Month: November 2021

TWIN RAINS – Fantasizing Dream Pop Duo Wanders Around In An ‘UNREAL CITY’

Posted on by JL

28 November 2021

Band: TWIN RAINS
Who: Dream pop duo – Jay Merrow and Mary Christine Stoesser – from Toronto,
Canada. The pair met as roommates in 2009 and within weeks were making music together, forming/breaking up an inde band and relesaing their duo debut album
Automatic Hand in 2016.

New album: UNREAL CITY

“The Unreal City. Its infrastructure is built on the backs of malnourished synapses, unable to make the distinction between impulse and conditioned response. Its streets are paved with all that glitters so that walking them hypnotizes and distracts. Its buildings are doomed, eternally reaching out of insecure origins raised up from shaky foundations and briefly held aloft by high ideals before succumbing to the pressures from the weather.

Turn Up The Volume: This Canadian pop duo invites you into their wondrous world.
A kind of Shangri-la place where glistering synths, sugary pop melodies, and Stoesser‘s wistful near-whispering voice create a hazy soundtrack for romantics, stargazers, wishful thinkers, and fantasizers with meditative moments (The Garden / Believe It All / Strawberry Moon), ambient and amplified compositions (Body Of Water / Unreal City / Nothing In My Purse) and trippy thrills (Anymore / All That You Know).

As we all know reality turned into surreality these past two pandemic years, so I’m sure
it’s pretty safe to join Twin Rains and explore the heart and soul of their unreal city.

Single/clip: All Of The Saints

Stream/buy UNREAL CITY here…


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TWIN RAINS: Facebook

BLACK SABBATH’s Guitar Hero TONY IOMMI Back With Music And Perfume

Posted on by JL

New striking strokes

28 November 2021

Black Sabbath‘s guirar hero TONY IOMMI is back – since
the band’s 2013 album ’13’ – with new solo music and his
own brand of perfume!

Iommi: “My fans will think I’ve gone mad. It’s something I would’ve never
thought of involving myself in. But it’s been nice to be involved in it.”


Smells like Iommi spirit

So now you can smell good when listening to his brand new smelly
single SCENT OF DARK. A bombastic and melodramatic haymaker.

Sniff here…

TONY IOMMI: Facebook

Manchester Misfits CHEW MAGNA Grab You By The Throat With ‘LISTLESS’

Posted on by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries

27 November 2021

Band: CHEW MAGNA
Who: Rowdy noiseniks
from Manchester

New single: LISTLESS
Cacophonous blast from
upcoming debut LP

Laurie (frontman): “Listless is mostly
about wasting an abundance of potential.”

Score: All cylinders and burners on from the kick-off. No brakes.
No looking back. Expect an extended 70 seconds supersonic instrumental
intro, followed by buzzing vocal electricity before all hell breaks loose with
an adrenalized shot of guitar-crazy hysteria. Wait, it’s not over yet.

The helter-skelter restarts until the abrupt finish. I had to take a break before
I let the whirlwind overwhelm me again and again and again. A red-hot-smoking
shock-wave of maddened energy. Holy moly!

The accompanying Lynchian-meets-Bo Burnham video was created and filmed
by the band in a single day, in a cleared-out spare bedroom on zero budget.

Roll the tape and go nuts…

You can buy (name your price)
Listless here on Bandcamp…


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CHEW MAGNA: Facebook

Synth Pop Duo LA ROUX Covers GANG OF FOUR

Posted on by JL

27 November 2021

Artists: LA ROUX
London’s synth-pop duo featuring singer
Elly Jackson and producer Ben Langmaid
Active: Since 2006 / 3 studio albums

La Roux is part – along Idles, Gary Numan, Warpaint and more – of
the double LP called The Problem Of Leisure. A tribute to Andy Gill,
the late genial guitarist of post-punk sensation Gang Of Four, who
passed away on 1st February last year – only 64 – due to multiple
organ failure and pneumonia. The records came out last June.

