Day: April 17, 2018

Music

CATHERINE MCGRATH Releases ‘Wild’ & Announces Debut Album

by KristinLeave a Comment on CATHERINE MCGRATH Releases ‘Wild’ & Announces Debut Album

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RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM TALK OF THIS TOWN
ON JULY 27TH ON WARNER BROS. RECORDS

ALSO SHARES BRAND NEW TRACK ‘WILD’
HER 10TH CONSECUTIVE SPOTIFY NEW MUSIC FRIDAY UK PLAYLISTED TRACK LISTEN HERE

PLAYS SOLD-OUT LONDON SHOW AT BUSH HALL, MAY 2ND

“A hint of early Taylor Swift and a country-pop sound strengthened by serious songwriting chops.” Rolling Stone

“She’s gonna be a big star.”  Sir Elton John

“A promising young artist poised to join the best of the UK’s growing country music scene.”  The Independent

“One to watch.” The Times

“One of the brightest emerging talents in country music.” Music Week

At a time when country music is exploding into the mainstream with huge collaborations between Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton, and Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, Catherine McGrath is poised to become the first international crossover star from the burgeoning UK country scene.

Raised in Rostrevor, a small rural village in Northern Ireland, Catherine McGrath is the personification of how country music is opening its borders to talent from far outside of its epicentre in Nashville. In fact, Catherine was immediately embraced by the community upon her first visit.

Working with a kindred spirit in the shape of producer Steve Robson – a Geordie who became a force within the scene after co-writing Rascal Flatts’ smash hit ‘What Hurts The Most’ – Catherine went onto collaborate with a number of Nashville powerhouse producers and co-writers such as Jimmy Robbins (Keith Urban), Liz Rose (Taylor Swift), Forest Glen Whitehead (Kelsea Ballerini) and Sam Ellis (Hunter Hayes).

Country music is of course rooted in Irish folk, so it feels natural that Catherine is at the forefront of a new wave of country. It’s fitting on a personal level too. Catherine was raised in a music loving family, and has regularly performed at her parents’ spirited Fiddler’s Green festival, which attracts musicians from as far afield as North America and Germany. And when Catherine was ready to reach a wider audience, she posted covers of her favourite country songs to YouTube which resulted in her obtaining management and signing a deal with Warner Bros. Records.

Hailed as a major new talent by Sir Elton John, Catherine McGrath’s ascent has been backed by Radio 1 support from Adele Roberts, Scott Mills and Cel Spellman; a playlist at Radio 2, where Bob Harris has been a long-term fan.

Now Catherine McGrath is set to make the biggest statement of her career to date with the July 27th release of her debut album Talk Of This Town. To coincide with the album’s launch, Catherine today releases her new single ‘Wild’, a lovelorn country-flavoured pop smash that was inspired by her experiences at a Coldplay show, and is her tenth consecutive New Music Friday UK playlisted track on Spotify.

Catherine explains:  “This song is one of my favourites I’ve written. It’s about a guy who I liked but who still wasn’t over his ex. He took me to a Coldplay concert that he was meant to go to with his ex and half the time he was holding my hand, the other half he was texting her. Every time we were together he was only ever halfway there and the day after the concert I went into the studio and ended up writing about the whole thing. It’s really honest and I think that’s what I love most about it.”

Catherine co-wrote the song with Steve Robson as well as Lindy Robbins (Dua Lipa) and Jeffrey Steele (Rascal Flatts).

Recorded at various locations in Nashville and London, Talk Of This Town affirms Catherine’s credentials as an artist and songwriter to be reckoned with. It features three tracks which have each exceeded a million streams at Spotify in the shape of the ‘Cinderella’, ‘Thought It Was Gonna Be Me’ and ‘Just In Case’ as well as a wealth of new material.

Other highlights include ‘Don’t Let Me Forget’, a duet with the American country sensation Hunter Hayes; the anthemic ‘Lost In The Middle’, a celebration of the escapist qualities of country music; and the closing ‘She’ll Never Lose You’, a stripped-back ballad which showcases the power and finesse of Catherine’s vocal.

‘Talk of This Town’ will be released on digital and CD formats. The album is now available to pre-order from https://wbr.ec/tott_album with the tracks ‘Wild’, ‘Talk Of This Town’, ‘Thought It Was Gonna Be Me’ and ‘Just In Case’ all provided as instant downloads.   Catherine McGrath is quickly building a reputation in the live area too, with highlights including two performances at Country 2 Country, further festivals including Latitude and Wilderness, and tours with Dan & Shay and The Shires. Her debut London headline show at Camden Assembly was sold-out, while next month’s Bush Hall gig also sold-out within two hours and her Manchester show at the Deaf Institute soon followed suit. Ticket sales are also strong in Glasgow, which looks set to sell-out imminently.

