WATCH: Overcoats - 'The Fool'

One of my favourite PR companies sent me this track from a duo who were a new name to me and I loved it on first listen. Overcaots are a Brooklyn duo made up of Hana Elion and JJ Mitchell, and they're heading out on tour with Two Door Cinema Club across the US soon. They've recently shared new single and video The Fool, full of lots of lovely synths and disco beats to sink your teeth into, but made all the more special for me with vocal harmonies reminiscent of the likes of First Aid Kit, and a really empowering statement behind the lyrics.

The video (below) is well worth a watch - a DIY home video showing the duo shaving their heads and "igniting the next phase of their career with fearless honesty." Talking about the track, JJ explains that it was written "based on 'The Fool' tarot card. It signifies taking a leap of faith and jumping into the unknown. Conceptually, it felt like the beginning of the project. We wiped the slate clean and decided to jump. That's why the video includes the footage of us shaving our heads. We're 'The Fool', and we're taking our leap." Hana adds that "it's an empowering message. I don't need to be defined by the opinions of others or go with the status quo; I can f*****g be myself."

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LISTEN: Marcus Hamblett - 'Lost At Sea' (feat. Kate Stables)

The Bear's Den fans among you may know Marcus Hamblett for his work on stage with the band, as well as for his production and musical contributions to Christof van der Ven's recent album. Exciting news - Marcus is grabbing a bit of the limelight for himself (deservedly so) and has just announced his second solo album, Detritus. It's due for release via his label Wilkommen Records on November 15th and first track Lost At Sea features Kate Stables of This Is The Kit. Taking inspiration from the various bands and artists Marcus has produced and played with over the years, the album forms a sort of patchwork, a collage of genres, including electronic music, jazz, post-rock and modern composition. I'm certainly excited to hear more!

The first single was originally written back in 2006 for guitar, flute and clarinet, and this version of the track emerged when Marcus recorded the album's drummer Tom Heather playing in a soundcheck. He explains that "this song is sort of a cornerstone of the record, the idea of 'detritus', all the broken off crumbs, dust, leftovers that ended up staying in. I've known Kate Stables for a long time [...] now I sometimes play brass and occasionally electric guitar with This Is The Kit. I'm so glad she did the vocals for this so I could bury mine." Listen below...

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WATCH: Geowulf - 'Lonely'

Geowulf continue to deliver gorgeous tune after tune with latest release Lonely. I'm absolutely loving the refrain "I'd rather be lonely than be alone in love"  - preach it. The track is taken from the duo's upcoming second record My Resignation, which is due for release via PIAS on 25th October and also features recent singles I See Red, Round and Round and He's 31. 

Talking about the track, vocalist Star Kendrick explains that "in a way, 'Lonely' epitomises a lot of what this album means to me [...] A bold and welcomed acceptance of myself and my own company. Feeling less and less like I need the approval of others. That's one of the many nice things about getting a bit older." 

To support the release of the album, Geowulf play a run of shows in the UK this November, dates below & tickets available here.

18th Nov: Oslo, London

25th: Deaf Institute, Manchester

26th: Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

27th: Exchange, Bristol

Follow Geowulf - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

ALBUM NEWS: Matthew And The Atlas - 'Morning Dancer (Unplugged)'

Some very exciting album news to share today! Specifically of the acoustic, unplugged nature. Matthew & The Atlas shared their beautiful album Morning Dancer earlier in the year and a couple of months ago they headed to Bristol and recorded an acoustic version of the entire album (!!) They did this for last record Temple and the result was sublime so I'm really chuffed to hear this news! The first two tracks Low and Pyres were shared last week and they're as lovely as is to be expected. Morning Dancer (Unplugged) is set for release on November 1st so... set your alarms, mark it in your diaries?! First up, here's Low...

As possibly my favourite track from Morning Dancer I am particularly enjoying Pyres with added harp from Emma Gatrill which you can hear below!

