The Academy of Sun

Posted on July 1, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

I love it when some new music comes along, and it gobsmacks me right square in my face. Well, that happened to me this week. The artist in question goes by the moniker The Academy of Sun; quiet a mouthful ain’t it! They are a psychedelic post-punk quartet anchored around Nick Hudson on piano, synths, Hammond organ, harmonium, vocals, percussion, synths. Along with the rock-solid accompaniment of Kianna Blue on bass and synths. Guy Brice treats us to his guitar playing, and Ash Babb keeps it rock steady on percussion. This 7″ release from Heaven’s Lathe follows the sonic holiday of their 2020 album The Quiet Earth, which I highly recommend you to give a listen.

The A-side of this recording, ‘It Is Finished When It’s Destroyed,’ comes at us as a two for the price of one recording. It makes a grand entrance with smooth as silk synths and builds on that into soaring vocals that segues into staccato percussion and harmonious vocals. The second section sees Hudson’s keening vocal riding over the percussion of floor toms and more synths. Mixed by acclaimed US producer Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Danny Elfman, Earth, Mandy OST), the attention to detail and the tasteful placement of sounds make it all work together for one heck of a good song. The flipside ‘Ghost Foxes‘ opens with the rat-a-tat of drums and rapid-fire singing from Nick Hudson that left me tired just listening to. These two tracks present The Academy of Sun as a band going places.

“The first The Academy Of Sun track I’ve written since finishing writing ‘The Quiet Earth’ in 2018, this is an aquaplaning freight train of psychedelia and snarl – with the second part endlessly modulating over a skittery, syncopated drum pattern and Mariana Trench-plumbing synths. Whether it is lyrically directed at the heinous cabal of xenophobic disaster capitalists currently holed up in UK parliament remains to be seen (it is),” says Nick Hudson.

“‘Ghost Foxes’ was written for ‘The Quiet Earth,’ but never felt “right” until we were asked to create this release. A satire on esotericism, boasting yet another Herzog quote and some mesmerizing guitar tones from our plank-wielder, Guy Brice, ‘Ghost Foxes’ was always riotous to play live, and will be again.”

On Friday, July 2 at 6 PM BST, Heaven’s Lathe will be releasing this on a 7″ lathe-cut vinyl through Heaven’s Lathe on Bandcamp.

This black hand-numbered 7″ high-quality stereo lathe-cut vinyl features an engraved Heavens Lathe logo, a 230gsm sleeve, black inner sleeve and PVC protective sleeve. Ships within a white poly-lined inner paper sleeve and a ‘lathe cut’ care card include digital download. Otherwise, these tracks will be available digitally in mid-August.

CREDITS

Written by Nick Hudson, arranged by The Academy Of Sun:

Nick Hudson, Guy Brice, Kianna Blue, Ash Babb

Vocals & synths recorded by Nick Hudson at The Lament Configuration.

Bass recorded by Kianna Blue at Alfie Towers.

A side guitars/drums recorded by Joseph Thorpe at Brighton Electric.

B side drums recorded by Paul Pascoe at Church Road Studios, Hove.

A side mixed by Randall Dunn at Circular Ruin Studios NYC.

B side mixed by Paul Pascoe at Church Road Studios Hove.

Mastered by Randall Dunn at Circular Ruin Studios NYC.

Artwork & layout by Ash Babb, Cover painting by Nick Hudson.

All lathe cutting and engineering are by Michael Lawrence.

Design by Lauren Winton (Bladud Flies!)

Keep up with The Academy of Sun

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR

The Hardest Battle

Posted on June 30, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

I got taken to school today, and I fully deserved it. I had been offered the opportunity to write a blog posting about a new release from a chap named Colin Moulding, yes, the Colin Moulding from XTC. A quick look at the PR and a brief perusal of his latest release prompted my premature conclusion that I didn’t want to do a blog about three songs.

My decision had nothing to do with the quality of Colin Mouldings’ music. It’s just that I don’t particularly enjoy doing blogs for singles, and then after covering three singles from the artist, they release an EP with four songs. Whoopie, I could have just done the EP and saved paper.

I informed Shauna, the talent agent who feeds me new music, that I would like to wait till Colin Moulding released an album. And this is when the reeducation of Norman began to correct his miseducation in regards to XTC. A tip of the proverbial hat to Lauryn Hill, and a huge wave of gratitude to Shauna at Shameless Promotion PR for tuning me in to the fact that this release is in deed a big deal that I really should take another look at. Which I did.

The first baby step that I took was to listen to the back catalogue of XTC. I owned one slab of vinyl by them, Drums and Wires. The only reason I had that album is because I liked one song on the record, Making Plans For Nigel.