ALBUM TRACKLISTING
1. Talk of This Town
2. The Edges
3. Lost In The Middle
4. Wild
5. Thought It Was Gonna Be Me
6. ‘Don’t Let Me Forget’ with Hunter Hayes
7. Enough For You
8. Dodged A Bullet
9. Good At Love
10. Cinderella
11. Just In Case
12. Good Goodbyes
13. She’ll Never Love You

 

LIVE DATES
MAY
1st – Manchester, Deaf Institute (SOLD OUT)
2nd – London, Bush Hall (SOLD OUT)
4th – Glasgow, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
5th – Live At Leeds
27th – Coventry, Radio 2’s The Biggest Weekend

JUNE
23rd – Isle of Wight Festival

JULY
15th – Oxford, Cornbury Music Festival

AUGUST
25th – Portsmouth, Victorious Festival

SEPTEMBER
7th – Leicester, The Long Road Festival

 

CATHERINE MCGRATH Official Channels:

Website | Spotify | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

 

Music

THE RAVEN AGE Reveal New Vocalist & ‘Surrogate’ Video

by KristinLeave a Comment on THE RAVEN AGE Reveal New Vocalist & ‘Surrogate’ Video

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REVEAL NEW VOCALIST MATT JAMES
&
RELEASE FIRST SINGLE WITH NEW LINEUP
‘SURROGATE’
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE 

UK TOUR WITH SAVAGE MESSIAH STARTS TODAY
INCLUDES THE UNDERWORLD, LONDON – APRIL 19TH

MAIN STAGE APPEARANCES AT HELLFEST & VOLT FESTIVAL

Dubbed as “the UK’s next brightest metal hope” (Metal Hammer) and Planet Rock’s ‘Best New Band 2017’ award winners, The Raven Age have today announced the addition of former Wild Lies vocalist Matt James who takes over frontman duties as the band continue their path to global stardom.

“I’m feeling incredibly honoured and excited to become part of ‪The Raven Age family. It’s been such a natural fit for me, and has made me see that the possibilities are endless for the future of this band,” says Matt.

The first taste of the new line up, completed by guitarists George Harris and Tony Maue, bassist Matt Cox and drummer Jai Patel, comes with the brand new single ‘Surrogate’.

WATCH ‘SURROGATE’ VIDEO HERE

“The morale and excitement of ‪The Raven Age has been sky high since Matt joined the band” comments George Harris. “He is an incredible vocalist and has brought a new lease of life to our sound. We can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been up to in the studio and ‘Surrogate’ is just a teaser of what Matt is bringing to the table.”

With an already impressive portfolio of over 250 live shows played worldwide, including their first European headline run and support slots with acts including Anthrax, Gojira, Mastodon, Ghost, Iron Maiden and Tremonti as well as appearances at Wacken Open Air, Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park, Download UK and Graspop festivals, The Raven Age have a huge year of touring planned in 2018.

To kick things off, the band will join Savage Messiah on their six-date UK tour, which starts tonight at Nottingham Rock City and visits Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle and Birmingham before concluding at The Underworld in London on April 19th. “We can’t wait to get back on the road to play some of our new material for the first time!” adds Harris.

Their live schedule will continue this summer with main stage appearances at this year’s Hellfest and Volt Festival and European dates supporting Iron Maiden, with more high profile tours soon to be announced.

With a second album in the works, to follow their acclaimed debut Darkness Will Rise, and the US in their sights, The Raven Age head things up for the new generation of British metal bands breaking through.

APRIL UK TOUR W/ SAVAGE MESSIAH
Fri 13th – Nottingham, Rock City
Sat 14th – Manchester, Academy 3
Sun 15th – Glasgow, Cathouse
Tue 17th – Newcastle, Academy 2
Wed 18th – Birmingham, Academy 3
Thu 19th – London, The Underworld

Music

BROTHERS OSBORNE Reveal New Track ‘Pushing Up Daisies (Love Alive)’

by KristinLeave a Comment on BROTHERS OSBORNE Reveal New Track ‘Pushing Up Daisies (Love Alive)’

BROTHERS OSBORNE

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REVEAL NEW TRACK ‘
PUSHING UP DAISIES (LOVE ALIVE)’
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY / YOUTUBE

FROM SECOND STUDIO ALBUM
PORT SAINT JOE
OUT APRIL 20TH
VIA SNAKEFARM RECORDS
PREORDER HERE

UK HEADLINE TOUR
**LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING**

KENDELL MARVEL CONFIRMED AS SPECIAL GUEST

Brothers Osborne have released the new track ‘Pushing Up Daisies (Love Alive)’, which is taken from their forthcoming album Port Saint Joe, due out April 20th via Snakefarm Records.

