SKEGSS share new single Bush TV

SKEGSS

Share new single ‘Bush TV’

Watch the liberating video below

Album ‘Rehearsal’ out this Friday
via Loma Vista Recordings

‘Bush TV’ still

Praise for Skegss:

“Punk with a neat melodic edge” – CLASH (‘Valhalla’)

“Australia’s answer to FIDLAR, Byron Bay trio Skegss deal in short garage-punk blasts of the kind that usually come replete with a skateboard, a spliff and a weary sigh from your Mum.” – DIY (4 Stars ‘My Own Mess’)

“Skegss are contemporary coastal Australia. In appearance and outlook. Sun-kissed unruly locks, vintage clothes, band tees from friends’ bands. Tongue in cheek and a DIY attitude.” – Stab Magazine (‘Skegss Are Not A Surf Band’ feature)

“Rehearsal takes you on a road trip with the top down as it relays sun-kissed narratives of love, friendship, and youthful musings.” – UPSET

“The song comes fully-loaded with everything we know and love from the Byron Bay trio: a roll with the punches attitude and a loud, anthemic chorus.” – YUCK (‘Valhalla’)

Rising Australian punks Skegss share new single ‘Bush TV’ ahead of their new album Rehearsal out this Friday (26 March) via Loma Vista Recordings. The infectious track comes with a Jamieson Kerr-directed video, showing the freedom of the great outdoors, from riding dirt bikes on drummer Jonny Lani’s own farm, hanging with bassist Toby Cregan’s dog Blaze, to swimming, barbecuing, and drinking beers by the fire pit.

On directing the video, Jamieson says “The video was a lot of fun to make. The motorbike shots were pretty wild. I was in the back of a Ute hanging off the end with my camera whilst we were pinning it around bends and bumps. At one point I got some air which was pretty scary. It was lovely to see Jonny’s farm, it was my first time out there, and it was so nice to see him in his element. It was also my first time shooting super 8, when I sent it to get developed, it didn’t turn up for ages and the post was saying it was lost in transit which was devastating, but it eventually turned up and I’m stoked with how it turned out.”

While ‘Bush TV’ is tinged with a feeling of bittersweet nostalgia, it also showcases the youthful intensity for which Skegss is known, and its video is a peek into the fun loving attitude that also permeates Rehearsal’s 13-track thrill ride. From the playful romp of single ‘Valhalla’ and the intoxicating narrative of ‘Running From Nothing’, to the staggering beauty of singer Ben Reed’s acoustic ballad ‘Wake Up’, Rehearsal encapsulates Skegss’ sound: nostalgic riffs, tight hooks, and masterful storytelling. 

Skegss are on the cusp of global domination with their riotous rock that has sparked circle pits and stage dives all over – dingy pubs, skate parks, sold-out shows in the UK, NYC, and LA, plus 20K cap festival stages alike. Their first album for Loma Vista Recordings, Rehearsal is a 13-track thrill ride through the band’s laissez-faire lifestyle and sunkissed narratives of love, friendship and youthful musings.

This follows the meteoric DIY success of a few self-released singles/EPs (now certified Platinum in Australia), and their 2018 debut LP My Own Mess which reached No.2 on Australia’s ARIA album chart, and also features trippy cover artwork by cult Aussie outsider and frequent Skegss collaborator Jack Irvine (who has also worked with Billie Eilish and Troye Sivan).

Photographer Credits: David Harrington

Rehearsal was recorded at The Grove Studios with producer Catherine Marks (Manchester Orchestra, PJ Harvey, The Killers), who added a veteran’s finesse and expanded upon the rustic charm of demos Skegss tracked at The Music Farm using vintage gear from the ‘60s and ‘70s. From Reed’s self-made lyrical philosophies inspired by his favorite stand-up comedians, to bassist Toby Cregan’s reflections on youthful romance, Rehearsal is the most candid and electrifying snapshot we’ve seen of Skegss yet.

Skegss also announced live shows to celebrate the album’s release: at Melbourne’s 170 Russell on March 28, Sydney’s Factory Theatre on March 30, and Brisbane’s Felons Barrel Hall on April 1. 

“I was pretty scared that I was going to lose my job at a brewery because I was spontaneously taking off for gig opportunities,” singer Ben Reed recalls. “I remember talking to Farmer Greg, who used to come in to get the wheat malt for his cows. He used to work for 60 Minutes, filming on the helicopter and shit. He asked what I got up to and I downloaded my predicament to him and he goes: ‘Do it. This is no rehearsal. You go for that, you can do this later.’ I fully needed to hear that.” It’s an explanation that summarises the Skegss attitude: Roll the dice, roll with the punches, and you’ll make it out on top.

