September 2021 – 1st 3 MAGAZINE

The great ‘80s poet and philosopher Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Gretchen Shae & the Middle Eight, however, are taking a different approach. This October 1, the explosive Boston alt-rock band are set to release their third single of 2021 in “The Business of Broken Dreams,” a driving look at the world around the music community that displays no interest in slowing down.

The self-released single follows July’s “UnNatural Love” and August’s “Red Light/Green Light,” which combined with “The Business of Broken Dreams” and new music will help share the quartet’s forthcoming EP. But this new ripper of a tune shows off what Gretchen Shae & the Middle Eight — formerly known simply as M8 — do and do best: Craft hard-charging alternative rock bangers with a punk rock edge and razor sharp songwriting smarts.

Gretchen Shae & the Middle Eight are:

Gretchen Shae – Songwriting, guitar, vocals

Al Francis – Drums and vocals

Justin Fyfe – Lead guitar and vocals

Quincy Lord – Bass

“‘The Business of Broken Dreams’ is about the drive for immortality through music,” Shae says. “As musicians and artists we all strive to leave an imprint on the world; often that drive causes us misfortune. We may lose people along the way because our drive gets the best of us. I wrote the song in the fall of 2020 amidst the pandemic. Not having live venues as an outlet, I found myself in a Keats-ian ferver. I was writing at least a song per week. This song made the final cut because it expressed the frustration I think many of us had after having so many concerts cancelled.”

That frustration shines through over four relentless minutes, “The Business of Broken Dreams” showcasing the band’s dual vocal attack and frenetic pacing, illustrating a struggle we’re all facing in 2021. As Shae and guitarist Justin Fyfe belt out their respective lyrics, the ache and exasperation blast out of the speakers. The track was recorded at The Noise Floor in Dover, NH, by Ryan Stack, and mastered by Anthony Cimino at Mojo Studios in Franconia, NH.

“The song reflects my mindset in that it offers the foreboding tones of ambition,” Shae adds. “Ambition can lead us to success, but it can also lead us to despair. There is a constant struggle as an artist to find the balance between living in the moment and looking for what is next to achieve. ‘The Business of Broken Dreams’ has a feeling of struggle, searching, seeking for something that is slightly out of reach. Unlike our previous two songs, the chorus proclaims: ‘We want it all and we want it now. Don’t care who we hurt. Just show us how.’ These lyrics are a reflection of the society we live in today. People want things instantly -- at any cost.”

Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight showcases a sonic departure from Shae’s other Boston band, The Knock-Ups, and finds the Berklee College of Music professor — who has performed on stage with U2, the Smithereens, and The Runaways’ Cherie Currie — branching out musically into some uncharted territory.

“This is unlike any other project I have worked on before,” she adds. “The music moves away from the punk rock roots I sprung from; hence, ‘The Middle Eight’ portion of the name is meant to suggest that the design of each song will have a cathartic high point that you do not find in a punk rock power chord song. ‘Skeleton Closet’ will be the next single we release. It too, carries the theme of the kind of world we exist in today where everyone has many sides: who they are, who they present, and who they would like to be.”

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Champagne Swilling Head Fuck – Krooked Tongue

30th September 2021

Music News

Following up on the 2020 release of their latest single ‘Different Breed’, Bristol’s alternative-rock three-piece Krooked Tongue are back with ‘Swarm’, their upcoming single.

After their formation in 2019, the band released their debut single ‘I Wanna Steal Your Car’ to critical acclaim, which soon saw them embarking on their debut UK tour. Label interest in the band quickly grew and they soon established working relationships with the likes of ENTS 24 and Laney Amps.

2020 saw the cancellation of their second UK tour and the postponement of shows alongside the likes of Dinosaur Pile-Up and Turbowolf, as well as festival slots at Boardmasters and 2000 Trees. The band have instead spent the last year honing in on a more refined studio sound with Josh Gallop of Phoxjaw, working to help replicate their formidable and much-acclaimed live act. Krooked Tongue are aiming to launch themselves back into the groove of gigging, with a tour later this year alongside Moriaty and Mother Vulture, combined with a sponsored gig with Laney Amps.