‘Pushing Up Daisies…’ is available to anyone who pre-orders the album here; Port Saint Joe also features the lead single ‘Shoot Me Straight’, which went directly onto the Planet Rock Radio A-list. You can watch the video for ‘Shoot Me Straight’ here, showing footage of the band in the studio.

In addition, the duo’s first ever headline tour of the UK & Ireland, set to take place in May, is now virtually sold-out, with just a handful of tickets remaining for the Dublin, Belfast and Bristol shows only, and the venue in Glasgow having to be upgraded due to phenomenal demand.

Illinois songwriter / vocalist / guitarist Kendell Marvel, who co-wrote with the Brothers on certain of the latest songs, including the new track ‘Pushing Up Daisies (Love Alive)’, supports across the aforementioned dates.

Recorded in a Florida beach house in the town of Port St. Joe, away from the sometimes sterile environs of the studio, Port Saint Joe is the Maryland brothers’ second studio effort. Raw, honest and uniquely homemade, the record was mostly captured in a series of live takes, retaining the atmospheric background noises of wind, roaring water and the excited and ‘refreshed’ encouragement of visiting Nashville friends. This unconventional location proved a perfect complement to the Brothers’ music, which instinctively bends both rules and genres…

“Port Saint Joe’ is a sonic representation of who we’ve become, not only as a band but as people,” says guitarist John Osborne. “Every show we’ve ever played together is on this record. Every song we’ve ever written and every mile we’ve ever ridden has led to the making of this record. Imperfections and all.”

Vocalist / guitarist TJ adds, “We shacked up for two weeks to make an unabashed record that would reflect who we are in every way, and in the process we had the most enjoyable and memorable recording experience of our lives.”

A diverse collection, Port Saint Joe touches on half-lit drinking songs, emotive ballads, southern slow jams and roots-y rave-ups. The result is a record that’s both familiar and fresh, mixing classic country touchstones with amplified guitars and memorable hooks. In short, a 10-track collection for the modern age – forward-thinking and versatile, with songs that nod to the past whilst still pushing forward into new territory.

If Pawn Shop, the Brothers’ debut outing (re-issued via Snakefarm in 2017) introduced them in style, then Port St. Joe comprehensively defines them.

BROTHERS OSBORNE HEADLINE TOUR UK / IRELAND 2018
May 4th – Dublin, Academy
May 5th – Belfast, The Limelight
May 7th – Bristol, O2 Academy
May 8th – Brighton, Concorde 2 **SOLD OUT**
May 9th – Birmingham, O2 Academy 2 **SOLD OUT**
May 11th – London, Koko **SOLD OUT**
May 12th – Manchester, O2 Ritz **SOLD OUT**
May 13th – Glasgow, O2 ABC (upgraded from the Garage) ** SOLD OUT**

‘The Family’ fan club members can apply for meet & greets at brothersosborne.com

BROTHERS OSBORNE Official Channels:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Music

NYC Indie-Punks THE NECTARS Announce Debut Album & UK Shows

by KristinLeave a Comment on NYC Indie-Punks THE NECTARS Announce Debut Album & UK Shows

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ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM       
SCI-FI TELEVISION – OUT MAY 25th

FEATURING THE SINGLES
‘HEAVEN’ & ‘I WANT IT’

WATCH ‘HEAVEN’ LIVE IN SESSION HERE

PLAYING UK SHOWS THIS MAY
INCLUDING THE GREAT ESCAPE & DOT TO DOT FESTIVALS
+
LONDON’S HOUSE OF VANS MAY 16TH

Conceived in the shadow of New York City in the dying embers of 2016, some 20 miles west of its lavish neon clutches, The Nectars rapidly climbed out of the tangled New Jersey suburbs to thrust themselves into the local alternative rock consciousness. Their punk-inflamed guitars, inventive harmonies, trashy beats, funkadelia and raw vocals lay a foundation that’s got NYC hipsters buzzing around their scorching live performance.

Harking back to the New York punk / pop scene of the late 70’s but filtered through the modern sensibility of tech-savvy millennial creatives, their first two singles – ‘Heaven’ and ‘I Want It’ – have been released to much acclaim in the USA, UK and mainland Europe.

Their debut album Sci-Fi Television is a ferocious, euphoric, sarcastic, brilliant slice of sleazy pop genius. Recorded at Barbershop studios in New Jersey and Studio G in Brooklyn, it’s a nine-song collection of short, sharp bangers, each with their own individual sound delving into art-rock debauchery.

