Edinburgh-raised, Nashville based artist and multi-instrumentalist, Jordan Harvey has announced that he will be releasing his debut EP It Is What It Is on Friday, January 20th, 2023 via BBR Music Group/Broken Bow Records.
The highly anticipated project features his previously released debut track 'Alabama Girl' that went viral on TikTok with more than 1 million views and its infectiously sweet follow-up 'I Will'. Bursting with Jordan’s contagious positivity and unique vocals, the additively catchy EP fuses his natural charisma with ear-candy melodies that portray why Jordan Harvey will be an artist to watch in 2023.
Produced by Kevin Bard and Jason Massey and entirely co-written by Jordan, It Is What It Is showcases the Caledonian cowboy’s natural ability to expertly craft a song that is both as captivating as it is relatable, dialling in on emotional, real-life situations that spotlight love, heartbreak, and new beginnings.
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For more information on Jordan, visit his website.
After an already packed 2022, Twinnie brings us one last gift to close out the year - the catchy and fun 'Elf Yourself'.
A sassy number, this track finds the perfect festive formula. It feels like a classic, familiar, while also sounding so fresh and different, a track that's memorable enough to stand out amongst the typical festive fare.
Tongue-in-cheek, it's a song about those people getting on your last jingle bell around the holiday season - and written by the equally fabulous Lucie Silvas and John Osborne.
Listen to 'Elf Yourself' below!
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For more information about Twinnie, visit her website.
This holiday season, Travels With Brindle is eager to take us up to 'Rudolph’s Ranch'.
The lo-fi ukulele indie-pop project from Cambridge songwriter Chelsea Spear concludes its 2022 sad-core singles series with its first-ever Christmas song, an allegory set against the biggest holiday of the year.
In keeping with the spirit of the holidays, proceeds from sales of the single will be donated to Bread of Life Kitchen in Malden.
'Rudolph’s Ranch' arrives complete with single artwork inspired by the Little Golden Book children’s series and a music video directed by the comedian/filmmaker duo Emily Hulme and Peter Sikosky, filmed in the couple’s Chongqing district of China. The track is released on November’s Bandcamp Friday with a pair of b-sides: A cover of Big Star’s 'Jesus Christ', and a Travels With Brindle original called 'Sister Cities'.
The unveiling of 'Rudolph’s Ranch' closes out Travels With Brindle’s 2022 singles series – which began over the summer with 'Ivan' and strummed through the fall with sad-core standouts 'Linden Street' and 'Something’s Wrong' – and reveals another track from her Notes From Undergrad album, due out in early 2023.
And like the previous singles, and the rest of the forthcoming album, 'Rudolph’s Ranch' takes inspiration from Elif Batuman's 2017 novel The Idiot, which takes place over the protagonist Selin's freshman year at Harvard University in Cambridge, not too far where Spear once cut her musical teeth as a busker. It retains Travels With Brindle’s uncanny knack for musical melancholy, and now she takes her stripped-down and heartfelt sounds from the brick and asphalt streets of Cambridge to the frozen snow-covered corridors of the North Pole.
'In The Idiot, Selin reads an Intro To Russian text called 'Nina in Siberia' that foreshadows some of the events that happen later in the book,' Spears says. 'I got a prompt to write a song about a place from an online songwriting group called Theme Music and I decided to write a song inspired by those passages in The Idiot. The title of the song came from an observation my sweetheart made; when I complained to him that most reindeer farms were named for their towns, he said 'you’d think at least one would be called Rudolph's Ranch'. And thus a song was born.'
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Find the song on bandcamp here and support a great cause.
More information about Travels With Brindle can be found on her website.
CMA 2022 Female Vocalist of the Year, CMA 2022 New Artist of the Year, ACM’s 2022 New Female Artist of the Year and CMT’s 2022 Breakout Artist of the Year, Lainey Wilson, debuted her original song 'Smell Like Smoke' during episode 503 of Paramount Network’s smash hit series, Yellowstone.
Now part of Bell Bottom Country, you can listen to the song here.
The fiery song depicts a powerhouse woman not scared of who she is or where she’s been, including hell. Wilson made her acting debut in the Season 5 premiere as a musician named 'Abby', a role creator Taylor Sheridan created specifically for her, and one that will see her sing more original music throughout the season.
