From his forthcoming sophomore album, ‘Patterns’, Martin Callingham has released his new single, ‘Bedding In’. Martin Callingham is a writer and musician from Bristol, UK. He has been melting audiences into a puddle with his intimate delivery and beautifully crafted songs since 2016’s ‘Tonight We All Swim Free’. The album found acclaim from the press and radio including BBC 6 Music, Clash Magazine, Louder Than War and Folk Radio.
‘Bedding In’ is a haunting single wrapped in twinkling guitar and mystical melodies. Callingham croons over the sweet, weaved guitar melodies, creating enchanting soundscapes filled with mystery and glittering textures. This delicate, alluring tune is arranged with minimal instrumentation yet unfolds beautifully to reveal a refined and mesmerising tune for listeners to enjoy.
Recorded mostly live at J&J Studios in Bristol by Jim Barr (Portishead, Get the Blessing), ‘Bedding In’ is accompanied by a striking claymation video. About its creation, Callingham says, “The video for ‘Bedding In’ was made by Sam Wisternoff who has worked with the likes of This is The Kit, Rachael Dadd and Get the Blessing. When we got together to discuss the video, I had been drinking all afternoon and inadvertently agreed to Sam having a free rein on the project. The end result – Sam’s first attempt at claymation – is pretty weird, but I rather like it.”
I sat down to have a chat with Daniel Rooney, Barry Lally, Graham Fagan and Cian McCluskey from modernlove. before their headline show in The Workman’s Dublin. We talked about their new EP ‘monochrome blue’, their upcoming single and much more.
Harry J Hart releases his brand new EP, ‘Holding On For My Life’.Documenting the demise of a relationship, the EP takes the listener through the motions of realising it’s just better to move on. Hart has already acquired accolades and merits that musicians could only dream of. From being a Gold Coast Music Awards ‘Musician of the Year’ finalist, to training in LA under Tom Morello, Nuno Bettencourt, and Bibi McGill, becoming a state finalist for the Listen Up Songwriting Prize. He reached #1 on the Triple J Unearthed charts, was a Queensland Music Awards finalist and became a Fenech Guitars endorsed artist.
Balancing gritty riffs, heavy drums and pop-punk soundscapes with heart on your sleeve lyrics and passionate melodies, ‘Holding On For My Life’ is an emotionally-charged collection of tracks that boasts the tight indie rock sound of Harry J Hart. From the jagged blitz of ‘No Goodbye’ with its coarse guitar refrains to the piano speckled ‘Make It Easy’, Hart creates a full-bodied and exhilarating EP for listeners to enjoy. Moody melodies weave grunge tones through the dark ‘Come Back Down’, as Hart discusses his journey through heartbreak. Filled with light haunting guitar embellishments, building rhythms and jabs on guitar the song ventures into 90’s rock territory while at the same time maintaining Hart’s brand of exhilarating musicianship. Epic solos and catchy yet gripping instrumentation abound throughout the EP, each track is fresh and leaves the listener craving to hear more. ‘Holding On For My Life’ is a well crafted and satisfying listening experience.
Right underneath The Workman’s Club a charming haven for live music has been created; Workman’s Cellar. With its lounge bar-esque decor, fireplace collection and rustic underground vibe it was here last night an eager buzzing audience witnessed the magic of Drogheda’s indie-pop gems modernlove. supported by the Dublin based groove sensations DeCarteret.
The mesmerising musicians DeCarteretstrolled on stage to rapturous cheers. They took the challenging job of warming up the crowd in their stride. From Bricknasty’s warm vocals and quirky banter to the jazz-toned piano and swagger of Tadhg Griffin between the tight drum and bass interplay of Korey Thomas and Dara Abdurahman their set was a thrill ride from start to finish ( it also included a welcome surprise appearance from the audacious Khakikid ). Aided by the charismatic backing vocals of Becca Daly and Killian Corless, Amelia DeCarteret unleashed the full power of her sensational voice. Her soft croons and rich tone resounded throughout as the band filled the venue with their delightful brand of neo-soul with hints of R&B and pop. It was a whirlwind set that left the audience enamoured by the bands tight and absorbing sound. Looking forward to hearing more from these talented artists.