I started my education by listening with Apple Essentials, but I quickly moved on from that to a brief visit at White Music, XTC‘s debut album. It was closer to punk than the XTC that I knew from Drums and Wires but a good recording in that vein of music. Next up was English Settlement, a lovely transition album moving the band away from their post-punk/new wave era into a more refined but more complex musical direction. I found English Settlement very interesting, with intelligent lyrics and well-placed music to accompany those songs. I also found that as I sampled a few of their other albums, I continued to gravitate back towards the English Settlement. Perhaps a Freudian slip since I live in an English settlement.

Meanwhile, the exercise of trying to understand where Colin Moulding was coming from jarred a few musical memories loose in my thick skull. Senses Working Overtime, a great song that hasn’t lost any of its power and sensibility. The tune Dear God was almost a mantra in a previous life that I lived. It then became blasphemy and then became a song with a high place in my song hierarchy. Curious about how life is and the music that we attach to moments that we live through. I won’t bore you with more on this train of thought; there are great books about it if you want to learn more about earworms and the science of music memory.

Guitar Zero The New Musician and the Science of Learning by Gary Marcus was a fun and inspiring read.

The World in Six Songs by Daniel Levitin

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession, also by Daniel Levitin, is an excellent book.

Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks is more academic but very informative.

Fast forward from Skylarking in 1986 to July 2, 2021, when XTC legend Colin Moulding releases ‘The Hardest Battle’ on CD via Burning Shed.

CD Order https://burningshed.com/store/colin-moulding_store/colin-moulding_the-hardest-battle_cd

This release gives us a glimpse into the creative process of one of the UK’s finest songwriters. The Hardest Battle provides us with a bridge from the popular music of XTC to the music that Colin Moulding crafts for us on this EP. ‘The Hardest Battle‘ is the first new material from Colin Moulding in many years.

Colin Moulding tells us: “To be nobody but yourself – in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle any human being can fight”… I saw these lines in a book I picked up in a secondhand bookshop and thought…maybe there’s a song there …I think it’s by the poet EE Cummins,”

“And there it was. All I had to do was come up with some music to marry to this notion. I do think most people aren’t themselves really or become themselves eventually. And that struggle isn’t easy. I recorded this pretty much in isolation, as most people have been this past year or so. One crazy year for all of us. Perhaps ‘The Hardest Battle‘ we humans have faced externally, as well as the one we fight internally every day.”

“About ‘Say It,’ I just felt this track deserved a better fate than it got, really. I wrote it for the XTC album that never was. But it ended up on a promo disk amongst XTC’s ‘Last Days of Rome’ This version feels much more akin to my original song mindset compared to the expedient I agreed to at the time,” says Colin Moulding.

Regarding ‘The Hardest Battle (First Exploratory Demo),’ Colin Moulding adds, “I think demos are much more of a demonstration to one’s self than for other people. You have to find out what works and what doesn’t. Therefore, you shoot from the hip and just fire it out and see what sticks. Larkin always said that he didn’t know what his poems were about initially until he got some way into them;- that’s what this is;- I’m just ‘Larkin’ around until it presents itself. Then the crossword puzzle can begin.”

After learning my lesson on just how good XTC was as a band and how each member contributed, I also found out that I liked XTC for more than Making Plans For Nigel. Bottom line, a huge thank you to Shauna at Shameless Promotions PR for taking the time to give me a lesson on a band that I had overlooked. I probably passed hundreds of copies of XTC‘s albums through my hands when I worked at Record Collectors Paradise, and I never took the time to stop and listen. I have found that taking the time to listen can be a hard battle as well. I recommend taking the time to stop and listen to Colin Moulding and The Hardest Battle. I know that hitting repeat will not be the hardest battle, and buying the CD is not a hard battle either, so do your ears a favour and take the time to stop and listen to this great music.

Officially out on July 2, ‘The Hardest Battle’ can be ordered on CD single exclusively via Burning Shed at:

https://burningshed.com/store/colin-moulding_store/colin-moulding_the-hardest-battle_cd.

Keep up with Colin Moulding

Store | Wikipedia | YouTube | Facebook group | Press contact

Keep up with Burning Shed

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR

In conclusion here is some eye candy.

A New Era

Posted on June 25, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

Ender Bender, aka Eddie Olguin, has Bewildered me on his new EP. Don’t get me wrong; I Have A Good Time listening to it. It has helped me Reconnect with summer, it was a bit late arriving, but I feel we are entering a New Era. I put this new EP on the virtual turntable and let the music Talk to Me.

Summer is upon us, which means driving around the local countryside and visiting some folks we have not seen since pre-Covid. We have had our second shot, and we still practice personal protection guidelines.

While we are out cruising, we like listening to some tunes, and this EP from Ender Bender, New Era, is just the prescription for some summer fun. With the temperatures hovering just below 30c, I think I’ll leave the top up and the A/C on, but we can still listen to this summer fun EP.