Last month, Wilson released her new album, Bell Bottom Country, which now features 15 tracks (with the inclusion of 'Smell Like Smoke'), including hit single, 'Heart Like a Truck', which is currently Top 20 (US) and climbing, as well as 'Watermelon Moonshine' and 'Hold My Halo', both of which will be featured this season on Yellowstone.
In March 2023, Wilson will return to the UK to perform on the main stage at C2C: Country to Country in London, Glasgow and Dublin. Tickets and additional information can be found here.
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For more information about Lainey, visit her website.
British singer-songwriter Matt Owens and his band The Delusional Vanity Project celebrate the release of latest album Beer For The Horses with a new performance video for 'poignant' lead single, ‘Go Easy On Yourself’, following an exclusive premiere on AmericanaUK on Monday (14/11).
In the weeks since release, 'Go Easy On Yourself' is fast-approaching 40,000 streams and has already been played on numerous BBC Local stations, TotalRock Radio, UKCountryRadio and Downda Road Radio in Ireland.
'This is the only time I’ve written a song for someone else's voice to sing: in this case Johnny Cash,' shares Owens. 'It’s hoping that at the Pearly Gates that you get points for trying.'
Other songs from the album, which was co-produced with Robert Vincent and cut live to tape with a seven piece band in Devon, have been heard on Planet Rock, BBC Stereo Underground, Absolute Radio Country, RTÉ Radio One, CountryLine Radio and more.
Known for his work as a founder member of indie-folk band Noah and The Whale, who he toured the world with for almost ten years, Matt’s solo releases have drawn attention to his own songwriting, allowing him to explore an edgier side to his music.
Owens has also spent recent years developing his skills as a producer and co-writer, including on triple UK Americana Award-nominated artist Elles Bailey’s radio hit 'Sunshine City', which appears on her album Shining In The Half Light, in the running for UK Album of the Year 2023.
Throughout the last few months, Matt’s 'Pretending That Nothing Has Changed At All' tour has taken him - and often, members of The Delusional Vanity Project - across the South, performing to packed audiences in London, Cardiff, Bristol, and more. Over the next two weeks, he is due to play two more shows with frequent collaborator Thea Gilmore, before returning to Bath for a hometown album launch on Fri 25th November.
2023 is set to kick off with his own curated 7 Hills Spring Festival across three stages at Komedia, Bath, on 19th March, where Owens and the band feature on a lineup headlined by Ethan Johns’ Black Eyed Dogs, alongside UK Americana/roots favourites such as Ida Mae, Beth Rowley and Hannah White - tickets and info here - full tour dates below.
Sat 19th November 2022 – Swindon Arts Centre, Swindon*
Fri 25th November 2022 – The Chapel Arts, Bath (Beer for the Horses Hometown Show)
Sun 19th March 2023 – The 7 Hills Spring Festival, Komedia, Bath
(*w/ Thea Gilmore)
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For more information about Matt, visit his website.
Outside The Null Field and onto your radar - We Demand Parachutes' new EP doesn't just demand your attention, it deserves it as the superb release marks the start of an exciting chapter for the trio.
The EP is short but sweet, packing a punch that, in just four songs equating to ten and a bit minutes, masterfully navigates both sides of life.
We open with '29' tackling the very real anxiety many of us face when we fear that we aren't living up to supposed potential and aren't where we're supposed to be. It's raw and reflective but, above all, refreshing to hear. Opting for this as the opener sends the bold message that WDP aren't afraid to be open with y'all. I love that, as much as I love the pounding percussion and crashing guitars.
'Cigarette Break' is a nostalgic tale of a relationship, a relationship that was far from extravagent but, again...real. These guys ooze a sense of relatibility, and it makes connecting to their music easy.
'Hungover You' is another change of pace, a song about a party, ergo a song that celebrates something that's a big part of the band's ethos - community. Three songs in, three different themes...perfectly cohesive, highlighting a natural versatility in the guys' writing.
Closer 'Outside The Null Field', however, loops back to how we started, once more looking at mental health and that struggle to deal with the thoughts that can ravage one's mind. A screaming guitar solo, and heavy drums make this one darker, a little troubling but, ultimately and again, real.
Life is about the good times and the bad times, and We Demand Parachutes expertly explore that in this handful of songs, slickly produced by Alan Day (Four Year Strong).
We Demand Parachutes are ones to watch.
Tracklist
1. 29
2. Cigarette Break
3. Hungover You
4. Outside The Null Field
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Outside The Null Field is out now.
Read our interview with We Demand Parachutes here.