Enter modernlove. – With the glorious guitar jingle of their infectious track ‘Us’, the band unleashed frenetic energy that had fans dancing in unison. Their irresistible brand of indie-pop filled the venue with fan favourites ‘Bop’ and ‘Liquorice’ evoking deafening deliveries of the chorus from the audience. The quartet have mastered their live presence and stand confident and energetic on stage, each of them engaged in banter with the crowd. Last nights set displayed the versatile sound of the band. They veered into new yet to be released songs (‘Oh My Mind, in particular, is a lush little gem) that provided glimpses into a more funky, electronic sound to come in between the indie-pop sheen of their recently released EP, ‘monochrome blue’.
Immersed in his drumming, Cian McCluskey smiled at the crowd between the rapid ebullient beats he created. It’s his rich drumming that coaxed the crowd’s hips to wiggle and shimmy, while Graham Fagan’s slinky guitar riffs and swift synth adornments embellished the band’s sound in rich luxurious tones. modernlove. paced their set perfectly, subtly moving from energetic tunes (‘2 Missed Calls’) to more chilled songs (‘Famillar’) with ease while tracks such as ‘lmk (if you wanna see me) bridged the gap in between. With sleek guitar poses and deft changes to synths, Danny Rooney provided the all-important suave-filled bass groove that knits the rhythm and earworm melodies together while Barry Lally cooed the catchy lyrics between beckoning sing-alongs. It was a polished passionate performance from the four-piece.
modernlove.’s show in The Workman’s exceeded expectations. The band carried the weight of their treasured songs and fans expectations with poise, dignity and charm. They had the audience eating out of the palm of their hands, enjoying every melody and singing heartily along as if their lives depended on singing the songs as loud and enthusiastically as possible. modernlove. are a band that have limitless talent and ambition. The four-piece display a deep understanding of their craft that many a more seasoned outfit would be envious of. Check out modernlove. live, you won’t be disappointed.
London-based pop singer-songwriter AJ Wander has released his new single, ‘Take It All’, The track is a cinematic and emotional tune doused in refined musicianship, crisp production and evocative songwriting.
I caught up with the singer-songwriter to talk about the new single, his plans for live shows and writing the new single in a caravan in Wales.
“It came to me when I was in Wales with my friend Geth [Gethin Williams]. Wewere staying at his caravan, sort of at the foot of Snowdon, which is a nice little spot to write and I was definitely feeling the need to write in that moment of life. I was just in a toxic situation and it felt quite cathartic and something that I needed to get out. It was quite a positive turn for me in terms of reevaluating self-worth and realizing that I couldn’t let it continue.”
“It was last November. We had a heater. He actually lives in the caravan. I feel like caravan is definitely miss selling it. It’s definitely like a big caravan that doesn’t move. It was a glamping caravan. I mean it definitely did get cold at night, that’s for sure and when the heater was off, you definitely felt the bite of Welsh winter.”
The track was produced by co-writer Gethin Williams alongside Brad Mair (Dean Lewis, Jamie Cullum, Kygo). Wander’s songs are vividly emotional with a personal aspect rooted within the lyrics. This makes his songs heartfelt, passionate and relatable. We discussed how nerve-wracking it can be to express all these personal emotions to the people he co-wrote with.
“ I think it’s nice knowing that’s what these people do. It’s definitely a hurdle to get over that initial awkwardness but I think once you accept it for what it is and that there’s not really any judgment on their part, they’re literally there to help you get your thoughts out and into music, it doesn’t feel awkward”
Lyrically the song tackles pain as Wander explores personal emotions in the midst of a toxic relationship. However, with his signature beautiful piano at the helm, the music is uplifting while cinematic soundscapes urge the track forward. Wander found the music and production came naturally to him and Gethin Williams, as they worked on the track.
“As with the other songs it just happened naturally, I think I was sat writing the lyrics whilst Geth, was producing up the track. It just happened organically, it wasn’t over planned, it wasn’t overthought it’s just the way it happened.”
Wander began his solo career during the pandemic. Lockdowns etc made it difficult to promote music and yet his debut single, ‘Time Out’ has just under 4 million streams. Like other artists of this generation, Wander has the power and influence of streaming platforms which gives artists huge exposure however it doesn’t really make them money. We talked about this paradox and the fact you can reach more people but don’t reap the benefits as much as you would with album sales and touring as well as how streaming has helped him with his music.
“Yeah, definitely and it’s still sort of difficult to come by. It seems that everyone that was supposed to be gigging before and during lockdown is now playing catch up and they’re playing all of their shows so for new artists you know, gigs are hard to come by. But things have been booked in now, which is exciting for next year. So 2022 is pretty busy. Yeah, it’s been tough. I guess the only sort of meter I’ve had to gauge the tracks success and how people are enjoying the tracks and connecting with them is Spotify and streaming. So it’s not multifaceted. It’s very singular and I do miss that connection with people in the room. It’s easy to forget why you do it. So yeah, having that barrier there was definitely a struggle and it’s a barrier I’m looking forward to knocking down soon and getting out and seeing some faces as I sing.”
