Tuesday 18 February 2014

Music Engine show 18/2/14

Great response to my guest tonight . The very under rated Keith Jones . He chatted to me and played three songs live . What a nice chap ! 



Playlist -

Ian Prowse -God & Man 
Nix Nought Nothing -Return from the storm 
Bernaccia-armada 
Stuntman Mike-Ashes
Paradise Circus -Drunk 
Maini Sorri -Moira 
The escape & jay Picasso 
Corbu -We are sound 
Calling all astronauts -It could have been lust 
Logan Stryx -Falls
As Elephants are - Handprints 
Korda Marshall -Pieces
Sam Brookes -James 
Judith Owen -I've never been to Texas 
The Endgame -Chains 
Emma Blakk -Sirens 
Inanna -High 
Waldman -Thinking about you 
Animal Noise -Bag of bones 
HAARTS-Seasons Change 
Crunchies -So Far 
Bill Parton Trio -Falling For you again 
Gifted Kings -The Last Time 
Blitz Kids -All I want is everything 
Rawdeal -Make your Mind Up 



Info 

IAN PROWSE
 
Ian has described the song as “a real Liverpool song for a real Liverpool girl” and is about the day his baby daughter Rosalita was christened in St Nicks, the sailors’ church by the city’s Pier Head. Not exactly a religious man, Ian squared it with himself by imagining that she was being baptised in the Mersey, that and the fact that they took her straight to the Cavern afterwards for a “rock ‘n’ roll” ceremony.
 
God and Man is being released simultaneously with the new album, appropriately enough on St Patrick’s Day, 17th March. On the same day, Ian will perform at the Knitting Factory, NYC for Liverpool Sound City.
 
Who Loves Ya Baby follows on from the success of The Best of Ian Prowse, a compilation of his work with the band’s Pele and Amsterdam, which was released to critical acclaim in 2012. This new album sees Ian cut loose as a solo artist and features twelve brand new songs, all perfectly showcasing his considerable talents as a songwriter and performer par excellence.
 
“An absolute triumph, I've played it four times on the trot already”
(Miles Hunt - The Wonder Stuff)
 
“The man who gave us the classic Does this train stop on Merseyside does it again”   (Elvis Costello)
 
“An epic album, 9/10!”  (Ian McNabb)
 
“He sure knows how to pen a proper song this fella, the music shines”
(Christy Moore)
 
Ian Prowse, often called the “Scouse Springsteen”, is best known for his work as main man with the groups, Pele (1990s) and the 7-piece group, Amsterdam (2000s). One of his most famous songs, Amsterdam’s  Does This Train Stop On Merseyside, was a huge favourite of the late DJ John Peel – he featured the song on his last ever Festive Fifty and it has been well documented that it often reduced him to tears on air. The song has gone on to be covered by many others, including Christy Moore, Miles Hunt and Ian McNabb.
 
In recent years, Ian Prowse has completed a couple of degrees, “just for the hell of it” and the album is, in part, inspired by his degree in Modern History and Masters in Irish music, for which he wrote his thesis on Iris Music. He has also become a father for the first time.
 
Who Loves Ya Baby will be supported by a series of live dates in the UK, spanning March through May. The shows will be a mix of solo appearances alongside shows with Amsterdam, with whom he still performs.
 
For full live dates visit : www.amsterdam-music.com
 
BERNACCIA
 
Blending atmosphere, fiction and truth into their lyrically captivating music which tells tales of troubled souls, emancipation and the well trodden road, all nailed to the floor by the blues. Their official debut single Armada weaves Blues, Roots and Indie to create a audio brew of fine musical ingredients.
 
After the critical success of The Keeper , released last year the bands follow up No Club saw them gain more new fans in the media and earned support slots with Wolf People, Twisted Wheel and Royal Blood.
 
Armada is the first of a single a month sequence starting this as part the bands Cinema release trilogy. Each track will be connected to a piece of exclusive artwork that will be available as an early bird exclusive to the first eager listeners of the debut download Armada. The main focus of the release will be the centre track Circuit Ryder which will also be accompanied by a video from Melting Point Media. All videos and tracks will then be shown at a premiere at a secret venue to be announced very soon.
 
