able to play live again?

"Yes, our plans were put on hold, along with everyone else's. The album's official release should have been at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, as part of the International Pop Overthrow festival. We were obviously very disappointed, but we've put the time to good use, writing the next album. It was good to play our home city of Lincoln to a fully booked/sold out crowd. Even with covid rules and regulations, everyone had a great night."

It's Karma It's Cool: "Battle Of Burnt Out Bliss" video

English power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool made a video for Battle Of Burnt Out Bliss, a melancholic, piano-driven requiem for lost youth from their latest album Woke Up In Hollywood.

» It's Karma It's Cool on Facebook

HCTF review of Woke Up In Hollywood

It's Karma It's Cool: "Woke Up In Hollywood" release show in Lincoln

English upbeat power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool will play a belated release show for their Woke Up In Hollywood album @ The Jolly Brewer in their hometown Lincoln on October 9: "the show will take place in the Beer Garden and there will be a limited capacity. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment".

They will be supported by Serena Joy and singer-songwriter G.L. Shelley.

» It's Karma It's Cool on Facebook

HCTF review of Woke Up In Hollywood