“ Obviously, I don’t do it for the money. I think it’s a dream to just be able tosurvive on music. It plays into the whole sort of social media thing. It is one thing to release a song and it’s another thing reaching people. It’s something I’m struggling with right now. I think being able to perform in front of people will be a great thing for me because I can actually see people connecting with it rather than just seeing the number go up on a screen. So yeah, very much excited to streaming not being my only way of gauging how people are connecting with my music.”
Wander has been creating great content with his videos and the lyric video for ‘Take It All’ is an impressive example of his creative genius.
“I wish I could take all of the credit. I mean, initially, it came from me. I was saton the tube and as it left the station, I was watching the adverts pass behind the train window. I was like that’s kind of a cool way to present lyrics as if they were adverts on the wall behind the train. Then that turned out to be pretty hard to do, to make it look like adverts on a wall. So then my mate Skip and I walked around London, taking pictures all over the place and just capturing loads of footage trying to think of situations where lyrics could be made to look like they were there. It’s nice to be able to show off a bit of London too like my hometown and people to have that kind of connection with me.”
With the release of ‘Take It All’ I wondered if Wander was giving us a teaser for an EP or an album to come.
“ Yeah, definitely an EP coming next year and then I get to perform it to lots of people which I’m even more excited about. So yes, there’s lots more music coming. So between now and Christmas is getting that EP ready, getting my live show ready, getting in rehearsals, and just prepping for a big 2022 really.”.
So what can we expect from an upcoming AJ Wander show?
“That’s a very good question. Yes, there will be a band. I think it will depend on the show that I’m playing. I’ll have a piano. I know that I’ll have a piano and I will have a band on the bigger shows. Other than that anything is possible. There might be pyrotechnics, I imagine. Maybe I’ll like pop out with some smoke out of the bottom of the stage. In reality, I’ll probably be playing in a pub corner to about ten people, with the pyrotechnics obviously.”
AJ Wander is a compelling musician who showcases his effortless and ambitious talent through moving, rich and heartfelt tunes. His lyrical depth and remarkable songwriting is incomparable and ‘Take It All’ is a sublime example of this. Wander’s passion for music radiates from each release and his live shows are sure to have an audience captivated. Keep an eye out for his live show announcements.
Following his summer trance anthem ‘Save You’, Robert O’Connor returns with a brand new single ‘Been & Gone’.Produced by Gareth Shortland (Steps, Will Young), ‘Been & Gone’ is a break- up anthem that Robert wrote in “ten minutes flat” on his coffee break at work.
‘Been & Gone’ is a sweet electronic pop tune that highlights O’Connors emotional and refined musicianship. O’Connor balances elements of lounge disco with shimmering pop to create a lonely dance tune brimming with passion and chiming synths. Filled with icy keys and pulsing beats, ‘Been & Gone’ is a suspenseful sombre ditty saturated in bright electronics and ethereal sonic embellishments. The tune is pristinely crafted and exudes elegance, while the melody creates a melancholic undertone that emanates from every note.
Cork native LYRA has released her new single ‘Lose My Mind’, via Rubyworks label. It is the first new single to come from the as-yet-untitled new body of work due for release later this year.’Lose My Mind’ was written and co-produced by LYRA and Dane Etteridge (former Ordinary Boys guitarist), it was mixed by Grammy-nominated Darren Heelis (Sam Smith, Tom Walker, Liam Payne) in the US. Darren Heelis also worked with LYRA on her previous single release the Jackie Lomax cover of ‘New Day’, which achieved #1 chart positions with iTunes and Shazam.
‘Lose My Mind’ radiates with LYRA’s emotive and cinematic musicianship. Propulsive rhythms and blustery electronics exude dance anthem vibes while powerful vocals soar across a kinetic soundscape and anchor the listener within the tracks alternative pop backdrop. A dark and ominous undertone bubbles underneath, enhanced by tense drums and brooding verses that build to a fantastic hair-raising crescendo. LYRA is a master of her craft. Her striking, dynamic vocal delivery and ability to create thrilling, emotive arrangements that stir the soul is admirable and ‘Lose My Mind’ is a fine example of this.