Skegss will release ‘Rehearsal’ on 26th March via Loma Vista Recordings

‘Rehearsal’ Tracklist:

1. Down to Ride 
2.  Valhalla
3.  Fantasising
4.  Running From Nothing
5.  Bush TV
6.  Picturesque Moment
7.  Under the Thunder
8.  Sip of Wine
9.  Curse My Happiness
10.  Wake Up
11.  Savour the Flavor
12. Fade Away
13. Lucky

Skegss: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / YouTube 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – THE COVID VERSION SESSIONS – EP

VARIOUS ARTISTS – THE COVID VERSION SESSIONS – EP

Fierce Panda Records – PRESS RELEASE

Release Date: 24th February

https://orcd.co/covidversionsessions

The Tunes:

1 MOON PANDA ‘Call It Fate, Call It Karma’ (by The Strokes)

2 DESPERATE JOURNALIST ‘The Fear’ (by Pulp)

3 GHOST SUNS ‘Hurt’ (by Nine Inch Nails)

4 JEKYLL ‘Nightporter’ (by Japan)

5 CHINA BEARS ‘Hackensack’ (by Fountains Of Wayne)

6 NATIONAL SERVICE ‘Last January’ (by the Twilight Sad)

A million shiny moonbeams back, ie on February 24^th 1994, the fierce panda label was born, blinking in the bright bar lights of the Blue Posts pub on the corner of Hanway Street and Tottenham Court Road with the release of the ‘Shagging In The Streets’ compilation EP.  Now we celebrate our 27th birthday in rockdown lockdown and with this, our 485^th release, bulging with another six tracks of coolly twisted alt.pop.rock delight and doffing its hat to the heroic workings of the NHS.

Slightly fewer shiny moonbeams ago, ie on February 24^th 2020, there was heard the distant rumble of thunder on the coronavirus horizon: seven deaths in Italy today, a couple of thousand fatalities worldwide. No need to panic. In a week’s time Doctor Boris will be bumbling around the Royal Free Hospital freely shaking hands with ill and sundry. Then it will be time to motherfucking panic.

Back in the resulting covid-stricken spring of 2020, when the growing global pandemic ensured that the playing of gigs suddenly became as feasible as the flying of pigs, fierce panda asked a selection of its newly domesticated acts to choose a favourite tune by a.n.other band with which to rockdown in lockdown. These covers would form the Covid Version Sessions, informal home recordings simply designed to capture the unsettling mood of the moment and destined to end up on YouTube.

But the malady lingered through the summer heatwave. Come the autumn those grand beach days out and Mediterranean hols came home to roost and the panda Covid Versions started popping up on the streaming services: woozy Cali / Dane dreamboats MOON PANDA took The Strokes’ ‘Call It Fate, Call It Karma’ outside for a big cosmic cuddle in September. Then came DESPERATE JOURNALIST’s fearless lunge at ‘The Fear’ by Pulp, GHOST SUNS’ glowering electrostab at Nine Inch Nails’ classique ‘Hurt’ and JEKYLL’s non-jokey journey through Japan’s ‘Nightporter’. 

CHINA BEARS finished off the year with ‘Hackensack’, their chilled tribute to covid casualty Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne. NATIONAL SERVICE kicked off 2021 with a thorough deconstruction of ‘Last January’ by The Twilight Sad, by which point little could we foresee that nearly a year on new mutations of the virus would be causing even more concert-free consternation.

All six covers are now collected together on ‘The Covid Version Sessions’ digital EP and released on our 27th birthday on February 24^th. The Blue Posts pub has long since been transformed into a Boots chemist but the funny little fierce panda label growls gently on…

www.fiercepanda.co.uk

‘THE COVID VERSION SESSIONS’ EP IN THE BANDS’ OWN WORDS

1 MOON PANDA ‘Call It Fate, Call It Karma’ (by The Strokes)

Singer Maddy says: “We were all just sitting in the barn jamming and then I started singing that song because I’ve always loved it and then everyone else just started playing along. After the first time we played it through we all thought, ‘That went well! Let’s do it again and record it.’ It was really spur of the moment and I think we only played it through twice. It was one of those times where it just felt right and happened without a lot of thought or planning.”