Their upcoming single Swarm is bursting with walls of distorted grunge-fuelled riffs, tight, punchy drums and starkly candid lyrics which vocalist Oli Rainsford croons in a soulful, throaty murmur. The track slowly builds in velocity throughout until it reaches a precipice and the guitars almost sound like they erupt into screams of frustration, while Rainsford’s hard-hitting, dark lyrical narratives show the band are as bewildered by our political leaders as they are humoured by them; “They fuck you til your brain hurts, while they drink champagne”.

Speaking about their upcoming single Swarm, produced, mixed and mastered with Josh Gallop (Phoxjaw, Mother Vulture) at Stage 2 Studios in Bath, vocalist and lyricist Oli Rainsford states, “Swarm encapsulates an overarching frustration in the world at the present time. It explores perceived power, and backs the message that knowledge IS power. Much less a protest song, as a celebration of unity. Swarm is a song you can dance to, in blissful awareness of your own place in society.”

https://krookedtongue.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Krookedtongue/

https://twitter.com/krooked_tongue

https://www.instagram.com/krookedtongue

A Risqué Cut – Years & Years

29th September 2021

Music News

Years & Years has today announced details of a brand new album, ‘Night Call’, which is set for release via Interscope Records on January 7th. Olly further introduces the record today with a brand new track, the pulsating “Crave,” and its incredible video featuring some of the cast of his Award-winning HBO Max drama ‘It’s A Sin’ (Omari Douglas, Nathaniel Hall, David Carlisle) plus the likes of Munroe Bergdorf.

A daring dance track about leaning into submission to the point of embracing it, “Crave” – says Olly – “is a playful way of inhabiting the deranged sexual energy I’ve always wanted.In the past I felt like I’ve been dominated by toxic relationships, and I felt like it would be fun to turn it on its head.” Consider this a risqué cut of kinked-up, club-ready pop, and Olly Alexander using his platform to push the boundaries of mainstream superstardom.

PRE-ORDER/SAVE
‘NIGHT CALL’

From its iconic artwork to its euphoric, rejuvenated sound, ‘Night Call’ is a thrilling new chapter for Years & Years. Inspired as much by pioneering figures like Sylvester as it is French House, at the center of the record is that mermaid of a muse: a beautiful icon luring men to their death, on an album partly about those searching for love (or a lover) but ultimately finding power in themselves Embodying the new perspective of a character – like Ritchie in ‘It’s A Sin’ – also deeply influenced Olly’s songwriting, with songs that blur the line between fantasy and reality but are bound together by their explorations of queer life. Hedonistic and escapist, ‘Night Call’ captures that joy and anticipation of going out precisely because, says Olly, “I was writing from a fantastical space, stuck in the same four walls. I wanted to have as much pleasure as possible in the music.”

“Crave” offers fans the first taste of new Years & Years music since the release of Olly’s dazzling reimagined version of Lady Gaga’s “The Edge Of Glory,” part of her Born This Way The Tenth Anniversary album (LISTEN), a welcomed addition to a jam-packed 2021 which has already seen Olly Alexander’s superstar-status grace new heights. He began the year with a leading role in the critically acclaimed HBO Max drama ‘It’s A Sin’, which brought the fight against HIV/Aids back into the public conversation like never before.

This past spring, Olly turned out a show-stopping performance of “It’s a sin” alongside the legendary, Elton John at the BRIT Awards(WATCH). Continuing a phenomenal year for Olly, which also saw the release of his single “Starstruck,” which became an instant Years & Years classic and Olly’s first new music since 2018’s much-loved second album, ‘Palo Santo,’ Olly was later joined by Kylie Minogue on a special remix of “Starstruck.” Listen HERE.

As Years & Years, Olly has become one of the world’s most trailblazing modern pop stars. Across two hugely successful albums to date, the singer, actor, fashion icon and cultural vanguard has earned 5 Brit Award nominations, surpassed 4.4 billion global streams and sold out numerous global tours. Olly has also become a fearless, once-in-a-generation voice on important discussions around mental health, and issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community – all of which, in its own way, has taken him to ‘Night Call’, and the most essential Years & Years album to date.

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Quenching His Thirst – THE HATE CLUB

29th September 2021

Mainly Metal

Heavy Metal / Industrial artist THE HATE CLUB will release their new PROLOGUE EP on October 6, 2021.

