Tag: Indie Rock

BLACK BEAR KISS – Single Review: “I Wanna Know”

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I Wanna Know

British alternative garage-rock band Black Bear Kiss have been on a creative tear since the release of their terrific debut single “Hooks” in April 2018. With their exciting, guitar-driven music, strong charisma and rowdy live performances, the talented five-piece have built a loyal following in their home base of the West Midlands/Shropshire region of England and beyond – even out here in the Coachella Valley of Southern California!

Black Bear Kiss4

Comprised of Chris Leech on lead vocals, Colin Haden on lead guitar, Rob Jones on rhythm guitar, Rich Sach on bass, and Chris Bagnall on drums, Black Bear Kiss have been busy playing gigs and putting out a series of great singles, as well as an EP Fighting Our Corner, which they released this past March. A favorite of this blog, I’ve previously reviewed three of their singles (which you can read by clicking on the links under “Related” at the bottom of this post). Now the prolific band makes a fourth appearance with their latest single “I Wanna Know“, which dropped on August 9th.

The song gets our blood pumping right from the get-go as Haden and Jones lay down chugging riffs of gnarly quitars over Sach’s heavy, buzzing bass line. These guys play as a tight unit, propelling the song forward with their hard-driving rock’n’roll rhythms while Bagnall pounds out the beat. The layered guitars are fantastic, with aggressive, swirling riffs that create an exhilarating backdrop for Leech’s warm, earnest vocals which, along with the stellar guitar work, are a major component of Black Bear Kiss’s outstanding sound.

With regard to the meaning of the lyrics, Leech explained that the song is “about playing live and the buzz that comes from it – plus relying on your bandmates”: “Come a little closer, the room is on fire. But I’m alright, you’re gonna be fine. Ah, this is our time. I wanna know, just how much you’re meaning this. Lookin’ around, can I rely on you? Guided by stars. Wanna feel it. Wanna feel it all. Guided by stars. Take the other way, take the other way home.”

“I Wanna Know” is a great tune, and yet another in a string of solid singles by Black Bear Kiss. I hope they’ll continue to strike gold with many more!

Connect with Black Bear Kiss:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their songs on  Spotify / Apple Music
Purchase on  iTunes / cdbaby

New Song of the Week: DARKSOFT – “WannaCry”

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Darksoft single art

This past February, I featured the creative and talented young Seattle music artist Darksoft when I reviewed his brilliant debut album Brain. Released in November 2018, Brain is a concept album named for the very first computer virus to attack the internet back in 1986, with each track named after infamous viruses that followed. In keeping with his penchant for writing and recording songs that address timely and relevant social and cultural issues related to technology, he’s just dropped a great new single “WannaCry“. The song was written and produced by Darksoft, and mixed and mastered by Mathieu Riede of L453RL4Dy Studios

The song features Darksoft’s signature fuzz-coated jangly guitars, accompanied by swirling synths and crisp percussion that create a dreamy, almost psychedelic soundscape. But my favorite aspect of the overall sound is his silky, almost breathy vocals that are incredibly pleasing, even when he sings of a rather disquieting subject.

The lyrics speak to the deep cultural and political divide in America, fed by our tendency to stay stuck in our own echo chambers. Reading and hearing only what we choose to read and hear makes it harder to learn the real truth, and reinforces our beliefs and opinions. Furthermore, the social networks we thought were friendly spaces now seem to be corrupted by those who use them to spread misinformation.