“For a lot of bands round these parts, the sound of The Brian Jonestown Massacre is a lot like the clitoris. They spend a lot of time going after it, but despite bragging heartily about it in interviews and being told by their pals they’re bang on, they’ve never actually been anywhere near it. But for Bernaccia, I can report with panting glee that they’ve not only found it, but they know exactly what to do with it. The sound, not the other thing. Riff-led and captivating throughout, this foot stomping dirty slice of neo-psychedelia bliss should be sought out immediately"

 Narc Magazine
 
Bernaccia certainly know how to write well-judged and twangy rock if this atmospheric single is anything to go by. Its a driving, bluesy affair which grabs you from the off,relying on a lean and mean tempo to keep any bluster at bay. Utterly captivating."
The Crack magazine
 
Links : www.bernaccia.tumblr.com / www.facebook.com/bernacciamusic
www.soundcloud.com/bernacciamusic / www.youtube.com/bernaccia5000
 
NIX NOUGHT NOTHING
 
Revealing a craftsman-like attention to structure and interdependence, Nix Nought Nothing blends traditional roots with a raw intimacy, and takes the contemporary folk song to a grander, more eclectic level -- one undeniably his own.
 
He imparts his lyrics with a powerful and impassioned voice, and layers his vocals to create choirs of insightful harmony. Drawing on his experience as a jazz pianist and film composer, Nix Nought Nothing accompanies his vocals with a suite of instruments, combining each layer to create sumptuous, expansive soundscapes.
 
“The Storm,” Nix Nought Nothing’s debut album, embodies ancient and nautical themes in a heartfelt exploration of loss and redemption. Written and recorded in just 28 days in Brooklyn, New York, and Hampshire, England, the album combines complex and varied styles into a body of work that is distinct and whole. Through waves of tension and release, “The Storm” carries the listener through realms of mystery and magnificence.
 
“I wanted to produce something almost improvised and raw,” Nix Nought
Nothing says, “but I also sought to evoke the grandeur and imagination I’d grown accustom to from scoring film. ‘The Storm’ takes both of those elements and attempts to build something more ambitious but still personal.”
 
These qualities are front and centre on the album’s first single, “Sticks and Stones.” A commanding song with powerful melodies and rousing lyrics, the track is simultaneously cinematic and heart-wrenchingly sincere. Its stirring verses and rousing chorus combine with swells of music that result in a sound both timeless and yet unmistakably new.
 
Links : 
www.nixnoughtnothing.com
www.soundcloud.com/nix0nothing
www.nixnoughtnothing.bandcamp.com
 

 
HAARTS
 
Seasons Change marks the band third studio release since summer 2013. An ever growing fanbase on the live circuit in their native Cumbria as well as the media have seen the band ascend from under the radar to appearing on numerous radio shows and websites.
 
Supporters in the media include Indie Minded, Female First, Something You Said. Radio fans include Radio 1’s Ally McCrae, BBC Cumbria Introducing, On Air Tunes,  Castle FM, ICR Radio, Stroud FM, Breakthru Radio, NE 1 FM and many more.
 
Another slice of  shimmering supreme sounding guitar msuic featuring the distinctive vocals of Philip Hampson is delivered in the bands latest single and is supported by an official video. The band are produced by Gavin Monaghan and have supported The Boomtown Rats at the opening of a new music venue in their home town Carlisle.
 
The main band members met at secondary school and have regularly played 100 minute live sets in pubs and clubs, with the highlight being invited to a special Radio 1 Gig on the eve of the big weekend in 2011.
 
“… lead singer Phil Hampson sharing the kind of intensity, persona and charisma you would expect of someone who’d been gigging for decades”.
Radio 1 Introducing show DJ Ally McCrae
 
Haarts are
 
Band links :
 
Website: www.haartsofficial.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/haartsofficial
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Haarts_
 
PARADISE CIRCUS
 
Birmingham based band Paradise Circus are a rapidly emerging band capturing all that’s good about the British music scene with their debut single Drunk.
 
Lead singer/guitarist James O’Gorman, drummer Jake Brown and bassist Dan Woodhead combine to produce spirited songs that echo the highs and lows of today’s youth.
Their sound is a gritty twist on British pop with soul and indie rock undertones. Powerful vocals, catchy tunes and clever lyrics create their unmistakable style and sound that is gaining the band ever increasing popularity.
 
The band play live with the intensity and raw energy of a young band but with the polished skill and cohesion normally found only in long-standing bands. Taking their inspiration from an eclectic mix of many great artists such as The Jam, The Strokes, and Otis Redding, the band’s undeniable talent is in creating vibrant, soulful and emotive songs.
 
“Paradise Circus are stars waiting to shine. Their soulful vocals and gritty urban story lyrics will captivate you on first listen.”
 Gavin Monaghan - Magic Garden Studio
 
“They are one of the best young bands today.” Guy Holmes
Kundun Music & Media
 
“Their live show is impressive and it looks as though all the recent support slots this year have done them a world of good. It’ll be the fruits of their work with local producer Gavin Monaghan that will be the thing to look out for next.” Counteract Magazine
 
Currently working with producer Gavin Monaghan, who is notable for his work with The Editors, Scott Matthews and The Twang, the boys are fresh from the studio and are about the hit the UK with their debut single ‘Drunk’.
 
