Enter The Dragon – SCOTT C. PARK
SCOTT C. PARK – returns this Autumn with new single: “Slide”, a track of surficially sanguine slacker-pop that fires subversive pot-shots at organised religion from the sidelines.
Taken from a new 7-track EP entitled ‘Scampy Lampy’, it’s a release that confirms Park as one of most exciting alternative singer-songwriters currently operating under-the-radar. Out now on Charlie Clark’s No Big Deal label, the single and EP are available to hear now.
LISTEN TO THE ‘SCAMPY LAMPY’ EP ON:
SPOTIFY || APPLE MUSIC || YOUTUBE
Described by Park as “the smirking soundtrack to my exit from Christianity”, “Slide” is a song that finds the Isle of Lewis artist turning down communions to instead turn-up the gospel according to Metallica. A daringly damning indictment of the Church, its Parquet Courts-esque call-back chorus of “joining is easy… the hard part is leaving” is likely to convert plenty of believers to Park’s songwriting abilities, less so the big man upstairs.
Adding personal context to “Slide”s revelatory, if controversial, subject matter, Park reflects: “In the churches I grew up in, doubting one’s faith was called ‘backsliding’. You’d hear murmurs at the after-church tea & biscuits about such and such a fellow who was spotted out drinking in such and such a bar at the weekend, snogging some heathen lout. Textbook backsliding. It’s a term that bothers me because it implies passivity — like the only conscious choice is to believe in the Bible, and anything else is seen as a form of giving in to the inevitable temptations of ‘the world’. For me ‘backsliding’ was a choice to move away from something that was making my mental health worse, was enforcing upon me a worldview that felt at odds with my inner morality, and most of all — was clearly (at least to my own judgement) historically untrue. In the song I kind of touch on examples of backsliding behaviour, and reclaim the humanity and inherent goodness in these moments. Pretty much; if I’m backsliding, it’s a pretty fun slide.”
With its laid-back and loping riffs, laissez faire lyrical observations and a fuzzed-up guitar solo so precarious it threatens to derail at any moment, “Slide” somehow hangs together as one of the slickest pieces of slacker-pop you’ve likely ever heard come out of Scotland. With a sound that apparently owes more to the Playstation than his time spent in the pews, the track takes its musical cues from one of popular culture’s less-likely prophets…
“One of the biggest inspirations to this track was the Spyro the Dragon soundtrack on PS1.” grins Park. “That game’s soundtrack was full of funny dominant 7th chords at every opportunity, and this was what I was trying to channel with the textures and chords on this song.”
Finely balancing the sincere with the silly, like the playground staple of its namesake, “Slide” is a release that ultimately wants you to have fun. Something that proves to be a recurring theme throughout his new EP: ‘Scampy Lampy’.
A testament to the fact that even the greatest art can come from the most unlikely of places, the ‘Scampy Lampy’ EP was largely recorded in the laundry room of a campsite on his home of the Isle of Lewis. With all tracks written by Scott C. Park, its songs navigate through lyrics of the heart-warmingly comical to the heart-on-sleeve confessional, as he tells his story of losing faith to searching for inner peace.
“The ‘Scampy Lampy’ EP generally deals with my mental health journey of leaving behind nearly a decade of committed Christianity. Park says. “During the making of it I got some counselling and other forms of therapy, and now my mental health is the best it’s been in ages. Having these songs was a big part of that too — sometimes a feeling doesn’t really present itself to me unless I write about it for a few days.”
SCOTT C. PARK – NEW SINGLE: “SLIDE”
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY HERE || WATCH THE OFFICIAL VIDEO HERE
+ EP: ‘SCAMPY LAMPY’
OUT NOW VIA NO BIG DEAL MUSIC
SPOTIFY || APPLE MUSIC || YOUTUBE
Featuring “Slide” as well as the dreamy previous single “The Smoke”, the diverse range of sounds explored by the EP find Park straddling the lo-fi sidewalks of Pavement as much as they find him stalking the streets of Nashville; tipping his hat to the oeuvres of Wilco, Kurt Vile, and Bright Eyes along the way.