2 DESPERATE JOURNALIST ‘The Fear’ (by Pulp)

“We are all fans of Pulp in the band, but my personal favourite album of theirs is ‘This Is Hardcore’,” explains singer Jo. “It’s where Jarvis’s talent for the great observational lyric meets a cracking in his writerly facade, and the parallels between all the unusually personal angst in the songs and the death-of-the-Britpop-party cultural landscape of the UK at the time add up to a sublimely melancholic and relatable whole. It’s my go-to hangover record so (as bassist Simon says) I know it like the back of my hand. Anyway our friend Kevin kept suggesting we do a cover of ‘The Fear’ every now and again and it finally made sense in April what with the entire world slowly supernovaing into oblivion around us, all shut in our houses, so we had a go, because there was nothing else to do.” 

3 JEKYLL ‘Nightporter’ (by Japan)

“Having never committed a cover song to record before, we really wanted our first attempt to be something special,” says singer Joel. “‘Nightporter’ by Japan is a song I just always remember being there during my life and its hypnotic melancholy has always mesmerised me. The ethereal, Satie-esque piano, David Sylvian’s darkly-dreaming lyrics, and the sonic world-building are a huge inspiration on our own songwriting, and with us all isolating in our hometown of Blackpool, the sentiment of ‘Nightporter’ felt particularly resonant. Every single sound you can hear on the track was recorded on our phones, from our separate homes, and mixed by our drummer, Liam. The reception to the cover was overwhelmingly positive and even the most ardent Japan fans let us know how much they loved it.”

4 GHOST SUNS ‘Hurt’ (by Nine Inch Nails)

“Making music together as Ghost Suns, we never thought of covering songs up until that lockdown happened. This song has always been special for us. The lyrics, the chords that could literally cut your heart out and leave it in the street…it was almost too easy.  We just love this song so much, it was easy for us to agree on it. The lyrics have this sense of subjectivity that we love to work on in Ghost Suns songs.  We also wanted to bridge the Nine Inch Nails original song with the legendary cover by Johnny Cash, while keeping our sound. Eventually the song starts off slow, fragile and bare. We thought that was emphasizing the theme of the song, the fact that we all suffer from ourselves and bring others in our destructive path.”

5 CHINA BEARS ‘Hackensack’ (by Fountains Of Wayne)

“As a band this is our first attempt at a cover so this was something new and challenging for us,” says guitarist Frazer. “We recorded it all remotely from where we are isolating over lockdown 2, which was also a new experience for us, and we’re really happy with how it’s turned out.  As a teenager I discovered Fountains of Wayne through hearing their song ‘All Kinds Of Time’ on one of my favourite TV shows Scrubs, which lead to me listen to their album ‘Welcome Interstate Managers’ and discovering ‘Hackensack’.  After hearing about the tragic death of Adam Schlesinger in April I re-listened to that album and ‘Hackensack’ just hit in such a different way, it’s a great song and it resonates deeply with a few of us in the band by having to move back to our home town due to the pandemic after being away for a few years.”

6 NATIONAL SERVICE ‘Last January’ (by the Twilight Sad)

“Lead singer Fintan showcased a solo performance of this Twilight Sad classic during the initial lockdown period. After getting the nod from Twilight Sad lead singer James Graham at the end of 2020, National Service guitarist Iain Kelly set about fashioning a reimagined version of the tune, piecing together various offcuts of studio recording, drum tuning, rehearsal noises and ambient sounds from deserted London streets. The other members contributed new remotely recorded parts to create a heavily-orchestrated, sedately-ambient take on the original’s tormented pangs of alienation, isolation and stasis that provide the perfect soundtrack to a hermitic and troubled year.” 

THE CATENARY WIRES: MIRRORBALL – New single, new video, and an 80s disco!

THE CATENARY WIRES: MIRRORBALL – New single, new video, and an 80s disco!

7” vinyl and digital. SKEP WAX RECORDS/SHELFLIFE RECORDS

Mirrorball takes two lonely single people, and takes them for a night out in an 80s disco.  Surrounded by divorcees and middle-aged drunks, will they be too shy to talk, or will they find some love action?  Is this going to be heaven or hell?

Find out in this brand-new video…

This is definitely the most positive and the most romantic duet The Catenary Wires have ever released.   With delicate – and not so delicate – musical tributes to the 80s, Mirrorball  starts off sceptical, but ends up falling in love with the music of a decade that was pure, unsubtle, tasteless and synthetic.  The 80s disco turns out to be heavenly!