We leave the final words on the single with the band…“We’re really excited about the single, although it was difficult deciding which track to release first, we’ve got loads of great songs to choose from... ‘Marry Me When I’m 40’, ‘Where d’You Wanna Go’ and ‘In It For Himself’, amongst others”. “We eventually decided on ‘Drunk’... an unapologetic ‘beery’ anthem, guaranteed to hit the spot with anyone who likes a night on the town and a few pints!”
 
Links : www.soundcloud.com/paradisecircusmusic / www.paradisecircusmusic.com
www.facebook.com/paradisecircusmusic / www.twitter.com/P_C_H_Q
 


Scott Hetherington (vocals) : 20 Can run the 100m in under 11 seconds.
 Billy Mulholland (guitar) : Arranges holidays around fine wines, beer, and cheese.
Affy Ahmad (drums) : Black belt in Karate 

Although not politically motivated, Stuntman Mike’s lyrics portray a recurring feeling of frustration at the financial and social injustice felt by the band and many of the working class in both the UK and North America. Priding themselves on being a strong live act, Stuntman Mike have already supported a diverse range of artists such as Kassidy, The Dykeenies, The Damned Things, Gun, Barry Hyde (The Futureheads) and the Virgin Marys.

Band links : Twitter : @StuntmanMusic

Web : www.stuntmanmike.co.uk

Facebook : www.facebook.com/stuntmanmikeofficial

 MAINI SORRI

 
Following on from the widespread UK radio support for her 2013 single Just A Dream, Maini looks for break into the mainstream with her well of Scandinavian creativity. Last year was a breakthrough year in the UK for Maini with her single being supported by East London Radio, Indie Radio, Stroud FM, Covent Garden Radio, NE 1 FM, Riviera FM and many more.
 
Maini is a Finnish singer-songwriter living in Sweden and composing music since she was only 8 years old. Her first compositions were for the piano, but it was as a songwriter and a singer she has made her breakthrough.
 
Maini writes music and lyrics under a strong inspiring spirit, and this is why her songs come across to be very genuine and relatable to her audience. Once you have had chance to listen to her music you can see that Maini has her own style quite unlike anyone else.
 
Maini has performed her own songs in concerts and on radio and TV creating a beautiful and melodious atmosphere each time. She has a clear and beautiful voice and has studied songs by several eminent song teachers along with music theory and composing.
 
Maini's early 2013 single Hold Me was released in Sweden. A must see, the Hold Me music video is being promoted to MTV and all over the USA by Trilogy Music Group in Hollywood. The music video was directed by W.A. Henderson from Hollywood, was included in Style City Music Presents TV show that airs on over 100 TV stations in America and around the world,  among them Cape Town TV  in South Africa. Hold Me video was also aired on Bobby T Show in USA, a TV show that's got 2 national Billboard Music Video Awards.
 
A whirlwind few months saw Maini win Emubands/Alchemy mastering prize in July as well as featuring on the cover of Pop Vulture in September.
 
Links : www.mainisorri.com www.facebook.com/mainisorri
 
 
 The Escape featuring Jay Picasso who is based in South London, England. 
 
Taking his name from what his music is to him; an ‘escape’ from everyday life, issues, and an escape for his passion for music, The Escape is now gaining a fast growing reputation for bringing a new life to R&B.
Having performed a number of intimate gigs in and around the London music scene, The Escape has most recently completed work on his new single Think For Yourself which was written, produced and also includes much acclaimed producer Jay Picasso who has also worked with fellow Deuce Act, Jamie Jooste. 
Think For Yourself is now available to purchase through iTunes and all other major distributing sites.  Details of this along with further information on The Escape can be found on his website www.facebook.com/TheEscapeMusic or you can follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/_TheEscape