As Ender Bender, Eddie Olguin has served us a fun flashback to the synth-laden days of New Wave summers and jumping for retro joy. I heard a bit of this band over here—a bit of that band over there. And plenty of original fresh sounding music all over the place.

Eddie Olguin, in his own words: “Most of the music I have been listening to has a fun-retro 80s vibe, which served as the perfect distraction from the reality we were dealing with. This inspired me to create an EP that would also serve as an escape for others while positively touching upon the things we were forced to face, like the importance of friends and family and of truly leaving behind the petty bullshit that takes over our daily existence – we simply need to enjoy the beauty of life,”

Enjoy the beauty of life indeed, and while doing that, enjoy the beauty of this EP.

Bewildered 3:48

Have a Good Time 4:10

Reconnect 2:32

New Era 3:59

Talk to Me 4:15

That adds up to 18 minutes and 44 seconds of fun in the sun. Put it in a playlist and listen to it again. Make a mixtape for the road and listen to a New Era, a New Era for Ender Bender and five new tunes for you to kick up your summer fun.

‘Bewildered’ https://open.spotify.com/track/1slNPBCKdeXebSTzIhviBO
‘Have a Good Time’ https://youtu.be/s7MSBsJLdZ8
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/1bkEpkcIqWIKyg21VFQUgT
Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/iamenderbender/have-a-good-time/s-4KKRsj1Cb1r
Bandcamp / Pre-order https://enderbender.bandcamp.com/album/new-era

If you have any questions, contact Shauna from Shameless Promotion PR at contact@shamelesspromotionpr.com

Singles

Posted on June 22, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

I don’t usually promote singles, lonely songs, not lonely people.

However, I will make an exception to that self-proclaimed rule today. I present That Chitty Bang Majik and Escalator for your listening pleasure, two singles that kick-started my morning.

That Chitty Bang Majik is a new single by a band that left an indelible impression on me back in May of this year when I posted my thoughts about their single and video Bluebird, Hollywood… Domino. That band is The Gorstey Lea Street Choir.

I still enjoy listening to them, and this new release only adds to my desire to own slabs of vinyl by them.

I am at a loss for words that describe what my ears are hearing when I listen to this song, so I will let The Gorstey Lea Street Choir, which is Michael Clapham and Russ Phillips, speak for themselves.

“The song came about last January after a Christmas repeat that we had both watched of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ Michael Clapham tells us.

‘We love the film and the soundtrack, and we started discussing ‘the flying car” and before you know it ‘…That Chitty Bang Magic‘ was born,” says Russ Phillips.

“This song represents the poppier side of our indie credentials whilst still retaining our core vibe, 12 string guitars chime alongside brass punctuations and Moog synths, with the two vocal Gorstey chant upfront, telling the story of the track. We are really looking forward to folks hearing the rest of the LP in early July when it arrives, the four new tracks and the four re-imaginations of ‘Extended Play One’ tracks by Choque from Black Star Liner,” says Michael Clapham.

I concur with really looking forward to hearing the rest of the LP in July when it is released.

As of June 22, ‘That Chitty Bang Majik‘ will be available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music and Spotify. Additionally, the ‘…from Prince’s Park to Farsley – Volume I’ LP will see its release on July 9.

This music should garner The Gorstey Lea Street Choir extended air time no matter the format or delivery platform. Just listen to it is all I am saying. It is that good. I will put it on repeat, sip my beverage of choice and sit back to enjoy every nuance of The Gorstey Lea Street Choir.

Did I mention the video? No? Well, there is one on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zJNX7YE8B0.

We have lots of links for you to click through and enjoy the music of The Gorstey Lea Street Choir.

‘That Chitty Bang Majik’ https://youtu.be/1zJNX7YE8B0

‘Bluebird. Hollywood… Domino’ https://youtu.be/2LDscdfKDPU

Bandcamp https://500broadcast.bandcamp.com/track/that-chitty-bang-majik

Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/thegorsteyleastreetchoir/bluebird-hollywood-domino/s-j3jhmWOLhRV

Single pre-save https://bit.ly/2Rgqguv

Album pre-order https://500broadcast.bandcamp.com/album/from-princes-park-to-farsley-volume-i

Album pre-save https://bit.ly/337xS55

Wow, I got carried away with that review. I need to get some words in this blog for the second single of the day. Phoenix-based dream-electronic artist FLDPLN presents his new single Escalator previewing his full-length album by the same name. Scheduled for release on July 30, it will be digitally available and on colour vinyl via the label Sillas Famosas.

FLDPLN (“field-plan”) is the new solo project of Andrew Saks, former frontman of Southern California shoegaze band Sway. As FLDPLN, he creates a primarily electronic project with songs that feature synthesizers, vocals and layered saxophones reminiscent of 80s pop.