Maybe they just wanna give us all a say 
But I can’t help but feel like a pawn in some conspiracy 
What am I used to fight? 
Am I lined with the right history? 
Who are you working for? 
Are you buried in your day to day? 
I know, it shows 

So we live alone in our twin code 
Seeing polar sides to every lie 

wanna wanna cry 
you wanna wanna cry 
But you don’t know how… or why

Since I published this review, Darksoft released a fantastic video for the song:

Connect with Darksoft on Facebook / Twitter/ Instagram
Stream his music on Spotify / Soundcloud / Google Play
Purchase on Bandcamp / iTunes / cdbaby

YARD OF BLONDS – Single/EP Review: “Je veux danser tout l’été”

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Yard of Blondes is a French alternative rock band now based in Los Angeles. They started out as a folk pop act made up of singer/songwriter and guitarist/vocalist Vincent Walter Jacob and bassist/vocalist Fanny Hill. They released a self-titled two-track EP in 2011, then followed up with a second EP Murderology in 2013. In 2014, they shot a documentary film “Joshua Trip” for French television program France 4, which inspired them to write the song “Born Again”. Jacob and Hill decided to settle in L.A., and eventually expanded the Yard of Blondes lineup with the addition of guitarist Burak Yerebakan and drummer Forrest Mitchell. They’ve been writing and recording new music for a full album being produced by Billy Graziadei (Biohazard, Powerflo) and mixed by Michael Patterson (Nine Inch Nails, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club).

Yard of Blondes2

The first single they’re releasing is “Je veux danser tout l’été“, which translates to “I wanna dance all summer long.” It’s a fun, upbeat track that the band states is “lighter, happier and more pop-oriented” than their usual songs. The single was released as an EP on July 19th with three versions: the original rock version (produced by Billy Graziadei), a synth-driven remix by Joachim Garraud, and the initial demo version produced by the band themselves. The song features layers of Jacob and Yerebakan’s jangly and gnarly guitars, fortified by Hill’s buzzing bassline and Mitchell’s lively, thumping drumbeats. Jacob fervently croons about the joys of dancing with sheer abandon, while Hill giggles in the background: “I never felt so young. I never felt the lights. Like a blessing, like a symphony, shining on the pavement. A first time of the year that I can hear the buzz outside. And the lights are calling me. A call to dance around. Je veux danser tout l’été.”

For the filming of the video, they collaborated with DJ/producer Joachim Garraud, who also did a special remix of the song in his unique and innovative solar powered and completely self-contained recording studio on wheels he’s dubbed LAGOODVIBE.

Here’s an entertaining video chronicling the band’s adventure traveling from Los Angeles out to the Mojave Desert to record the track, under the direction of Joachim Garraud on his LAGOODVIBE.

Catch Yard of Blondes at the Troubadour in West Hollywood on Saturday, August 31

Connect with Yard of Blondes:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music:  Spotify / Apple Music
Purchase:  Google Play / Amazon

New Song of the Week: THE MILLION REASONS – “Secrets”

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The Million Reasons Secrets

Chicago rock outfit The Million Reasons has been a favorite indie band of mine ever since I first heard their magnificent song “Dizzy” almost exactly one year ago today. I featured the song on this blog, and loved it so much it ended up at #10 on my list of Top 100 Songs of 2018. They followed “Dizzy” with another fantastic single “Battle of Sound” in early November 2018, along with a humorously charming video. (I reviewed both singles, which you can read by clicking on the links under “Related” at the bottom of this page.)

The guys now return with a brand new single “Secrets“, which finds them taking a somewhat darker tone than their previous songs. Drummer Colin Dill explained: “We wanted to surprise people with a darker, heavier song than expected. We are all a little angry about the current state of affairs and this song represents letting people into the frustration that can be hidden deep down.” Besides Dill, The Million Reasons is comprised of Scott Nadeau (lead vocals), Ken Ugel (guitar), Mike Nichols (guitar), and Jason Cillo (bass). They’re all phenomenal musicians, consistently delivering arresting melodies, killer riffs, tight rhythms and powerful vocals. “Secrets” was produced by guitarist Ken Ugel along with Adam Beck, and mixed by Ugel and mastered by Nick Stetina.