Mastered by Pete Fletcher at Black Bay Studio with additional drums and synths also added there, the EP was mixed jointly between Fletcher and Park. Additional contributions throughout the record include those from DC Macmillan and Simeon Fletcher on drums, Paul Martin on keys, Conor Smith on pedal steel, Michael McGovern on acoustic guitar, and Park’s wife Danielle on backing vocals.
The honest declaration of an artist trying to figure out the world, whilst having the most fun he can along the way, on the ‘Scampy Lampy’ EP Scott C. Park lays the foundation for a bright and promising career ahead. Oh and if you were wondering about that name:
It’s called Scampy Lampy because it’s a silly sounding name. I like that.” says Park.
In support of the new music, Scott C. Park will be hitting the road for a series of shows with Colin Macleod. Catch him at these dates and venues as follows:
WINTER TOUR DATES
18 Dec: Aberdeen, The Tunnels*
19 Dec: Glasgow, Oran Mor*
21 Dec: Edinburgh, The Caves*
23 Dec: Stornoway, An Lanntair (Sold out)*
*w/ Colin Macleod
Tickets on sale here: https://www.gigsinscotland.com/artist/colin-macleod
The Call Of The Beast – Krooked Tongue
Following up on the successful release of their recent single ‘Swarm’, Bristol’s alternative-rock three-piece Krooked Tongue have released a surprise new single ‘Vampyre’.
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, which they kicked off with a tour alongside Moriaty and Mother Vulture, combined with a sponsored gig with Laney Amps.
Their latest track ‘Vampyre’, the second single from their upcoming EP, broods with a dark and energetic swagger, combining threatening bass notes, slick poetry and addictively heavy riffs. The song’s finale erupts into a cataclysm of sound, scorching a fire pit in the ears of the listener.
KROOKED TONGUE ARE: Oli Rainsford - Vocals, Bass Dan Smith - Guitar Harry Pritchard - Drums
Speaking about Vampyre, produced, mixed and mastered with Josh Gallop (Phoxjaw, Mother Vulture) at Stage 2 Studios in Bath, vocalist and lyricist Oli Rainsford states, “Vampyre embodies what it means to be carefree and have fun; the age old tale of 'drunk invincibility' in this case personified and paralleled by the transfiguration of a Vampire."
Website: https://krookedtongue.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Krookedtongue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/krooked_tongue
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krookedtongue
A Message Of Hope – STAY FOR TOMORROW
STAY FOR TOMORROW DELIVER POWERFUL MESSAGE WITH NEW SINGLE ‘THE ONE’.
Formed in 2018, Stay For Tomorrow are an energetic four piece alternative rock band from Dunfermline. Inspired by the likes of Twin Atlantic, Biffy Clyro and Foo Fighters, they burst onto the Fife scene in 2019 with their debut single Kings and Queens. Several singles later (Rumours + Criminal) we fast forward to 2021 with the releases I Don’t Need You To Save Me and most recently, Non Applicable (Na Na) which saw the band progressing further with record amounts of airplay and streaming numbers!
New Single The One is released Friday 26th November.
Spotify Pre-save link:
https://emubands.ffm.to/theone
"The One is a motivating, melodic indie rock song that talks about battling negative thoughts and overcoming your demons. Mental health is such a serious topic and needs to be talked about. We wanted to write something that people will be able to relate to, but also to inspire and deliver a message of hope that things get better; you are capable, you are good enough and you will come out the other side of this fight - you are the one. Musically, this song allows us to show a different side to the band, proving that we aren't just a one trick pony. This has been a key focus that has been at the centre of Stay For Tomorrow since the very beginning" - Stay For Tomorrow
Track written by Stay For Tomorrow
Track recorded by Mark Morrow Audio, Edinburgh
Single artwork by Stay For Tomorrow
Stay For Tomorrow are: Joe MacFarlane (vocals/guitar)
Nic Holson (lead guitar) Ollie Cobbet (bass) Sean Priestly (drums)
A Family Reunion – NorthTale
NorthTale unleash their new album Eternal Flame, via Nuclear Blast. Produced by Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Unisonic), the album features 12 brand new tracks and a whole range of new influences, from thrash metal, classical citations and Brazilian traditional music, all fused into NorthTale‘s own brand of melodic power metal.