The work of lead singer Jessica Kenny, Mike Montalbano (drums/vocals), Jon Paul (bass) and Michael Baron (guitar), the band describe the album as their search for inner peace and an attempt to escape from some of the evils that have taken center-stage in the world.    

“’Sci-Fi Television’ is our cumulative answer to the last 60 years of rock music, dissected on our alien operating table. Immensely personal and sometimes profoundly goofy, we wrote these songs as an attempted escape from all the real life monsters surrounding us. What we didn’t realize initially was isolating ourselves from the turmoil of news media left us alone with an entirely different beast. Ourselves. Picking apart the bad habits of our 20’s through song brought clarity to our band message. Profound societal change begins from within. There’s no hiding from yourself. With that in mind we’re abducting Rock N Roll, and never bringing it back. Enjoy.”

Opener ‘Holy’ races off on a 1 minute, 17 second frenzy, inspired by the band’s personal frustrations with the discovery of lead found in the water of the city and the local governments “deal with it” attitude. The space-age video for ‘I Want It’ showcases the band’s off-kilter personality, with debut single ‘Heaven’ demonstrating their gloriously technicolor performance.

Upcoming single ‘We Will Run’, is an anthem for all the dreamers, with its calmer, indie-pop style, topped with Jessica’s beautiful and distinctive vocals, while the track ‘Don’t Panic’ kicks in with a pounding bass drum and running guitar lick before Jessica lays waste with the lines; “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please / first of all, don’t panic, but the building is on fire / The firemen aren’t coming, they’re all saving their own families / and the worst part is that we stopped paying them so long ago”.

‘Lights Off’ radiates a feel-good ambience, with upbeat melodies and themes of sex, highs and partying, questioning “What’s it for? / This life’s a waste if you don’t take it for more”, while closing the album is the snappy ‘Tired’ which ramps up their sassy, punk style, with Jon Paul sharing vocal duties reminiscing on their fun nights out.

The band draw influences from a ragged mix of The Ramones, Patti Smith, The Pixies and Blondie while earning comparisons to peak 90’s era No Doubt and Paramore. This quirky debut is fun, abrasive and a straight to the point indie-punk pleasure. It’s a perfect introduction to this fiery four-piece, who continue their assault on the US, UK and beyond.

The Nectars will be heading over to the UK this May having already whipped up a storm in New York, to perform a number of shows including a headline date at London’s House Of Vans on May 16th before playing at The Great Escape festival the following day, as well as sold out shows in Pontypridd and Birmingham plus slots at this year’s Dot To Dot festival.

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SCI-FI TELEVISION TRACKLISTING

1. Holy
2. Heaven
3. Cemetery Girl
4. We Will Run
5. I Want It
6. Don’t Panic
7. Lights Off
8. Tame
9. Tired

 

THE NECTARS social links:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

 

Music

THE RUBENS Release ‘Never Ever’ Ft. Sarah & Announce Third Album

by KristinLeave a Comment on THE RUBENS Release ‘Never Ever’ Ft. Sarah & Announce Third Album

THE RUBENS

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ANNOUNCE THIRD ALBUM
LO LA RU
OUT JUNE 29TH

NEW SINGLE OUT NOW
‘NEVER EVER (FEAT. SARAH)’
LISTEN HERE

The Rubens have announced their third album, LO LA RU – a bold and confident record that effortlessly picks up from where their worldwide hit single ‘Hoops’ left off. The album is out Friday June 29th and is available to pre-order now.

To coincide with the announcement, the group are incredibly excited to release the powerful new single, premiered via triple j’s DRIVE program, titled ‘Never Ever’ featuring Sarah Aarons – a relatable and heart wrenching tale with Sam Margin and Sarah’s voices acting as yin and yang, so different, but so perfectly matched and harmonious within the track.

When Elliott and Sam Margin got an email letting them know that ARIA Award winning, Grammy Award nominated songwriter Sarah Aarons was going to be in Sydney for the holidays, was a fan of theirs and was keen to write a song with them, the guys thought “why not”. At that point, they were on their way to Brooklyn to put the finishing touches on their highly anticipated third album.

The band went into the studio with no expectations. In their mind, the album was done and whatever came out of the session would be an experiment in collaboration, something new for the band, or, much like Sarah’s long list of songwriting credits (LDRU/ZEDD & Alessia Cara/Dua Lipa/Jesse Ware), something for another artist to use.

Elliott said of the collaboration: “The day we met Sarah in the studio, she told us that her Grade 10 teacher introduced her to our song ‘Lay It Down’ and that is what inspired her to do music in Year 11 & 12. We were pretty blown away with that; a good sentiment to start writing a song together.