“Escalator is really the result of my years of dabbling in electronic music production combined with my desire to reconnect with my roots, having been a saxophone player for most of my life,” says Andrew Saks.

“For this album, I wanted to write songs that are true to the way I hear things in my head, dreamy, blurry, beautiful without compromise and incorporate the horn as a textural instrument as well as another melodic voice.”

At times, Andrew Saks horn playing features soaring leads that lift the dreamlike and serene to near-anthemic heights while, in other instances, they convey an emotional, whisper-like voice. While certainly nowhere near new to experimental music, the tone and texture of the saxophone in this context effectively lends itself to ethereal lullabies and reflective daydreams.

While textures and sound are an integral component of the music, Andrew Saks does not shy away from hook-laden songwriting. This music is highly influenced by Andrew Saks childhood memories of going to bed with Walkman headphones on and later waking up in the darkness, in a partial dream-state with the pop songs of the 1980’s – Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Bruce Springsteen, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Debbie Gibson, Human League still whispering in his ears.

The ‘Escalator’ single is now available everywhere across online stores like Apple Music and streaming platforms like Spotify. The entire ‘Escalator’ LP will release on July 30 and can already be pre-ordered digitally and on colour vinyl via Bandcamp.

‘Escalator’ https://youtu.be/Lh6iS92kYss

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/3V7pKnC07ZqpGJQsyThsUu

Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fldpln/escalator/s-2d12zarJxU8

Album teaser https://youtu.be/H47SwiolC8A

Bandcamp https://fldpln.bandcamp.com/album/escalator

Pre-order https://fldpln.bandcamp.com

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys

Posted on June 4, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

Summertime and the living is easy. I have been spending a good chunk of my day on the deck listening to music. I also watch clouds drift past on their way to who knows where.

I recently listened to ‘Transit Tapes’ (for women who move furniture around) by Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys.

I found it challenging to write this blog; I couldn’t stop listening long enough to write. So I am sitting at my desk as I write this, and my whole body is in revolt. My head is bobbing in sync with the music. My foot keeps time like a metronome. My fingers want to make chord shapes on the guitar instead of word shapes on the computer.

As with most other humans, one of the first things I do when I hear new music is to try and find a reference in my memory bank to something I have heard before. I play the who does this sound like game.

Nick Cave? Highly probable, Lucy Kruger cites Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as an influence, so that makes sense.

Jennifer Warnes? Only a little bit.

Neko Case? More than Jennifer Warnes but not definitive.

Margo Timmins? Yeah, I can hear a good bit of cross-over with The Cowboy Junkies. Check out, Sweet Jane or Misguided Angel. Are they dopplgangers? No, but they are similar.

At the end of the day, Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys sound like Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys. Go figure, eh!

Lucy Kruger has an ethereal voice that fits like a dovetail joint with The Lost Boys. This project is the first time Kruger has worked with drummer Martin Perret, guitarist Liú Mottes and bassist Andreas Miranda, who form The Lost Boys. The depth that The Lost Boys add is apparent in the dramatic soundscape heard in A Paper Boat or the slow rumbling climb on A Stranger’s Chest.

I would encourage you, the reader and listener, to search out what you can on the internet about Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys. Here are a few good starting points.

https://www.facebook.com/LucyKrugerOfficial

https://www.instagram.com/lucy_kruger/

https://www.youtube.com/user/LucyKrugerOther

https://www.patreon.com/lucykruger

While reading what you can find about the journey that took Lucy Kruger to this point in time, I would encourage listening to her music. I would even promote listening to her back catalogue to listen to that journey and how it contributed to ‘Transit Tapes’ (for women who move furniture around).

This album scores an insanely high 9.5 out of ten which is rarefied air.

Buy it, listen to it. Listen to it in transit on your summer vacation. Listen to it while moving furniture around. Listen to it once, and I will boldly bet that you will want to listen to it again and again. I know I did.

While reading what you can about Lucy Kruger, I would encourage listening to her back catalogue and how that contributed to ‘Transit Tapes’ (for women who move furniture around).

‘Transit Tapes’ (for women who move furniture around) will be released by Unique Records on June 4th, 2021 wherever fine music is available.