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LISTEN: Christof van der Ven - 'You Were The Place'

I am ridiculously excited by this one - Christof van der Ven releases his second solo album You Were The Place today on Planet Zog Records. Please do yourself a favour and set aside some time to listen to it. I'm impressed at how quickly this album has come into our lives - juggling work as a chef, solo musician and playing live with Bear's Den, Christof made his way onto my albums of the year list last year with his debut Empty Handed. He's already released one of my favourite EPs of this year in the shape of Beneath The Ordinary Load and somewhere between that and some pretty extensive touring with the Bear's Den guys, he found time to recruit a talented ensemble of musical friends and create this record.

You Were The Place was recorded, produced and mixed by Christof's Bear's Den bandmate Marcus Hamblett (who is equally busy with an upcoming solo album of his own just announced) and features musical contributions from Tommy Heap, Jools Owen, Tommy Sheen, Emma Gatrill and Andrew Stuart-Buttle (you can spot most of these in the live videos below!) Between them they play with Matthew & The Atlas, Bear's Den, This Is The Kit, Lucy Rose and more - an enormously strong foundation for an album and one which is audible in this album. The instrumentation is top notch!

The album was written and recorded over the three month period following the end of a brief and intense fling, and the result is a collection of tracks which cycle through the raw emotions that you might expect. As such it is incredibly personal and emotional, sad in places but full of hope and optimism in others. As his PR beautifully describes it, Christof "manages to harness a tentative optimism both sonically and lyrically throughout the album, reminding us to be thankful for the ability to love at all and that there will always be someone out there who can awaken even the most subdued of souls." 

In keeping with the raw themes at the heart of the record, Christof booked time in the studio and set himself a three month deadline to make the album before a single track was written. Far from it feeling rushed, the result is an album which says everything that it needs to about a situation which is deeply personal, while remaining relatable and offering listeners an opportunity to explore their own emotions through the tracks. Christof explains that "I think for people who've found themselves in this situation before, they can listen to the album and find that it helps them through a tough time. If that's something that I can do with this project, I'd be very grateful." 

It's hard to 'review' specific tracks on the record because it is clear both through knowledge of the creative process behind it, and from listening to it, that the album works best as a whole. Created in such a short and intense period the tracks sit beautifully together, building a story lyrically until the last few lines of closing track A Stranger with "the strangest of it all is you're a stranger to me now." To look at them, the lyrics read more like a collection of poetry than an album - he's a really talented writer and my sentiments surrounding his EP earlier in the year most definitely still stand, I really appreciate the honesty and integrity that is tangible throughout the writing. 

After a couple (alright, lots) of listens over the last couple of months I think that I've picked out 4AM as my stand out track on the album. One of the louder and busier tracks sonically, I love the live version in the video above and can imagine it getting a strong reaction in the live environment. Another track I'm loving is Fucking Loser - a pretty clear message in the name of the track and the refrain "I really am a fucking loser" but there's some hope in this one - "you were the place I stood, the day my feet were sore. A reminder I could love one still." Elsewhere I'm absolutely loving the horns section in Pill too. 

Christof heads out on tour in Europe and the UK in a few weeks, with shows in Brighton (The Hope & Ruin on 7th October) and London (The Lexington on 8th October) to launch the album. It's a full band tour and if his Waiting Room show earlier in the year is anything to go by, it is sure to be a gorgeous evening - full dates and tickets here.

Listen to the album on Spotify here and grab your physical copy through Christof's site here. 

Follow Christof van der Ven - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LISTEN: Declan Welsh & The Decadent West - 'How Does Your Love'

With the release of a live EP a couple of weeks ago I've been on a Twin Atlantic nostalgia trip lately as it'd been a while since I'd properly listened to the band. (Yep - still ace.) As if by magic, this cracking tune from fellow Glasgow artist Declan Welsh, and his band The Decadent West, arrived in my inbox shortly after and I am loving it! The track is taken from their upcoming debut album Cheaply Bought, Expensively Sold which is due for release on 18th October via Modern Sky.