La Roux picked DAMAGED GOODS, GO4’s best-known track,
but not the easiest one to cover unless you turn it entirely upside
down like it happens here with a hip-shaking reggae-like vibe.

Damage some goods here…

The cover is now part of a new 6-track La Roux EP with no less
than 5 remixes of the song. You can stream it all on Spotify.

Gang Of Four original…

LA ROUX: Facebook

Minimal With Maximum Effect – CROWS ON WIRES With Single ‘CROWS DANCE’

Posted on by JL

New striking strokes

27 November 2021

Band: CROSS ON WIRES
Who: Dark-dream-wave project from Dresden, Germany.
Crows on Wires prefer candlelight, enabling listeners to
dive into their spiritual world and to follow their imaginary
trip through light and darkness, through fears and longings.

New single: CROWS DANCE

Score: After sickly sticky single This Is Not the mysterious German
act drops another irresistible synth-drenched ditty with a repetitive
synth and drum beat, and monotone, yet magnetic female vocals.
Cold waves to dance to, orchestral maneuvers in the dark to lose
yourself in. Keep it minimal with maximum effect, join the crows
and dance.

Right here, right now…

CROWS ON WIRES: Facebook

Prog Rock Kings YES Released Their Album ‘FRAGILE’ 50 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

26 November 2021

Band: YES

Who: Legendary British prog-rockers who started in 1968 with
nightingale voice Jon Anderson, and masterly musicians Chris
Squire (bass), Peter Banks (guitarist), Tony Kaye (keyboardist)
and Bill Bruford (drummer).

Active: 1968–1981, 1983–2004, 2008–present / 22 studio albums
so far, with this year’s The Quest as the most recent one.

Anniversary album: FRAGILE
Released: 26 November 1971 – 50 years ago today

Pitchfork said: “‘Fragile’ introduced Yes’ highest-powered line-up, as
the silver-cape wearing, 12-keyboard-hauling Rick Wakeman replaced
Tony Kaye. But the question is, what was “fragile?” Their egos? The battle
between the perfectly balanced arrangements– as on classic rock radio
staples “Roundabout” and “Long Distance Runaround”, and each virtuoso’s
need to grandstand, vented through five solo interludes (most memorably
Steve Howe’s “Mood for a Day”)? All that firepower could have ruined the
band, yet on Fragile, they put songcraft firmly over indulgence.” Score: 8/10.

Turn Up The Volume: The Kings of prog-rock symphonies 6th LP.
1974’s Relayer still is my Yes favorite, but Fragile comes in second.

Key single: Roundabout…

Stream full LP here…

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YES: All Albums – History – Facebook

London Trio LITTLE VICTORIES Strikes A Chord With Soul-Stirring Single ‘LOVE GETS ME DOWN’

Posted on by JL

New striking strokes

26 November 2021

Band: LITTLE VICTORIES (London, UK)
Who: British three-piece, alt pop band laced with dancing guitars, twin vocals and a homemade 6 string bass. A kaleidoscope of genres, the band is a one stop shop for all your emotional needs calling on influences such as The 1975, Bon Iver and Oh Wonder. Consisting of three different musical souls, Marcus Gooda, Nay Shalom and Sam Rose, collectively the trio pen relatable music with the hopes to connect with audiences
around the world.

New single: LOVE BRINGS ME DOWN

A confessional track detailing a rough patch with mental health
whilst the people around you can’t or don’t understand why.

“We wanted to be personal and relatable whilst also keeping
the reasoning ambiguous, explained the band.

Score: Only the trio’s second single.

Mental problems, still a difficult issue to talk about with family and
friends, (as I – unfortunately – know from personal experiences), let
alone with strangers.

I applaud anyone who shouts/sings/writes about it in an empathetic way.
And when you wrap these mind-crushing emotions in an accessible, breezy
and tender-heartened dancey pop tune with soulful twin vocals you have
my support.

Yes, easy-going communication, like pop music, helps
to get attention for sensitive and personal topics like these.

Enjoy this sweet little victory, right here…

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LITTLE VICTORIES: Facebook