The song starts off with a somber, bluesy guitar riff, moody bass line and pounding drum beat as Scott sings the first verse with his beautiful, understated vocals:

It’s hard to keep the days in line
And it’s hard to tell the time
When your mind is far away from here
When the light begins to fall
And your thoughts begin to stall
What do you do to entertain yourself?

Follow me a little deeper, and I’ll show you all my secrets that I keep inside
Follow me a little deeper, and I’ll show you all my secrets in this state of mind

Suddenly, Scott’s vocals erupt into an angry wail as the music intensifies with a barrage of gnarly and distorted guitars, chugging bass and tumultuous drums. He passionately rails against the current socioeconomic conditions in America (and elsewhere) that keep a sizable percentage of the population stuck in financial limbo:

Welcome to the modern age
Where there’s no jobs, no decent wage
But that’s OK
You can have some debt for free
All the problems of today
(They) never seem to go away
And the light
Is still so far from me

Follow me a little deeper, and I’ll show you all my secrets that I keep inside
Follow me a little deeper, and I’ll show you all my secrets in this state of mind

The song ends on a bombastic note, driving home the frustration and anger the band feels about this subject with powerful ferocity. It’s another winning song from The Million Reasons, offering further evidence that they’re an immensely talented band who are skilled at producing exceptional music with compelling and relatable lyrics. I love these guys, and look forward to hearing more from them soon.

 

Catch The Million Reasons at one of these upcoming shows:

July 19 – Beat Kitchen, Chicago
August 3 – Wedgestock 2019, Middlebury, Indiana
August 9 – Cubby Bear Wrigleyville, Chicago

Connect with The Million Reasons:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music:  Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube
Purchase:  Bandcamp / iTunes / Amazon

BRETT.GRANT.5 – EP Review: “disqui.etude”

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Brett Grant

I’ve been following the young singer-songwriter and composer Brett Grant for a long while, and am thrilled to finally have the opportunity to feature him on this blog. The Chicago-based artist goes by the moniker brett.grant.5, and drops his second EP disqui.etude today. Brett’s been involved in music for many years, both as a solo artist and in several bands. He plays guitars & synths and sings for A Million Rich Daughters, and previously pounded drums in Sleep For Dinner and TOOFUNCHILD. He released his first solo EP digital dirge in 2016, and in addition to his work with the aforementioned bands, managed to earn a B.A. Degree in Music, graduating just last month.

Brett’s fascinating and eclectic sound draws from a wide range of musical sources and genres, ranging from 1920’s jazz and classical to video game music and experimental progressive rock. He wrote all the songs and played all the music on disqui.etude, as well as recorded, performed, mixed, and mastered the entire project himself.

The EP opens with the eerily beautiful title track “disqui.etude“, an apt name as it’s essentially a disquieting etude. The song’s an instrumental, consisting of only a haunting piano riff, accompanied by rather menacing synths that build as the track progresses. It would make a great soundtrack for a horror film, and in fact reminds me of the music from the film Eyes Wide Shut. Brett states it and the album title are intended to represent the anxieties and unease he’s dealt with in his own life, which are expressed in the lyrics of the songs on the EP.

Next up is “Truth Be Told“, a moody track with spacey industrial synths set to a bouncy, stop-start bass-drum beat. Brett has an unusual but pleasant singing voice that’s strongly emotive as he sings of the misery and guilt he feels over the death of a loved one:

Truth be told, I never thought that you’d be dead
Truth be told, I just can’t get you out o’my head
Truth be told, I’ve been obsessing for so long
I’d give anything to write a different song
Truth be told, I should have been the one to go
Truth be told, this burden’s getting hard to hold

The poignant “Empty Bottles” features a beautiful but melancholy piano-driven melody, backed by delicate, sparkling synths. Brett’s vocals, which range from a low croon that seems to emanate from deep within his core, to just below a falsetto, are nicely displayed on this song. He sings of destructive and futile attempts to drown one’s troubles in alcohol: “You’ll see in the end this was the old me. And all my insincere apologies, like lobotomies, came off the top of me. Apostles of endless empty bottles. As we both drive full throttle to the bottom of my problems.”