To celebrate the occasion, the band have also revealed a lyric video for their new single ‘Future Calls’, which features Kai Hansen (Helloween/Gamma Ray) and his son Tim Kanoa Hansen (Induction).
Get the single digitally, here: https://bfan.link/eternal-flame
Bill Hudson states: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s finally time to unveil Eternal Flame to the world. Two years of hard work, a line-up change, a global pandemic but we did it! This baby is now out there and I can’t wait for all of you to hear it! And to celebrate, we chose 'Future Calls' as the new single! There’s a very special reason for this: Kai Hansen is a childhood hero of mine and a few years ago we had a chance to become friends. It only made sense to me to have him as a guest on the album, and when he suggested his son Tim Kanoa Hansen came along too, I thought I’d sure love to host a family reunion! I hope the fans enjoy this album as much as we did!”
Get your copy of Eternal Flame here: https://bfan.link/eternal-flame
Eternal Flame Tracklisting:
01 – Only Human
02 – Wings of Salvation
03 – Future Calls (feat. Tim and Kai Hansen)
04 – The Land of Mystic Rites
05 – Midnight Bells
06 – Eternal Flame
07 – In The Name of God
08 – Ride The Storm
09 – King of Your Illusion
10 – Judas Be My Guide (Iron Maiden cover feat. Jonas Heidgert)
11 – Nature’s Revenge
12 – Ivy (Outro)
Eternal Flame also features guest appearances from Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland) and Mary Zimmer (Helion Prime). The album artwork was created by Gustavo Sazes (Machine Head, Amaranthe, Kamelot).
Northtale are an international five piece power metal band which was formed in 2017 by guitarist Bill Hudson (Doro TSO, ex-U.D.O), who was initially writing songs for a solo album. Drummer Patrick Johansson (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen/W.A.S.P), keyboardist Jimmy Pitts, bassist Mikael Planefeldt and former singer Christian Eriksson (ex-Twilight Force) joined during the demo stages, when a decision was made to turn the project into a full time band. The group’s debut album Welcome To Paradise was released in August 2019 via Nuclear Blast. In the Summer of 2020 the band chose its new vocalist, Guilherme Hirose, after a worldwide search which included 40 candidates from 11 different countries.
Northtale is:
Guilherme Hirose | vocals
Bill Hudson | guitars
Mikael Planefeldt | bass
Jimmy Pitts | keyboard
Patrick Johansson | drums
Love Takes Time – Cheat Codes
Multi-platinum hit-making trio Cheat Codes, popularly known for their smash single “No Promises” (feat. Demi Lovato), are churning out new music at record pace in genre bending areas.
Coming off the heels of releasing their highly anticipated album Hellraisers, PT 2. “How Do You Love” (featuring Lee Brice and Lindsay Ell) is the next title track and a follow up to their hugely popular single with Little Big Town that was released this past July.
Coming off their Country-Pop crossover single, “Never Love You Again” with Little Big Town and Bryn Christopher, the chart-topping artists are back to showcase yet another dimension of their musical talents with their newest collaboration. “How Do you Love” features vocals from Lee Brice and Lindsay Ell and is available now on all digital streaming services, found here.