"The Hate Club is proud of what was accomplished with this EP. I died, I survived, I starved and prospered. The "EP" chapter is over and I feel like the entire world is within my reach, lying on my palms to be destroyed or to be created. I'm fighting to carry the sigil of Metal. I will carry it on, I will pass it on. With the Prologue EP The Hate Club makes his final statement before a debut album. He is ready" says Alex Poe.

All songs were written, recorded, performed, produced and engineered by Alex Poe.

The Hate Club currently has over 1,500,000 streams across all platforms and over 40,000 monthly listeners on Spotify!

TRACKLISTING:
1 – Prologue
2 – Sleepwalker
3 – Eclipse
4 – Zen Garden
5 – Omen
6 – Who, What
7 – Crusade

An artist needs room for growth and the ability to live on the edge. Unwilling to be defined by merely one element or another, Alex Poe is a one-man band quenching his creative thirst with The Hate Club.

An Industrial Metal act spawned in 2017 from Poe’s desire to satisfy a diverse vision, The Hate Club is a mix of social satire and aggression. While still taking shape as a musical entity, the journey for Poe began much earlier on with eccentric tastes ranging from Jazz to Rock-n-Roll.
A native of the Ukraine, Poe left the confines of home at only 18 years of age with his eyes set on Los Angeles. Now calling the City of Angels his own, as a self-starter he has already released 3 EPs, several singles, as well as multiple music videos. Very hands on, he has also organized 2 DIY tours in the US, achieved formidable online press placement, and remains active performing on the West Coast.

Yet still this does not tell the whole story of The Hate Club. With The Hate Club’s eyes set on the future, Poe continues to spread his wings as a triple threat: writer, producer, and performer. Often bipolar in approach yet never lacking sincerity or originality, The Hate Club lies somewhere in between Nine Inch Nails, Led Zeppelin, and Gorillaz. Possessing a Punk Rock attitude with a harsher Electronic and Heavy Metal-edged soul, The Hate Club is a reflection of the hypocrisy that is society. Something Poe is fascinated by, look at The Hate Club as the agnostic peddler not dragging you into the fire, but enticing you to observe from afar.

Well-versed in both music and literature, Poe proudly flies the flag of his eclectic background. Factors that only add to the depth of an ever-evolving sound, he exclaims, “I think of music as a painting – it tells a story and has a hidden meaning, an argot. While the song stays one, ways of hearing it are incalculable.”

On January 21, 2021, The Hate Club released their highly anticipated animated video for single “MY NAME IS LEGION.” The video has over 260,000 views on YouTube.

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Nordic Beats – Addiktio

28th September 2021

Music News

Energetic, majestic, melancholic – the music of Norway’s instrumental trio Addiktio knows many facets, incorporated into a stellar sonic experience.

Bound into a cinematic vibe, the music narrates its stories through extraordinary instrumental compositions. Being instrumental has always been of benefit for the band, as it’s a great challenge to write music that keeps the listener engaged. As Ruben states, “That’s a thing we continuously keep in mind while writing”, proving that Addiktio think a lot when writing their tracks.

The progressive trio combines elements of jazz, rock, post-metal, and even pop into their sound! Being influenced by fellow Norwegians like Motorpsycho, Shining and Elephant Nine to international artists as Mutemath, Mew and Led Zeppelin, the band creates the sonic expression full of effects, guitar patches, and experimentation. Even spices of djenty passages and Meshuggah-ish chains bound into guitar licks – that even King Crimson couldn’t have written more iconic – are a part of Addiktio’s musical vision.

Addiktio – “Anthem for the Year 2020” out on Oct 29 via Indie Recordings!

With this record, Addiktio deliver a unique soundtrack and leave us with plenty of possibilities for different interpretations. While it seems to be a middle finger to the year of the pandemic, it was already done before the pandemic hit in. “Its title took on a whole new meaning for us as the year took its toll”, says Ruben. Besides that, 2020 was a difficult year for the Norwegians as well. Postponed gigs and releases made it hard to get out on stages, however, there was room for geeking out in the studio and creating content. Addiktio’s result is their strongest material to date, underlining their thrive to write iconic music outside the box, while always cherishing their musical integrity and constantly delivering their strong vibes of energy, majesty, and melancholy.

https://www.facebook.com/Addiktio/

At The Country Crossroad – Jason Aldean

28th September 2021

Country News

Multi-Platinum entertainer Jason Aldean has learned a thing or two about the music he has made over the past 16 years, but as far as he’s come, Aldean always looks back home to Macon, Georgia. Both where he is from and how far he has taken his signature sound is reflected throughout his upcoming 10th studio album MACON, GEORGIA.

