Arc & Stones Roll Out the Blues

<!–
google_ad_client = “ca-pub-6469969007044671”;
/* Anne Iredale */
google_ad_slot = “4931800784”;
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
//–>

Arc & Stones is a four-man band from buy viagra in canada New York City that likes their rock on the bluesy side. Comparisons have been made to such luminaries of the genre as Kings of Leon and The Black Keys. In February of 2013, they released their debut EP with the simple title of Arc & Stones EP. Their first live show was in September of 2012 and they have gained a reputation as a good band to see live.

Containing five tracks, their EP kicks off with Silence, which instantly hooked me with its no messing rock, bluesy vocal from singer, Dan Pellarin and its sing-along chorus. It’s my favourite song out of the five. Say Goodbye follows, beginning with just vocal and piano before the rest of the band starts rocking. Let Me Down promises much with the melancholy opening notes on piano and acoustic guitar in what is a sparser contribution from the band, but I find it the least inventive track. She’s Mine takes us to what they do so well – dirty blues bubbling up from the swamps; it’s the heaviest song on the EP. Rise is the final track, a song that builds and builds, containing pleasing guitar work and a rousing chorus.

If you like your rock without frills or fuss, this is for you. There’s enough musicianship to keep you interested and it’s good to know this kind of rock is alive and well in an up and coming band.

The band is also crowdfunding their 2nd album here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1229045028/arc-and-stones-2nd-release
Streaming link: https://soundcloud.com/arc-stones

Websites:
Official Website: www.arcandstones.com
Bandcamp: http://arcandstones.bandcamp album.com//arc-stones-ep
Facebook: www.facebook.com/arcandstones
Twitter: @arcandstones
Video links:
“Let Me Down” Official Music Video –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiPj5b0NAXA&list=HL1365693750&feature=mh_lolz

“Say Goodbye” Official Music Video –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCAolOkB7_A

“Silence” Official Music Video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a49ENUCqaFU (Preview)
Artist contact: J.R. Rees – The Entity Inc. – joseph.rees@yahoo.com
(general management)

Press contact: james@independentmusicpromotions.com

Marla Mase – Passion, Punk and Poetry

<!–
google_ad_client = “ca-pub-6469969007044671”;
/* Anne Iredale */
google_ad_slot = “4931800784”;
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
//–>

Anyone spoken about in the same breath as PJ Harvey and Patti Smith piques my interest and I was not disappointed with this album, released in February of 2013. In SPEAK Deluxe (backed by the Tomas Doncker Band), Marla Mase has combined memorable spoken words and sung lyrics in songs with unusual subject matter and diverse musical influences. Based in New York City, this singer songwriter is bold, brave, witty and true, often looking in dark corners where others don’t dare to look.

Things are unusual here, including starting the album with a reprise. Scream (reprise) kicks off proceedings with dark, disturbing lyrics and a punk delivery. A longer version of the song appears as Track 14. This is followed by Piece of Peace, a kind of template for peace and a better way of life for humanity, again with a punk style. Open Up My Heart has a online casino gentler tempo, with spoken parts telling the story of a girl with a hole in her heart who is not allowed to play because it’s too dangerous for her; she wants to feel “love’s first kiss”.

The most unusual song on the album has to be Lioness. Spoken words and sung lyrics express the frustrations and pent up aggression of a lioness in captivity. New Cell Phone is an outpouring of life’s frustrations bursting through the mundane act of getting a new phone number. She Hooked Him Up is a funky departure with lyrics that are…well, plain dirty!

AnnaRexia is a surprising reggae number and a powerful indictment of society’s obsession with body image and its tragic connection to anorexia. Queen of Imperfection brings us back to something more punk-like. The Bonus Track on the album returns to AnnaRexia, with the Bill Laswell Dubmix. Of the album’s 16 tracks, the above are my highlights.

SPEAK Deluxe will put you through the emotional wringer and reward you with something honest and raw, whilst still presenting an accomplished production. A punk sensibility and an ear for melody is an intriguing combination.