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/1DJMo9lG40b0N51VAgyBp4?si=2HfGiYkITZ-_lYsCfvEWyA
Bandcamp:
https://lucykruger.bandcamp.com/album/sleeping-tapes-for-some-girls
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/lucykruger/sets/sleeping-tapes-for-some-girls
Social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LucyKrugerOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucy_kruger/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lucy_kruger
Bandcamp: https://lucykruger.bandcamp.com
A link to the videos:
Digging A Hole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKM6yl7SMmU
Half of A Woman:
https://vimeo.com/338570248
The Ocean at Night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm86_2LgjJA
Mary (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4BokorKp64&feature=youtu.be

I also highly recommend the video of A Strangers Chest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngeGnuU2raw&t=33s&ab_channel=LucyKruger

For Press enquiries please contact james@mysticsons.com & jack@mysticsons.com

Noir by Jesse Markin

Posted on June 2, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

Sometimes I struggle to find words for a blog about music. The reasons are as varied as the music. Perhaps the music is uninspiring, that happens, and there isn’t a lot I can do about it. Occasionally the music will grow on me but not always. There are recordings at the other end of the spectrum that I can’t stop listening to long enough to write anything.

Jesse Markin did that to me over the last four days. I listened to his newest release, Noir, several times. And then I went headfirst into his previous release, Folk, and swam through that for a day. Noir went back through my ears and wormed its way into my brain. I do not know how this will turn out but here goes my attempt at a brief review of Jesse Markin‘s album Noir

Several tunes deserve mention on their own. The fourth track, Sidney Poitier, jumps out of the speakers with a heavy riff reminiscent of Muse on their song Uprising. Then it rapidly becomes evident that this tune is carving its groove and not resting on anyone else or their interpretations. The catchphrase of Sidney Poitier is ‘I feel like yo papa don’t like me,’ catchy as shit, but it rang hollow for me because my papa-in-law and I were best friends. Still a catchy line in a great tune.

After Sidney Poitier, some more high-energy tunes lead us to a favourite of mine, Counting Money On A Sunday. I was an usher in a church in a previous life, and I counted money on a Sunday many, many times. I feel this song wouldn’t go down well with that particular congregation, but I dig it in my present life.

On June 4, Jesse will be releasing the single Hemostasis, featuring Terrell Hines as a vocalist. That powerhouse is followed by Exodus, another single that sores with the guest vocalist Akua Naru. This tune grooves with shadows of African rhythm mixing with electronica and the overlapping vocals of Akua Naru and Jesse Markin. I have a message for Jesse, bottom line; this is your time…to shine.

Mothers! Where would we be without them! I feel that Jesse is searching for his identity in this song.

Your favourite colours are white and blue

Mine are red, black and green

White and blue are the colours of the Finnish national flag. Finland is where Jesse grew up and now resides. He lived in the small town of Viljakkala which was small and all white, and it is through that lens that Jesse is peering hoping to find some identity that clings to him.

Red, black and green is the flag of Liberia, the birthplace of Jesse Markin, and the Pan-African flag.

A small history lesson follows to show how that is relevant.

The Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World was drafted and adopted at the Universal Negro Improvement Association Convention held in New York City‘s Madison Square Garden on August 13, 1920. Marcus Garvey presided over the occasion as Chairman. It was at this event where he was duly elected Provisional President of Africa. He is

Among the articles is Declaration 39, which states as follows:

“That the colours, Red, Black and Green, be the colours of the Negro race.”

It is from that statement the Red, Black and Green flag came into existence.

From that statement, Jesse Markin’s favourite colours, as listed in the song Mother!, are essential, at least in my mind and thus in this blog.

The album Noir closes with the powerful pairing of the songs It Was August and Pushing Daisies.

There are nuggets scattered throughout this recording. In the last song, Pushing Daisies, there is an excellent example of this in the line Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. This line is from the song Ain’t No Sunshine, a massive hit for Bill Withers way back in 1971. I prefer the cover done by the hillbilly goth band Woven Hand. It is dark, which is what I read in the lyrics.

Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone

Only darkness every day

Back to the present day, there is sunshine because Jesse Markin

said that the bravest thing I ever did

Was to continue living life

I am glad Jesse continues to live life and to make music. It is worth a try. Thank you, Jesse Markin.

https://www.instagram.com/jesse_markin/

https://www.facebook.com/markinjesse

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3mxJuHRn2ZWD5OofvJtDZY?si=hxacPtb2Rmi86C6R9Qgv0A

For all press enquiries, please contact james@mysticsons.com OR megan@mysticsons.com

No Real Colour In Souls

Posted on May 24, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

Brazilian progressive rock / metal trio Pentral reveal their new single ‘No Real Colour In Souls’, one of the grooviest songs found on their debut long-player ‘What Lies Ahead of Us’, a 10-track LP with legendary producer Tim Palmer (Robert Plant, Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie’s Tin Machine, The Mission, HIM, U2, Pearl Jam) co-producing with Pentral, Sergio Fouad and Cesar Bottinha. Palmer also mixed the LP, which was mastered by Justin Shturtz (HIM, The Psychedelic Furs, Nancy Wilson, Slipnot, Tin Machine).