In addition to the new project’s US Top 5 smash debut single “If I Didn’t Love You” with Carrie Underwood, on Nov. 12 fans will have access to nine more new tracks and five live tracks. Over the course of the following months, Aldean will continue to deliver new songs leading into the full release of all 30 tracks – 20 new and at least one live hit off each of his previous albums – on April 22, 2022. The full release will also be marked by a commemorative 3-disc vinyl set.

Beginning today, fans can pre-order the first 15 songs here

"Where you were raised has such a big influence on who you become and for me it’s no different...especially from a music standpoint," Aldean said. "My little hometown of Macon was heavily instrumental in my musical background. Growing up in an environment that was a crossroads between Country music, Southern rock, blues and R&B, it was just natural to blend different sounds in my on way.”

Working alongside longtime producer Michael Knox, the expansive release’s first batch, MACON, runs the gamut from straight-up stadium rockers to bluesy barstool ballads, peppered with modern embellishments and all the chest thumping small-town pride his fans have come to crave. Aldean pushes his patented muscle Country sound to the limit with his hard rock, woozy barroom ballads, experimentation with hip hop and R&B, but stays centered in country lifestyle.

MACON Track List:
1. “After You”
2. “Over You Again”
3. “That’s What Tequila Does”
4. “Small Town Small”
5. “If I Didn’t Love You”
6. “Story For Another Glass”
7. “Heaven”
8. “This Bar Don’t Work Anymore”
9. “The Sad Songs”
10. “Watching You Love Me”
11. “Amarillo Sky” (Live from Nashville, TN)
12. “Johnny Cash” (Live from Los Angeles, CA)
13. “She’s Country” (Live from Las Vegas, NV)
14. “Big Green Tractor” (Live from Dallas, TX)
15. “My Kinda Party” (Live from St. Louis, MO)

GEORGIA Track List:
16. “Whiskey Me Away”
17. “Trouble With A Heartbreak”
18. “The State I’m In”
19. “Midnight And Missin’ You”
20. “Ain’t Enough Cowboy”
21. “God Made Airplanes”
22. “My Weakness”
23. “Holy Water”
24. “Rock And Roll Cowboy”
25. “Your Mama”
26. “Take a Little Ride” (Live from Las Vegas, NV)
27. “Burnin’ It Down” (Live from St. Louis, MO)
28. “Any Ol’ Barstool” (Live from Knoxville, TN)
29. “Rearview Town” (Live from St. Louis, MO)
30. “Blame It On You” (Live from Manchester, TN)

The three-time ACM “Entertainer of the Year” continues to hold his ground making modern albums with an old-school soul while bolstering 25 No. One hits, 15 billion streams and more than 20 million albums sold. Notably, seven of Aldean’s previous studio albums have been certified PLATINUM or more and he has the most Top 10 song on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, more than any other artists since making his chart debut in 2005. He recently launched his latest collaboration, Wolf Moon Bourbon, an 80 proof bourbon that has been distilled from Midwestern grains and aged for four years offering a finish of caramel, oak and spice. Aldean continues to trek nationwide with his BACK IN THE SADDLE TOUR 2021 featuring special guests HARDY, Lainey Wilson, John Morgan and Dee Jay Silver which makes stops this week in Phoenix, AZ (9/30), Albuquerque, NM (10/01) and Denver, CO (10/2).

For more information, visit

www.JasonAldean.com

This Is The End? – The Chelsea Curve

27th September 2021

Music News

As we enter Autumn for the second time in the pandemic age, there’s a general sense of longing that looms overhead.

Perhaps it’s the early sunset and decreasing daylight, the onset of the colder months and the loneliness they bring, or the notion of winter isolation lurking just around the corner. For The Chelsea Curve, the Boston mod-pop trio are no strangers to this feeling, but their will to endure shines through on new single, “7000 Hours,” set for release on Wednesday, September 29 via Red On Red Records.

