Feist – Pleasure
Alternative | Folk
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music
Album Review: The Afghan Whigs – In Spades
The Afghan Whigs – In SpadesSpotlight!: Rebecca Raw
Having sang in choirs and learned to play cello from an early age, London-based singer/songwriter Rebecca Raw channels her classical inspirations into a captivating contemporary sound. Her debut EP Deep Within maintains an emotive air of spirituality that persists throughout as she explores ethereal folk and uplifting indie pop. The EP’s signature song ‘Connection’ speaks of longing for deeper and more meaningful relationships rather than the all too often fleeting and emotionless interactions of the modern world. The acapella driven ‘Dust and Ashes’ sees Rebecca’s songwriting at it’s most curious and experimental, while ‘Freefall’ brings together modern indie pop with 80s power ballad vibes. Rebecca’s finest hour however is the aptly titled ‘Whisper Thin’, crafted around little more than a delicate piano and her own angelic vocals to produce one of the most breathtaking musical moments of the year. Rebecca Raw has produced a technically faultless and stylistically interesting first release, but far more important than that she has gifted the world with something that connects with you deep down; a quality all the more rare and precious.
Rebecca’s Deep Within EP is out now and is perfect for fans of The Glass Child, Billie Marten, The Swell Season and Julien Baker
Top Tracks: Hyleen – Looking At
Hailing from Cannes in the south of France, funk pop singer/songwriter Hyleen has really caught me by surprise with her soulful new single. ‘Looking At’, the first track from her upcoming second album B-Side, pays homage to everyone from Nile Rodgers to Joss Stone. With all the infectious bass lines you expect from the classic funk sound, some superbly soulful keyboards at work towards the end of the track, and with plenty of polished pop production and accessibility, Hyleen has all bases covered with this latest genre-hopping offering. ‘Looking At’ has that warm vintage sound that is hard not to love. With a sound as good as this I’m more than convinced that Hyleen is the best French musician that you will hear this year, and her new record promises to share her talents with the wider world.
Top Tracks: Tom Lumley – Dream City
Belwood Spotlight artist Tom Lumley has unveiled the new video for his song ‘Dream City’, the title track from his debut EP. Beginning in broody black and white with footage of Tom and the band performing, spliced with scenes within the city streets, it catches you offguard with it’s occasional kaleidoscopic explosions of colour. Blending together indie and alternative rock, the track boasts a great interplay between uplifting lead lines and heavier rhythm riffs, with some superb bass lurking just beneath the surface. ‘Dream City’ is built around its memorable melodies, and its anthemic chorus is perfect for fans of Catfish and the Bottlemen. Tom has been going from strength to strength this year, and ‘Dream City’ is a great indication of the kind of festival ready hits that he is capable of.
Interview: Evening Darling
Few things stir the soul as much as that lust for adventure, that longing for the open road that lives inside all of us, and few bands capture that feeling as well as New York’s Evening Darling. The endearing Americana of their debut record has made them one of the most promising new acts to emerge in 2017, with their song ‘Another Long Drive’ leading the way as an early favourite for Belwood’s song of the year. I was lucky enough to chat to the band about their new self-titled album: Continue reading
Top Tracks: TJ Stafford – Crazy
Having performed in various bands over the years, and with his music being featured on such iconic shows as The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy and True Blood, LA based songwriter TJ Stafford has struck out on his own with his debut single. ‘Crazy’, taken from his upcoming debut album All My Bad Habits Have Prepared Me For This out 30th June, is a dark and brooding track, a slow burning fuse of volatile alternative rock. With an inescapable air of tension the song drifts along its mesmeric rhythm, the haze pierced only by occasional cathartic bursts of aggression. Like a sleepwalk through a minefield, the contrast at work here is quite striking. TJ has started strong with his solo career and his debut seems sure to have more surprises in store.
Spotlight!: Gozer Goodspeed
Photo by Sandra Vilimaite
Armed with little more than an acoustic guitar and his trusty hat, Plymouth based singer/songwriter Gozer Goodspeed has crafted his own unique blend of classic blues and traditional English folk. Unplugged, understated and under no pressure to follow petty trends, here is a man carving his own path in this busy industry. ‘Every Night, Saturn’s Rings’ sees his guitar work at it’s most light and airy, and the more attentive listener might discern a few hints of Bono in the vocals. ‘What You Got Going On, Lewis?’ throws some piano into the mix to create a sound akin to a blend of the Rolling Stones and some old wild west saloon. The mandolin heavy ‘Barrel Headlong Into The Night’, the title track of Gozer’s forthcoming second EP, brings to mind the pastoral, yet vaguely exotic, soundscapes of Led Zeppelin III. Gozer Goodspeed’s foot-tapping blues and carefree folk are the product of an honest and down-to-Earth musician driven by a love of what he does.
Fans of Dan Owen, Seafret, Scott Lloyd and Jake Bugg should check out his Barrel Headlong Into The Night EP out 19th May
Spotlight!: Miccoli
It’s important within a band to have a strong bond, a deep connection of spirit and a sharing of ideas. It’s always been said that blood is thicker than water and few acts work in such perfect harmony as Miccoli, composed of twin brothers Alex and Adriano, and their sister Francesca. Weaving their voices together to craft a spellbinding display, an angelic chorus so rarely found in indie pop, they have produced one of the most promising EPs of the year. ‘Idle Stranger’ is a late night anthem to lead the way when you find yourself lost in life, while the slow burning ‘Undo’ show Miccoli’s ethereal harmonies at their best. The suitably bright and uplifting ‘Lights’ is a finely crafted hit in the making and the stripped back ‘Devices’ builds an intricate and fragile cathedral of sound from the sparsest of arrangements. This band of siblings have a clear idea of who they want to be, and if they carry on the legacy of their first EP then they are sure to win over new fans everywhere they go.
Miccoli’s debut EP 1/2 is out 12th May and is a must for fans of The Staves, Ben Howard, Amber Run and early Bon Iver
Top Tracks: The Afghan Whigs – Arabian Heights
Cult 90s legends The Afghan Whigs are back, with the latest cut from their forthcoming album In Spades, out 5th May. ‘Arabian Heights’ is nothing short of a rock masterclass; with a riff reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s ‘The Rover’, a myriad of mystifying effects that could have come straight from Rush’s ‘Clockwork Angels’ and a stellar rhythm section that sounds like The Stone Roses possessed by the devil incarnate. There’s simply so much going on here; otherworldly elements, exotic expression and all the classic alt rock sounds in a way you’ve not heard before. ‘Arabian Heights’ takes every interesting aspect of every rock album you’re likely to hear this year and fuses them into something simply spectacular. If the rest of In Spades can match this then we may have an absolute classic on our hands.
Belwood Music 