To celebrate, there’s a real (virtual) 80s disco in the diary – and everyone is invited.  Top indie club How Does It Feel has invited The Catenary Wires (and a lot of guest DJs) to take over for the night on March 27^th. The playlist will be mostly heaven, but there will be a bit of hell thrown in…

https://www.facebook.com/events/448872316317961/

Rob and Amelia (ex Talulah Gosh, Heavenly) started The Catenary Wires as a duo, but they’re a full band now – and the new recordings have a very different tone, with the inspired contributions of Fay Hallam (keyboard), Ian Button (drums) and Andy Lewis (bass). 

The Catenary Wires write songs for grown-up indie kids.  They don’t pretend to be 23 any more, but they do remember what it felt like.   Their songs are a combination of joy and regret, innocence and experience. 

MIRRORBALL is the first single from upcoming album Birling Gap.

Release date: 16 April

7” single available in UK and European record stores on Skep Wax Records.   

7” single available in America on Shelflife Records.

Digital single at www.skepwax.bandcamp.com and on streaming sites.

SKEP WAX – www.skepwax.com  T, IG: @skepwax. Contact: info@skepwax.com

SHELFLIFE – www.shelflife.com  IG: @shelfliferecords. Contact: info@shelflife.com

THE CATENARY WIRES: Andy Lewis, Fay Hallam, Amelia Fletcher, Ian Button and Rob Pursey.

Swansea upstarts TRAMPOLENE release a new single ‘Oh Lover,

TRΔMPOLEИE New Single ‘Oh Lover’(Available 12th March 2021)

Swansea upstarts TRAMPOLENE release a new single ‘Oh Lover,’ on Friday 12th March on Peter Doherty’s new label Strap Originals. ‘Oh Lover’, which is produced by Mike Moore (Baxter Dury/Liam Gallagher) and mixed by Dave Emery (Arcade Fire/Elbow), is available to buy or stream here: https://ffm.to/ohlover

‘Oh Lover’ is the second track to be lifted from TRAMPOLENE’S forthcoming summer album, and is the first to feature new drummer Jay Bone (Carl Barât & The Jackals). 

Jack Jones: “‘Oh Lover’ started as a one-way message from a boy to a girl about their long distance love affair, but as the Pandemic became the new reality, it morphed into a song about being apart indefinitely…but now in a world that was unrecognisable and where nothing made sense and everything has changed.”

The video for ‘Oh Lover’, filmed at a Bedfordshire windfarm, with a nod to Cormac McCarthy’s post apocalyptic novel The Road, was directed by Roger Sargent (Sleaford Mods/The Libertines/Fat White Family)

‘Oh Lover’ follows hot on the heels of ‘Come Join Me In Life,’ produced by Richard Jackson (Super Furry Animals) and described by Jack Jones as“a call to arms for the left behinds and the voiceless ones…don’t believe what they tell you, its your world too.” Watch the video for ‘Come Join Me In Life’ here https://youtu.be/O7U3IZMSHJk

Jack Jones, lead singer/guitarist of TRAMPOLENE is a spoken word poet, singer, songwriter. He moonlights as lead guitarist in Peter Doherty & The Puta Madres. TRAMPOLENE attracted the attention of The Libertines, Liam Gallagher, John Cooper Clarke, Kasabian and Caitlin Moran which led to the BBC Radio 4 documentary portrait of Jack Jones & TRAMPOLENE, entitled ’Another Swansea Poet’ which was broadcast in 2019. Jack writes about everyday life, how to fight adversity, his upbringing, and at gigs around the UK offers his own social commentary on the world, all delivered with a gentle Swansea lilt reminiscent of his idol Dylan Thomas.

TRAMPOLENE, who last year found themselves trending on Twitter after a Tim Burgess Listening Party for their debut album ‘Swansea To Hornsey,’ have released two albums – ‘Swansea To Hornsey’ (2017) which entered the UK indie chart at no. 10 and ‘Pick A Pocket or Two’ (2018). In 2020 TRAMPOLENE released a special Lockdown spoken word ditty called ‘Uncle Brian’s Abattoir’.

Prior to Lockdown TRAMPOLENE  toured continuously, with stand out supports for Liam Gallagher, The Libertines, Kasabian, Buzzcocks, Peter Doherty, Reverend & The Makers, The Enemy, Pretty Vicious, Catfish & The Bottlemen and Carl Barat & The Jackals. In 2018 the band played their biggest headline tour to date including a sold out night at The Scala in London and appeared at BBC Biggest Weekend, Truck Festival, The Great Escape, Y Not, Victorious, Cotton Clouds and Kendall Calling festivals. Remember Festivals?!

