Browsing Tag

Tom Waits

LEE DAVEY has painted a stark meta portrait with their swampy demonic folk rock single ‘Incubus’

Posted on 24 December 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiW5g_71WHY&feature=youtu.be

We’ve all had spare time to spend with our demons in recent months, Alt Rock artist LEE DAVEY spent plenty of time mentally frolicking demonic spirits before penning their darkly hypnotic single ‘Incubus’.

Nick Cave comparisons are easy to make, especially with the ‘red right hand’ lyrical reference but allowing you to believe that Incubus is solely an assimilative work would be nothing short of criminal. The mythology-laden lyricism allows LEE DAVEY to transcend the Murder Folk genre and enter the realm of Demonic Folk Rock. Expect slithering rhythms, tinges of swampy Americana Alt Folk and searing solo work which affirms that LEE DAVEY’s prowess as an instrumentalist parrels their abilities as a lyricist. The dark imagery he paints with does more than just leave a macabre canvas behind. It exposes the darkest corners of our minds, the ones we can barely look into ourselves, let alone invite others to see.

You can check out Incubus for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lucas Penner has taken Post Punk to a seriously slick new stratosphere with “So Well”

Posted on 27 October 2020
Lucas Penner

You’d be hard-pressed to find old-school crooning alongside cold Post Punk tones and slick Setzer-style rock n roll grooves anywhere other than Toronto-based artist Lucas Penner’s standout single ‘So Well’.

So, you may as well hit play on the beguilingly masterful release which puts a neo twist on baroque. The styling may be on the archaic side, but you can expect a retro-futuristic earworm to crawl in your ear from the outset.

Any fans of Nick Cave, Tom Waits or Fable Cry will definitely appreciate the insidious air to the murder folk-style lyricism which will allow you to feel like you’re being aurally dragged into a hellish stratosphere.

You can check out So Well for yourselves from October 27th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get high with Michael Golden’s intoxicating Alt Folk single “Mr. Ecstasy”

Posted on 8 October 2020

Slip into the soul contained in US singer-songwriter Michael Golden’s debut album Some Kind of Holiday, it’s a candidly compelling narration of the artist’s experience navigating life, you’ll find plenty of familiar moments staring back at you.

The perfect introduction to their melodically haunting style is irrefutably “Mr. Ecstasy”. Any fans of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits are going to get stung by the melancholy. Just like dropping a pill, there are blissfully radiant highs and soul-scraping lows. Yet, Mr. Ecstasy is able to offer far more than narcotics could.

The tender nostalgic comfort contained in Mr. Ecstasy is worth its weight in gold. Michael Golden has palpably succeeded in recreating the 70s sound with a modern digital folk edge.

You can check out Mr. Ecstasy for yourselves by heading over to YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

PB Ruck lays down some haunting soul with their latest single “One-Man Rodeo”

Posted on 1 September 2020

Up and coming singer-songwriter PB Ruck released his latest single One-Man Rodeo on August 24th. It’s pretty much safe to say that it may just be the most pensively raw single we’ve heard so far in 2020.

The hauntingly mellifluous soundscape possesses a timeless Alt-Folk feel which is sure to be a hit with any fans of the likes of Cohen, Waits and Dylan, but it’s anything but archaic. Thanks to the clever contemporary nuances in One-Man Rodeo, it rings with modernity, resonance and connectivity.

You can check out PB Ruck’s single One-Man Rodeo for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Blonde Lion has released their enrapturing ennui-laden Alt Folk single “Ordinary Day”

Posted on 5 August 2020

Folk-Pop singer-songwriter Blonde Lion released their latest single “Ordinary Day” on August 5th. Elliott Smith may not be with us anymore, but Blonde Lion’s melancholic style is just as efficacious at drawing pensive emotions from you and offering aural resolve.

Obviously, I didn’t make it to the end of Ordinary Day with dry eyes. The delicateness of the atmospheric and intricate acoustic instrumentals was one thing, the resonance in the lyrics was quite another.  Ordinary Days was inspired by the days where you wake up and struggle to find anything which offers any meaning. The jaded ennui was all too relatable and it’s safe to say that after the global lockdown, plenty more people will see themselves in this sublime soundscape which serves as the perfect introduction to Blonde Lion’s compelling style.

You can check out Blonde Lion’s latest release by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Max Seidman – The Key: Ethereally Magnetic Americana Folk

Posted on 10 April 2020

Any fans of Kurt Vile will want to get acquainted with the pensively captivating latest single “The Key” from up and coming Americana Folk artist Max Seidman.

There’s a contemporary spin on the timeless genre through the ethereal polished production. Yet, the organically sentimental track shares the same beguiling magnetism as tracks by the likes of Cohen, Waits, and Elliot Smith.