Hailing from Belém in northern Brazil, Pentral is made up of Victor Lima(vocals, guitars, songwriter, lyrics), Vagner Lima (drummer) and Joe Ferri (bass guitar), this album shares the tragic reality of many Amazon dwellers, whose habitat, lifestyle and livelihood are brutally taken from them, not to mention the destruction of the forest itself. Through their videos and lyrics, Pentral tells the story about this violence and pilfering of the Amazon’s natural habitat.

“A rhythmic lengthy track, Vagner is brilliant on the drums and Joe on the bass guitar. This was one of the hardest tracks to sing during the recording sessions. Lot of feelings involved, and I believe I could express all this vibe to the interpretation of the song,” says Victor Lima.

Earlier, Pentral released high-energy singles ‘Aiming For The Sun’, ‘All My Wounds’ and ‘Silent Trees’– the sonic launching pad into a concept album reflecting on today’s society, presenting the saga of a lowly couple fighting for their lives and sanity. The accompanying video sequence was filmed in their native Amazon – a dedicated saga unfolds, track by track. Directed and edited by Roger Elarrat and produced by Luana Klautau, this also involves Lucas Escócio as director of photography, this video features actors Anne Costa, Guto Galvão, Eduarda Cursino, Boris Knez and Aldo Lima.

The lyrics speak about loss. The kid and her mother are wandering around the forest as they know they have to get out and try to go on with their lives somewhere away from that place. Racism is clearly portrayed on the song as well. This is an odious plague that still chases up the human beings and that have to be confronted. It’s a quite introspective song! It resonates with the name of the band – Pentral, which means Soul. At the end of the day, this is what we really are – a Soul, before, during, and after our material existence.

Their unique take on alternative rock can be described as progressive, heavy, groovy and melodic, while the band also deliver a strong political message about what is going on in Brazil and all over the world.

Pentral stands for ‘spirit’ in Latin, indicative of the message this band is trying to inspire via their sound – the need to transcend this material world through the power of music, without losing connection with reality and human frailties.

Deeply influenced by their Amazon roots, Pentral’s music is influenced by many global influences while also striving to honor Brazil’s groove and unique harmonies, progressive rock, metal music, atmosphere and melody. This debut album sums up years of experimentation and the search for human awareness of the environment, peace and equality.

“The album ‘What Lies Ahead of Us’ is like a “declaration” and it was conceived way before COVID-19 came out…But it kind of fits the current reality we´re going through. This pandemic is the outcome of the unfriendly way we’ve been treating our environment and ourselves as well, and it served to expose our insensitivity, our lack of empathy,”says Pentral frontman Victor Lima.

“It’s a story about a man and a woman who lives in the woods. The forest is invaded by a group of mercenaries (pretty common in Brazil) in order to burn the woods down and make money with that, the man is killed, the woman manages to survive and she is pregnant, then she gives birth to a girl, and They try to survive in the city, experiencing racism, violence, hunger, selfishness, indifference. The only thing they have – they love each other. So, the elements of the story – environment being destroyed, people suffering discrimination by the color of their skin, by the place where they came from, being selfish and violent for the sake of their own interests and prejudices, politics and religion abuse and extremism and the only way I believe things could be solved – the power of love. The album is like a journey of the three characters (a woman, a man, and their kid) passing through all the issues I’m talking about in the lyrics for these ten songs.”

‘What Lies Ahead of Us’ album is out now everywhere digitally, including Apple Musicand Spotify. It can be ordered via https://pentral.lnk.to/WhatLiesAheadOfUs or via Amazon.

CREDITS
All songs written by Victor Lima
Produced by Pentral and Tim Palmer
Co-produced and engineered by Sergio Fouad and Cesar Botinha
Justin Shturtz – mastering
Tim Palmer – mixing, additional guitars, percussion and keyboards
Victor Lima – vocals and guitars
Vagner Lima – drums
Joe Ferri – bass guitar
Cover artwork by Heidi Teillefer

Pennies By The Pound

Posted on May 24, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

I have found over time that some music grows better with time. Some music starts mediocre and doesn’t rise much above that, or below for that matter. And there is some music like the new offering from Pennies by the Pound, Heat Death of the Universe‘, that keeps sounding unique and exciting each time I listen to it.

Hailing from Helsinki, Pennies by the Pound was formed in 2016 by Johannes Susitaival as a solo project, but it quickly became a three-piece involving musicians from his past bands.

Vesa Ranta – lead guitar, rhythm guitar
Tomi Laaksonen – bass guitar
Rauli Eskolin – additional keyboards, background vocals on track 6
Alexander Meaney – additional lead guitar on track 5
Kaisa Ranta – additional vocals on tracks 3 and 7, background vocals on track 6.

