Tag: Blues Music

Sam Marks Delivers Lush New Single ‘Tend To Yourself’

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Sam Marks Delivers Lush New Single ‘Tend To Yourself’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indie Rock Artist

 

With his compelling, husky vocals and soft spot for reverb-drenched guitars, Sydney-based virtuoso Sam Marks is back with a new single ‘Tend To Yourself’, a lush indie-rock track brimming with groovy reggae influences.

His third single, following the release of well-received summertime tune ‘Eventide’ last November, ‘Tend To Yourself’ sees Marks bring a new depth to his music, adding a flavoursome reggae twist to his familiar blend of upbeat indie-rock.

A rich single charged with soaring guitars and a contagious beat that accentuates Marks’ powerful vocals, ‘Tend To Yourself’ surges with unbridled energy in the song’s second half with a razor-sharp overdriven guitar riff and solo, bringing an exhilarating edge to the track. Like a cooling breeze on a warm day, ‘Tend To Yourself’ is a breath of fresh air, further showcasing Marks’ vocal prowess and willingness to explore multiple influences within his music.

Known for invoking feelings of nostalgia through his music, Marks wrote ‘Tend To Yourself’ whilst reflecting on his time during COVID-19, aiming to remind people about the importance of self-care, stating:

“The title says it all. Tend To Yourself. However that may be. Ironically, this is something I’m not very good at – switching off and relaxing. During covid I was forced to have some down time, as most people were. I learnt about how important it can be.”

No stranger to the Australian music scene, Sam Marks studied classical composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has played in multiple rock bands during the past decade. Since starting his own venture in September with his solo debut single ‘Ellie Mae’, Marks continues to solidify his standing as a respected solo artist with his uniquely crafted brand of nostalgic indie-rock.

Marks’ previous releases have seen support from Triple J Unearthed, Aus Music Scene, The AU Review, AAA Backstage and more.

‘Tend To Yourself’ is out NOW!

New Music

 

STREAM: https://sam-marks.lnk.to/Tend-To-Yourself

Social Media

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammarksmusic/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPV8xxQVI9oMhlTsDH323yw

Sam Marks Delivers Lush New Single ‘Tend To Yourself’

Impressive New Soul Music from Amanda St John Will Turn Heads

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Impressive New Soul Music from Amanda St John Will Turn Heads

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Soul Singer Indie Artist

Irish songstress AMANDA ST JOHN releases 2nd studio album The Muscle Shoals Sessions, recorded in the world famous FAME Studios, (USA).

“If Dusty Springfield were alive, she’d say ‘that’s my girl’!”

(Grammy winning US producer Jon Tiven)

In May 2018 Amanda became the 1st independent Irish artist in history to record in FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Following in the footsteps of her musical heroes Aretha Franklin & Etta James she took a huge leap of faith (and financial risk) to record her 2nd studio album in this legendary studio.      

Talking about the experience, Amanda reports      

It is was a dream come true for me and my band members (Paul Tierney and Producer Michael Mormecha) to get the opportunity to record in FAME along with “swampers” bass player David Hood (Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Percy Sledge, Paul Simon, Alicia Keys etc) and piano/keys/hammond player Clayton Ivey (Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Joss Stone, The Supremes etc).   

More about Amanda: 

Amanda St John is a soulful singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland. She is a mainstay on the Irish radio, festival and gig circuit and has been described as a “Head-turning vocalist with serious song writing prowess………a sensational artist” (Visit Dublin). She has worked with artists like Brian Kennedy, Eddi Reader, Mary Coughlan, Gareth Dunlop, Ciaran Gribbin (of INXS) and Jon Tiven (Grammy winning Nashville writer/producer whose CV has included BB King, Van Morrison and The Rolling Stones etc…).

Gaining substantial media interest in Ireland and the UK including extensive airplay on the BBC and RTE as well as reviews in Hot Press Magazine & The Irish Times.