Streaming link: http://marlamase.bandcamp.com/album/speak-deluxe
https://soundcloud.com/marlamase/sets/speak-deluxe

Secure Download w/CD (320 kbps) and photos:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ld846ve4p2dxfbl/0qJ_h3Yoq0
Websites:
http://marlamase.com
http://http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marla-Mase/170044966351982
http://twitter.com/marlamase
http://marlamase.bandcamp.com/album/speak-deluxe
http://jango.com/marlamase
http://reverbnation.com/marlamase

“SPEAK” the show website: http://www.speaktheshow.com/

Music videos:
Piece of Peace : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-bcaxDy74o
Live performance of “That Wall”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O24micke5BU (Preview)
Artist contact: marla@marlamase.com
Press contact: james@independentmusicpromotions.com

Aurganic is a Dynamic Duo

<!–
google_ad_client = “ca-pub-6469969007044671”;
/* Anne Iredale */
google_ad_slot = “4931800784”;
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
//–>

From Toronto/NYC, this “alternative/electronic duo” likes to experiment.

Its two members are Leo Pisaq (synths, keys, guitars and programming) and Michael Kossov (vocals, guitars, bass, keys and programming). They have been compared to Massive Attack, Incubus, Radiohead and Muse and you can hear echoes of all those bands at times throughout this album. The duo also likes to collaborate and certain artists ‘guest’ on different tracks. Titled Deviations (released 24th September, 2013), the intriguing album cover promises something cerebral and that’s what we get.

The opening track, called Choices (featuring Joel Goguen on vocals), grows on me with each play. Its promotional video consists of different narratives that mainly focus on a group of teenage friends and the choices they make, amidst peer pressure, with reference to bullying, alcohol and recreational drug taking. Erasing eyes, mouth and ears in different characters symbolises their struggle to follow their own path.

Waking Trials has interesting dark lyrics, whereas Lucid is a love song with lyrics that would stand alone as a poem. Its instrumentation doesn’t get in the way of a delicate vocal. Paradigm has a catchy tune with hopeful lyrics, contrasted by The Lost and the Found, about a relationship going sour. A jazzy bass line introduces us to this beautiful, plaintive song that builds and builds. Complex phrasing carries more poetic lyrics in Outcast.

Southbound is a long complicated track at over 7 minutes and probably the most ambitious song on the album. Deviations, the title track, is a pleasing wind down to the album – a chilled, keyboard led instrumental. These are the outstanding tracks for me; four other songs make up the track list.

Some songs may take a few plays to really get under your skin, but these two guys are well worth the effort.

Stream “Deviations” at Bandcamp

Watch the new video for “Choices” –  (Preview)
Streaming links:
https://soundcloud.com/aurganic,
http://aurganic.bandcamp.com/album/deviations
Music videos:”Choices” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J0ZVec4GbI
“Pleasure Addict” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33o_wIHEajY (Preview)
Artist contact: info@aurganicmusic.com
Press contact: james@independentmusicpromotions.com

Bridie Jackson &amp;amp; The Arbour Release Their Debut Single: A Review

<!–
google_ad_client = “ca-pub-6469969007044671”;
/* Anne Iredale */
google_ad_slot = “4931800784”;
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
//–>

Genre: Alt. Folk / Acoustic but wonderfully hard to define

Digital Download and CD

Double A Side:
Scarecrow
All You Love Is All You Are

Bridie Jackson & The Arbour are:

Bridie Jackson
Rachel Cross
Jenny Nendick
Carol Bowden

Following their first album release, titled Bitter Lullabies, in January 2012, the band toured extensively up and down the land. Now, their debut single for their new label Debt Records is to be released on February 11th, 2013. The artwork for the CD is like a page from a dark fairy tale, inviting us to delve further.

So, let’s look at Scarecrow first. Penned by Louis Barabbas (of Louis Barabbas and the Bedlam Six), it’s a Gothic tale with a surreal twist, told from the grave, with poetically elegant lyrics telling the tragic story of a bride-to-be dying the day before her wedding day .The juxtaposition of the dark lyrics and the purity inherent in Bridie’s voice is a beguiling contrast.