Musically this is very much a prog-rock album, but it is more than that. It is also a rock album, just rock. It also gets filed under indie rock. It has grinding guitar riffs, soaring synth passages and heavy, heavenly choruses. It touches on punk and post-punk as well. My goodness, this album is a treasure trove full of gold. Johannes Susitaival; “This album is rooted in the fact that I became heavily interested in ’80s Marillion a few years ago, especially the ‘Clutching at Straws‘ LP. You can definitely hear the influence on the record, but there’s a lot of ’80s Rush too, spiced up with contemporary influences like Muse and Radiohead. I love prog and being a good Canuck I will admit that I really like Rush, all the years.
Lyrically, well, I’ll step aside and let Johannes Susitaival you. “Lyrically, there is a loose theme on the album about the way people continue to actually socially distance themselves from others (even without or before the pandemic) due to the influence of social media and maybe the internet in general. The album title is a nod to that, the “heat death of the universe” being the lack of and eventual end of real-life social connections between people,” says Johannes Susitaival.

“As an artist, I’ve always been hesitant to make records that sound the same as the previous ones I’ve done, so the sound keeps evolving,” says Johannes Susitaival. “I wanted to make a record that is borderline ridiculous, in some ways, and definitely not very contemporary. Then again, for the first time in my life, I had a chance to work with a producer, whose work I have admired since the turn of the millennium and this definitely influenced the album and its sound”.
The ‘Heat Death of the Universe‘ album is out as of May 21. It can be obtained directly from the band via Bandcamp and the standard platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.

Bandcamp https://penniesbythepound.bandcamp.com/album/heat-death-of-the-universe
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/2vtaujl88GUA0F5nXOArht
Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/album/heat-death-of-the-universe/1566872818
‘Indigo Screams’ https://youtu.be/UrOimjY1ZV0
Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/j-sus-1/05-indigo-screams-1/s-Hig71nXQBO5
Keep up with Pennies By The Pound

https://facebook.com/penniesbythepound https://penniesbythepound.bandcamp.com https://instagram.com/penniesbythepound https://twitter.com/by_pennies https://soundcloud.com/j-sus-1 https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Hbaw0aHEmn2i83DSYyKGi https://music.apple.com/us/artist/pennies-by-the-pound/1330333600

If you have any questions, contact Shauna from Shameless Promotion PR at contact@shamelesspromotionpr.com

Brave Warrior

Posted on May 20, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

I’m listening to the EP Brave Warrior from a band named Keeley. The first track, The Glitter and the Glue, comes charging at me at full gallop. It hearkens back to the vocals and volume of The Runaways with a bit of tweaking at the soundboard to bring it into the 21st century. Good stuff; I loved The Glitter and the Glue. The whole song works as a pop/punk anthem with blasting guitars and a good fast pace.

The whole EP isn’t on the same page as The Glitter and the Glue. The next song is Last Words; it changes gears into a more new wave/post-punk song. It may not have the same energy as The Glitter and the Glue, but it stands on its own merit. The third track of this four-track EP is Never Here Always There, and it presents us, the listeners, with a whole new tableau, a more sombre sound but not melancholy. The EP closes with You Never Made It That Far, pulsing and building to close a chapter in the story. Overall I enjoyed the dozen times that I played this EP, as good a concept EP as any other I have heard. I look forward to a long player with more of the story.

Hailing from Dublin and fronted by vocalist and guitarist Keeley, the band includes Marty Canavan on keyboards, Martin Fagan on bass and Pete Duff on drums.

London label Dimple Discs has announced the signing of Irish psychedelic dream pop outfit Keeley to its roster, not long after releasing the critically acclaimed new album from Cathal Coughlan (The Fatima Mansions, Microdisney). The label will release her debut ‘Brave Warrior’ EP digitally on June 18, with a physical release planned for autumn with a long-player scheduled for 2022.

Keeley pursues an unusual conceptual thread, conceived several years ago, focusing on German tourist Inga Maria Hauser, whose murder in Northern Ireland in 1988 remains unsolved.

For the past five years, the band’s frontwoman and songwriter Keeley has been publishing a blog with a devoted global following – ‘The Keeley Chronicles.’ She is documenting the many facets of this unique, harrowing and mysterious case, correcting the falsely published details of Inga’s life and piecing together what happened in the final days of her trip. By working in close quarters with Northern Irish police, senior politicians and Inga’s legal representatives in Northern Ireland in concerted efforts to advance and resolve this notorious case, she is keeping the memory of this beautiful and mysterious soul alive.

“Inga is the subject of everything I write. From the moment I first read about her exactly five years ago now, her cause became a burning obsession for me. Since that day, I haven’t written a song about anyone or anything else… I consider myself a concept artist, and my purpose is to give Inga a voice,” says Keeley.

Dimple Discs is a new Peckham label with deep Irish music connections, founded in 2018 by Damian O’Neill of The Undertones and Brian O’Neill, initially as a vehicle for Damian’s solo projects. It has grown to encompass such artists as The Undertones, Cathal Coughlan, Kev Hopper, Eileen Gogan and Nick Haeffner with forthcoming archive material from Microdisney and Fatima Mansions.