About the track, LYRA said: “I had so much fun with this single, I wrote ‘Lose My Mind’ in the recording studio, it is a song about losing all your inhibitions, being free of mind, the idea that you can be possessed and yet exhilarated at the same time”.
Tommy Cullen has released his new single, ‘In the Winter’, a downbeat seasonal love song inviting cosy contemplation when it’s needed most. Featuring guest vocals by fellow singer-songwriter Amy Ellen, the single comes at a transitional moment for both artists. For Tommy, it caps off a series of songs recorded in ‘The Gatehouse’, his old home atop an urban river. These songs were released throughout various lockdowns, and encompass such diverse subjects as scary sharks, imaginary breakups, monochromatic rainbows and really nice trains. Likewise, Amy recently released her eagerly-awaited debut EP ‘Only You Will Know’ to enthusiastic reviews and international fanfare.
Drifting upon a delicate guitar and piano, ‘In the Winter‘ is a melodically lush new single from Tommy Cullen and Amy Ellen. This sweet and wholesome tune glides on a swooning melody while soft pines on guitar create an ethereal quality between supple percussive twinkles. It’s a soothing and emotive tune that highlights the compelling vocal tones within these two very talented artists as their voices ebb and flow, highlighting the emotion and tenderness within the lyrics, “Well love changes everything, You got the sweetest something, Smiling down so wonderful, And I don’t want to run”. ‘In the Winter’ is a warm blanket on a chilly evening – press play and enjoy.
With both artists preparing for the next phase in their journeys, it seemed like an appropriate time for something slightly different. As Tommy explains:“We met a couple of years ago at a gig we were both playing. Amy had heard the first single I put out and suggested we sing something together, so I had that in mind for a while. When I started writing what became ‘In the Winter’, I thought ‘this is the one’. The prospect of working with Amy made it easy to prioritise getting it finished, and it was such a joy to hear her contribution when the time came. I think we’re both really happy with how it turned out, the vocal blend seems to work nicely.”
Irish alternative pop artist Jack Rua and American electro-pop artist Kit Major have released their new single ‘Vacuum’, which was produced by UK based artist Possessive and written by Jack Rua and Kit Major.
Filled with pulsing synths clashing against a tight and muggy backdrop of dynamic beats and kinetic guitars, ‘Vacuum’ sees both Rua and Major reach new earworm pop heights. An intoxicating bittersweet melody chimes throughout as Rua and Major express the tracks dense lyrical content “I lost the part of me that wants to fall in love”. Their vocals perfectly complement each other as they seamlessly harmonise and interplay between bubbling glam-pop electronics and dark alternative pop soundscapes. ‘Vacuum’ is an enticing and irresistible tune that boasts the refined and masterful musicianship of both Jack Rua and Kit Major.
The song is about feeling empty and unable to connect to people in romance due to past traumas. “I sort of envisioned myself as this cold, unfeeling creature while trying to form relationships,” says Jack, who wrote the bulk of the lyrics. “If I ever felt I was connecting with someone, this defense mechanism within me would pop the feeling like a dart to a balloon.” Despite the dark theme, Kit Major contributed to the more hopeful ending. “Jack and I have a shared love for wrapping open wounds in glimmer and Pop”, she said. “We all heal from heartbreak differently, and this song is an anthem to breaking down the barriers of love”.
Coming through with their signature brand of rock, The Stetsons Electric are back with their new single ‘Nana’s Boy’. Written about avoiding your girlfriend by always going round to your nans, this is a new take on the momma’s boy phenomenon, and shows off the band’s playful side with huge riffs and witty lyricism. A collaboration between all band members, ‘Nana’s Boy’ also sees The Stetsons Electric welcome guitarist and sound engineer Gareth Nuttall AKA The Wizard as an honorary member of the band. Rock n Roll from the heart of the Wild Northwest, The Stetsons Electric is made up of Tommy Hewitt (Vocals and Guitar), Tommy Jones (Bass) and Arnold Foster AKA The Prospector (Drums).
‘Nana’s Boy’ is a dynamic classic rock track that boasts the gritty infectious, and energetic sound of The Stetsons Electric. Scorching guitar riffs, pummeling drums and rampant basslines ooze passion and gusto while rasped, swagger-dipped vocals and a smooth, catchy melody make for a charming listening experience. The band blend elements of pop-punk with classic rock to create a song that is bursting with energy making ‘Nana’s Boy’ quite the fiery belter to indulge in.
Stream ‘Nana’s Boy’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