It drips sadness and longing and after a few plays, it got under my skin, whereas All You Love Is All You canada pharmacy Are is instant bliss. Bridie’s voice manages to blend joy and wistfulness into something wholly new . . . well, I simply don’t have a word for it.

This second track is a reworking of the version that appears on Bitter Lullabies and is written by Bridie, as is the entire Bitter Lullabies album (with the exception of lyrics for one song). It’s one of the standout tracks on the album, I think, so it’s good to see it on the single. This new version sounds, perhaps, even more assured. Intricate harmonies hang in the air and glide to a soft landing whilst cellist, Jenny Nendick and violinist, Rachel Cross pull every last drop of emotion from their instruments.

Roll on the release date. I’m sure this single release will expand their ever-growing fan base. They’ve earned it.

To stream or download the tracks, click here.

 

An Interview With Bridie Jackson

<!–
google_ad_client = “ca-pub-6469969007044671”;
/* Anne Iredale */
google_ad_slot = “4931800784”;
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
//–>

Bridie Jackson is the full package. A gifted writer of melody and lyrics and an accomplished musician and vocalist, her image would not look out of place in a Pre-Raphaelite painting. Following a recent period of extensive touring, the rest of Britain is discovering what her native North East already knew – that she is an original talent, both in the recording studio and in live performance.

Her band, known as The Arbour, is no mere backing band.

They supply excellent musical accompaniment and delicious harmonies and it really is a group enterprise. The band’s use of bell plates has entered local folklore. They look like something you’d use to scrape the frost off your windscreen, but they make the most wonderful sound.

Bridie is the very opposite of a precious diva. She likes to kick off her shoes when on stage and draw the audience in. I met up with her to pose some questions and shoot the breeze…

Bridie, it’s great to have this chat. I was in the audience on the night your album, Bitter Lullabies, was launched at The Sage in Gateshead and there was a lot of love in the room for you. How has the album been received since then?

It’s been going rather well. We’ve had some great reviews, quite a bit of radio play and the opportunity to gig a lot around the UK, which has been great. We really enjoy performing to new audiences, as it’s a clearer reflection of what people make of you than if the venue is full of people who know you and are going to be nice regardless!

Music journalists like to categorize new artists that come along. For example, ‘Chamber Folk’ seems to be the buzz genre right now. Do you welcome a label or do you dislike it and how would you describe your music?

I think labels are fine, as they generally come from people trying to fathom something out and through a desire to explain it to others. I’m not sure we fit into any label very comfortably though, which must be a bit frustrating I suppose. As for how we describe our own music, I still don’t have the faintest idea. Free album to whoever can come up with something that covers it!

You’ve been compared to Fleet Foxes and Joanna Newsom. Are you flattered by comparisons or do they irritate you?

It depends on the comparison! I know some artists think comparisons are a result of lazy journalism, which I suppose it can be, but I think if done accurately, they can make your music more accessible, which can only be a good thing.

You’ve been doing a lot of gigs, Bridie. With all the travelling and performing, do you find it difficult to find time to write?

In some ways, touring is a really good space to write, as generally there are large chunks in the day when you’re not that busy, so you can really focus on getting things done.

I’m interested in your writing process. Do you have a routine approach or does it depend on your mood and circumstances at the time?

The only proper routine is making sure the ideas get ‘caught’ and archived properly when I have them. The actual creation is rather erratic and it can take months, even years to complete anything. It can often feel like the song isn’t all that much to do with me sometimes. I just have to wait for enough ideas to plop out so that I can actually write the whole thing. However, I’m always working on something and tend to be fairly dogged until it’s completed. Also, even if I have no inspiration whatsoever, I’ll still write most days, even if it’s just daft songs about dual carriageways and stuff… just to keep in the discipline of doing it I suppose.

Would it excite you to write with other people or do you prefer to write alone?

I generally write alone although I’m currently involved in a project called Riverrruns, which involves collaborating with other writers, mostly poets, and it’s been wonderful – a complete revelation, so I would definitely consider doing it again, for specific projects.

Some songwriters find writing lyrics a cathartic exercise. Do you share this feeling and do they serve to document your life?