Like
Judith Owen
‘Ebb and Flow’ album released 7th April 2014
'I've Never Been To Texas' single released 24th March 2014
@judithowen
www.judithowen.net
That Judith Owen's new album Ebb and Flow evokes the spirit of the halcyon days of the great 1970s troubadours is not accidental. In a set of potent songs about love and loss, pain and joy, dreams and despair, the Welsh singer-songwriter fearlessly explores the duality of the human condition - and to do justice to the songs, she turned to the legendary musicians who created the seventies’ troubadour sound.
Between them, her core band of drummer Russ Kunkel, bassist Lee Sklar and guitarist Waddy Wachtel played on many of the landmark albums from the era by the likes of Carole King, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne. "The kind of music I write is so influenced by that sound and period that I wanted to go direct to the source," Owen explains. "When I write songs, I'm hearing a sound in my head - and they knew the sound because they invented it." The songs on Ebb and Flow touch on the deepest emotions of Owen's own storied life with an unswerving honesty. But although her songs are highly personal, the emotions are universal.
"Singing about the human condition, living under the shadow of loss and frustration and sadness and loneliness and not being gratuitously sentimental about it, instead making something beautiful out of it - that's the songwriter's job," Owen says.
What she describes as the "bookends" of the album are two particularly heart-rending songs, "You're Not Here Any More", about her mother (whose suicide when she was 15, was the catalyst for her foray into serious song-writing) and "I Would Give Anything", about the recent loss of the greatest musical influence, her opera singer father. Both songs are poignant expressions of the bittersweet duality that is perhaps the album's strongest theme and which is reflected in the title Ebb and Flow. "Yes, they’re incredibly sad," admits Owen. "But they're also cathartic because they’re the most loving songs I could write and are totally honest about the reality of loss." The theme of how to make it through the darkest night informs several other compositions on the album, including "Under Your Door", "You Are Not My Friend" and "Train Out Of Hollywood", songs about emotional vulnerability, but always shot through with glimpses of hope and salvation.
But, although Ebb and Flow is a highly personal, solo singer-songwriter album, in a real sense it's a 'band' record too. "One of the great things is that Judith makes space for what we add," Kunkel notes. "She turned it into a real ensemble thing," Wachtel adds.
There is a seductive wit and playfulness alongside the introspection too. A trademark of Owen's career has been her irreverent ability to subvert well-known songs with unexpected and improbable covers. Over the years she has turned-inside-out songs by the likes of Deep Purple and The Police to render them almost unrecognisable from the originals.
Here it's Mungo Jerry's 1970 smash hit "In The Summertime" that gets the unique Owen makeover treatment, rendered as it might have sounded if the song had appeared on Joni Mitchell's Ladies of The Canyon. "Great songs are like great bones. You can hang whatever you want on them," she says."In The Summertime" is a ridiculously silly song, and so I asked 'What Would Joni Do?' It's warm, with a glint in the eye and a sense of fun." The result is the most confident and assured album of Owen's career to date.
After emigrating to America in 1993, Ebb and Flow is Judith Owen's eighth album since her 1996 debut Emotions On A Postcard. She’s married to the actor and humorist Harry Shearer and in addition to her acclaimed solo work, Judith has for many years been Richard Thompson's female foil of choice. Both have appeared on each other's albums and Owen played a leading collaborative part in Thompson's projects 1000 Years Of Popular Music and Cabaret of Souls. She also co-created “Losing It” with Ruby Wax, a funny yet devastatingly honest two-woman show chronicling descent into mental illness that was a box-office hit in London's West End in 2011.
But it is her role as an unflinching singer-songwriter baring her soul that remains at the core of Owen's creativity. Ebb and Flow, she says, feels like a homecoming. "It's the sound I heard as a kid and which made me light up. I've brought it home and it feels nice to be here."


Sam Brookes - 'James' is released on Monday 17th March 2014!
“Musically, he excels at propulsive, narratively rich folk, delivered in a soaring, clear-as-a-bell singing voice that makes every word of his evocative, detailed lyrics count.” Sunday Times
Sam Brookes has become part of the burgeoning acoustic music scene, gigging around the UK on his own and with his contempories to an ever-increasing audience of enthusiasts.
His songs are, fundamentally, beautifully crafted stories about familiar subject matters that captivate the listener. Musically, his immaculate phrasing and beautifully modulated delivery reach easily beneath the skin of his audience; the magical space he creates, with the elasticity of his writing, has the echoes and jazz arches of giants like John Martyn and Tim Buckley.
His sef-titled debut bought him recognition in the form of high profile support slots with Joan Armatrading, Ray Davies and Newton Faulkner; this combined with an entrepreneurial spirit and a close kinship with other musicians such as Lucy Rose, Pete Roe and Emily & The Woods has allowed his live and recorded sound to evolve in to a more powerful and provocative body of work. Thoughtful lyrics add poetry to his tracks, something that sets his work apart in an increasingly saturated area of music.

Korda Marshall who are based in Hertfordshire, England. 
 