“7000 Hours” marks the seventh single in the group’s ongoing series The Singles Scene, a monthly release of new music that began in March 2021 and culminates this winter with their highly anticipated debut album. Coming off last month’s punchy “Inconceivable,” which generated radio play from stations and programs around the world, “7000 Hours” finds The Chelsea Curve in a more introspective mood, channeling pieces of R.E.M., Blur’s more meditative balladry (“This Is A Low”, “The Universal”), and even touches of Americana and alt-country.

Perhaps “7000 Hours” is a change-of-pace from the band’s bouncy, mod-and punk-inspired rock and roll that draws an overarching lineage from British Invasion to Cool Britannia. But in truth it’s an engaging display of songwriting and lyrical depth from a band just hitting its stride.

“Some would argue ‘7000 Hours’ doesn’t fit into The Singles Scene at all, given the change-of-direction in style,” says bassist and vocalist Linda Pardee. “I like to think that it fits into The Singles Scene in the same way that both The Jam and Johnny Cash fit into your record collection.” Adds guitarist Tim Gillis: “It’s definitely a change of pace -- literally -- from most of our other stuff, but that’s OK. We’re stretching out and doing something a little different. Maybe it adds some suspense for what’s going to happen with the next single.”

Until then, there’s a lot to absorb within these “7000 Hours.” Pardee says the track was penned after communicating with her mother, who was recently placed in an assisted living community. Because of COVID and the age of social distancing, the separation between the two, connected mostly through technology with in-person visits strictly monitored and increasingly reduced, began to take its toll.

“‘7000 Hours’ is about a super intense feeling of separation from a loved one; feeling that you won’t see them for a long, long time,” Pardee reveals. “It’s a very personal song for me as during this past year of COVID, my mum moved into assisted living. At first, no visitors were allowed, and I felt totally cut off from her. I began to envision my mum on a long space mission -- which made me feel better. Chatting to her via FaceTime felt like mission control. Suiting up in a gown, gloves and mask (when visitation was allowed) felt like getting ready for a space walk. Just basically feeling helpless and floating away, untethered in space. Feeling scared and wanting to both run towards her and away from her at the same time.”

And with all those emotions swirling around her, Pardee admits the song takes on an additional layer of meaning, as well:

“It’s also about preparing for the big ‘good-bye’, the final send off, the long bon voyage… the grand finale: sending someone off to the afterlife. We debated if the ending was too abrupt and weird but I liked it; it sort of wakes you up at the end -- like you’re waking up from a weird dream... or like that final goodbye?”

For many, this time of year represents the end. For The Chelsea Curve, perhaps it’s just the beginning.

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Go Out And Get It – LOUIS AND THE SHAKES

27th September 2021

Music News

Since launching their first single from this album back in February this year, LOUIS AND THE SHAKES have seen tremendous growth, both in terms of their artistic vision and across social media platforms.

Their eclectic brand of psych-rock has attracted listeners from all areas, each attracted to the fiery guitars, charismatic vocals, and subtle Western influences that the group present throughout their discography. The first single/album title track “How Badly Do You Want It?” went straight onto Amazon Music’s “Best New Bands” playlist, as well as securing numerous syncs on BT Sport.

From the anthemic beast of HBDYWI? came “Losing My Mind” the riff heavy psychedelic single, introducing their heavier side. This gained instant radio success, reaching number 7 in the Amsterdam Indie Rock Charts, beating bands like Wolf Alice along the way. The band saw a huge pull from their Irish faithful and managed to get on Mickey Bradley’s BBC Radio show as well as Drive Time Ireland. Their latest single, the dreamy Americana ballad “Bullet 4 U”, was also picked up by national radio station’s BBC Introducing & John Kennedy’s Radio X show.

Now, the band are gearing up to present the full works, unveiling their latest album ‘How Badly Do You Want It?’ on September 30^th. Littered with the group’s excellent singles, as well as an array of new material written over the last year, it’s a release that is sure to cement the group’s distinctive sound as one of the trendiest to come out of 2021 and ensure that LOUIS AND THE SHAKES maintain their upward projection into becoming the rock scenes best new acts.

LOUIS AND THE SHAKES

UNVEIL BRAND NEW ALBUM

‘HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT IT?’

