Shit the bed, it’s Monday again. Isn’t it about time we had another bank holiday?!? Oh, oh ok, two weeks, lovely, thanks. That’ll be as welcome as the VAR from yesterday at Wembley when they visit Old Trafford next time. Time for TOTW I suppose then. These are some absolute bangers, you couldn’t put a cigarette paper between them for which is further ahead, much like the Coventry winger and Man Utd defender yesterday.
Anyway, enjoy.
Color Green – Four Leaf Clover
Why we love it: because this particular ‘Four Leaf Clover’ is surely guaranteed to bring good fortune. The first single to appear from Color Green’s upcoming album, Fool’s Parade – out 12th July on New West Records, the label to which the Los Angeles’ psych quartet have just signed – is a cracker. Exhuming the ghosts of The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco and other early ‘70s cosmic country creatives, Color Green harness the spirit of Gram Parsons’ in his Nudie suit, sprinkle it with some West Coast psychedelia dust, and then just let rip.
As the band explain, “‘Four Leaf Clover’ examines the feeling of being weighed down by the luck of your draw, only to be failed by the sight of your own navel. Thorns can draw blood, regardless, beauty starts from the stem. The song was recorded live initially, then formed with sprinkles of guitar overdubs and finally blasted off with Tomas Dolas’ (Mr. Elevator, Osees) synth wizardry. Visually it’s an ode to Brion Gysin, and the vast explorations of the motif of fabricated luck and the inherent pitfalls that coincide.”
Together the four band members – Corey Madden (guitar, vocals), Noah Kohll (guitar, vocals), Kyla Perlmutter (bass, vocals), Corey Rose (drums, vocals) – go in search of salvation and quickly find it through their combined energy, harmony, and all-round good vibes. This tune sure should see their commercial stock rise. (Simon Godley)
Gemma Rogers – Coming For The Top
Why we love it: London based singer-songwriter Gemma Rogers has released her new single ‘Coming For The Top’. It’s an instantly dramatic track which grabs the ear of the listener. It’s ties anger and frustration with the current state of the nation, bemoaning the behaviour of those at the very top. The vocals are clear and crisp, and have an ethereal quality and yet teeter on the edge of emotion. The repetition of “coming for the top” makes it absolutely clear where the responsibility lies and what has to be done in order to cultivate the potent message of hope, solidarity and love.
The instrumentation is driven by guitar hooks, and lyrically the story-telling describes the desperate reality many find themselves it. The final lyrics say it all: “And we want to see they drop.”
Gemma Rogers has performed at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party and opened for Paolo Nutini in Brighton’s Stanmer Park. ‘Coming For The Top’ is the lead single from an upcoming 4 track EP. On the evidence of this track it promises to be essential listening. (Julia Mason)
Julie Christmas – Supernatural
Why we love it: because music as powerful as this makes us wish it could be Christmas every day. Julie Christmas is back. 14 years after album number one, the one-time vocalist with American metal outfits Made Out Of Babies and Battle of Mice returns with album number two. Ridiculous and Full of Blood is that record. It will be upon us on June 14th via Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna’s Red Crk label, and the single ‘Supernatural’ is our first taste of it.
The passage of time has certainly strengthened Julie Christmas’s resolve. ‘Supernatural’ is loud and proud, further propelled along its way by Cult of Luna guitarist Johannes Persson, and promises much for the new album and the series of summer live dates in the UK and Europe that follow its release . (Simon Godley)
Yard – Big Shoes
Why we love it: The four-piece electro noise band from Dublin YARD release their latest single ‘Big Shoes’. Bit of advice here, move the furniture out of the way and turn up the volume. What a racket this is and you will want space to move. The beats start calmly enough until the techno kicks in. The sonic noise created by YARDs blend of techno and noise rock is almost feral like. And when the drop is unleashed it’s brutal and breath-taking. The vocals are raw and visceral yet twitchy and angst ridden, until the bounce of the chorus reappears. The guitars are full of screechy static and the synths provide an electronic backdrop like no other. YARD vocalist Ben O’Neill describes ‘Big Shoes’ as a reflection of the struggles many face in today’s world, stating:
“It’s about the desperation that comes with being broke and the sense of hopelessness and lack of self-worth that can manifest itself during hard times.”