Amanda is known for her passionate and powerful live performances and is fast establishing herself as one of Ireland’s leading vocalists. With live sessions with ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris and Gaby Roslin on BBC Radio London, various other live performances/interviews across BBC regional’s, U105, Downtown/Cool FM, UTV Live Television etc, as well as many festival slots and tours of the UK, Ireland and the USA (which included the prestigious Folk Alliance Festival and a private event for the US President) under her belt, the future is looking very bright indeed for this talented musician. Her debut album “Grow”; was launched in May 2016 at the prestigious Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast and has received rave reviews and worldwide airplay including a national advert campaign for The Rio Olympics for the title track ‘Grow’.

On Arvo Party Mix – ‘Made Myself a Name’ is an upbeat song about the struggles of trying to make it as a singer. I wanted a quirkier, more 70’s Tom Waits vibe on this one and thought a remix might be a good option to make it stand stronger as a single. I’m a big fan of collaborating and had wanted to work with Arvo Party for a while so thought it would be a good opportunity to see what he could bring to this track. I totally love what he’s done with it, he’s brought the song to a whole new level!

Impressive New Soul Music from Amanda St John Will Turn Heads

LINKS TO AMANDA ST JOHN

Website: https://www.amandastjohnmusic.co.uk/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandastjohn_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandastjohnmusic_/

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Gothic Urban Blues New High Calibre Album from Harry Stafford

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Gothic Urban Blues New High Calibre Album from Harry Stafford

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Blues Indie Artist
Photo by Richard Davisc

Manchester-based indie music stalwart Harry Staffordpresents his new album ‘Gothic Urban Blues’ viaBlack Lagoon Records, previewed by singles ‘She Just Blew Me Away’ and ‘Painted Ocean’, a smokey, barroom piano-blues lament that is “a message that riffs on a sublime ‘painted’ ocean, which, while once was a heaving beautiful living thing, is now a dump!” says Harry Stafford.

This is an album about the Metropolis, the naked city, the urban sprawl and the need to get back to the ripped back streets when you’re far away. If there are a million stories in the naked city, here are a few to keep you warm.

Mixed and engineered by Ding Archer (The Fall, PJ Harvey) at his 6Db Studio in Salford, this album was co-produced by Archer and Harry Stafford and was Inspired by the musings of such jazz and blues stalwarts as Mose Allison and Hoagy Carmichael.

Harry Stafford is best known as founder, guitarist and vocalist of post-punk gothic rockers Inca Babies. His band Guitar Shaped Hammers includes drummer Rob Haynes (The Membranes, Inca Babies), trumpeter Kevin Davy (Lamb, Cymande), guitarist Andy Mills, and Vincent O’Brien on Weisseborn slide guitar.

Formed in the early 1980s, Inca Babies released four albums and multiple singles and Peel sessions. Much of his musical career has been spent with Inca Babies, playing across Europe and the world but in 2015, after 35 years with Inca Babies, Stafford decided to release untamed solo material that echoes his love of blues piano and barroom ballads.

The new album ‘Gothic Urban Blues’ and debut solo album ‘Guitar Shaped Hammers’ (2017), are the inevitable result, reflecting a multitude of ideas around a driving yet lilting punk-piano blues. The idea was for Stafford to leave his noisy electric guitar behind – abandoning everything he held and cherished – to make some new music with a piano and a head full of ideas.

The new album features a more defined sound of a band finding its stride. The band is here forth called Guitar Shaped Hammers to reflect this cohesion of musical unity – with more guitars from Vincent O’Brien, and an additional layered sonic blast from Nick Brown (The Membranes). With intense percussion from Rob Haynes and a truly masterful trumpet contribution from jazz supremo Kevin Davy, the result is very much the soundtrack of a basement radio station stumbling across a new genre they’ve tagged Gothic Urban Blues.

“It was important to reassemble these musicians again as there was a lot of ground we hadn’t covered. I had about fourteen songs and selected ten to be on the record. They were songs I had been playing around the bars of Manchester in order to hone into a neat arrangement,” says Harry Stafford.