Strap Originals was founded by Peter Doherty in 2019 as an imprint to release the self titled album by Peter Doherty & The Puta Madres.  However the label is extending its remit to give select artists the creative support they need to get their music to a wider audience.

TRAMPOLENE personnel: Jack Jones – vocals/guitar, Wayne Thomas – bass/vocals and  Jay Bone – drums/vocals.

https://www.trampolene.co.uk
https://www.youtube.com/user/trampoleneofficial/videos
https://www.facebook.com/trampoleneofficial
https://twitter.com/trampolene_band
https://www.instagram.com/trampolene_band/

TV Priest Announce new UK Dates for Autumn 2021 & reschedule existing dates

TV PRIEST

Announce new UK Dates for Autumn 2021 Tour
reschedule existing dates

UK Tour to take place 19th October to 4th November 2021

Socially distanced London headliner shows
rescheduled for 3rd July

Tickets here https://linktr.ee/tvpriest

Debut album ‘Uppers’ out now via Sub Pop

Photographer Credit: Dan Kendall

Praise for TV Priest:

“The blistering debut is a collection of delightfully pungent tracks, delivered in all their unashamed, reckless glory.” – CLASH

“ It rounds up most of the usual suspects of our Un-united Kingdom, the pop culture, the insularity, the lies on the side of a bus, but manages to breathe new life into those old tropes by sheer force of personality.” – DORK (4 Stars)

“As ‘Uppers’ unfurls, the nods to a cosmic world of motorik beats are an almost perfect tribute of Julian Cope’s celebrated guide, Krautrocksampler.” – NME

“The record is broken up by two interludes which, in between the barrage of sounds, allow the listener to a brief breather, allowing us to digest a record that might well land on several end-of-year lists.” – Gigwise (9/10)

“…there’s more than enough strange stuff here to quicken the pulse and capture the heart.” – Kerrang! Magazine

“The charged debut from the UK post-punks evolves from a band you think you’ve heard a million times before into one you feel like you’re just getting to know.” – Pitchfork (7.0)

“Gnarly British post-punk band TV Priest blows a breeze through life’s trinkets and accoutrements on “Decoration,” the beating heart of their forthcoming Sub Pop debut Uppers.” – The FADER

“Uppers is a great place to start and should rubber stamp TV Priest as one of, if not your favourite new act.” – The Line Of Best Fit (7/10)

“Fuzzed-out post punk from London four-piece on debut LP… harsh, brittle eruptions offering up a variety of teeth-rattling noises.”  – Uncut

“To my ears, just perfect. This album is telling the world not to ignore it and setting a pace that has continued to expand, to wrap its arms around you, as band and listener become one. “ – God Is In The TV (9/10)

A Sub Pop signing, one gig in a disused industrial freezer, and a debut album later, TV Priest will tour the UK this autumn, announcing new dates and rescheduling their Spring shows. They’re set to hit up 11 cities across the country, beginning and ending with their stomping ground of London.

The band have also rescheduled their socially distanced and sold out London headliner at Oslo for 3rd July, in what will be only the band’s second and third ever shows.

Born in 2019 out of four childhood friends who made music together as teenagers, their official entrance came in April of last year with the release of debut single ‘House of York’. With stand out singles that include ’This Island’, ‘Runner Up’, ’Slideshow’, ‘Press Club’, and lead track ‘Decoration’, they’ve gained recognition from BBC6 Music, BBC Radio 1, NME, DIY, I Paper, FADER, Brooklyn Vegan, The Line Of Best Fit, Gigwise, Pitchfork, CLASH, NPR, and loads more. With both ‘Runner Up’ and ‘Press Gang’ being added to the BBC6 Music playlist, and in the US ‘Decoration’ spent two weeks at No.1 on the commercial alternative specialty charts, with airplay from the likes of Sirius XMU, The Current, 91X, and KEXP (plus Song of the Day).

Originally due for release late last year the album was pushed back, as mid-campaign they were snapped up by the legendary Sub Pop Records without ever playing a proper gig. Uppers is an album that has a lot to say right now – led with a cuttingly funny, angry, confused, real frontman that is Charlie Drinkwater.