"We flew down to Chicago with Lindsay Ell and surprised Lee Brice at one of his shows, which eventually became the official music video for the single. Lee Brice is a staple in the country community and knows how to make a heart swell so we couldn’t think of a better friend to take on the duet alongside Lindsay Ell. We hope you love this song as much as we did making it for you. The song has a special feeling of love and is something that's relatable to everyone," say The Cheat Codes. "Sometimes you’re head over heels and sometimes that special someone is right under your nose but you never realized why - what we’ve learned to understand is, love takes time and we hoped to capture that feeling with ‘How Do You Love’."
Cheat Codes released the first part of their debut album Hellraisers, Pt. 1 in May. The highly anticipated release featured tracks such as the lead single “Lean On Me (feat. Tinashe),” “Stay (feat. Bryce Vine),” “Do It All Over (feat. Marc E. Bassy),” and “Hate You + Love You (feat. AJ Mitchell).” The name of the album, “Hellraisers,” was the nickname given to the group by their late manager, Michael Theanne, who passed away over a year ago, describing their playful and adventurous lifestyle. The album itself has three parts – each part has a distinct sound influenced by each member. This first part is focused on Trevor’s pop-leaning sound, while the second part will be focused on KEVI’s hip-hop. Hellraiser part 2 was relesed earlier this month to much anticipation with three key singles hitting the market in advance of the album. The last single was Hurricane featuring Gray and Tyson Ritter.
Ever since Cheat Codes hit the scene they have hated the idea of being kept in a box of one genre. Always wanting to be able to experiment, push the envelope, and blur the lines between different types of musi, part two of the album did just that. They focused on where it all started for them as kids. POP PUNK. With songs featuring Travis Barker, Blackbear, Trippie Reed, Bring me to the Horizon and All Time Low.
Trucking’ On – Scotty McCreery
Following the release of acclaimed new album Same Truck, featuring his fourth consecutive U.S. No. 1 hit single ‘You Time’, country star Scotty McCreery has announced a European tour for next year, including three dates in Germany, where he played a run of sellout shows in 2019, and his first performance in Amsterdam.
This follows the previously announced main stage appearances at next year’s C2C Festival in the UK & Ireland (tickets on sale now), and Scotty’s forthcoming fifteen-date headline tour across the USA.
“Growing up in North Carolina, it was always a dream of mine to be able to perform my music around the globe,” shared the artist. “I am looking forward to playing C2C in March in the UK and Ireland, but was also hoping we could return to Germany after we had such a great time there a couple of years ago. I’m really happy to be able to perform in Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Munich and get to know those cities. I’m also very excited about visiting the Netherlands for the first time as I’ve heard such great things about Amsterdam. Can’t wait to see everyone!”
Full UK / European tour dates below:
Friday, 11th March 2022 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
Saturday, 12th March 2022 – London, England – O2 Arena
Sunday, 13th March 2022 – Glasgow, Scotland – OVO Hydro
Wednesday, 16th March 2022: Hamburg, Germany – Bahnhof Pauli
Thursday, 17th March 2022: Frankfurt, Germany – Zoom
Friday, 18th March 2022: Munich, Germany – Hansa 39
Saturday, 19th March 2022: Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Melkweg OZ
The release of McCreery’s fifth album Same Truck in September was met with applause from fans and critics, with Billboard sharing that the hitmaker “continues proving his mettle not only in the recording booth, but in the writing room, as a co-writer on the bulk of the project’s songs,” while Tennessean shares, “McCreery walks a sonic tightrope that leans into his country influences while not abandoning modern Music Row hitmaking.”
Giving fans a taste of what to anticipate on his tour dates, Scotty performed his latest single ‘Damn Strait’ on fellow American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson’s The Kelly Clarkson Show last week, an early favourite from the album after Rolling Stone named the track a “Pick of the Week”.
Official site | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Slugging Away – Feral Vices
Louisville KY alternative rock duo Feral Vices will release a 5 song EP titled ‘With Offerings’ on December 3rd.
Recorded in the spring of 2021 with Nik Bruzzese, the EP provides plenty of riffs you can bang your head to and melodies you can sing along with.