The melancholic keys find perfect synergy with the stripped-back delicate fingerpicked acoustic guitar notes and create an immersive soundscape to lie under Max Seidman’s powerfully resounding vocals which will leave you hanging on every neatly-pitched vocal note in the Key.

Tracks don’t often come as narratively arrestive as the Key. Max Seidman is undoubtedly one to watch.

You can check out The Key along with Max Seidman’s earlier releases by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Skeleton Krew – Love: Jaw dropping, Eye popping Goth Rock!

Posted on 26 February 2020

If all good things come in small packages, expect to listen to this song and get one of the best surprises from a dynamic duo from Jackson, Tennessee. Hunter Cross and Cameron Briley make up the members of The Skeleton Krew and their latest offering called “Love”, is already making some serious waves on the internet.

The song starts off with sweet, intricately woven harmonies, reminiscent of Crosby, Stills and Nash or Alison Krauss, and one would be forgiven for thinking that they were about to take us on a journey down the best of a scenic Country or Soft Rock road. Instead, a few face melting guitar solos, talented drum rolls and riffs that are played deep in the pocket, and an incredible vocal performance, make for a heady mix of Punk, Rock, and Goth that is teeth clatteringly good. It’s eight short bars in the back of Buick but the rest is pedal to the metal in a Mustang all the way!

You are going to want to rewind this track a few times as the musicality and vocal dexterity is subtle but brilliant.

Listen to “Love” by The Skelton Crew here at Soundclound. Have fun, we sure did!

Tekla Waterfield – Original Lies: 90’s Nostalgic Pop

Posted on 21 April 2018

I grew up on the iconic sounds of 90’s female Pop acts; Texas, Garbage, Catatonia and The Cranberries to name a few. So, when I checked out the fresh new track Original Lies by the sensational Pop act Tekla Waterfield I was blown away by the nostalgia that is entrenched in the sound. She has a unique sensibility to her vocal style, however her vocal range is somewhat reminiscent to one of my favourite current artists Courtney Barnett. Yet it’s clear, that Tekla Waterfield is more than any sound that has been orchestrated before. The singer songwriter found her own essence within her poignantly palpable harmonies which she’s infused with the roots of her Seattle sound. Her sounds tend to bounce between Folk, Jazz, Indie and Blues through her discography proving that she’s one of the most eclectically talented underground artists around today.

With Original Lies, Tekla has created an anthemically catchy Pop hit, complete with an irresistibly catchy chorus that even Kim Gordon would give 5 stars.

Check out the sensational Pop hit Original Lies on SoundCloud:

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Annika Brown: Amanda Palmer Meets Steampunk (Only for The Brave)

Posted on 27 November 2017

Annika Brown’s Latest track Apocalypso is a theatrical spectacular. Nothing quite could prepare me for what was about to unfold over the next three minutes as I hit play on YouTube. It’s hard to pay attention to the actual sound of the track after watching the official music video in which she embraces Kate Bush style dramatics. I certainly won’t be forgetting what I’ve just heard in a long time.

Annika’s sound Is definitely an acquired taste, I’m not sure tracks such as Apocalypso will ever fair well in the mainstream, however she’s created an eclectic mix of sound which she imparts her Emily The Strange demeanour within. Even when she’s playing an acoustic guitar in the woods her unique charm is never dampened. . But that’s just part of it’s charm. Alternative music fans are in for a treat with this act. With operatic vocals, doom riddled melodies and classic piano backing track. There’s a hint of Victorian hysteria within her music, which she reincarnates through her Gothic Soprano vocals. The Same as can be heard with acts such as a Emilie Autumn and her signature Fantasy Rock styling.

Head on over to her website where you can keep up date with her musical ventures. Her latest album The Devils Story Book featuring Apocalypso is available to download or stream now!

 

The Thinking Men Release Official Video For Rock Track “I Wanna Be Good”

Posted on 26 October 2017

Rock music has infinite permutations in modern day. Under every genre, there’s a subgenre that hybrids with rock. When folks complain about a lack of rock, they ought to be more specific. Rock is everywhere, but the blues is scarce these days. Other than a few big acts, rock has had to adapt to survive. The Thinking Men seek to remind us of why we like to add rock to our music. They remember where rock came from and they know how to inject the blues into good, energetic bursts of sound creating that feeling we’ve been missing.

Their song I Wanna Be Good lends itself to a fairly simple, formulaic approach. There’s no need for too much going on in the verses as they’re a means to an end, and that end is a rip-snorting time full of aggression and virility. It’s also downright fun. This song has all the raw catchiness of garage rock with the soul and style of blues rock. The Thinking Men have form and function in mind as they bring together all the things you’ve wanted to return in a new package that can keep up with the loudness wars while retaining its rooted dignity. This can be a dangerous game though, reviving old flames. As the lyrics state, if you can’t be good, you’ll wind up dead. Let’s see how long the Thinking Men can stay on that bull and remain good.

-Paul Weyer