Ireland’s Emperor of Ice Cream has released their new ‘Weather Vane’ single via FIFA Records. Moods, motives and expectations can sometimes make us feel like we are caught up in a tornado of emotions when a relationship hits a rocky patch. This song about the hope that remains even when things are falling apart.

Mixed and produced by Graham Finn, this single was mastered by Tom Volpicelli (The Who, Iggy Pop, The Alarm, Pat Benatar, The Bloodhound Gang) at The Mastering House in New Jersey.

They have also done a second vinyl pressing of their debut album ‘No Sound Ever Dies’ LP, which had sold out but is now available on white vinyl, CD, cassette and digital download. It will ship out August 27, the day before its first birthday.

Garnering a new legion of supporters around the globe, renewed demand for the band’s back catalogue resulted in the release of a compilation album of their three early Sony-backed EPs (‘Overflow’, ‘William’ and ‘Know Me’), having sold out in the pre-digital 90’s. Reaching number 21 in the official album charts, the album also rose to number 3 in the independent charts. While the limited-edition physical copies were sold out on release day, it is still available as a digital download.

Since re-emerging on the scene in May 2020, Emperor of Ice Cream have embarked on a chapter few anticipated would be written. Their debut record’s first anniversary is marked by a second pressing on vinyl and CD. Entering the official Irish album charts at number 35, the LP topped the independent charts and was among the top 20 best-selling Irish releases of 2020.

‘Weather Vane’ is out now on Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the second pressing of ‘No Sound Ever Dies’ LP is also available.

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Garnering a new legion of supporters around the globe, renewed demand for the band’s back catalogue resulted in the release of a compilation album of their three early Sony-backed EPs (‘Overflow’, ‘William’ and ‘Know Me’), having sold out in the pre-digital 90’s. Reaching number 21 in the official album charts, the album also rose to number 3 in the independent charts. While the limited-edition physical copies were sold out on release day, it is still available as a digital download.

‘Weather Vane’ is out now on Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the second pressing of ‘No Sound Ever Dies’ LP is also available.

It’s okay that I am doing a short shoutout about this single, It’s Okay, by Cravism and Maya Diegel. The single is an excellent little package that only hints at what is to come. What is to come is a single released every three weeks and culminating the release of the Caryatid EP, which will celebrate all the singles coming together and forming an EP bigger than the sum of each part.

Exciting, right! I am marking my calendar for each release date and then on the big reveal of the EP on October 22, 2021, via UK-French label Komplex Recordings.

‘It’s Okay’ video https://youtu.be/LXdhRxMLeuQ 
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/3hzkGIJ8l5mkn2L7XhSCxW 
Apple Musichttps://music.apple.com/ca/artist/cravism/1306853326 

I will do a more substantial write-up on that day, but a few introductory remarks will suffice for now.

Hailing from Paris and initially trained as a jazz singer, Maya Diegel‘s trajectory would take a big turn upon meeting Singaporean producer Cravism several years ago in Cornwall after his performance at the local university, Maya fell in love with Cravism’s set and sought to collaborate. Impressed by Maya’s capacity for writing high-level melodies, harmonies and lyrics, their fateful meeting ultimately brought the 2019 release of their first collaborative album ‘Vibes, vol. 2’, which resulted in ample playlisting and radio interviews and ultimately secured them a record deal with Komplex Recordings. I recommend ‘Vibes, vol. 2’, it is a lovely listening experience.

Back to the present, as of August 20, Its’s Okay became available via online stores such as Apple Music and Spotify. Accompanied by a film by Parisien video director Stewart Livinec, this is the first taste of their sophomore project ‘Caryatid EP’, entailing a series of songs and films. With smooth jazz textures laid over lush mellow jazz hip hop beats, the listener is transported into a chilled relaxing realm.

Dive into this music, enjoy the video, and join me looking forward to the next track being released.

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When this gets out, you will have some fantastic music for your listening pleasure. When This Gets Out is the lead single from The Persian Leaps new recording Drone Etiquette, a 6-track recording arriving on October 1 via Land Ski Records. I had a nice trip down memory lane while listening to When This Gets Out, it was an enchanting journey. It triggered memories of music that came and went many moons ago. I won’t bother you with a long boring reading list, but trust me, this hit excited neurons that had been dormant for years.

From the distorted guitar that opens, When This Gets Out, the music is catchy and mesmerizing. Drew Forsberg, the face of The Persian Leaps, has crafted a master class of music that weaves down the lane with images of days gone past. From the jangling guitar sound of the ’60s to the distortion of the post-punk bands of the ’90s. This album has it all. Plenty of top ten to satisfy anyone’s taste.