“We are thrilled to have Keeley joining us as she is an exciting new talent – we were hooked from the opening bars of ‘The Glitter And The Glue.’ Welcome to the family, Keeley!” says Brian O’Neill.

Already recording new works at Darklands Audio in Dublin, where Fontaines D.C. recorded their first album, Keeley looks forward to releasing this ‘Brave Warrior’ EP on June 18. It can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp with ‘Glitter and The Glue’ being offered for immediate download with any order.

FOR SHARING

Bandcamp https://keeleysound.bandcamp.com/track/the-glitter-and-the-glue

‘The Glitter and the Glue’ https://youtu.be/NQf4Cvejq-8

‘Last Words’ https://youtu.be/zQ-deYzBmBc

Pre-order https://keeleysound.bandcamp.com/album/brave-warrior-ep

Keep up with Keeley

Keep up with Dimple Discs

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR

Neon

Posted on May 20, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

Indie pop-rock outfit Bilbosavpresent their vibrant single ‘Neon’, which is the first taste of their ‘Ayla’ EP, a four-track offering slated for release in mid-June via Italy’s powerhouse indie label Seahorse Recordings. Irish singer-songwriter Lori Skycontributes vocals, as well as lyrics, in this offering with its full and mesmerizing, rhythmic darkness.

Hailing from Genoa in northern Italy, Bilbosa are David Carroll (guitar), Stefano Pulcini (guitar and synth), Daniele Ferrari (bass and synth) and Gabriele Gennaro(drums). Formed in 2016 from the ashes of their former band Chaos Del Signor Gaza, the remaining four musicians spent much energy collaborating, jamming and trying to understand what musical route to take. Finally, they desperated decided to lock themselves in a recording studio in 2018, resulting in the recording of their first official album, ‘Diamond Dust’, which they released in December 2020.

Formerly writing under the name Lorraine McCauley, Scottish-based Donegal-raised Lori Skyoffers a powerful new voice and perspective on the arts scene, making music for the soul and senses. Performing at Irish Feis since the age of four, she formed her first band while living in Japan. Following her 2010 debut solo EP ‘Haunt Me’, she formed Lorraine McCauley & The Borderlands and debuted with album `Light in the Darkest Corners’ in 2012, tipped as the next Scottish contemporary folk breakthrough. After returning to university for her master’s degree, in 2014, she began an artist residency in songwriting and singing with La Banda di Piazza Caricamentoin Genoa, where she met and collaborated with Bilbosa’s David Carroll, sowing the seeds for this new single.

“I saw the ‘Neon’ music as a bright light, like the love that a close relationship brings into your life. So I ended up writing this song to celebrate my Mum, who I had just lost. The music helped me to express what I was learning about grief, that when you allow yourself to feel the pain of loss you are more able to appreciate and understand the love,” says Lori Sky.

“Covid forced us to become more creative in how we collaborate with others. As a band, we wrote the music and then sent it to Lori Sky, an Irish singer-songwriter. Lori listened to the track and wrote lyrics to the song, which are very personal to her and yet, there are very universal themes here about love, loss and grief,” says David Carroll.

“We all shine our own light and reflect that light to others that care for us and are near us. There is a very close connection with the bright light and those close relationships that we have. Even when we lose those we love, they will always be with us in spirit and that light will never leave us and still affects us. There are other cases though where, to feel alive and connected to the world, he has to emulate that bright light with ‘manmade’ Neon light. Emulating that bright light that surrounds other people is no easy task, so tapping in our personal Neon light could give us the boost that we need to finally find that shiny bright light again, that we were all born with. In the world we live in, even our smallest action or deed could make somebody else’s day and give a little boost to that light that they own”.

As of June 3, ‘Neon’ will be available across online stores and streaming platforms, including Spotifyand Apple Music. The full ‘Ayla’ EP will be released on June 18.

CREDITS
Written by Bilbosa and Lorraine McCauley (Lori Sky)
Lyrics and vocals by Lorraine McCauley (Lori Sky)
Music performed by Bilbosa
Produced, recorded and mixed by Tristan Martinelli
Mastered by Mattia Cominotto at Greenfog Studio (Genoa, Italy)
Cover artwork by Stefano Pulcini with Jellyfish sculpture by Gabriele Gennaro

Keep up with Seahorse Recordings
Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | Soundcloud | MySpace

Weathered Music

The musical explorations of Norman and Joel Weatherly.

The Academy of Sun

The Hardest Battle

A New Era

Singles

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys

Noir by Jesse Markin

No Real Colour In Souls

Pennies By The Pound

Brave Warrior

Neon