La Sera #3 - Losing to the Dark

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La Sera's second full length Sees The Light was one I loved, full of addictive, vibrant pop tunes that made you want to come back to it time and time again. See the super-charged fuzz pop of the sing-along hit "Please Be My Third Eye" and the similarly radio friendly single "Break My Heart" for proof.

With Vivian Girls now over Katy Goodman returns her focus completely to the next La Sera album Hour of the Dawn out May 13 via Hardly Art and the lead track "Losing to the Dark" gives us a compelling introduction. Combining those bubblegum pop choruses with super-charged guitar riffs which are so intense they can melt your face off. The subject matter is as bittersweet and direct as ever but there's not a trace of melancholy here, just a blistering, no-holds barred shredder with some great lyrics too 'how about you write another song about how fun you are to drink with at the bar'....

"Losing to the Dark" is available as a free download from the soundcloud link below. La Sera embark on a European including a date at London's Hoxton Bar & Grill on May 23rd.

Esben and the Witch #9 - No Dog

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Right, I'm cutting straight to the chase here. That's as someone who has loved Esben and the Witch since the very beginning (with a hard copy of their debut EP '33 sitting in my collection to back that up). This song is their best ever. Yes, better than "Marching Song" better than "Argyria", "Chorea", "Corridors", "Lucia", the lot.

"No Dog" is taken from a forthcoming split release with Thought Forms and is quite simply incredible. The track waste no time letting you know what's in store for you, the aural storm of noise kicks off  immediately as pummeling drums and a frenetic swam of bass is unleashed on the perhaps unsuspecting listening, this brutal, powerful intro lasts for some 90 seconds before parting to with clearer, ambient skies in which Rachel Davies' typically haunting vocals enter, lulling you into a false, hypnotic state of security before soon enough those storm return, begging you into submission with wave after wave of increased force and screams. Mesmerising.

The Esben and the Witch / Thought Forms 12" split (both sides run for sixteen minutes yet the number of tracks on the release reads two for Esben and four for TF's). Quantity never beats quality, and certainly not when the taster is this good. The split is available on limited 12" vinyl via Invada Records April 7th with pre-orders available now.

The band are currently in the middle of a Pledge Music campaign to record and release their third LP, with the prospect of a limited, exclusive EP and more for the money rich, it's something you'll probably want to get involved with too. Head here for more on that.

Faye Rogers - New Music "Introducing"

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It's getting to the stage now (quite frequently) where there are young, talent artists coming along who are pretty much half my age, so as well as receiving visits from the green eyed monster and complaining at both my lack of talent and impending grey hairs, I'm coming to terms with seeing pubs and gigs full of people who weren't even born when I started .

The latest beguiling young talent to cross my path is Faye Rogers, a singer-songwriter from Swindon who released an EP Thunder last month (available on CD - remember those! - via Secret Chord Records). Her style of minimal acoustic folk isn't something you won't have heard before, let's face it every pub in every town has an acoustic night these days but instantly Faye stands out from the crowd. It's immediately apparent why, armed with a pure, crystal clear voice and lyrics with depth and scope for surpassing her teenage years.

The delicate and spare arrangements that propel "Thunder" allow that enchanting voice to shine through, simmering with honesty and charisma, it serves as a fine introduction to the release. Yet it's the next track that completely pulls me in, "Gathering Dust" recalls Daughter-esque intimacy, a heart-on-the-sleeve lament "how can you so easily dispose of me, now I'm left gathering dust" around carefully constructed acoustic guitar finger-picking, twinkling piano keys and cello. Similar comments could be said for the EP's stunning closing track "Canal Boats", combining layers of serene instrumentation with lyrics of great beauty that connect emotionally deep and remain with you long after your first play "remember all those years ago when I thought that you might be mine".

Faye's potential is confirmed with a handful of live recordings found online, I've posted a couple of tracks that aren't on the EP below, "Clutter" from a recent BBC session and "Forever" from a Sofar Sounds gig last year (two indications that word is spreading), her sweetly swooning vocals radiating like dew on a spring morning. Damn you talented kids!

Bed - New Music "Introducing"

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Portland duo Alex Haager and Sierra Frost formed Bed in late 2013 and this track "Bother" is the first from their forthcoming debut EP (due 18th of March via their own Breakup Records).