New track How Does Your Love drew me in with the tastiest of basslines. Seriously - listen for yourself and tell me you don't love it. Lyrically, the track is a nostalgic ode to and celebration of regional nightclubs and the crazy and intense experiences that they provide the setting for.

As Declan himself describes: "I actually think this is a love letter to the power of provincial nightclubs. See, they get a lot of stick and yes I am not a huge fan of Downtown in East Kilbride. But see for 90% of folk, the f**king Berghain is a nightmare. Or like any f**king grocers come techno cocktail bar in Dalston. It's pretentious and cool and it's full of people who go to places to be seen going to places. See Downtown in East Kilbride for all its flaws, people go there to get blitzed and forget about their week. Their week has been sh*te, they know the place they’re in is sh**e but it’s not work so they embrace it. It's also about how kissing someone on a dancefloor is a transcendent experience. Its lame as f**k and everyone around you hates you, but see when you meet someone you fancy on a night out and you both winch to music, no-one else in the world exists, yer hearts going a million miles an hour, it's a rare moment of genuine tunnel visioned bliss. This song celebrates that."

The new track arrives alongside an announcement of an extensive UK tour, seeing the band play fifteen dates around the country later this year. Tickets here. Full list of dates below...

31st Oct: Think Tank, Newcastle
3rd Nov: Hope & Ruin, Brighton
4th: Louisiana, Bristol
5th: Notting Hill Arts Club, London
6th: Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
8th: Bootleg Social, Blackpool
9th: Phase One, Liverpool
10th: Lending Room, Leeds
11th: Jimmys, Manchester
13th: Cookie, Leicester
14th: Lantern, Halifax
15th: St Lukes, Glasgow
17th: Mad Hatters, Inverness
18th: Tunnels, Aberdeen
19th: Beat Generator, Dundee

Follow Declan Welsh & The Decadent Welsh - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LISTEN: I SEE RIVERS - 'Collide'

I'm really excited by this group - Nordic trio I SEE RIVERS first came onto my radar when they opened for Cosmo Sheldrake last November. Their enthusiasm, harmonies and unique sound make them a really fun band to see live and I've kept an ear out since for new music. Eline (keys, vocals, percussion), Gøril (guitar, vocals, drum pad) and Lill (drums, vocals) are all originally from Norway, meeting in Liverpool while studying and moving to Pembrokeshire in Wales after they recorded their first EP in the area and fell in love with it.

With support from PRS Foundation, BBC Launchpad and their fans via Kickstarter, the trio are in the process of making their debut album, set for release in 2020. For now, whet your appetite with new single Collide. Talking about the track, they explain that "the themes of 'Collide' are of conflict and reconciliation, turbulence and transparency. In contrast to the familiar voices and relatable lyrics, the production of the song is both more contemporary and more adventurous than our previous releases, focusing more on creating space using a combination of gritty, acoustic sounds and sweeping, synthesised elements."

Follow I See Rivers - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

ALBUM & TOUR NEWS: Bombay Bicycle Club - 'Everything Else Has Gone Wrong'

A triple whammy of brilliant news today from Bombay Bicycle Club. First up, after some live shows and their recent single Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You) they've shared a brilliant new tongue in cheek video for the track, directed by long-time friend and touring member of the band Louis Bhose. It's one of the best videos I've seen in a while, setting the scene with the lines "In 2016, the UK was rocked by a seismic event... Bombay Bicycle Club went on indefinite hiatus. Without their music, British society crumbled. Three years later, the band's whereabouts are unknown..." 

Secondly (and nobody panic...) they've announced a new album, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong is due for release on 17th January 2020. I may or may not have cried many happy tears reading this news - the statement they've put out (below) speaks volumes to me personally, I adore this band and their music brings me so much joy so it's a delight to know that there is a whole new album on the way. 