Uppers is out now via Sub Pop Records worldwide. 
https://smarturl.it/TVPriest_Uppers 

UK Autumn tour details and tickets available here from 10am: https://www.alttickets.com/tv-priest-tickets

*3 Jul 2021 @ London, Oslo 18:45 (Matinee show) SOLD OUT
*3 Jul 2021 @ London, Oslo 21:00 (Evening show) SOLD OUT
*19 October 2021 @ London, Shackwell Arms SOLD OUT
21 October 2021 @ Birmingham, Hare And Hound 
22 October 2021 @ Blackpool, Bootleg Special
23 October 2021 @ Hull, Adelphi
*27 October 2021 @ Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Balch (Upstairs)
28 October 2021 @ Bedford, Esquires
*29 October 2021 @ Manchester, Yes (Basement)
*30 October 2021 @ Leeds, Belgrave Music Hall
31 October 2021 @ Sheffield, Sidney & Matilda
*2 November 2021 @ Bristol, Rough Trade
3 November 2021 @ London, Moth Club
*4 November 2021 @ Southampton, Heartbreakers

*= Rescheduled – purchased tickets remain valid

TV Priest – Uppers
Out now via Sub Pop Records

Tracklisting:

1. The Big Curve
2. Press Gang
3. Leg Room
4. Journal of a Plague Year
5. History Week
6. Decoration
7. Slideshow
8. Fathers and Sons
9. the ref
10. Powers of Ten
11. This Island
12. Saintless

TV Priest are:

Charlie Drinkwater – vocals
Alex Sprogis – guitars 
Nic Bueth – bass, keys
Ed Kelland – drums

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Ihrsan collaborate on tribute album

Ihrsan collaborate on tribute album

Miniatures 2020 – due for release on 15^th March 2021, is the 40^th anniversary tribute album to Morgan Fisher’s original 1980 project which brought together a series of 60 second masterpieces featuring 51 artists with the concept of ‘give me 60 seconds of What You Do’ and which now has a cult following. The current iteration features a massive 124 artists with the same brief and the resulting album is as much a reflection of the human condition of the current day as the original was back in 1980.

Star struck – As a relatively, as yet, unknown band in the broader scheme of all things music biz, Ihrsan were approached by the wonderful people behind Miniatures 2020 and invited to submit a track for the album. The creative concept behind the album is right up their street with their new wave, rock sound and their almost stuckist approach to art as a journey rather than an end product and the resulting track expresses the signature joy and creative freedom that bubbles out of all of their music. The opportunity to work with people like Alan Davies (Project Instigator), Barry Lamb (Project Manager), William Hayter and of course Morgan Fisher, and submit music alongside idols who have influenced the band members for many years was a dream opportunity.

Never grow up – Ihrsan’s contribution to the album is a track called Spaceman Spiff (Spiffing Version). Inspired by a childhood love of the Calvin and Hobbs comic books both the track and associated video bring to life an imaginary world from the perspective of the inner child with all the hope and optimism it embodies and which Ihrsan believe is a vital ingredient to ongoing wellbeing through the challenges we face in life. 

Band bio – Ihrsan are a musical rock collective, in the style of the 70s to 80s rock and punk era bands who had something authentic to say and emerged out of sticky floored, insanitary havens of musical originality. Perhaps that makes them a mid-life crisis rock band, who cares, that just gives them more to write about. They’ve been compared to the likes of Blondie with influences ranging from rock and post-punk to folk and classical which come together with interesting effects.

Sample Reviews (obviously the good ones 😊):

Narc Magasine: “Ihrsan – Laugh Like Scooby Doo – drawn from a range of musical backgrounds, the members of Darlington’s Ihrsan coalesce with amiable results on this, their latest pop rock ditty. There’s no deeper meaning or raw emotion behind it, yet Laugh Like Scooby Doo is nevertheless an aesthetic gem, both in the contrast between its clean and fuzz-drenched guitar hooks and in the muffled, washed-out cloaking of Tamsin Harrison’s (TD’s) vocal – a description which sounds terrible on paper, but on record works a treat. Perhaps more pertinently, it’s a tune whose obvious nods to Blondie, The Stranglers et al never descend into idle retroism. In fact, the most dated thing about it is probably old Scooby himself – 2019’s loss, needless to say”

Two Rivers Radio: “I like bands that work hard on original tracks – they are soft rock pop – easy to listen to – turn up to gigs on time and are friendly.”

The Primrose, Leeds: “Twinset is the best song we’ve heard played here in a long time. That is the standout song in superb set guys”

The Forum, Darlington: “Ihrsan are a rock/pop band that although new, are storming their way through the north east music scene. Doing it for the love of playing, Ihrsan write what they feel and it comes across live, with a rock pop sound that has tinges of indie and an emphasis on lyrics, the band wear there influences on their sleeves”

The Music Lounge, Stockton: “Every song could be a single.”

