Sound Cloud Sunday – July 26, 2020
Sound Cloud Sunday July 26, 2020
Another week of lockdown, another batch of fantastic new music. Here at Laurel Canyon Radio we bless our lucky stars for home studios, and DIY bands, and remote collaboration and whatever other ministrations it takes to release an album these days. While it may seem easy to just upload your entire output to the world and hope for the best, it is the artist that takes their time to produce something meaningful and tuneful and whatever time that takes to do at home without the help of hired studio tricksters, is fine with us.
Old Sea Brigade and Luke Sital Singh – Call Me When You Land
Hometown: Atlanta
Album: Single released May 22 on Nettwerk. EP “All The Ways You Sing in The Dark” out August 28.
Review Snippet: The track coasts along on a breeze of acoustic strumming and soft strings, as the two trade verses back and forth. Luke’s high-register hook captivates before a dreamy guitar lead takes flight.
Website: https://www.oldseabrigade.com/
Jenny Reynolds – Any Kind Of Angel
Hometown: Austin, TX
Album: From the album “Any Kind Of Angel” released June 19 on Pretty OK Records.
Review Snippet: With chilling three-part harmony these Austinites are known for, and quality songwriting by Jenny Reynolds, “Any Kind of Angel” is a stirring creation.
Website: https://www.jennyreynolds.com/
Gasoline Lollipops – All The Misery Money Can Buy
Hometown: Boulder, CO
Album: New single, album of the same name out September 11 on Soundly Music
Review Snippet: The song itself turns to pretty stark statements that leave little to no room for emotional misinterpretation. “All the Misery Money Can Buy” is very unquestionably calling out the weaknesses of capitalist structure and highlighting the mental and emotional pain that comes with those structural issues. In addition to the song’s clear thematic foundation though, the Gaspops take things deeper – both aurally and visually – to point out that this depth of dysfunction also stems from racial inequality, which has a guiding role in the sustainment of the disjointed system. The way the video unfolds, with day to day life actively occurring around Rose as he wanders the area, revealing public art, visible blight, active protests, and more, strongly bolsters the message of “All The Misery Money Can Buy” and heightens the impact of its objective to uncover, rather than shy away from, the long dismissed root causes of conflict in this country.
Website: https://gasolinelollipops.com/
Blue Rose Code – Love A Little
Hometown: Edinburgh, UK
Album: From the album “With Healings of The Deepest Kind” out July 17.
Review Snippet:
“Imagine John Martyn meets a young Van Morrison shipwrecked with a crate of Chet Baker records” – Time Out
Website: https://bluerosecode.com/
Maple Run Band – Last Of The West Kansas Cowboys
Hometown: Vermont
Album: From the eponymous debut out July 31.
Review Snippet:
“Maple Run Band’s new self-titled album is a fun eclectic ride through waltz, blue-grass and rock. Their unique braided harmonies are the 5th band member and are truly special.”
RadioFreeTexas.com
Website: https://www.maplerunband.com/
Snowgoose – Hope
Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland
Album: From the album “The Making Of You” out July 22 on Ba Da Bing Records.
Review Snippet: Tracing a line through ‘60s West Coast psychedelia and early ‘70s folk-rock, Snowgoose have created an album that transcends its influences and assert itself as a modern and forward-thinking collection.
Website: https://www.snowgoose.me.uk/
Robert Jon and The Wreck – This Time Around
Hometown: Orange County, CA
Album: From the self-released album “Last Light On The Highway” released May 8.
Review Snippet: Jump into the rocking, soulful world of Robert Jon & The Wreck with their latest release, “Last Light On The Highway.” Get ready to have your soul set on fire with this collection of brilliantly executed Rock’n’Soul anthems that will get your bones jumpin’, your heart racing, and your mouth watering for more epic sonic bliss that only The Wreck can deliver.
Website: https://robertjonandthewreck.com/
Cinder Well – No Summer
Hometown: Ireland via California
Album: From the album “No Summer” out July 24, on Free Dirt Records.
Review Snippet: Amelia Baker is the Irish singer with “the lonesome touch” known as Cinder Well. Having grown up in California that didn’t dismiss any of the old-world brilliance in her vocalese. She has a slow-burning charm in her tone. She can obviously sing an old traditional folk song or could simply write a new one and make it sound over a hundred years old.
Website: https://cinderwellmusic.com/
The Coronas – Cold
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Album: From the album “True Love Waits” out July 31 on So Far So Good Records.
Review Snippet:
Next Time In LA: November 10 at the Troubadour
Website: https://thecoronas.net/
Distant Cousins – Angelina
Hometown: Montgomery, Alabama
Album: From the EP “Next Of Kin” out February on Jullian Records.
Review Snippet:
The LA-based folk-pop trio of Dov Rosenblatt, Duvid Swirsky and Ami Kozak, Distant Cousins are the needle in modern folk music’s haystack – bringing something old and something new to the fore through dazzling melodies and hauntingly sweet lyrics that instill their music with depth, flavor, and plenty of character.
Website: https://www.distantcousinsofficial.com/
Creamery Station – Jimszamar
Hometown: Bethany, CT
Album: From the self-released album “Walk With Me” out July 31.
Review Snippet: A seven-piece band (eight if you include their mascot Jerry the Alien), traded off solos in true hoedown fashion with deep jams that showed the band’s originality and creativity.
Website: https://creamerystation.com/
Shred Kelly – Dead Leaves
Hometown: Canadian Rockies
Album: From their 5th album “Like A Rising Sun” out June 19 on Devil Duck Records.
Review Snippet: The singers in Shred Kelly are unique enough to be interesting, but not enough to be weird or repelling. Also, beneath their appealing, slightly modernized country/folk instrumentation, a few tracks have some interesting musical details, that really blew my mind when situated with the easygoing feel of other tracks.
Website: http://www.shredkelly.com/
Bananagun – Mushroom Bomb
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Album: From the album “ The True Story of Bananagum” released June 26 on Full Time Hobby Records.
Review Snippet: Their music, which combines and synthesises strands of the sunniest, most uplifting genres ever created (psychedelia, tropicalia, afrobeat, freakbeat, acid-folk, soul and jazz), is neither unique, nor entirely original, but it is completely joyous and relentlessly optimistic. It’s also undeniably fun.
Website: https://bananagun.bandcamp.com/album/the-true-story-of-bananagun
Greyhounds – People In The Park
Hometown: Austin, TX
Album: From the album “Primates” released July 10 on Nine Mile Records.
Review Snippet:
Website: http://www.greyhoundsmusic.com/home
Bowerbirds – Thrift Store
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Album: From the album “Thrift Store/High Rise’ self released May 26.
Review Snippet: A North Carolina duo known for its soft and folksy paeans to nature, would reckon frankly with The End on The Clearing: Nowhere else is death quite as palpable– sensible, even– as the garden, the forest, the backyard.
Website: http://www.bowerbirds.org/
Sons Of New York – Jesus Was A Person Of Color
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Album: From the album “American Dream” released July 1, 2019 on Campo Music
Review Snippet: The Sons Of New York music video titled Jesus Was A Person Of Color confronts the image of White Jesus head-on with a storyline that is ripped from the headlines of this moment. The song title would suggest that the song is religious but in truth it takes the religious right to task while at the same time elevating Jesus’s message of love, equality and justice. Pulling no punches, songwriter Roger Campo lays out an indictment of the hypocrisy and the damaging effects the Evangelical religious right has imposed on America.
Website: https://sonsofnewyork.bandcamp.com/