"This is an album for anyone who’s ever turned to music in a time of crisis, whether personal or political. It’s about the solace one can get from listening to music or playing music when everything else in your life or the world has gone wrong. It’s about finding kernels of hope and renewal in dire situations."

Finally, they're taking the album out on the road in January, kicking off with a show in Cambridge and heading around the country, taking in London's famous Alexandra Palace along the way. In the statement they shared that "playing together again is such an unexpected surprise for the four of us and yet from the first moment we started rehearsing it felt as natural as if we’d played a show the night before. We feel a freshness playing live that can only come from having taken a step back and now we just want to play these new songs to as many people in as many countries as we can." 

20th Jan: Corn Exchange, Cambridge

21st: Academy, Bournemouth

23rd: De Montfort Hall, Leicester

24th: University Great Hall, Cardiff

25th: Academy, Leeds

27th: Academy, Newcastle

28th: Barrowland, Glasgow

31st: Academy, Birmingham

1st Feb: Centre, Brighton

3rd: Victoria Warehouse, Manchester

7th: Alexandra Palace, London

10th: Vicar Street, Dublin

12th: Ulster Hall, Belfast

Pre-order the album here for access to the ticket presale next week! 

Follow Bombay Bicycle Club - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram. 

LISTEN: Joe Hicks - 'Swim'

"I'd give my soul just to keep you warm."

I've got a lovely new track to share with you today from my singer-songwriter pal Joe Hicks. Swim is his third single release of the year, another beautiful tune written around the same time as Cold and Hollow and in Joe's own words "it's a song about escape." It's also a perfect five minutes in length - I appreciate the precision!

We first met almost five years ago now when I was volunteering at Oxjam Festival in Oxford, at the now closed Purple Turtle bar. Pretty sure I met a member of The Libertines that night but more exciting to me was rushing to a tiny pub after my shift to see Adam Barnes, who Joe was playing guitar (and backing vocals) with. I saw them playing lots after that, in some of the quirkiest places I've been to gigs in (a primary school, a café, a living room and a church to name a few) and I'm loving Joe's solo releases. Check out Swim below!

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LISTEN: Ferris & Sylvester - 'I Dare You'

It's hard to exactly pinpoint their genre, sitting somewhere amongst blues, folk, rock and soul, but easy to be aware that Ferris & Sylvester are truly something special. They seem to get better and better with each release and new track I Dare You certainly follows the trend. The track arrives just in time for the duo's biggest headline tour yet, which sees them playing the first of a 21-show run tomorrow night in Guildford.

Talking about the new track, they say that "we've gone over to our dark side with 'I Dare You'. It felt important to get this song out there. We made bold choices with it and it is very unapologetic. We think this song shows another side to us, it blends dark folk with explosive rage and is grounded by our live performance, as all our songs are. We can't wait to play it on the road."

If you like what you're hearing, full dates for the tour are below, tickets here. I saw these guys playing on a Brighton street at The Great Escape last year and if the energy and passion there was anything to go by, a full show from the band should be something quite special to witness!

September

3rd: Boiler Room, Guildford

4th: The Horn, St Albans

5th: Omeara, London
6th: Omeara, London

16th: Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

17th: The Bullingdon, Oxford

18th: Metronome, Nottingham

19th: Green Door Store, Brighton

20th: Think Tank?, Newcastle

22nd: Stereo, Glasgow

23rd: Mash House, Edinburgh

25th: Lost Lane, Dublin  

27th: Phase One, Liverpool

29th: The Wardrobe, Leeds

30th: The Portland Arms, Cambridge

October

1st: Deaf Institute, Manchester

3rd: Forum, Tunbridge Wells

4th: Frog & Fiddle, Cheltenham

6th: Sin City, Swansea (Fringe Fest)

8th: Old Bakery, Truro

9th: Phoenix, Exeter

Follow Ferris & Sylvester - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.