“I rehearsed with Rob and Vincent and we laid down a foundation, allowing Nick and Kevin to add their unique elements. Their parts were there to compete and yet complement each other. Kevin is a hugely in-demand jazz musician, who graces the funk of Cymande and the smooth grooves of Lamb, not to mention his jazz workshops in London. I wanted Kevin to radiate his love of Miles Davis and send a wave of goosebumps and steely soul through the spine of this sound. Nick, with a guitar born of jagged punk and sinister drones, was to create a brittle edge to balance the beauty.”

The ‘Gothic Urban Blues’ LP is now available everywhere, including iTunes and Spotify. It is also available for pre-order on vinyl and CD via the artist’s Bandcamp (the physical release will occur closer to summer). The launch performance by Harry Stafford and Guitar Shaped Hammers will be announced at a later date.

CREDITS 
Harry Stafford: Piano, keys, guitar and vocals
Rob Haynes: Drums, percussion
Vincent O’Brien: Slide guitar, lap blues slide and guitar
Nick Brown: bass and guitar
Kevin Davy: Horns
Written by Harry Stafford
Mixed and engineered by Ding Archer at 6Db Studio
Produced by Ding Archer and Harry Stafford
Mastered by Stephan at Oxygene Music
Released by Black Lagoon Records through Cargo UK BLRCD/LP0054

Gothic Urban Blues New High Calibre Album from Harry Stafford

LINKS TO HARRY STAFFORD

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/harrystaf62

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/stafford2838/

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Jordan Merrick Returns to His Roots with New Single Millennial Blues

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Jordan Merrick Returns to His Roots with New Single Millennial Blues

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Indie Artist

Indie Pop Artist Zoe Sky Jordan Releases New Music

One of Brisbane’s favourite folk singer-songwriters, Jordan Merrick, has not slowed down since the release of his debut album ‘Night Music’ (released October 2019) and with his new single ‘Millennial Blues’, he is returning to his roots.

In Merrick’s debut album, he explored a new sound from that of his previous two EP’s (released in 2017). Venturing through blues, folk, rock, country and elements of vaudeville, this studio project involved big arrangements comprised of layers of instruments.

Together, Merrick’s debut album and previous EP’s have seen support from Triple J, Double J, ABC Radio, RAGE, MTV Australia, theMusic, Pile Rats, AU Review, Rhythms Mag and community radio where he has landed in the AMRAP charts a number of times.

Now, for ‘Millennial Blues’, Merrick has returned to his humble sound made simply with his poetic lyrics and an acoustic guitar. Merrick creates a settling and peaceful mood with his feathery touch on the guitar and his distinct Australiana vocal tone. Despite the lyrics contemporary message, Merrick’s sound opens a doorway to a distant, simpler time.

Jordan Merrick describes the meaning behind ‘Millennial Blues’:

“‘Millennial Blues’ chronicles the world my generation was born into – the social media age where we’re constantly surrounded by the pressure of appearance and image. We’re a generation amassing stupendous debt to get qualifications to one day pay off said debt.”

Jordan Merrick was to perform on the 18th of April at Brisbane’s Junk Bar alongside JB Paterson, Ruby Gilbert and Lisa De Angeis. (postponed due to Covid 19 pandemic)

See more information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/486915912190471/

Jordan Merrick Returns to His Roots with New Single Millennial Blues

LINKS TO JORDAN MERRICK

Website: http://jordanmerrick.com.au/

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

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/infolkwetrust 

Bandcamp: https://jordanmerrick.bandcamp.com/ 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ahcACj3s9GCO561Tja3Mj

Jordan Merrick Returns to His Roots with New Single Millennial Blues

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Marcelo Deiss New Indie Rock Blues Single with Horses Running

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Marcelo Deiss New Indie Rock Blues Single with Horses Running

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Indie Artist

 

MARCELØ DEISS is a Brazilian born, London based artist whose music dances between indie, blues, folk and rock. His music details themes about social alienation and human condition in subjects like greed, hypocrisy, absurdity and despair. The South American artist feeds off irony, satire and a dose of dark humor to make audiences see the obvious that goes unnoticed in everyday life. Highlighting situations and news that we see but we don’t look at and news we hear but we don’t listen to, MARCELØ brings light to ordinary occurrences. Everything from the overuse of technology, to economic policy and our daily customs. 

