:: VerseChorusVerse – Be Proud (single, self-released)
FIRST up this week is the new single from VerseChorusVerse, aka singer/songwriter Tony Wright. Be Proud was actually released two weeks ago as a taster for his forthcoming new album – but I totally forgot to review it. Apologies, Tony.
However, better late than never, especially as it's a tune which finds the former And So I Watch You From Afar man channelling his inner Prince with some pointedly funktastic musical and vocal stylings – though the effect of this uplifting banger is more 'come together' than 'come to bed' thanks to lyrics urging us to (deep breath) "stand up walk tall face front be proud don't hate just love what's more / speak up be brave don't fear breathe deep palms out love all."
It's pure positivity you can dance to, and one of the best tracks from the upcoming LP, which runs a sonic gamut between downbeat, ambient introspection and loud guitars, beats 'n' loops-fuelled defiance – check out last summer's rousing single Free To Decree for a taste of the latter at Versechorusverse.bandcamp.com.
Crank up Be Proud via Spotify or wherever you like to stream your music from at a ridiculously low royalty rate for artists and expect a full album review to appear here soonest.
:: Cryan – Rodeo Queen / Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) (single, self-released)
REMEMBER the mysterious Cryan who performed a great country-sad cover of Blue Rose Rounder's tune December on the Bangers 'N' Breakups compilation from a couple of months ago?
Well, it turns out that the clue was in their name: Cryan is a new project from Ciara 'Problem Patterns/Big Daisy' King and Ryan 'Los Reyes/Los Bloody Rackets/Astros Hombres' Fitzsimmons, and their debut single proper is out now.
Doo-woppy ditty Rodeo Queen is an original tune they describe as "an honest, unpolished, minimal and heartfelt song about one woman's love for another" and it's highly recommended for anyone who likes their music slow, sturdy and furnished sparsely with twangy guitar, beguiling Angel Olsen-esque vocals and witty lyrics that rhyme.
On the 'flip side', listeners can enjoy their stripped down yet powerful run at the Nancy Sinatra classic Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down).
Very different from their members' other bands (but then, that's probably the whole point), Cryan offer a slinky soundtrack to both your next seduction and the subsequent emotionally devastating break-up. Pour yourself a shot of something strong and comforting, then put both of their new songs in your ears immediately at Cryanoveryou.bandcamp.com.
:: Invaderband 'Please Remember Me' T-shirts now available
I LOVE it when a plan comes together. Having suggested that the chorus of their latest single would look good on a T-shirt during the course of my review of said tune, I Won't Remember You, the Derry garage popsters have only gone and actually done exactly that.
Thus, if you want to wear a something which advises the public 'Please remember me... I won't remember you', then whip out that credit/debit card and get yourself over to Adamleonard.bandcamp.com/merch where you can select your ideal colour and size before staking your claim to sartorial greatness for a mere £15.
Another £4 gets you a limited edition CD copy of I Won't Remember You, which is still as class as it was last time I wrote about it and will appear on the upcoming new Invaderband album, Peter Gabriel.
More news on that as and when it materialises.
:: Joshua Burnside – Higher Places (single, self-released)
SINGER/songwriter Joshua Burnside is preparing to release a collection of b-sides, demos and remixes titled Higher Places, a so-called 'sister album' to his previously released album Into The Depths of Hell.
In fact, Higher Places features three brand new JB tunes which were recorded for that 2020 LP but didn't quite fit with its prevailing darkness of mood/sound, including the title track.
Higher Places is a pretty finger-picked folk number which Burnside says "was partially inspired by the novel The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien": indeed, if you enjoyed the antics of the bicycle obsessed coppers in that book you will surely get a kick out of the various pedal-powered lyrical puns he deploys throughout this stripped down, easy on the ear tune.
You'll have to wait until next Friday to find out though, for that's when Higher Places comes out: the place to be is Joshuaburnside.bandcamp.com.
:: Cormac Neeseon live stream
HAVING co-founded the hugely successful Cocoons concert series which hit its 50th free episode last month, Co Down crooner Cormac Neeson is no stranger to the lockdown phenomenon of webgigs.
Tomorrow night finds the Answer frontman and solo artist extraordinaire taking centre stage for his very own live streamed show, which will find him running through a selection of songs from his acclaimed album White Feather (and possibly other tunes besides) at the Portico in Portaferry.
The show starts at 7.30pm, tickets cost £15 and are on sale now via Porticoards.com. Be advised that, instead of there being an interval during the gig, Cormac will be 'in conversation' – so if you have any questions you want put to him, get them submitted in advance now by emailing verity@porticoards.com.
:: Lankum on Tim's Listening Party with The Livelong Day
FINALLY for this week, you'll hardly have forgotten that Lankum's third album The Livelong Day was one of the best releases of 2019 – but just to help refresh your memory, the Dublin alt-tradsters are joining forces with their album producer John 'Spud' Murphy on an upcoming instalment of popular Twitter phenomenon Tim's Listening Party.
This is, of course, a Tim Burgess 'hosted' series of events for which artists join fans online for a synchronised play-through of one a beloved album while tweeting out related anecdotes and memories.
Follow the band on Twitter at @LankumDublin and indeed Tim's Listening Party at @LISTENING_PARTY now in preparation for the event next Friday at 9pm, and don't forget to have the album cued up and ready to play so you can listen and read/tweet along too.
For those who are already fans of Tim's Listening Party, be advised that the Charlatans frontman has put together a book featuring "100 of the most memorable listening parties, with stories from bands/fans, rare images and inside information from the people who created these iconic albums".
The Listening Party will be published by DK in September, priced £25, with all proceeds going to the Music Venues Trust. Pre-order here: UK.bookshop.org/books/the-listening-party.