Lyrics? You bet. There are downright intelligent lyrics. I’ll let Drew Forsberg tell you about them:

“Each week, it seemed there was a new Trump-related scandal that by rights should have sunk him. However, instead of consequences, the scandal would be eclipsed the next week by something even more appalling. After a while, people didn’t even bother to pay attention. ‘When This Gets Out‘ imagines something big enough to cut through the apathy, alienate the enablers and apologists, and finally make a difference. Also, starting the EP with the song seemed very appropriate. “When this gets out, the shit will hit the fans.”

‘When This Gets Out’ will be available today, August 19, 2021, exclusively via Bandcamp. On October 1, the full ‘Drone Etiquette‘ album will be released on CD and online platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify. It is already available for pre-order via Bandcamp. I will do a complete album review On or about October 1 if the good lord is willing and the creek don’t rise.

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The weekend is here, and so are some new sounds to check out.

LISA GERRARD & JULES MAXWELL of DEAD CAN DANCE are back for a new audio-visual trip with ‘Keson (Until My Strength Returns).’ Gerrard explains, “Keson implores us to live in our dreams and befriend our soul.” Produced by James Chapman (MAPS), the entire ‘Burn’ LP is euphoric and compelling, more inventive than what they had worked on separately in the past. Each track builds and intensifies, creating a hypnotic experience to listen to from start to finish.

‘Keson (Until My Strength Returns’ https://youtu.be/HiKT2sbjBq0

‘Orion (The Weary Huntsman)’ https://youtu.be/tNBRC2bXcBo 

‘Heleali (The Sea Will Rise)’ https://youtu.be/HHAUc9D9-Jk

‘Aldavyeem (A Time To Dance)’ https://youtu.be/fTID-V4dY-o

‘Deshta (Forever)’ https://youtu.be/ho6bnBWW5pk

‘Noyalain (Burn)’ https://youtu.be/13HWFBUOIWU

Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell in Conversation https://youtu.be/hmc5L1dUKIc

‘Burn’ LP order https://orcd.co/lisajulesburn

Apple Music https://music.apple.com/ca/album/burn/1549003458

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/3JMskHl0z6g1QUKsDTPQvy

‘Oh, Ballerina’ by TRAITRS, one of the dark music scene’s fastest rising indie artists, previews their ‘Horses In The Abattoir’ LP. Also, enjoy their art-house thriller-inspired video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Sw-xW2YJ4

Produced with JOSH KORODY (F*cked Up, Japandroids)and mastered by PETE MAHER (U2, Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, NIN, Prince), The Spill Magazine call this “an impeccable mélange of alternative dark pop and catchy goth-laced retro-futuristic soundscapes.”

As of August 13, ‘Oh, Ballerina’ will be available digitally everywhere, including Spotify and Apple Music. On November 19, the full-length ‘Horses In The Abattoir’ LP will be released on vinyl, CD and digitally. The LP can be ordered at https://orcd.co/horsesintheabattoir. 

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Dublin indie music icons DAVID LONG (INTO PARADISE) AND SHANE O’NEILL (BLUE IN HEAVEN) release the 3-track EP ‘Dreams Come’.Recommended for fans of early New Order, Echo and The Bunnymen, the Go-Betweens, The Sound Beck and Tom Petty. The Irish Times calls this “as even-handed a collaboration as they come… creative synergy that time hasn’t had the nerve to erase”

Irish music icons David Long and Shane O’Neill present their ‘Dreams Come’ EP. This 3-track offering arrives hot on the trail of their ‘Far From Home’ EP and video for the title track, which has garnered the duo excellent reviews and radio play in dozens of countries.

The title track features a sweet, uplifting melody intertwined with bittersweet lyrics – a seeming nod to a love that could be fraying at the edges. From the beautiful opening chords right through to the end, it will make you feel like you want more of whatever it is. Love, loss, hope, all of it, whatever it is.

‘Dreams Come’ https://youtu.be/FQBxiZj8Ti4 

Bandcamp https://davidlong4.bandcamp.com/album/dreams-come-3-track-single

‘Far From Home’  https://youtu.be/nGfnDNGS3dE 

Bandcamp https://davidlong4.bandcamp.com/album/far-from-home-3-track-single 

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/0jMTOqvfqigYXYlH5OpssZ 

Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/shack9/sets/far-from-home-david-long-shane 

Happy listening everyone and play safe.

Back in July, I listened to the album, You Also Have Eyes by The Mystery Plan, but I didn’t feel good about what I reported, so I revisited the album. I listened to it again, several times in fact, and ran the CD through my big speakers in the music room. I came away with a different perspective of what I heard, so I will do a do-over and write up my new experience with the album.