 

Spending time in both London and Sao Paulo, the musician is able to explore new sounds as well as new topics. Influenced greatly by visual artists such as Steve Cutts and John Holcroft, MARCELØ’s songs revolve around the struggling underclass, with anthems about anti-establishment, anti-capitalist and anti-war.

MARCELØ shares, “Cutts and Holcroft’s work embodies a powerful and scary message about humankind which we can all really relate to as human beings. Their work really helped create a clear vision of what I was trying to achieve sonically.” 

In his latest work, MARCELØ touches on narratives revolving around the constant struggles and injustice we face in our society and how it is affecting us all. “Horses Running” deals with themes such as greed and social disaffection.

MARCELØ confides, “I think it’s important to discuss topics about our society and the current problems we face together in the modern world. This to me seems more relevant due to the current situation our society is facing right now.”

Knowing that he wanted to write about society and the system we live in, the songwriter was triggered by movements such as Brexit, Trump, Me Too, Black Lives Matter and other topics that deal with oppression. Comparing them to the dystopian worlds in sci-fi books including Brave New World, 1984 and The Year Of The Flood, MARCELØ noticed that these worlds aren’t very far from our own.  

 

“Horses Running” soaks up much of MARCELØ’s love for blues artists including B.B King and Eric Clapton, while simultaneously delivering a fresh and modern indie rock sound. The track features powerful lyrics, distorted, gritty guitars and a determined rhythm section, whilst emanating vintage sounds through the use of analog equipment. The Brazilian artist creates music to stimulate emotions and “Horses Running” is a shining example. 

 

With the hope that his music may spark conversations about subjects that need to be confronted and ultimately lead to answers in the long run, MARCELØ DEISS continues his journey, with the release of “Horses Running”.

Marcelo Deiss New Indie Rock Blues Single with Horses Running

LINKS TO MARCELO DEISS

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

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Time Stands Still with Spellbinding New Music from Mitch King

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Time Stands Still with Spellbinding New Music from Mitch King

The Sound Of Amongst Liars Are a Loud and Fierce Powerhouse

Indie Artist

 

Mitch King presents his new single, ‘Time Stands Still’, written about the simple pleasures of life, appreciating the journey, and being grateful for every moment you encounter.

Born and raised on the Gold Coast, Mitch King spends his days travelling around Australia in his campervan, playing his music at venues and festivals across the country.  His independently released singles ‘Burning’ and ‘Believe’ have amassed almost 3 million streams between them. In 2020, Mitch is focusing on writing new music and collaborating with artists including The Temper Trap, the Pierce Brothers, and Diesel.

 

Mitch says, “’Time Stands Still’ was written at a point in my life where I was feeling frustrated, and not where I wanted to be. I took my time and acknowledged the way I felt about things, and I realised that life’s not a race, it’s about enjoying the journey, kind of like a good road trip. Smell the roses, and live life without the self-inflicted pressure that one can put on oneself.”

 

Mitch spent his teen years busking every weekend, and has built an impressive live show which has seen him support the likes of Tones And I, America The Band, and Supertramp’s Roger Hodgson.

To celebrate the release of ‘Time Stands Still’, Mitch will be heading out on the road throughout March, playing shows along Australia’s east coast.

 

Friday 13th March

Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane – QLD

Saturday 14th March

Grace Darling Hotel, Melbourne – VIC

Thursday 19th March

The Basement, Canberra – ACT

Friday 20th March

Oxford Art Factory, Sydney – NSW

Saturday 21st March

The Stag & Hunter Hotel, Newcastle – NSW

Sunday 22nd March

Bellingen Brewery, Bellingen -NSW

Saturday 28th March

The Imperial Hotel, Eumundi – QLD

Time Stands Still with Spellbinding New Music from Mitch King

LINKS TO MITCH KING

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