We actually thought with the album completed we would be writing a song for someone else.  The main chord structure and melody was something I had been fiddling with for a while but couldn’t find the words or story for. After meeting Sarah and having a chat we got stuck into the song, started throwing ideas around. Pretty quickly we realised it needed to be a duet and from there the story started to take shape.

The song became about these two lovers caught in the moment as their relationship drops away. There’s to-ing and fro-ing as they pass blame and second guess their actions before they realise that what they had is already over.”

It wasn’t until the song sat with the band for a few days that they realised just how ‘Rubens’ the track was, and just how much they wanted it on their third record, LO LA RU.

On LO LA RU The Rubens used the success of single ‘Hoops’ as an opportunity to spread their creative wings, pushing their music into new territory that is exciting for them, and hopefully by extension, their audience as well.

The story of the album began at the 2013 Laneway Music Festival, where The Rubens befriended NYC rapper EL-P (Run The Jewels) and his band, which included his Run The Jewels producers/collaborators, brothers Wilder Zoby and Lil’ Shalimar (aka Torbitt Schwartz). In 2017, this friendship turned into a musical collaboration when both producers flew out from the bustling streets of New York City to the band’s newly created recording studio, housed in a World War II communications bunker in the outskirts of Camden in Sydney’s deep South West. It was here that LO LA RU came to life.

Indeed, LO LA RU presents a fully realised sound that picks up on the r ‘n b and hip hop influence that was hinted at on songs like ‘Hoops’, ‘Bitter End’, bringing those stylistic references to the fore, without losing any of the soulful warmth that typified their earliest tracks like ‘Lay It Down’ and ‘My Gun’ and won them the adoration of fans all over Australia and the world.

2018 has already been a huge year for the group. After last year’s October release of the exuberant party jam ‘Million Man’, the first taste of LO LA RU, the band played to local audiences at the likes of The Sydney Opera House and The Forum before embarking on a global tour – one that saw the band sell out shows in Vancouver, Toronto, and Chicago. At the beginning of this month, the band played the London date of their tour to a packed out and ecstatic The Scala.

Indeed, the band are back and eager to build on the excitement of their first two albums, The Rubens & Hoops, that have gone Platinum and Gold respectively in Australia. 2018 is set to be a big one for The Rubens – with more exciting news to be revealed soon!

Pre-order LO LA RU here

Stream or Purchase ‘Never Ever’ here

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Music

London Trio PLYA Release ‘Feast My Eye’ Video

by KristinLeave a Comment on London Trio PLYA Release ‘Feast My Eye’ Video

PLYA

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REVEAL VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE
‘FEAST MY EYE’
FEATURING BRITISH ACTOR GABRIEL THOMSON
WATCH HERE

“PLYA have us enraptured, a group able to cast a spell, uniting striking electronics with dreamy pop aspects… A glossy, glamorous sound with just a hint of grit, ‘Feast My Eye’ is a quite singular piece of electronic pop” – CLASH

LIVE DATES ANNOUNCED
THE ALTERNATIVE ESCAPE, BRIGHTON
O SON DO CAMINO FESTIVAL, SPAIN

London based alt-pop trio PLYA have revealed the video for their new single ‘Feast My Eye’, out now via Atlantic Records’ Taste & Tone label.   Featuring My Family actor Gabriel Thomson, the video explores the demise of a relationship and captures the lyrical desire to make an unfaithful partner suffer the consequences of their actions.

  WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

 An undulating and euphoric blend of dark dream-pop and electronica, ‘Feast My Eye’ is the band’s third single, following the infectious debut ‘Thinking Of You’ and ‘Adrenaline’.

PLYA marry the sophistication and style of the London scene with the exoticism of southern Europe and seductive west coast beaches, creating a sensual and captivating sound. These multinational influences arise from the band’s vocalist Julia Sykes, whose eclectic upbringing took her from Mallorca to Morocco and back before relocating to the UK, where she met bandmates Kris Taylor (guitar) and William Brown (drums).

The trio have been creating a buzz amongst tastemakers, with a whole host of Hype Machine attention and rave reviews,  and were invited for an interview with BBC Introducing London, which aired on April 7th.

PLYA’s first show was a sold-out headline performance at London’s Camden Assembly last year and over the past month have supported K.Flay, R.LUM.R and The Aces.

FORTHCOMING LIVE DATES
May 17th – The Alternative Escape, Brighton (Help Musicians UK showcase)
June 28th / 29th / 30th – O Son Do Camino Festival, Santiago de Compostela

FIND PLYA AT:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER