WATCH: Prima Queen - 'Eclipse'

Best news - there's a new Prima Queen track to wrap your ears around. I loved Chew My Cheeks last year (how is that last year?!) and I wasn't the only one... the best pal duo have been making a name for themselves among the likes of DIY, Dork, NME and The Line of Best Fit and have toured with Dream Wife and Wet Leg, among others. With a UK tour incoming later in the year, they're back with new track Eclipse, which is as brill as ever. This one was once again produced by The Big Moon - dreamy pairing. 

On the track, they share: "It's about the hesitation of entering into a new relationship while you're still reeling from a heartbreak that fucked you up. It was quite a cathartic group experience recording the song - we got to sing the last chorus all together at the top of our lungs. We released a lot of pent up rage we didn't know we had." 

A run of festivals and support shows culminates in some headline shows this November, taking in Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester and London. All dates here.

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WATCH: Melin Melyn - 'Hold The Line'

Stepping away from the acoustic songs of the last few posts to share this new track from my faves Melin Melyn. Somehow, they're able to make something as everyday as calling up your energy supplier into a psychedelic dream of a song (the lyrics are brilliant, honestly.) The aptly named Hold The Line is taken from their upcoming EP Happy Gathering which is releasing digitally on 30th September, and on vinyl in early 2023. Why not whet your appetite with last year's superb Blomonj EP? 

On the track, singer Gruff shares: "I called a well known energy supplier that has recently gone into administration to get advice on my rocketing bills. I spoke to a lovely lady called Lisa. After a short chat, she asked me if I could Hold the Line for a few minutes. No problem, she promised she'd call me back. Whilst waiting, I wrote this song. She never called me back. And I promptly switched off the boiler." 

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WATCH: Jake Whiskin - 'Drive You Home' (feat. Lizzie Reid)

I'm fully in a bit of a sad song phase at the moment, lapping up all of the gorgeous harmonic acoustic music that I can get my ears on. I shared the new one from Lizzie Reid a couple of days ago, mentioning her feature on this... it's too good for me not to share this one too. Jake Whiskin has announced his self-titled debut album with the single Drive You Home. Releasing via Dance To The Radio on 4th November, this is such a stunning taster of the record, which was produced by Lee Smith (Easy Life, Holly Humberstone) and Rob Slater (Yard Act, Crake) at Greenmount Studios, close to where Jake grew up. 

Talking about the new track, Jake shares that it is "a song about a relationship that's on its last legs and plays out over a firework display whilst you internalise how much you've grown apart over the years. I pretty much wrote the whole song around the lyric 'I will drive you out your mind and then I'll drive you home'. It always felt like a duet to me so we got Lizzie Reid on board who is obviously amazing and she just took it to a whole new place."

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ALBUM NEWS: Sophie Jamieson - 'Choosing'

Beautiful song alert. Album news alert. Be alert - the utterly enchanting Sophie Jamieson has shared news of her debut album Choosing (YES!) with first single Sink. The album is due via Bella Union on 2nd December. I've long been a fan of Sophie's music and I can't wait (but I guess I'll have to...!) If you like what you hear below, I'd recommend her most recent EP, Release. 

Sophie describes it as "a record about hurting yourself, realising what you are doing, trying to understand why and trying to learn to stop", adding that she "spent a lot of time finding pain unbearable, trying to avoid it in every which way possible and only ever making it worse by running away. It was the most isolating experience."

"These songs are about trying and falling to love yourself and other people, trying again, getting it really wrong, seeing things blurry and then seeing them clearly, and making the choice to pick yourself up, choose yourself, set yourself free by allowing yourself to feel pain, anxiety, loneliness, and then the beginnings of joy, love and connection." 

On the new track, Sophie shares: "This song comes from the vulnerable place of knowing you are about to lose control over using alcohol as a band-aid. It also bridges the undeniably strong place of realising that you can choose to rescue yourself. I wrote it with an image of being alone on a desert island, some place that was so quiet and beautiful it felt eerie, almost threatening and incredibly lonely." 

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LISTEN: Lizzie Reid - 'Love Of Her Life'

Well this is all sorts of beautiful, isn't it?! Love Lizzie Reid, and chuffed that she's got a new EP on the way. Releasing via sevenfoursevensix on August 31st, it's called Mooching and I can't wait to give it a listen. Opener Love Of Her Life is a slow-burning delight. Really special. Those guitars are lush, but it's Lizzie's vocals that completely transfix. It's a double Lizzie week too, as she's on the new Jake Whiskin track, Drive You Home, which is just as brill. 

On Love Of Her Life, Lizzie shares: "At the time I wrote the song, I felt like I was looking at heartbreak from a new and less naive perspective. But now I have a bit of distance on it, I can see I was still carrying a lot of baggage. For example, when I say 'I don't mind', I see now that I clearly do mind - but I have a different way of confronting my emotions." 

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ALBUM NEWS: Plains - 'I Walked With You A Ways'

Some brill album news for your Thursday from Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) and Jess Williamson. Both successful artists in their own right, they've joined forces as Plains and have announced their record I Walked With You A Ways, due 14th October. As a one off collaboration, supported by a North American tour, there's something special in the momentary existence of the project. Something to be truly enjoyed while it happens. First single Problem With It is out now! No problems here, in fact, I'm loving this...

Katie shares: "I'm thrilled to announce this new project and album. I've felt a connection to Jess's songwriting and a kinship with her since we met years ago. Getting to lean into the influence of the music we both grew up with while also making something that feels very current and fresh to me was a great experience and I'm so happy to finally share it." 

Jess adds: "Making this record with Katie was a deeply expansive experience for me as a songwriter. I really trust her ear and sensibilities, and she encourage me to explore aspects of my songwriting that in the past I've shied away from. Katie's support was so important for me as we wrote this album. We gave ourselves permission to lean into the music that raised us and write the kind of classic timeless songs that we both grew up singing along to. For me that was The Chicks and Dolly Parton, and having a place to channel those influences was an absolute blast. My hope with Plains was to tap into something Universal. I love the album we made, and I'm so excited to play it live."

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LISTEN: Maggie Rogers - 'Anywhere With You'

I'm staring at an empty post and wondering what to share, what to start writing... but right now, nothing is really coming close to the new record from Maggie Rogers. Predictably. I love love LOVED Heard It In A Past Life and I've been waiting patiently for this one and... I'm in love all over again. Maggie! From the first listen, a strong favourite of the unreleased tracks was Anywhere With You so here I am, sharing it with you, in the hope that you'll find it just as much of a delight as I do. The build to that passionate outro... agh. 

Also more than worth a mention on this brilliant album is I've Got A Friend. So good. And all of it. Lyrically, musically, I'm in love with this record and with Maggie. I'm so EXCITED by it. Can you tell? Albums from Rae Morris and Maggie within a few weeks of each other is a ridiculous treat and it'll take something pretty special to knock Maggie's off repeat right now...

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