First observation: I listened to the CD that the boys in the band sent me. I like the physical medium. It’s a step back in time to the golden days of the records. I still enjoy listening to records, although all the other mediums, including CDs and streaming, have places, and I frequently visit them. I listened to 429 albums in 2020; 210 of them were vinyl records, 100 CDs, three cassettes and 166 steamed through various sources. So, yeah, I like listening to physical pieces of music, and I had a good experience listening to You Also Have Eyes by The Mystery Plan. Thank you for the CDs, Mystery Plan

From The Mystery Plan‘s Bandcamp page, I learned that you also have eyes is a compilation of songs from their last few albums, plus two new recordings. It was released July 16, 2021, so it is still relatively new.

The opening song, electric love, starts with a short ditty that evolves with an excellent deep bass playing with some gentle synths and a gentle voice floating over it all. At two minutes, give or take a few seconds, the vocal gets a bit stronger and takes a prominent spot with the bass faded down, but it doesn’t go away. Some percussion and synth join it. And then, the vocal gets very sensual. She sounds like she is enjoying whatever she is doing or what someone else is doing with her. The vocal gradually fades to a sound more like a breathing exercise, and the music takes a back seat with gentle synths and then ends.

Track two, the golden moon and the silvery sea, opens with some sweet bass lines, and then the whole band joins in. This song has some serious grooves, toe-tapping and head-bobbing music.

The Mystery Plan is: Amy Herring, Otis Hughes, Patty McLaughlin, Jefferson Chester, Jason Herring

Tracks 3 and 4 have gentle synths leading the way.

Track 5 is a bit faster-paced and revisits the sensual singing. 

Track 6 is silver lining and features Big Supreme on some mighty fine vocals. Straight-up hip hop and a stand-out song from where I am listening.

Track 7, wonder why is synth-pop in a good way.

Track 8, those stars, is a favourite of mine. It opens with some sweet bass and introduces a sax that takes us into a jazzed-up song, and I liked the references to looking at the stars. Jazz and celestial objects, you can’t go wrong with that combination, and  The Mystery Plan does not falter. This track is a solid 10 out of 10 stars and 7 minutes of glorious music.

There is some excellent production on this recording, such as playing with the spatial shape of the music. Track 9, always, is a perfect example of that, with the sound moving from left to right and then back. Some voices seem to float around the centre of the stage but feel that they are not upfront but a bit further back. Ten takes us a long way to heaven in what I would call pop-rock. It has an almost retro feel, like Strawberry Fields with Vangelis on synths and Jeff Beck on guitar. Weird things that people like me can imagine.

Track 10, wonder why, is remixed by Peter Anderson. More pop music. It is a song that I laid back and let my mind wander while I listened, good stuff.

11 is before you go more of the same synthpop that continues where track 10 left off—excellent percussion, especially at the end.

This most excellent album closes with weird things humans do. Gentle acoustic guitars with samples and synths that slowly build with some up-tempo, and then some discrete percussion and bass slip into the mix, and we close sixty minutes of a delightful album.

It is easy to get lost in this album, and it is a good listen that I recommend, 10 out of 10 stars.

p.s. The Mystery Plan do not like shifting for capital letters, their songs are shown in lower case as they appear in Bandcamp as well as on the CD liner.

Post-punk rising stars TRAITRS have announced they will release their long-player ‘Horses In The Abattoir’ this autumn via Freakwave, a Berlin-based label that is part of the Schubert Music Europe group, distributed by The Orchard. Ahead of that, the duo presents the single ‘Oh, Ballerina’.

Recorded by and produced with Josh Korody (F*cked Up, Japandroids, Dilly Dally, Beliefs, Nailbiter) at Candle Recording Studio, the new output was mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Prince, Linkin Park, Katy Perry).

Based in Toronto, TRAITRS was formed in 2015 by Sean-Patrick Nolan and Shawn Tucker. With a cinematic blend of post-punk, goth, alternative and post-rock, their emotive melodies, propulsive rhythms, angular guitars and dark cinematic electronics quickly led to the duo becoming one of the dark music scene’s fastest rising independent artists.

I like what I have heard from the Canuck band TRAITRS. As of August 13, ‘Oh, Ballerina’ will be available digitally everywhere, including Spotify and Apple Music. On November 19, the full-length ‘Horses In The Abattoir’ LP will be released on vinyl, CD and digitally. It can be ordered at https://orcd.co/horsesintheabattoir 

I will do a full review when the album drops on November 19, good stuff. I like what I hear.