OUT 30^th SEPTEMBER

“There is a concept behind this album,” says the band. “We didn’t want to just put 12 high octane songs out there. Each song has a meaning and is relevant to the story that unfolds, so there’s more to it than meets the ear…for us, the title is significant to what we were experiencing as a band during the recording of this album. It was more of a rhetorical question to ourselves, and for anyone listening - if you really want something, go out and get it.”

Furthermore, on the day of the album release, the band will be heading up to Leeds to support Bang Bang Romeo before ending the year on a high with a headline show promoted by ThisFeeling at London’s Water Rats.

https://www.louisandtheshakes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/louisandtheshakes/

An Unassuming DIY Gem – CLARKE AND THE HIMSELFS

27th September 2021

Music News

Redefining what it means to be a “solo” artist in the 21st Century, Clarke has been creating a buzz around her native LA with performances that see her taking the reins on guitars, drums and vocal duties, simultaneously.

With a passively fierce DIY spirit, Clarke’s inherent cool reverberates through every note of sonic thrash she touches and her latest single is a fine case in point.

Penned during the dying days of the Trump administration, when the president’s potential impeachment was far bigger news than reports of a new virus in China beginning to spread through the populus, “Weighted Down” is in many ways a relic from a different era. Consumed with thoughts of US politics to the misdemeanors of the FBI and CIA to the readily presented exposure to real-life violence on youtube, “Weighted Down” is the sound of the American mind running at 100mph and struggling to process the million different issues thrown at it from the endless stream of rolling media.

“Songs are interesting because they’re usually about a few different things. This is just the stuff I was thinking about at the time.” remembers Clarke. “I was also thinking about how you can watch someone die on the internet only moments after it happens in real life. Or read about it. Whether it’s someone you know or someone you don’t. You’re zapped and you gotta traipse it through this devoid environment.”

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Beyond the noise of the 24 hour news, the track is also reflective of an artist quietly facing their own personal crossroads. Written in February of 2020, “Weighted Down” came at a time when Clarke had made a personal pledge to restore some kind of balance in her life after years of touring and endless schlepping from one impermanent residency to the next. Feeling the weight of reality bearing down, Clarke began taking stock of her journey-to-date and her future-to-be in a way she had been putting off for some time.

“Weighted Down” by Clarke and the Himselfs is released on Charlie Clarke’s No Big Deal Music now.

“For years it was easier for me to leave than it was to stay” she reflects. “There was nothing grounded in my life and I was trying to work on that. Everybody’s also dealing with historical reparations and restituting the crimes of the past. At the same time everyone’s just at each other's throats. But they’re not really. It’s an illusion. It’s being forced on to us the moment it happens. When I wrote Weighted Down there was the thought I had that in light of everything going on, there was something really comfortable about the idea of being crushed to death as a reasonable way out. Metaphorically, or otherwise.”

Recorded and mixed the following April, additional mastering was added by Tuck Nelson. The single will feature on Clarke’s upcoming full length LP ‘The One and Only Clarke and the Himselfs’, with release TBA.

Creating loosely tight lo-fi indie punk with an ethic and edge you’d call slacker (if you didn’t know any better), Clarke and the Himselfs have been described as a “One Human Band”. With a remarkable live show that hits-home her unique style, Clarke notably plays all the actual instruments you hear and sings what often sounds like multiple vocal parts. All at once. All by herself. All live. In real time. Something you can glimpse in the official video for “Weighted Down”.

Originally hailing from the Pacific NW – Boise, Idaho, to be exact, Clarke has been making music since the age of 10; playing guitar in a band of local like minded souls, before splitting and humorously adopting the Clarke and the Himselfs moniker as a solo performing teenager. Picking up the drums with ease in 2011 and incorporating it into her nuanced sound, Clarke has since released a chain of seven records over the years that ensued, from the s/t debut in 2013 (released by Curly Casettes) to 2019’s ‘Pot Sounds’.