After forming as part of a module at the University of Hertfordshire where they all studied, Korda Marshall have since gone on to move from strength to strength
Having already been played on a number of BBC and national radio stations, as well as singer Lisa Hart being featured on Flux Pavilions hit Superbad, it is expected you will be hearing a lot more from Korda Marshall in the near future following the release of their debut album Now We Breathe. 
Further information on Korda Marshall including forthcoming gig dates and their new video for Pieces can be found on their website www.facebook.com/kordamarshall or you can follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kordamarshall



In-Anna who is based in Glastonbury, England. 
 
Having started her musical journey after experiencing a profound healing experience while visiting a Buddhist temple in Thailand, which initiated songs to flow through her effortlessly, In-Anna is now making huge headways on the music scene worldwide.
After being honoured at the Song Of The Year competition which was judged by Grammy award winners Norah Jones and Sheila E, In-Anna is now in the process of recording her album which is scheduled for release later this year.  In addition to this she will shortly be visiting the US for 6 months where she will be meeting some new musicians to form a band and perform in and around the California region.  
Details of this as well as information on how you can purchase her material can be found by visiting her website www.inanna-music.com or you can follow her on Facebook 


Emma Blakk's debut single Siren's will be released on 17th March 2014.
Since an early age Emma has had a strong affinity for singing and feels at home in front of an audience where she comes alive.
Emma writes her own material and in addition has covered songs by Jason Derulo and Prince which can viewed on Youtube.   
Much of Emma's music reflects emotions of her life and events within it which has been melodically orchestrated to reflect this.

Label - Falling North Records.


Peter Waldman who is based in Los Angeles, USA. 
  Peter Waldman returns with his new single Thinking About You. 
With a career that has encompassed many different facets in arts and entertainment, Peter Waldman has rightly gained a reputation on the US music scene for being an accomplished musician and artist.
Having performed with the likes of Seal, Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills and Paul Stanley from Kiss, and composing scores to a large number of films, not to mention making guest star roles on television shows Ugly Betty and Frasier, and also becoming musical director and co writer for up and coming Pop Country artist Abi Ann, Peter Waldman has now devoted some time to work on his own solo material.  
Details on his solo work along with further information on Peter Waldman can be found on his website www.peterwaldman.com or you can follow him on Facebook 


As Elephants Are will follow last October’s release of the 'Crystal' single (BBC Radio 1 Zane Lowe ‘Next Hype’), with a brand new 4 track ‘Hand Prints’ EP and their first fully fledged UK Tour the same month. The 11-date tour will culminate in the band’s first proper London headline show at The Sebright Arms on 31/03 . With past releases being described as everything from “sinister” (This Is Fake DIY), to “Life affirming” and “Magical” (the 405) to “Wonderfully dreamy” (Time Out London), EP title track ‘Hand Prints’ develops further the band’s ability to write nagging melodies wrapped in barbed wire rhythms. On the live front, 2013 saw As Elephants Are play their debut slot at the Reading and Leeds Festival on the BBC Introducing Stage as well as appearing at Bushstock and Southsea Festival and supporting Half Moon Run. Previous radio support has come from Radio 1 (Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens, Jen Long & Ally McCrae), Xfm (John Kennedy & Danielle Perry), 6 Music (Tom Robinson) and Amazing Radio. A Summer of festival appearances beckons in 2014. In the meantime the band have announced a full UK tour, dates for which can be seen here; facebook.com/aselephantsareband



CORBU
WE ARE SOUND 
Impact Date: March 23rd
Corbu are an electronic indie-rock band from Brooklyn, New York spearheaded by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Graves.
Named after French architect Corbusier, the band has a strong creative aesthetic. Graves writes the music from visual ideas, which he translates into sound. Corbu songs are often heard partially or entirely in dreams, and are influenced by films, physical spaces and a childhood love of nature and science fiction.
“We Are Sound” is Corbu’s enchanting debut single, taken from the self-produced EP of the same name.
Zane Lowe gave the single its debut play just half an hour after hearing it for the first time. His verdict: “it is instantly future and we think you’re going to love it” and “really really really really really really good!”
The track has since been played again by Zane as well as by John Kennedy at Xfm and Radio 1’s Rob Da Bank.
Linn Branson picked up the single and instantly put it in her ‘Friday’s Hot Top 10’ for the Little Indie blog and TMRW magazine featured the single on its most recent playlist (Playlist 18.0). The band has also appeared in US blog Music Without Labels and French blog Mets-toi a la plage.
Corbu are Jonathan (vocals), Todd Hoellerman (drums, keys), Amanda Scott (synths, percussion), Julian Ferraldo (guitar, keys) and Brian Murphy (bass, keys).
The impact date for “We Are Sound” is March 23rd. Remixes come courtesy of Charles Webster and Doorly.


No comments:

Post a Comment