Following on from the release of the powerful EP Welcome to the Club, earlier this summer, British artist Twinnie rounds out 2022 in style with her fantastic new Christmas single titled 'Elf Yourself' out November 25.
Throughout the tongue-In-cheek lyrics of 'Elf Yourself. we witness Twinnie getting into the festive spirit with this holiday themed break-up song that celebrates leaving a bad relationship behind and the joy of stepping into Christmas alone knowing it's what's best for you - and this is all underpinned by the cheery production that is so brilliantly put together.
''Elf Yourself' feels like a really great tongue-in-cheek message to send to anyone you're disliking around Christmas time,' Twinnie shares. 'It let me get to grips with showing my personality too, and the official video will also star my nieces Demi and Victoria which I'm also really excited to share."
The news comes as the video for single 'Bad Bad Bitch' drops - watch it below!
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More information about Twinnie can be found on her website.
Northern indie-pop artist Ellur returns with a video for her emotionally charged new single 'Now I’m Alone'.
The new song follows on from the 21-year-old Halifax artist’s recent critically acclaimed singles 'Close To You' and 'Best Face On', as well as recent live dates which have seen her fast-becoming a must-see artist including unforgettable sets at Live at Leeds and SWN Festival, a packed out tour supporting Embrace, and supporting the likes of The Big Moon, Deyaz, Baby Queen, and more.
''Now I’m Alone' is a song I wrote about approaching adulthood and finding myself very much alone with a lot of daunting and difficult feelings,' Ellur shares about the song. 'It intentionally follows my previous single 'Best Face On', a song I wrote about going out too much and not wanting to come home. The pair are both the most honest songs I’ve ever written and releasing something so personal is pretty scary. Lee and Rob at Greenmount Studios did an absolutely magical job on the production and really brought to life how it sounded and felt when I wrote the song originally; on the upright piano that’s decades old in my childhood home. I can’t wait to release it. I love it.”
The single is also accompanied by a striking and passionate live video taken from a performance at the Crowd of Favours pub in Leeds.
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More information about Ellur can be found on her website.
Boston's We Demand Parachutes are a slick alt-rock/pop-punk trio about to drop a hot debut EP.
The humble guys likely wouldn't personally demand your attention, but they certainly deserve it.
Consisting of Kevin McCord (vocals/guitar), Seth Richardson (bass/programming) and Ben Shumaker (drums/percussion), We Demand Parachutes are a band that love a good time but aren't afraid to look at the darker side of life, their single '29' a song about mental health and the anxiety about not being where one is supposed to be in life.
Ahead of their EP Outside The Null Fielddropping this Friday (11/11), I was lucky enough to have some time to chat with the guys about the EP and their origins.
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I appreciate you all taking the time to be here today. Let's start at the beginning...how did We Demand Parachutes come to be?
Kevin: We all grew up in Maine together [and] back in high school, we were in rival bands. Seth and Ben were sworn enemies. [Then] at a certain point, we decided to all hang out and became fast friends, and we’ve been jamming ever since.
[We] took a big break when we went off to college, and I joined the military. We were still friends and [kept] in touch but we weren’t making music for a couple of years. I was on a deployment one day and started messing around with a guitar and keyboard that I had, and sent some ideas back to the guys. They said that we should get together when I got home and work on some stuff, put some ideas together and just jam, have fun and see what comes out of it. When I got back, we did just that. We got together at my house in North Carolina, started playing through some ideas and having the time of our lives. It was like no time had passed. We realized that we should be thinking about doing this seriously. Since then, we’ve just been doing what we love together. It’s been a great journey.
I love the name We Demand Parachutes. I gotta ask...where did that come from?
Seth: *laughs* When Kevin was in the military, he was in training [and] there was a period of time when he was jumping out of airplanes. He was in jump school, and I think he said something to the group chat one day about doing his first jump or something. Me, just wanting to bust his balls, I said something to the effect of ‘don’t forget your parachute, you dumbass!’ Kevin goes, ‘I’ll demand a parachute!’. In that moment, a lightbulb went on. Ding! The band name was born.
For the first couple years, the band existed virtually, over things like Google Drive and group chats. Obviously not an ideal scenario for a band starting out but, hey, it obviously worked! How did you make the most out that sort of situation, to get to where you are today, about to release your EP? What were the upsides to all that?