Writing clever and emotionally resonant lyrics as-delivered with a no frills sincerity, Clarke creates well-crafted songs that lilt from grunge, to post-psych, to garage rock and beyond. Her latest, “Weighted Down” is a masterclass of loose-limbed introspection, an unassuming DIY gem that slots right at home in a repertoire that’s proudly ramshackle and quietly remarkable in equal breadths.

www.clarkeandthehimselfs.com

Gone To Shit – Fair Do’s

27th September 2021

Mainly Metal

Watch the new music video from Manchester’s Fair Do’s, for their latest single ‘Love & Light’. In contrast to the song’s heavy metallic hardcore and nihilistic lyrics, the new video is a light-hearted lark around Blackpool’s beach, piers, and arcades.

Filmed in the northern seaside town of Blackpool, the Manchester skate-punks embrace their working-class humour whilst glimpsing the underbelly of tourist decay. Josh and Danny play on the 2p machines, ride the Ferris wheel, scoff chips and take in the seaside scenery whilst the song crashes and chugs in the background.

The excitement of a day out by the seaside is juxtaposed with imagery of grim seaside glamour. The duality of the video reflects the heavy undercurrent of ‘Love & Light’ which, despite its rosy title, revels in the despair of self-destruction, and of humanity’s decimation of the environment we rely on to survive.

These two themes run parallel in the song’s lyrics and its complex, hardcore instrumentation, highlighted in the chorus:

All the things I think are cool are fucking shit.”

Starring two of Fair Do’s – guitarist/vocalist Danny Cummings and bassist/lyricist Josh Sumner – the video is as DIY as they come. Filmed by Sarah Williams from Shout Louder, the video was produced on a shoestring budget: three tickets for the Ferris wheel, two ice creams and a portion of chips.

‘Love & Light’ is Fair Do’s second single this year, released with the support of Lockjaw Records (UK) and Thousand Islands Records (CAN). This release represents a heavier direction for the northern melodic hardcore band.

The band’s new music reflects the frustration and hopelessness of the working-class left-wing in the past five years, existing in the time of Boris, Brexit and COVID-19. Fair Do’s have been writing and recording in isolation, during the bleak winter lockdowns, creating an improved, heavier, tighter sound out of a disquieting experience.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairdosband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairdosband/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairdosband

Monthly Archives: September 2021

A Blast Of Exasperation – Gretchen Shae & the Middle Eight

Gretchen Shae & the Middle Eight are:

Champagne Swilling Head Fuck – Krooked Tongue

Following up on the 2020 release of their latest single ‘Different Breed’, Bristol’s alternative-rock three-piece Krooked Tongue are back with ‘Swarm’, their upcoming single.

https://krookedtongue.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Krookedtongue/

https://twitter.com/krooked_tongue

https://www.instagram.com/krookedtongue

A Risqué Cut – Years & Years

Quenching His Thirst – THE HATE CLUB

Heavy Metal / Industrial artist THE HATE CLUB will release their new PROLOGUE EP on October 6, 2021.

Facebook

Spotify

Instagram

YouTube

Nordic Beats – Addiktio

Energetic, majestic, melancholic – the music of Norway’s instrumental trio Addiktio knows many facets, incorporated into a stellar sonic experience.

https://www.facebook.com/Addiktio/

At The Country Crossroad – Jason Aldean

For more information, visit

www.JasonAldean.com

This Is The End? – The Chelsea Curve

As we enter Autumn for the second time in the pandemic age, there’s a general sense of longing that looms overhead.

For many, this time of year represents the end. For The Chelsea Curve, perhaps it’s just the beginning.

Go Out And Get It – LOUIS AND THE SHAKES

Since launching their first single from this album back in February this year, LOUIS AND THE SHAKES have seen tremendous growth, both in terms of their artistic vision and across social media platforms.

https://www.louisandtheshakes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/louisandtheshakes/

An Unassuming DIY Gem – CLARKE AND THE HIMSELFS

Redefining what it means to be a “solo” artist in the 21st Century, Clarke has been creating a buzz around her native LA with performances that see her taking the reins on guitars, drums and vocal duties, simultaneously.

“Weighted Down” by Clarke and the Himselfs is released on Charlie Clarke’s No Big Deal Music now.

www.clarkeandthehimselfs.com

Gone To Shit – Fair Do’s

Watch the new music video from Manchester’s Fair Do’s, for their latest single ‘Love & Light’. In contrast to the song’s heavy metallic hardcore and nihilistic lyrics, the new video is a light-hearted lark around Blackpool’s beach, piers, and arcades.

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