No surprise to learn that YARD draw inspiration from sources including SUUNS, Gilla Band, Death Grips, and Nine Inch Nails and live is the way to truly experience this band. A debut headline date in London at Shacklewell Arms on 3 May is followed by festival appearances including Stag & Dagger, The Great Escape, Primavera and Haldern Pop. Remember your dancing shoes AND your earplugs. (Julia Mason)
Express Office Portico – He Said She Said
Why we love it: Express Office Portico recently released their new EP ‘Incommunicado’. From that release is the single ‘He Said She Said’ produced by Joshua Rumble (Bastille, Black Country New Road, Anteros), it offers a breezy, hook riven synth pop tune ladled with bittersweet vocals, that taps into relatable and heartfelt themes, detailing the ups and downs of a relationship, not knowing where you stand. An illuminating production that swells from glimmering synths, a perky shimmering guitar riffs a delicious balance between indie- pop and synth pop with a catchy melodic hook a relationship on the rocks painted in a pop picture.
Speaking about the EP, the band explains: “The phrase ‘Incommunicado’ was taken from a poem written by Sylvia Plath. In simple terms, it means the inability or lack of wanting to communicate with others. Sylvia’s writings often are deeply confessional and painfully personal, revealing a sense of honesty and vulnerability that is not often found in a modern world of social media and keeping up appearances. ‘Incommunicado’ similarly displays not only an exposing set of lyrics written about topics such as childhood trauma, substance abuse, and unstable relationships, but also includes the overarching theme of an inability to communicate with and fully understand the world we live in due to this.” (Bill Cummings)
Loma – How It Starts
Why we love it: because we can find succour through listening to music this emotive, this beautiful.
On June 28, Loma (Emily Cross, Dan Duszynski, Jonathan Meiburg) will release their third album How Will I Live Without A Body? And ‘How It Starts’ is the first single to be taken from the upcoming record. It arrives with a similarly atmospheric video, directed by and starring Emily Cross.
The new album was inspired by the American avant-garde artist, musician, and filmmaker, Laurie Anderson, who offered Loma the opportunity to work with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) trained on her work. Jonathan Meiburg sent Anderson two photos and her AI responded with two haunting poems. “We used fragments of these poems in ‘How It Starts’ and ‘Affinity’ (another track from the new album)”, Meiburg says. “And then Dan noticed that one of AI-Laurie’s lines, ‘How will I live without a body?’ would be a perfect name for the album, since we’d nearly lost sight of each other in the recording process”.
‘How It Starts’, with its poignant refrain of “this is how it starts to move again”, captures this spirit of renaissance, wrapping those powerful sentiments in a plaintive melody that remarkably transcends all feelings of melancholy. (Simon Godley)
Slow Fiction – January
Why we love it: New York quintet Slow Fiction have released their new single, ‘January’ which is the last track on their EP Crush due for release on 28 May via So Young Records. It’s an intoxicating track, with a guitar hook to die for throughout. The break mid track only emphasizes the drop which the listener knows is coming. This is a more boisterous vibe from Slow Fiction and they deliver on the energy beautifully. There is an exuberance which matches the lyrics: “You are the best thing I ever had”. Slow Fiction recently supported Sprints on some of their US dates. Thankfully there will be an opportunity to see Slow Fiction on this side of the pond this summer as they play various festivals including The Great Escape as well as a headline shows at the Windmill, Brixton in May.
On ‘January’ vocalist Julia Vassallo further expands: “The reckoning, I guess. Looking back and forward at the same time. Knowing that you just experienced something difficult, and you aren’t out of the woods quite yet, but you can be eventually. Accepting that you’ve been the antagonist in your life at certain points. Anäis Nin said “A kiss can destroy a philosophy.” (Julia Mason)