Please contact: ihrsanmusic@gmail.com for interviews, quotes, stories or bookings.

Minatures 2020 EPK: https://www.barrylamb.com/miniatures2020epk.html

Band EPK: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EITFzZqWiSfvz4ulJQmrRpRedJMvLUV0?usp=sharing

Social media links:

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/2uoUYowtpJH39CAhFvQ3YI?si=3e9tKT_0T-ezhgE3sg1aKg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ihrsanmusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihrsan/?hl=en

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ihrsan

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1xsDtxETXd4C31Ne6fyuYw?view_as=subscriber

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ihrsanmusic

UK indiepop supergroup Swansea Sound debut video “Indies of the World” (Heavenly, the Pooh Sticks)

UK indiepop supergroup Swansea Sound debut video for “Indies of the World”, from their upcoming 7″ release split on multiple labels around the world.  RELEASE DATE: March 26th (7″ / Digital / Cassette) Swansea Sound taking on Spotify one slab of vinyl or cassette single at a time.    ‘Indies of the World’, the new single by SWANSEA SOUND, is a call to arms. Its aim is to revitalise the Global Pop Underground, making it strong enough to vanquish the corporate behemoth.  OK, it’s just a limited release 7” single.  But the revolution has to start somewhere. Hue Williams and Amelia Fletcher of the Pooh Sticks were reunited a few months ago on the first SWANSEA SOUND single, ‘Corporate Indie Band’.  It attracted lots of interest and airplay and sold out in a few hours.  Since then, second single ‘I Sold My Soul on eBay’ has been released as a one-off (on eBay) and played on many radio stations. ‘Indies of the World’ will be released simultaneously on four different Indie Labels of the World.  There’s no need to buy an expensive import: UK – SKEP WAX (7” single).  JAPAN – FORMOSA PUNK (7” single) USA – HHBTM (7” single).  WALES – LAVENDER SWEEP (cassette only) It will not be released on Spotify, Apple Music or other corporate streamers. ‘Indies of the World’ is for record-lovers, indie dancefloors, non-corporate radio shows, and the flourishing online indie DJ/blogging scene.  Flipside ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’ is a duet in which feckless male Hue is berated by nonplussed female partner Amelia.  It’s like ‘C is the Heavenly Option’ after a lovers’ tiff.   OUOTE: From Rob & Amelia  The song and the video are a celebration of ‘indie’ in its most meaningful sense, i.e. independence from corporate control, with a DIY attitude to playing, recording, releasing records and making videos.   The video was made by Amelia and Rob, using the 7” single sleeve art by Welsh artist Catrin Saran James.  Swansea Sound started during lockdown, so the band are used to sending each other bits of music, ideas for songs and video footage.  It will be a strange and disconcerting moment when they are finally able to meet.  Indies of the World is the first release on new UK label Skep Wax, but it’s also coming out on sister labels Formosa Punk in Japan, HHBTM in the USA and Lavender Sweep in Wales.  It’s available digitally on Bandcamp, but isn’t on Spotify or Apple or any the other corporate streamers because they aren’t sisters, they are ogres. https://www.facebook.com/skepwax/ https://swanseasound.bandcamp.com/releases

Norwegian hard rock band Behind the Thoughts Announce new album

Behind The Thoughts (formerly known as Fierce Justice) is a hard rock/metalband consisting of three members based in Oslo/Akershus, Norway.

The band was formed in July 2019-ten years since the first line-up of Fierce Justice. Drawing their inspiration by thinking of different ways of creating hard-rock music the band assembles bits and pieces of many other genres such as blues, jazz, funk, and heavy music.

The members have performed support for acts such as Tore St. Moren and BlazeBayley during 2014. Callico Cooper from Beasto Blanco (2015), and have also worked as musicians for Chris Holmes ́ (ex.W.A.S.P) solo band. The members have also participated in the televised show, Norway’s got Talent (2018) as apart of Fierce Justice,and got positive feedback from the judges and the Norwegian music industry as they managed to get all the way up to the semi-finals.

The members have over 10 years of experience of playing live music, both in Scandinavia, festivals in Europe and shows in the US. The band is currently working hard to take their live show abroad (as soon as it is possible, in regards to today’s landscape).

They released an album last year(30th of October, 2020), which is named “Behind The Thoughts” and work on creating more music for the future.

