The UK guitarist and singer-songwriter, Jake Aaron, has released a new single ahead of what will be his third album next year. ‘Watery Moon’ was released digitally on 25th October 2024.
Jake Aaron: “Watery Moon is the first single from a new album due out next year. I was strumming the opening chords and starting thinking about the brilliant doo-wop songs of the 1950s. I like the melodrama and nostalgia of the piece and enjoyed the lyric writing process too. It was great to record with the same line up from my last two albums: Steve Lodder on piano and Hammond, Davide Mantovani on double bass, Marc Parnell on drums. They just got it immediately and I think this was the first take. Kenny Jones again is engineering.”
A British guitarist and songwriter who has “moved among both folk and jazz circles” (‘Cosmic Jazz’ – Feb 2023) Jake’s first EP of acoustic pieces was released in 2015 to positive reviews from folk and indie reviewers. His 2018 single ‘Give Me Your Horse’ was a bigger, jazzier number which had airplay on both folk stations as well as jazz, including the BBC’s Jazz Nights. He released his first album in 2019 Fag Ash and Beer, a collection of songs, longer lyrical offerings and instrumentals which was nominated for Debut Album of The Year by Fatea Magazine. That was followed up by a second album, Always Seeking, released in May 2023 to positive reviews and extensive airplay.
“Her songwriting hasn’t gone astray, with catchy lines coming thick and fast, alongside the wistful observational writing. The musicality sways in with reverberating, almost shoegaze guitar embellishments and constantly strumming acoustic guitar to ground each song with the brushed drums and light piano accompaniment. – Maverick magazine on Little Lore’s 2023 EP, Seven Stories Part One
With three acclaimed EPs of lush Americana, superb songwriting and heart-felt vocals under her belt, Little Lore has become a force to be reckoned with on the UK Americana scene, picking up a slew of enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay – including BBC Radio Scotland, Nashville Worldwide Country Radio and the International Americana Music Show. Now Little Lore is back with a brand-new single, ‘This Building Is Condemned’, featuring that trademark blend of sharp, observational songwriting, top-notch musicianship and gorgeous vocals.
Little Lore:“This song was inspired at a cross section between a play by Tennessee Williams called This Property is Condemned, and the idea of a condemned building as a metaphor for how it feels to be a post-menopausal women. Yes really! When I was a teenager I did a lot of acting and I often used a monologue from the play for auditions and exams. A 1966 American film inspired by this one act play stared Natalie Wood in the part of Alva and it was her character, oppressed, misunderstood and frustrated that formed the starting point for my writing. I was finding the word ‘property’ wasn’t very singable, so I evolved to building and that inspired me to lean into my own story using the building figuratively. “
“Musically I wanted to capture some of that 1930s Americana feel I got from the film and so I worked with long-time Little Lore collaborator Oli Deakin to create a rich sonic-sound scape using the brilliant talents of Francesca and Sasha for the violin and cello, Morgan on drums with all other instruments played by Oli. I couldn’t be prouder of this song, both lyrically and harmonically, and I am delighted with how it has turned out.”
The single is again produced by renowned New York-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, Oli Deakin (who records under the name of Lowpines). Released digitally on October 11th 2024 it is available via: https://littlelore.bandcamp.com
Release information ‘This Building is Condemned’:
Written and performed by Little Lore / Tricia Duffy
Produced by Oli Deakin
Violin by Francesca Dardani
Cello by Sasha Ono
Drums by Morgan Karabel
All other instruments Oli Deakin
Artwork Afia Paice
About Little Lore:
Little Lore is a London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller whose songs are both charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Based in Chiswick, West London, and originally hailing from Portsmouth, Tricia Duffy started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States. She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album ‘5 Lines’ in 2017 and a follow-up EP ‘Spirit Level’ in 2019.
Tricia’s solo project Little Lore was created in 2020 during the pandemic. Her debut solo EP, Little Lore, was released in 2021 to glowing reviews. The singles, ‘Shallow’, ‘Brown Liquor John’ and ‘Birds’ were released in 2022 to similar acclaim, followed by another equally well-received single ‘Normal’ in January 2023. Two follow-up EPs Seven Stories Part One and Seven Stories Part Two were then released in late 2023 and early 2024 to enthusiastic reviews and extensive radio airplay.
An enthusiastic advocate for songwriters, she is the London Chapter Coordinator for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) and is especially passionate about creating opportunities for female, transgender and non-binary songwriters. In her songs, Little Lore brings together an affection for the heart and heritage of Americana music, with an intelligence and maturity of storytelling that can sweep you away into new and unexpected emotional worlds.
Following a hugely-impressive debut album released in 2022, Norwich based indie-folk outfit Eliza Delf and The Wilderness will be unveiling their latest single at the end of this month.
‘Look At Me’ will be released across all digital platforms on 31 October 2024, and is the first taste of a brand-new album scheduled for release in Spring 2025
Reviewing thedebut album at the time I wrote: “The term folk barely covers what Into The Wilderness is about. This boundary-defying debut album spans indie, folk, prog, singer-songwriter and much more besides.” That impressive debut album brought forth comparisons with everyone from Kate Bush to Sandy Denny to PJ Harvey.
Now with this new single Delf and the band establish an even more vivid direction for their music revealing, as they explain: “…the darkly poetic lyricism of Eliza’s extraordinary vocal performance. All set against the lush percussive rhythms of drummer Tim Skinner, and the rich textures of cellist Eva Wright and guitarist Jacob Browne.”
For a sneak preview of the song, prior to its formal release on October 31st, the band uploaded a live version to YouTube. This is from a performance at The Bear Club in Luton on 15 June 2024.
Delf sums it up deftly, by adding: “This is the sort of song you don’t just sing…you howl!”
I was fortunate enough to enjoy a sneak preview of the new single from Collateral when they played legendary Hastings rock venue, The Carlisle this month. ‘On The Long Road’ (released today 19th April) is the second single to be released from the band’s forthcoming album Should’ve Known Better. With this latest single the Kent-based hard rock band slow things a notch with an emotive ballad on a deeply personal theme.
Collateral frontman Angelo Tristan comments:“I’ve never been in a position to write about such a personal painful subject,” says about the new single. “During the pandemic, my partner’s mum passed away with no real warning. It was a real dark time, and there was no way of escaping it, so I did the only thing I know how, and that was to try and get those feelings out. It’s about tragedy, but I’m starting to see an underlying hope within the song. After all, it’s a story that sooner or later, we all take part in.”
‘On The Long Road’ is available on all streaming platforms HERE.
On May 24th, the album will be released by Big Shot Records on red vinyl, picture disc, CD and digital with worldwide distribution by Cargo Records Direct. The album is available to pre-order from www.collateralofficial.com and Cargo Records Direct.
Collateral are comprised of Angelo Tristan (lead vocals, guitar), Louis Malagodi (guitar), Jack Bentley-Smith (bass) and Ben Atkinson (drums).
Photo credits (this and header image): Rob Blackham
Both the new single and the forthcoming album are produced by Dan Weller (Those Damn Crows, Elles Bailey, Enter Shikari, Monster Truck, Kris Barras). It’s the band’s second album following their eponymous debut in 2020 which secured a Top 5 placing in the UK Rock Album Chart. A remixed and remastered version of the album, retitled Re-Wired, also saw the band back in the UK rock charts.
Commenting on the new album Angelo Tristan added:
“We felt that our debut album was lacking the production. For the sophomore album, I wanted to make sure that this time we left no room for error and so got one of the hottest producers in the music industry, Dan Weller, to help lift these songs into a new dimension. With Dan’s pioneering studio expertise, this album has massive production quality that enables you to get lost in each character-filled track. Dan really brought out the emotions we were trying to portray and has achieved it with his own unique style.”
“We wanted this album to express where we were in our own lives since the release of our first. So much has happened since then, I mean the world shut down for what felt like a lifetime! And it was obvious that people were going to need some sort of optimism. I hope ‘Glass Sky’ is one of those songs that gives people the belief to find themselves again.”
“Whereas, the feel-good ‘Just One Of Those Days’ is trying to find the good side of a bad day. Me being me, couldn’t help but to write a big power ballad, ‘The Long Road’, that I wrote from a very hard and deep place, in hope that it could maybe bring some peace and comfort to people who need it. I think there’s all aspects of life running though this album and what it means to us will remain in our hearts forever.”
“Should’ve Known Better” is an album that goes beyond specific music genres. It’s almost like a soundtrack to a beating heart. It’s an album that will remain timeless in years to come.”
I first came across David and Clare Rozzell as two-thirds of the bluegrass/folk trio, Wood Wire & Words. The trio saw David (guitar/vocals) and Clare (double bass/vocals) joined by Clare’s father, Pat Francis (dobro/mandolin), with the trio chalking up a plethora of gigs and festival appearances across the UK and Europe and releasing several albums – one of which I reviewed here.
The constraints of lockdown restrictions, however, meant that the established trio reformulated themselves into a duo and for two years , every Friday evening, the pair would stage their online Folkgrass Lockdown Sessions direct from their home on England’s South Coast.
Recently, the pair released their very first single as a duo, ‘Museum of the Missing’, which came out towards the end of February.
Conceived as the theme song for a sci-fi/horror podcast of the same name, ‘Museum Of The Missing’ is said to be a powerful, dark tale, of a world where all memories and evidence of a global incident in which 3.5 million people vanished, have seemingly been erased from existence.
For David Rozzell, however, the song was also inspired by events much closer to home. On a personal level, the song is about memory loss, something he has experienced himself as a result of a brain injury.
The duo explain: “The museum being that part of the brain where a condition, like Alzheimer’s or a brain injury, such as David has, hides the memories they had before it stole them away.”
With the duo’s trademark blend of David’s deep, rich vocal delivery, poignant lyrics and gentle melodies, ‘Museum of the Missing’ heralds an important new step in David and Clare Rozzell’s continuing musical journey.
Intelligent Music Project, the Bulgarian-based supergroup comprising world-famous rock musicians, is set to launch their much-awaited eighth album, Miracles Beyond, on May 15th.
The band recently released their first single from the album, offering a fascinating preview of the musical journey that awaits. While the album boasts the presence of globally celebrated rock stars, it’s noteworthy that the lead vocalist for the single ‘Shine for You’ is none other than Slavin Slavchev. Serving as the band’s primary vocalist in live performances, Slavchev, also an X-Factor winner, emerges as the driving force behind the track with his exceptional and powerful vocal prowess.
As mentioned, Miracles Beyond features an ensemble of legendary musicians, including Simon Phillips (TOTO, Protocol, The Who, Judas Priest), Joseph Williams (TOTO), John Payne (ex-Asia), and Carl Sentence (Nazareth), each bringing their unique flair to the project. The artwork shared on the band’s Facebook page has already ignited curiosity and excitement, hinting at the magic Miracles Beyond is poised to deliver.
Intelligent Music Project captured attention as Bulgaria’s representative at Eurovision 2022 in Turin, showcasing their versatility on the international stage with their song “Intention”.
Milen Vrabevski, MD, producer, songwriter, founder of the project, and the mastermind behind the band, expressed his joy at the collaboration with top-notch musicians. He shared,“I’m so happy to present our eighth album with yet another magnificent line-up!! So great to have all these musicians on board again. This is Simon Phillips’s 6th album with us, John Payne’s 5th and Joseph Williams’s 4th. Such a star turnout is a special privilege for me, and I hope I truly hope to bring to the audience some delight in those strange times. Enjoy our next world-class product!”
The Miracles Beyond line-up includes also the Grammy Award Nominee Ernest Tibbs and the producer’s favourite Richard Grisman.
Besides the aforementioned musicians, over the years the band has seen a stellar lin-eup, including John Lawton (Uriah Heep, Lucifer’s Friend), Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Michael Schenker’s Group), Nathan East (Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Toto, Stevie Wonder and more), Tim Pierce (Joe Cocker, Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper and more), Bobby Rondinelli (Rainbow, Black Sabbath), and Todd Sucherman (Styx).
‘Shine For You’ available digitally via the following platforms:
‘Sociology’ by Waveney Wilcox: digital release 1 March 2024
At the age of 71, Suffolk-born singer Waveney Wilcox has recruited an all-star line-up of stellar musicians for the release of his debut solo single, ‘Sociology’ on 1st March this year.
Waveney Wilcox: “I wrote this song in the late ‘70s whilst playing in the band Plazma from Halstead, Essex. All these years later, living in the Black Forest in Germany, it has been exciting to remake/remodel it for my first single release.”
‘Sociology’ was inspired by a long conversation with a man Waveney shared a night in a police cell with back in the late 1970s. The man had been in institutions most of his life and claimed to just want to be put in a cell and forgotten about; having no interest or belief in joy, love, and a normal life of societal conventions. The horror of those stark nihilist statements made a deep impression on Waveney – then a father of young children – that has lasted for almost 50 years.
Waveney Wilcox, a complete unknown in the music world, made this record with world class musicians – multi instrumentalist and producer Paul Cuddeford (Ian Hunter, Steve Harley, Bob Geldof) and saxophone player Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey, Gallon Drunk, Yoko Ono) – who volunteered to work on the project on the strength of the song and the vocal delivery.
Waveney will be performing ‘Sociology’ with Fifteen Lions (AKA Stuart Fiddes) on all dates on the Feb/March 2024 Lust For Life Tour: https://www.lustforlifetour.com/
UK blues virtuoso Joanne Shaw Taylor has unveiled a new single and video ahead of her February 2024 UK tour and a much-anticipated new studio album which is also slated for release next year.
Catchy and infectious with a sultry twist and boasting plenty of the guitar maestro’s trademark licks, ‘Wild Love’ follows recent single ‘Black Magic’ in providing a taste of what’s in store for fans when Shaw Taylor releases her brand-new studio album next year.
Joanne Shaw Taylor: “I love this track. I wanted it to be dark and sexy. I think, with the boys’ help, we came up with something really cool that the band in the studio really made come to life. It’s also rather different to anything I’ve done before so I’m really looking forward to playing it live.”
‘Wild Love’ is available to stream via the usual platforms here
2024 UK Tour dates
British blues rock guitarist and singer songwriter Connor Selby has been announced as the special guest on the tour.
Discovered at 16 by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, Joanne Shaw Taylor quickly ascended as one of the world’s leading rock guitarists. Championed by legends like Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, and Joe Bonamassa, her powerful song writing and distinct vocals first captivated audiences with her 2009 debut, White Sugar. Over the years, Joanne has released numerous acclaimed albums, including the UK Top 20 hit Reckless Heart and the #1 Billboard Blues Chart toppers The Blues Album and Blues From The Heart Live. Her most recent studio album, Nobody’s Fool, launched under Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records in 2022, showcases collaborations with industry icons and highlights her continually evolving artistry.
‘Neighbourhood Threat’ a cover of the classic Iggy Pop song released: 1st December 2023
Following glowing reviews, sold-out venues and many, many fun nights, the all-star line-up celebrating Iggy Pop’s classic Lust For Life album have announced a second UK tour. Legendary Blondie drummer, Clem Burke, will once again be joined by former Sex Pistol and punk pioneer, Glen Matlock on bass; broadcaster and Pet Shop Boys dancer, Katie Puckrik on vocals; Iggy Pop and David Bowie collaborator, Kevin Armstrong on guitar; Luis Correia, who’s toured internationally with Earl Slick on second guitar; together with classical pianist, composer, and touring member of Heaven 17, Florence Sabeva on keyboards.
The band will again perform the Lust For Life album in full, as well as revisiting songs from across the individual band members’ careers with legendary artists including Blondie, David Bowie and the Sex Pistols. Some of them will be songs the band performed on the last tour but there will be a few surprises thrown in as well.
Ahead of the tour, a live version of Iggy’s ‘Neighbourhood Threat’ from the classic Lust For Life album will be released as a single on 1st December, recorded live at London’s Lexington on the previous tour back in March this year.
Fronting the band, the irrepressible Katie Puckrik proved a rock ‘n’ roll revelation to many on the last tour. As Clem Burke said: “Katie is fantastic and she’s joined the ranks of the other brilliant women I’ve been fortunate to play with: Debbie, Annie, Nancy, Wanda, The Go Go’s and Joan!”
Katie Puckrik: “Touring Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life in 2023 felt like a homecoming. My broadcast career had long steered me away from my original calling as a performer, from dancing onstage with The Fall and Michael Clark Company, touring the world with Pet Shop Boys, and singing in Sparks’ opera The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, both on the original cast recording and in performance. So to embody the funny/dirty/tart/smart songs of the magnificent Iggy Pop was an electrifying rebirth. Every single gig was a communion with a frothing room of Pop-aholics, and it’s thanks to the crowds who danced and hollered along to Lust For Life, The Passenger, and the rest of Iggy’s anthems, that we get to do it all over again. Once again I’ll be elevated by some of Iggy, Bowie and Blondie’s most beloved players, including Clem Burke, Glen Matlock and Kevin Armstrong, and I’m warning you—this band is a joy machine!”
Three of the band members, Glen Matlock, Clem Burke and Kevin Armstrong, have toured with Iggy Pop and each has made an album with him: Glen Matlock (Soldier) in 1980, Clem Burke (Zombie Birdhouse) in 1982 and Kevin Armstrong (Blah Blah Blah) in 1986.
Glen Matlock: “To be on stage with these fellow like-minded guys and gals and celebrate our collective musical ancestries is always a pleasure, so come on down and let’s all hit the roof together.”
Clem Burke:“I’m really looking forward to once again playing with this great group of friends and musicians. All aboard for more Funtime!”
Lust For Life tour – what they say:
“One hell of a gig.” – Tim Keppie, Record Collector magazine
“Puckrik leads a performance of riotous energy and no mean volume.” – Chris Roberts, Classic Rock magazine
“If you’re my generation, this is a blast.” – Neil McCormick, chief music critic – The Telegraph
“Great gig. Great band. Brilliant night.” – Marc Riley, BBC Radio 6 Music presenter
The full 2024 tour dates are as follows:
Wed 28 Feb – Arts Centre, Colchester
Thur 29 Feb – Arts Centre, Colchester **SOLD OUT**
In a new collaboration, the former Traffic musician and all-round rock legend, Dave Mason, has teamed up with blues rock icon, Joe Bonamassa, to record a brand-new version of Traffic’s ‘Dear Mr Fantasy’ which was originally released back in 1967 on the band’s debut album, Mr Fantasy.
Although written by Traffic’s Steve Winwood, Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi, the song has been a mainstay of Mason’s live set throughout his solo career and he’s expressed his delight about re-revisiting the track and in working with Bonamassa for a contemporary take on a seasoned classic.
Dave Mason:“Fantasy has been a favourite song of mine since its release in 1967. I’ve played it live for years in a number of different arrangements. As I’ve often said, there are no old songs, just good songs, and ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy,’ in my mind, is one of the finest examples around.”
“To have the opportunity to incorporate one of the modern-day great guitar players, Joe Bonamassa, is as exciting to me as playing with Jimi Hendrix. He is the first person I wanted to include on this new version of ‘Fantasy.’The combination of talent with great song structure is exhilarating to me, and I knew Joe would play it like nobody else. He has a uniquely keen sense of precise timing, unobstructed by a bluesy groove that’s perfect for this song. He brings everything up, and ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy’ is both classic and current, an exceptionally difficult balance to do but Joe Bonamassa pulled it off powerfully with grace and genius.”
The new version of “Dear Mr. Fantasy” featuring Dave Mason with Joe Bonamassa is available now on all major streaming platforms.
Fans and critics alike hail Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason as one of the most talented songwriters and guitarists in the world – which is why he is still performing over 100 shows a year to sold-out crowds. Best known for his soulful voice and unsurpassed guitar playing, Dave founded two bands by the age of 15: The Deep Feeling, and The Hellions. At 18, the Worcester, England native teamed up with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood to form the legendary band Traffic. At 19, Mason penned the song “Feelin’ Alright.” The rock anthem, first recorded by Traffic and then covered by dozens of other artists (including Joe Cocker), cemented both Dave’s and Traffic’s legacy, and had a profound influence over rock music that continues today.
About Joe Bonamassa:
Blues-rock superstar Joe Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a three-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 13x Blues Music Award Nominee (4 wins), he achieved his 27th No. 1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with his latest release, Blues Deluxe Vol. 2. Only in his mid-40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 40 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with his adventurous side projects: Black Country Communion and Rock Candy Funk Party.
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