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Another week and yet another batch of new singles just waiting on you to press play. As usual, click on the artist’s name in bold and follow the link to the relevant YouTube video. Enjoy!
Anyone local to the Glasgow live scene might have caught multi-instrumentalist, producer/composer Aleksander McMillan along with his band Salt River Shakedown, especially the last time Crobot was in town. Cyan Tempest is the solo musical vehicle for Alek, and one that allows “…his imagination to run wild with creativity…”. Completely self-sufficient in terms of writing, recording, producing, and mixing, Alek has created Cyan Tempest to let loose his pop/R&B-influenced side without any outside interference or judgment on what solo material from someone who plays in a Rock band should sound like. ‘Elevate’ is the debut Cyan Tempest single, and it’s bloody marvellous! It’s always a thrill when a new track lands in your inbox and totally surprises you as soon as “play” is clicked, and ‘Elevate’ is all of the above and more. It’s fun, funky, and a breath of fresh air that adds some much-needed colour to a monochrome world. Justin Timberlake-like high-pitched vocals, deep percussive synth-pop, and lashings upon lashings of funk and soul; ‘Elevate’ could have come from the stable of some multi-platinum producer in L.A. or Miami, instead, it’s the work of Alek from Glasgow: cold, wet, rainy Glasgow.
Las Vegas-based punk rock outfit Gob Patrol return with their new single; the bass-heavy ‘Bad Vibes’. Imagine JJ Burnel from The Stranglers and Joy Division/New Order’s Peter Hook jamming together for the hell of it, and someone has pressed record; that’s the level of rumbling bass that you can expect on ‘Bad Vibes’. Recorded as an ode to punk legends Black Flag, the track deals with being in the presence of someone that you are not quite sure of, but you hang with them anyway. It’s not “2-3-4” Ramones-like punk, it doesn’t splaff its load in under two minutes, instead ‘Bad Vibes’ gatecrashes the party uninvited and hangs around creating mayhem for some time to come. The repetitive vocals work well, and the simple background vocals do cross the sinister/creepy/slightly annoying border on a regular basis: but this one is all about the bass.
Nikki Sixx, Rob Zombie, John 5, and Tommy Clufetos joining forces as L.A. Rats to put their own stamp on a genuine, bonafide Johnny Cash classic? For a Liam Neeson movie? Shit, boy, where do I sign up? Purists will no doubt scoff at the thought of some gnarly metal dudes taking on JC, but this is such good fun that even the hippest of hipsters should crack a smile or two. The lyrical themes of life on the road are perfect for the Rob Zombie snarl, and he knocks the scatter-gun vocal parts out of the park. Sixx, 5, and Clufetos all combine to bring a swing to the track, and rather than recreate it by the numbers, they add some nice touches of their own. If you caught Clufetos with Sabbath then you will know that he hits hard, and here he sounds like he is having a total blast pairing up with Sixx (who also produced the track). Same with John 5 and his note-bending that kicks in during the latter stages of the track; no shredding to be found ‘ere. Zombie is in fine fettle from the moment his unmistakable drawl kicks this shitkicker off, and devoid of all his industrial/shock horror trappings, this is as stripped back as Rob Zombie gets. It’s easy to imagine these four guys out for a quiet pint one night, and when the house band takes a break, they all look at each other, nod in agreement, and walk towards the stage…because let’s face it, they each all have a very particular set of skills…
The announcement that powerhouse Finnish vocalists Netta Laurenne (Smackbound) and Noora Louhimo (Battle Beast) would be working together was one that certainly grabbed the attention. Two incredible vocalists, both gaining plenty of column inches with their respective latest releases; Smackbound’s ‘20/20’ album, and the debut release from the Noora Louhimo Experience. Nothing though could have prepared the listener for what was to come blasting out of the speakers as soon as ‘Bitch Fire’, the debut release from Laurenne/Louhimo, landed. Love Judas Priest? Then pop the headphones on and strap yourself in, for here comes not one, but two vocalists with the kind of range that will surely have Rob Halford himself nodding his approval. High-pitched shrieking vocals with siren-like qualities, mixed with perfect traditional old-school metal vocals and chugging chainsaw guitars. The breakdown mid-song that leads into the main guitar solo is neck-snappingly good, and the call-to-arms megaphone vocals that give way to an explosion of sheer metallic fury simply add meat to the bones. This is good, this is really good. The forthcoming debut album due July via Frontiers Music has now moved up from the status of “intriguing” to “must buy”.
West Midlands-bred quartet Rainbreakers follow up previous single ‘Ashes’ with the imminent arrival of their brand-new single; the riff-laden ‘Light Me Up’. Rainbreakers have been quietly going about their business for the last few years and building up a head of steam through their raw, rootsy, and ever-soulful music. ‘Light Me Up’ very much drinks from the same well as Rival Sons and lead guitarist Charlie Richards is given a crucial role to play from start to finish. There is much to admire on this three-minute slow-burner of a track; melodies at every turn, some fantastic guitar work including a brief (but fiery) guitar solo, lots of groove courtesy of Sam Edwards (drums) and Ash Milburn (bass), and heaps of authentic, organic vocals from Ben Edwards. It has a swing to it that takes a few listens before it becomes apparent, but once it does; it’s irresistible. ‘Light Me Up’ is available May 28th, and will also receive a special, limited release on 7” vinyl.
Still in mourning over the implosion of The Temperance Movement? Dry your eyes mate for there are plenty more fish in the sea, and Irish duo Seafoam Green is just the band for you. Consisting of Muireann McDermott Long & Dave O’Grady, Seafoam Green is one of those bands where although you might just be discovering them for the first time, you want everyone to think that you’ve been with them since day one. The kind of band that when Whispering Bob Harris presents them on his acclaimed ‘Under The Apple Tree’ sessions, you respond with “…what took you so long Bob?…”. New single ‘Mine All Mine’ is the second single to be lifted from the forthcoming new album ‘Martin’s Garden’, and is rootsy, authentic, soulful Americana at its very finest. With vocal harmonies potent enough to stop a charging rhino, this ballad is something very special indeed. Throw in some rather lush slide guitar work from none other than Derek Trucks, and a gorgeous, simple piano sound and the end result is a piece of art. A great starting point comparison-wise might be with Thomas Wynn & The Believers, similar male-female dynamic vocal harmonies, and that same sensation of…where have you been all my life? Seafoam Green? Yeah mate, I saw them starting out in the pubs many years ago.
The L.I.F.E. Project, the musical collaboration between Stone Sour’s guitarist Josh Rand and co-songwriter & vocalist Casandra Carson are gearing up for the launch of their self-titled debut EP (set to arrive on July 9th) with the release of ‘Ignite’, the second track to be lifted from the EP. There is a strong KORN-like vibe throughout this barnstormer of a track, mainly down to the fact that Rand is playing a seven-string guitar that he got in a trade with Munky from KORN. Take some of these particular guitar parts out of the picture though and there is more of a classic metal vibe to Rand’s playing than a Nu-Metal one; listen to some of his riffing and marvel at the cool, crisp, clean tones that he coaxes out of his axe. Casandra Carson is a revelation, and puts in one of those hair-raising vocal performances that has you wondering why she is not a household name in the world of modern rock. Known for her role in US hard rock outfit Paralandra, Carson has a stop-you-in-you-tracks voice that impresses from the off, and as soon as ‘Ignite’ fades out, you will find yourself searching YouTube for more from her.