New Zealand’s Bitter Defeat release debut EP Minor Victory

Press Release: Bitter Defeat release debut EP Minor Victory

Hamilton, New Zealand (Kirikiriroa, Aotearoa) based indie-rock band Bitter Defeat today released their debut EP ‘Minor Victory’ via Gravel Streak Records.   “I like that… A LOT!” – Adam Walton on ‘Light That Shines’, BBC Radio (UK) “…’Light That Shines’ is an effervescent slice of classic New Zealand indie pop mixed with a Buzzcocks swagger and a rousing chorus.” – Backseat Mafia (UK) Recorded at The Porch Studio by long-time The Datsuns sound engineer and collaborator Scott Newth, ‘Minor Victory’ is the band’s first full release, containing five slabs of off-kilter, hook-laden indie rock with a distinctly 90s feel. Three of the songs – Light That Shines, Long Lash, and Better – have been released as singles and another, ‘Streetlight‘, appeared on last year’s fundraising album ‘In Thrust We Trust’ – a compilation album for their one-time drummer Dean Ballinger. The full track-listing is as follows: Light That Shines Long Lash Better All The Things Streetlight Rob Shirlow, the band’s originator and main songwriter says “Minor Victory is just that, really, in loads of ways. We managed to record it at the last minute during a lockdown-ridden year, after health issues and all that other stuff going on. I’ve been so lucky to have found a band who are into the same things as me with a similar outlook on making music plus the same level of ambition – enough, but not too much!” Shirlow continues “I think a lot of the best music ever made comes from the late ’80s/early ’90s, especially the ‘slacker’ bands like Pavement, Grandaddy etc. That was peak time for indie-rock, or college rock in the US, echoed by the Flying Nun-era here in Aotearoa. There were so many good bands around then – far out man! Sonically that’s where a lot of our influences come from and there’s definitely a DIY she’ll-be-right attitude in this band which I absolutely love, unexpected given that we have a surgeon and a professor in the band! I had never really sung and played guitar before this band, Ian hadn’t touched the keys, nor Julian the bass, so it was very much a ‘let’s see what happens’ type thing, and it really worked. Having gone through a year like 2020 in which we juggled busy, day-to-day lives and also dealt with some pretty full-on global stuff, having an EP of songs that we are proud of really does feel like something of a minor victory!”

Bitter Defeat is Rob Shirlow (Guitar, Vocals, Words), Ben Manning (Guitar, Vocals), Kathryn Thompson (Drums), Ian Duggan (Casiotone), Julian White (Bass, Backing vocals). The band has played a string of shows with the likes of The Bats, Hamish Kilgour, Princess Chelsea and John Davis of Folk Implosion and released several singles and music videos.

‘Minor Victory’ is available to buy at gigs, on Bandcamp and also stream in all the usual places:

Bandcamp: Minor Victory EP
Spotify: Minor Victory EP
Apple: Minor Victory EP

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bitterdefeat
Twitter & Insta: @bitterdefeatnz

‘I Regret’ by Slava B. ‘ good old Punk Rock with drive & energy’

Slava B. “I REGRET” – Press Release

Slava B. – A guy from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire who composes music and doesn’t stop surprising public with his unique and same time distinctive production. So far this is Slava B’s 5^th release and his 2^nd full album that promises to be exceptional compared to his previous releases.

If you check Slava B.’s releases on Spotify, iTunes, AmazonMusic or on any other streaming platform, you will notice that it sounds completely different from release to release. It starts from soft rock and moves throughout the genres down to Industrial metal.

According to Slava B.’s statement the new “I REGRET” release is definitely something that simply cannot be missed, backing this up that this album is going to be exceptional and something that people were seeking for a while… a good old Punk Rock with drive & energy.

The release date itself has not been announced yet, instead been promised to expect at least 11 tracks within an album at the later 2021 year, around September time.( All previous releases has also been released every September).

Discography :

Sep. 2016 – “EP” Where the Hell – Indie Rock

Sep. 2017 – Debut Album “My Heart” – Indie/Punk Rock

Sep. 2019 – EP “Ants” – Industrial Metal

Sep. 2020 – EP “Game Of Systems” – Industrial Metal

2021 – Full Album “I REGRET!” – Dance/Punk Rock

Useful Links to find out more about Slava B.

http://SLAVAB.CO.UK

http://FACEBOOK.COM/SLAVABOFFICIAL

Slava B. has released one of his teaser songs from “I REGRET” into social media already, called “Mentality”. Video of which you can find here on youtube : https://youtu.be/QOOV2lUaVvw