Kevin: It was such a creative barrier at first. It forced us to change the way we interacted and the way we wrote songs. We had to be critical of one another but also, you know, not causing tension. It was definitely a learning curve. We got to really remove the ego and realize the process is very, very iterative and frustrating at times. It’s a lot different to being in a studio together and bouncing ideas off one another. There were big gaps of time in between working on stuff.
Having to work around those barriers in the early years meant [that] when we got together and had the chance to get in the same room, we became so productive. Ideas were just flowing. It was one of those things in which it was a real downside at first and a real barrier. But we were passionate enough to know that we had something cool and we were getting better and better at working together. It ended up being a benefit because it translated into the way we were able to remove ego completely and bang out some tunes that were awesome.
Your track '29' is a track about mental health, and Kevin you've said that your focus when writing it was to 'relate the feeling of being 29years old and feeling like [you] had't achieved any of the things [you'd] hoped to'. That is, definitely, a very relatable notion, and something that many people are nervous to admit. Is writing such a song, and touching on these more serious topics a conscious decision? Or is it a therapeutic process to get it out there?
Kevin: Thank you for saying that, that it’s relatable. It’s one of those things that, once we started writing about it, it did feel really natural. It’s something that we’ve all had to go through and deal with…growing up, y’know, worried about how people perceive you, or worried about when people think ‘hey you’re in a band and you’re 29 years old, approaching 30’. At the end of the day, you’re doing what you love.
I think it is therapy to write those songs and get out what’s on your mind. That’s the message behind it, that we’re all going through stuff and you need to talk to your friends and have those conversations. There’s nothing more important.
Seth: There’s also the element too, where we’d finish up having these great shows on a Friday or a Saturday and then we’d turn around and have to be engaged at our respective professions on a Monday. We’d just be all shouting in the group chat like ‘ugh, I’m in a three hour meeting today and I just want to play my guitar’.
Kevin: Literally.
Seth: That’s happening more and more as shows are starting to come back after Covid. You have these amazing times with the band and then be opening spreadsheets on Monday *laughs*.
You've built yourself a solid listenerbase. Does building that sort of connection with listeners and fans make it easier to be more vulnerable with your lyrics?
Kevin: Definitely. When you’re an emerging artist and somebody writes a comment or says ‘this song impacted me’ or ‘I love this song’ or even the smallest things like sharing our music…it makes us feel so good about what we’re doing. I saw a comment on YouTube the other day, somebody said ‘I’m only 27 but this song really hits for me’. That makes our day to hear that, and it only empowers us to continue to tell our stories and relate to the people that are listening. We just genuinely enjoy what we do and enjoy making music together. The fact that other people like it and are reacting to it is icing on the cake and a wonderful, wonderful thing.
You also mentioned, when speaking about '29' that there was a general feeling that, as a band, 'the traditional metrics of success didn't define [your] positions in life'. There's so many ways for bands to grow these days but, for you, what is most important in getting your music out there?
Seth: We’ve really tried to prioritize playing music in front of people, and have worked really hard to cultivate something that's grassroots and genuine and be able to play shows and see people in person. That effort to play, and play well, in front of people and connect with individuals that way, that has helped us to cut through the noise a little bit in that regard, and not worry too much about emerging social media platforms or participating in trends and just try to make good music, form relationships and build a good community.
There's a nice contrast between the serious '29' and 'Hungover You', a song about a celebratory party. Was it a conscious decision to have that sort of balance between the not-so-good and the good sides of life?
Kevin: It definitely was. For us, the origin of We Demand Parachutes is community and party. If you show up to a show, there’s a ninety percent chance you’ll end up in one of our videos or have a great conversation with us after. [We’re] just really thankful that we’re able to do what we love, and translating that through ‘Hungover You’. It’s face value lyrics. I went to a party at my buddy’s house, [and] we were rocking out and jamming. Then I went home and me, Seth and Ben were writing music in my basement and that’s what we loved. Downstairs in the basement, recording guitar, being friends and, ultimately, using that to transition into some of the more serious songs, the more serious tones of ‘29’ and another song on the record called ‘Outside The Null Field’. It’s a juxtaposition of being happy and doing what you love, and also telling stories that are serious and real and things you want to talk about. I think it’s great to have both and the record showcases that.
Seth: We came up playing basement shows, house shows, dirty punk rock clubs, veteran halls…stuff like that. There is a piece of all that that we try to carry in our ethos of having a good time and not taking it too seriously.
The upcoming EP is produced by Alan Day of the brilliant Four Year Strong. How did your paths cross?