Sometimes the songs document life events and they are frequently cathartic. The great thing about a song is you get to whinge on and it takes longer for people to tire of hearing it, which is handy.

It’s easier than ever to distribute songs and engage with fans. Do you think today’s artists have the best deal or do you hanker back to being an artist in the simpler days of the 1960s and 1970s?

It definitely assists the grassroots movement and allows artists to operate more independently, which is a very positive thing, so mostly, I’m in favour.

You and the band are certainly in harmony when on stage. What’s the dynamic like when you’re all hurtling down the motorway on a cold, wet morning after a few hours’ sleep?

I think bands on tour sometimes develop a bit of a ‘family on holiday’ dynamic, complete with ensuing social dysfunction, but we get on really rather well. I think in the last few months we’ve got very good at knowing when one or the other of us needs a bit of space, or support, etc., and as a result, it’s very harmonious. No gossip there. Boring I suppose…

Okay, Bridie, to wrap up, this is one of those job interview questions, but where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

On Desert Island Discs please! Or maybe that’s more a ten-year aim….

If this interesting insight into the life of a musician has whetted your appetite, check out Bridie Jackson & The Arbour’s album. Kick your shoes off, turn the lights down and see what happens…

For more information on Bridie Jackson, check out the Tumblr page.

British Rock Meets a Soul Queen – ‘Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook’ – Bettye LaVette

Track Listing:
The Word (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
No Time To Live (James Capaldi/Stephen Winwood)
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (Bennie Benjamin/Gloria Caldwell/Sol Marcus)
All My Love (John Baldwin/Robert Plant)
Isn’t It A Pity (George Harrison)
Wish You Were Here (David Gilmour/Roger Waters)
It Don’t Come Easy (Richard Starkey)
Maybe I’m Amazed (Paul McCartney)
Salt Of The Earth (Michael Jagger/Keith Richards)
Nights In White Satin (David Hayward)
Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad (Eric Clapton/Bobby Whitlock)
Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Elton John/Bernard Taupin)
Love Reign O’er Me (Peter Townshend) [BONUS TRACK]

Released 2010

When different musical genres mix, it doesn’t always work.  Sometimes, it’s a mess and fans of either side of the fusion are left dissatisfied.  So, what happens when veteran soul singer, Bettye LaVette, takes on rock and pop classics from the British canon?  The result is superb.  Hers is the voice of smoky clubs at midnight.  At 64 years old, it’s not a fresh voice but one that oozes experience of loves won and lost. Imagine if Tina Turner, Mahalia Jackson, and Aretha Franklin morphed following a night on the bourbon and you get the idea.  She takes these songs where they have never been before.

Don’t be put off if you are not a fan of the originals.  This is a Bettye LaVette record through and through and I suspect she would make a Julie Andrews song sound sexy. She may not be a well-known face in the UK but she’s on the must have list for historic gatherings in America.  Her duet with Jon Bon Jovi on the Sam Cooke classic, A Change Is Gonna Come, was one of the highlights at the Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.  LaVette has dipped her toes into rock and country before this release.  She’s recorded with the rock country band, Drive By Truckers and she performed the bonus track here, Love Reign O’er Me by The Who, at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2008.  Apparently, she made Pete Townshend cry.

This album goes further than Bettye’s previous rock outings with renditions of songs by psychedelic rock bands, Pink Floyd and Traffic, and stadium giants, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin.  There is a bias towards the Beatles with one Beatles track and one cover each of Paul, George, and Ringo solo records.  Less surprising is the selection of the bluesy Nina Simone song, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, which was a hit for The Animals.  She doesn’t go for the obvious, preferring to perform the lesser-known Salt of the Earth by the Stones rather than (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.

LaVette strips each song down to its raw emotions and the musical arrangements are sympathetic.  This record neatly closes a circle, back to when white boys first played air guitar in their bedrooms in England to the American R&B blasting from their transistor radios.  They went on to become the ‘British Invasion’.  LaVette is simply returning the compliment and it’s a reminder that there are no boundaries that can’t be crossed.