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Good day, all. I hope all is well in your world—just a short bump today for a new music video. The iconic post-punk band Pink Turns Blue has unveiled the video for ‘You Still Mean Too Much To Me,’ a beautiful film to their new single. Portraying figures who are utterly alone, reflective, and seeking an elusive connection, this video echoes themes of isolation felt during the process or working through grief over the loss of a loved one.

This past week, the band announced that their new album ‘Tainted’ will be released in autumn on limited edition vinyl, CD and digitally via Orden Records.

They also recently shared two enticing singles – ‘There Must Be So Much More’ and ‘So Why Not Save The World’.

‘You Still Mean Too Much To Me’ is now everywhere, including Apple Music and Spotify. Orden Records will release the ‘Tainted’ LP on September 24. It will be available digitally and in two physical formats – a CD with a 16-page booklet and black vinyl, strictly limited to 500 copies, with an 8-page booklet. Both can be pre-ordered exclusively via the band’s website.

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I love the use of vintage sci/fi cover art in this video from The Speed Of Sound. I look forward to the release of the full album on September 17th. Enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lEovb1GxrQ

Harry Stafford and Marco Butcher have never actually met in the flesh. But they are punk soul brothers from the same muddy musical pond. Connecting with one another during a year of ‘lockdown hell’, their exchange of ideas and talk of musical influences inadvertently led to their collaboration.

As innovative juices began to boil, the frenetic exchange of digital files culminated in ‘Bone Architecture’, a 12-track album that both of them had been itching to make. This superb collection includes reworked older material, brand-new compositions and even a dirty blues version of the Pink Floyd classic ‘Arnold Layne’. Ahead of the album, the duo present lead single ‘There’s Someone Tryin To Get In’ with video created by Stafford.

“For me, this record is a blast of energy with a cool raw groove that I have been itching to express for a while and, with Marco Butcher, I found the perfect collaborator to express it. His garage punk soul music, fused with jazz and swing was the tonic I needed after the doldrums of the last year and a half. The songs we put together fell into place like puzzle pieces in a fuzzed up sonic soundscape,” says Harry Stafford.

Best known as founder, guitarist and vocalist of Manchester post-punk gothic rockers Inca Babies, Harry’s two most recent solo albums (‘Guitar Shaped Hammers’ and ‘Gothic Urban Blues’) reflect a cooler, less frenetic vibe, leaning on piano, trumpets and blues guitar. All this made him the perfect collaborator to set words and lyrics to Marco’s sonic backdrop.  

Originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Marco Butcher now lives in Winston Salem, North Carolina. A prolific recording artist, he has recently released music with his various acts: The Jam Messengers, Chicken Snake, and The Jesus and The Groupies. Centred around the American underground of blues, jazz, rockabilly, and screaming punk blues, he has collaborated with Hugo Race, as well as members of Tex and the Horseheads, Pussy Galore, Gumball, The Gories, Gibson Brothers, Jerry Teel, The Oblivians and The Workdogs.

‘Bone Architecture’ is a collection of songs that is raw and, at times, an unforgiving forage into urban punk blues with fuzzed up jazz and garage trash rock. Here, Harry and Marco’s styles have clashed magnificently into a powerful record that crosses a multitude of genres but with a dirty blues makeover.

“There’s something about collaborating that is pure magic to me, cause you’re not sharing ideas at the same time and you’re in the moment. There’s something about the not knowing what the other will bring . . the surprise factor. The fact that music is very elastic and not always the way ya listen to it in your mind but something else, something cooler, greater,” says Marco Butcher.

“I guess mutual respect has a lot to do it too, sharing the same type of ideas about music and life… For a period of time, Inca Babies ‘This Train’ was my bandstand music when I was crossing a very dark and dangerous lifestyle, when I decided NOT to die. This album was the one I listened to the most.”

Marco’s tracks were recorded at his Boombox Studio in Winston Salem, then shipped by a well-known bulk file sender to Manchester, where Harry laid down vocals, piano and any instrumental tomfoolery he saw fit at Black Lagoon Records. On four occasions, the files also flew to London for supremo trumpet player Kevin Davy to lay some jazz tones into the mix. After the engineering, agonising, production and debates, they were finally mastered by Marco.

As of August 6, ‘There’s Someone Tryin To Get In’ will be available everywhere online, including Spotify and Apple Music. The ‘Bone Architecture’ LP will be released on September 3 via Black Lagoon Records, both digitally and on CD. CDs can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp and the Louder than War shop.

CREDITS
Harry Stafford – vocals, piano, guitar
Marco Butcher – drums, percussion, bass, sax, guitars, vibraphone
Kevin Davy – horns
Written by Harry Stafford and Marco Butcher
Produced and Mastered by Marco Butcher at Boombox Studio
Catalogue no. BLRCD0055

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