Created by accident after the crumbling of two different bands, the two friends behind Feral Vices, Alexander Hoagland (guitar, vocals) and Justin Cottner (drums), had a newfound vigor and drive. With the simple goal of making music that the two of them would want to listen to, Feral Vices was allowed the freedom to be whatever they wanted it to be and found its comfortable place in the conversation of other two-piece bands like Royal Blood and Death from Above 1979 while bringing in influences not found in those bands like the Jesus Lizard and Refused.
Feral Vices Lay Down With Offerings
Stream the new single on streaming platforms here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/feralvices/lay-down-3
Hoagland says, “The song started with the riff on the chorus and then the riff during the verses and trying to figure out how to connect the two. The chorus ‘Lay Down, falling apart cause you missed out’ was the first lyric written because it just fit so well with the chorus and the general sassiness of the music that the rest of the song was written around that. It was a very Jimi Hendrix meets The Strokes vibe that we were going for musically that kind of ended up becoming something entirely different. “The idea for the video was put together in a similar way, we had all these ideas for what we were going for and then we started filming and it became something else entirely, so it felt appropriate to lean into that and watching it now, it just feels right.”
Website: https://www.feralvices.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeralVices
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FeralVices
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feralvices/
And Snow It Begins – Harper Starling
Rising pop artist Harper Starling is getting into the Christmas spirit early this year with the release of her new single & music video, “Snow Cone Christmas.”
Written by Harper Starling and co-written/co-produced by Cindy Valentine (Bebe Rexha, Britney Spears, Alisha) and Gemini Muzique (Justin Bieber, Jason DeRulo, Snoop Dogg), “Snow Cone Christmas” is a festive pop number packed with catchy lyricism, sugary sweet vocals and sparkling pop production. The holiday-themed single arrives on the heels of Harper’s recent buzzy releases, “Cannot Tell A Lie” and “No More What If,” which have garnered attention from tastemakers like MTV, PopWrapped and Variance Magazine.
Listen to “Snow Cone Christmas”
ffm.to/snowconechristmas
The official music video for “Snow Cone Christmas” is a wonderfully cozy accompaniment to the song. Directed by Fernando Cordero (Industrialism Films) and Cindy Valentine (The Star Groomer), the video stars Harper alongside an array of special guests like actor Johnny “Roastbeef” Williams (Goodfellas, Green Book, The Mask) and influencer Hootie Hurley (@hootiehurley). The video is packed with festive imagery like Santa, elves, glittery ornaments and fabulously themed costumes, perfectly setting the tone for a joyous holiday season ahead.
Raised in Milwaukee and now based in Los Angeles, Harper Starling was destined to be a performer. Having been diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome at a young age would have deterred most, but not Harper. When she steps on a stage, any related symptoms magically disappear and are replaced with the ability to soar and achieve her dreams. Her dedication to her craft has led her to achieve multiple top 20 Billboard Dance hits and support from tastemakers like MTV, LA Weekly and PopWrapped. With each new release, it’s clear that Harper Starling’s courage and unwavering determination has created a star in the making.
A Christmas Highlight to Keep In Mind – TWINNIE
British country-pop performer Twinnie has announced that she will be headlining a Christmas writers round at the St Pancras Old Church venue in London on December 15th.
The event is hosted by the I KNOW A WOMAN music collective and AEG with funds raised going to Mind, while concert-goers are being encouraged to bring a food donation to the on-site food bank in aid of Trussell Trust.
Twinnie will be joined by a host of singer/songwriters from multiple genres for the I KNOW A WOMAN Presents Twinnie & Friends showcase which is the initiative’s first showcase in the UK following on from several gigs in Nashville, USA.
The global music collective is founded by Twinnie with the aim of standardising mental health therapy within label and publishing deals.
The forthcoming Twinnie and Friends concert is set to be a huge highlight of the Christmas gig calendar with the chilled in-the-round show giving artists the chance to connect with new listeners whilst getting the opportunity to tell the stories of how the songs came to life.