Kevin: We interacted over something on social media - honestly, it might have been something as simple as an Office meme, he’s a huge fan of The Office and we are too. He messaged us like ‘I love your stuff and wanna work with you’. I called Ben and Seth like ‘oh my god, Alan wants to work with us!’ *laughs*. It was a crazy moment, someone you’ve been listening to - not just the music that he’s produced, but also made with Four Year Strong and just being a legend. We were so excited to jump into the studio with him.
We’d been playing music in our basement and self-producing everything. Having someone that was going to be a fourth perspective, have more omniscience and be able to step in as that fourth member, [and] from an editorial perspective too and help us build and shape the sound…we were really excited about that.
When we met Alan and started working on this record, he just exceeded all expectations. He had so many wonderful ideas. We just clicked and worked together really well. He has a wonderful ear for arrangements and sound and thinking outside of the box. It was just an incredible experience all the way through.
Ben: Prior to that, everything had been self-produced, recorded and mixed. As Kevn said, that fourth perspective, and a fourth look at genre - Four Year Strong is much a heavier band than we typically are. Having that outside view to look at different ways the song could go really opened our eyes and created the best music we’ve ever created. I’m so happy to be able to share it.
I've been fortunate to have a sneaky listen of the EP and it's fantastic. For someone who hasn't heard it yet, though...how would you describe it?
Kevin: I think it’s just fun. It’s better than anything we’ve put out before because it’s so neatly us, and has that forth perspective from a producer that took our sound and distilled it down to its best parts then added some extra hot sauce to it. We love it and think people will too.
Seth: We had a really good time making this record and I think it really comes through on the recording. It takes you along for the ride with us in that regard. We had a good time making it and we want people to have a good time listening to it.
Ben: And anybody that wants to jump into what it was like in the studio with us, we have a series on our YouTube channel making the record! We had a videographer with us the whole time to document that, to document the first steps from Seth walking in the door where he falls on the ice and it’s super awkward, to the last moment where we didn’t want to leave because everything we were creating was the best thing we’d ever created.
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Outside The Null Field is out November 11th.
For all things We Demand Parachutes, visit their website.
Aly & AJ continue to grow, their new single 'With Love From' building upon the sheer quality of their stellar 2021 album A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun.
...that title is always a mouthful.
It's worth writing out though, as it's absolutely worth spreading the word about - it's simply brilliant, one of the best albums I've heard in a long, long time. So, with that in mind, I was excited about the prospect of more music from the sister act, who continue to prove that they are much more than the 'Disney' label they still get stuck with.
'With Love From' feels like a natural evolution from A Touch of the Beat..., the previous dreamy west coast pop-rock 80s vibes seamlessly transitioning into Americana vibes. Gorgeous vocals, an infectious chorus and good, good, GOOD writing. The way the track builds to a bridge is so satisfying in the second half, before ending hauntingly stripped back.
The girls kick off their UK tour tomorrow (3/11) and if you don't have a ticket then you're missing out.
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More information about Aly & AJ can be found on their website.
Actor and singer-songwriter Alan Fletcher has released his poignant new single 'Hey You', available to stream/download worldwide now.
Penned by Fletcher and perfectly produced by Lachlan Bryan and Damien Cafarella, the song began its life entitled, 'Hey Mum', before transitioning into a more encompassing tale.
The track is a personal one for Fletcher, dedicated to his mother Ivy, great aunt Peggy and grandmother, who were all spiritualists. Ivy was his lifelong friend and spiritual guide and she and Peggy assured him they would continue to look after him when they passed.
'I’m not sure I have ever been able to fully accept the idea of transmigration of souls and the concept that passed loved ones can guide the lives of the living. However, it’s a very attractive thought!', says Fletcher. ''Hey You' is a shout out to my relatives asking for confirmation that they are, indeed, still there in my life.'
'Hey You' is the first track to be released from Alan Fletcher’s upcoming brand new Americana album The Point, which follows his recent EP Dispatches and is scheduled for release in February 2023.
Fletcher recently wrapped a 14-date The Doctor Will See You Now tour of the UK with multiple sold-out shows, sharing stories from his time on Neighbours, along with a standalone headline gig in London playing songs from his solo project. In 2023, he will join other cast members for fifteen Neighbours - The Farewell Tour live shows, most of which are already sold out, including three performances at the London Palladium. Very limited tickets remain for Belfast, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Nottingham - visit here for more details.
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For more information about Alan, visit his website.