It's a track which has already found them some praise and rightly so with fuzzed up grunge guitar riffs slowed down amongst rumbling drums and soft, melancholic vocals, the repeated cries of "I can't help you out again" ringing in your ears like a bittersweet goodbye.

"Bother" is available now via Bandcamp with the EP no doubt to follow shortly.




bed. - "Bother" from Breakup Records on Vimeo.

Lykke Li #4 - Love Me Like I'm Not Made Of Stone

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I was lucky enough to be in Manchester last Saturday for the BBC 6Music Festival at Victoria Warehouse, playing at around 7pm in what I believe was her first show in a good year or two was Lykke Li, she played an eight song set, the first five all taken from 2011's wonderful Wounded Rhymes and the last three all new ones taken from her forthcoming (final?) LP I Never Learn which is due for release May 5th.

Those three tracks highlighted something slightly different to the track I'm writing about today, the first official track shared from the release "Love Me Like I'm Not Made Of Stone". Where "Never Gonna Love Again" and "No Rest For The Wicked" highlight a big, dramatic 80's power ballad sound "Love Me Like I'm Not Made Of Stone" is a continuation of the heartbreak from Wounded Rhymes, sounding like a long lost cousin of "I Know Places", the track is sparse and confessional with languid, haunting acoustic echoes the sole accompaniment for Lykke's devastating delivery, you can tangibly feel her emotion throughout - what a beauty.

Lykke Li has announced two London shows for May 8th/9th at Village Underground. Normally I'd be happy but I can't make it because it clashes with The Great Escape. If you're still in the Capital, you won't great the decision. The live set the other day was bigger and bolder than anytime I'd previously seen her.

Glastonbury Emerging Talent Contest 2014

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A few hours ago Glastonbury Festival announced the long-list for this years Emerging Talent Contest, the longstanding competition for a band to win a slot on a main-stage at the festival. I was involved last year and was delighted to be asked again this year. The contest sees 40 of the UK's 'finest' blogs (their words, not mine!) each given a long, long list of acts who had previously submitted their details to the festival with the relatively straight-forward (but incredibly difficult) job of whittling that number down to just three acts each.

Each bloggers three acts then form the long-list of 120 acts which you can see now on the Glastonbury website. From these lists, a panel of Glastonbury judges (including Emily & Michael Eavis) will pick eight acts (just eight from many thousands of entrants) who will play at a live final in Pilton in April on which the winner then finds their way onto the Glastonbury line-up alongside Arcade Fire, Dolly Parton and many, many more (to be confirmed, unfortunately I don't have any say in that!!).

Of my entire long-list just one act had been previously covered here. A singular statement that goes to highlight the breadth of talent in the UK - Glastonbury ETC was UK artists only - whilst naturally the list was a bit of a mixed bag in terms on my own particular taste there were a great number of exciting acts to discover.

Last year I posted a list of acts I discovered thanks to my long-list prior to the results coming out and I did intend to again this but time around but time, as ever, has found me out and instead here I am posting in retrospect which means rather than a 'have a look at what you could have won' style post I'm focusing purely on the acts I've put through.

I also formed part of Bloggers Utd to further judge some acts after a couple of bloggers pulled out from the competition so in total I put through five acts to the long-list. Each of which is detailed below.

The Cadbury Sisters - Facebook

"The trio blend their vocals around exquisite fingerplucked acoustic melodies and the result is simply beautiful."

Leisure - Facebook 

"Sexy-smooth electro-pop rhythms which stand out thanks to a super slick melody and a deviliously gorgeous 90's inspired soul vocal"

Georgia and the Dales - Facebook

"I instantly fell in love with "Dark Age",  a beautiful, atmospheric traditional folk number with soft harmonies set amongst rich, quick-paced instrumentation".

Only Girl - Facebook

""Bittersweet" swoons around your heart with sparse, early 90's r&b grooves and a ghostly sweet vocal".

Empress Nights - Facebook

"Otherworldly, haunting soundscapes with passionate vocals against a backdrop of shimmering guitars and soft, restrained piano twinkles, the result is as bold as it is beautiful."