Brett dives deep into electronica on “New Goner“, employing a rich mix of glittery and otherworldly droning synths to create a spellbinding track. On the apocalyptic, synth-driven “Might Make My Way“, he speaks to the downsides of the internet and social media, and the thought control we’ve allowed ourselves to become imprisoned by: “Alien intruder, watching from a computer. Alias abuser, flying fear producer./ The sci-fi officers playing cops and robbers. Have nothing to offer and keep us in coffers. You can’t run, you can’t scream, it’s all part of their dream. Bright lights and loud noises, foreign distorted voices. If they transport me safely, might make my way back maybe.”

The final track “Hitting Backspace“, which Brett released as a single in February (on Valentine’s Day), is the darkest and most intense track on the EP. The song starts off with an ominous throbbing synth, then 10 seconds in a loud piercing synth enters, sounding a bit like a slowed-down version of the shrieking music heard in the famous shower scene in the film Psycho. He wanted to create a similar disturbing backdrop for his gloomy lyrics about feeling like being buried alive by the weight of his problems:  “It wasn’t like I anticipated facing all this in the time since yesterday. Sands keep falling. Feels like I’m slipping away… And trapped hitting backspace./ It wasn’t like I could keep up pacing, keep up pacing through the sands of yesterday.” At the end of the first verse, the music intensifies with deeper synths and heavier percussion that continue until fading out at the of the song.

disqui.etude is a marvelous work that beautifully showcases brett.grant.5’s singularly unique songwriting, composing and production talents. One of the things I especially like about it is how every track sounds totally different, which makes for an interesting and surprising listening experience. If you like music that’s innovative and unlike anything else you’ve heard before, you’ll enjoy this brilliant EP.

Follow Brett: Twitter / Facebook / Instagram
Stream his music on  Spotify / Soundcloud
Purchase on Bandcamp / Apple Music

HARROLAND – Single Review: “Brothers”

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Harroland

I first featured British alternative indie-rock band Harroland this past February upon the release of their single “Home” (read my review here), the first in a series of releases planned for 2019. The single received airplay on BBC Radio’s Introducing program, and the band is quickly gaining a large following, already being dubbed the ‘Best New Band’ in the Reading area. They’re now back with a wonderful new single “Brothers“, which officially dropped on June 21st.

Based in Reading, England, Harroland is comprised of siblings Michael (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Kate Kennedy (synths, keyboards, backing vocals), Steve Tabor (lead guitar), and drummer Stu Roberts, who joined the band in March. “Brothers” is the band’s first release under the current lineup. They express their social and political consciousness through compelling, relevant lyrics, and package them with gorgeous soundscapes that make for a pleasing listening experience.

Whereas “Home” addressed those intent on holding onto their own power while disregarding the hopes and dreams of others, “Brothers” explores the concept of people choosing to live their lives under invisible power structures that offer a false sense of freedom. Michael Kennedy explains: “It’s this idea that maybe we forgo our own desires for the safety of working within a corporate environment – that we are unlikely to take risks or take command of our own lives. What would happen if we did the opposite? Is such a life, for the average person, sustainable, or even possible?”

“Brothers” is a stunning track, with an irresistibly catchy tempo and glorious instrumentals. The band plays as a tight unit, each member performing their part with perfection to create a song of exceptional quality. Steve’s guitar work is fantastic, and Stu does a stellar job pounding out the captivating beat. Kate’s dreamy keyboards are a thing of beauty, and I love how they interplay with Steve’s chiming guitar. Michael deftly keeps the rhythm with his strummed guitar, but a highlight for me are his distinctive vocals, which I find utterly enchanting. I love this song, and have listened to it at least 20 times already!

We can fantasize about everything we do
Take it back, take it back right now
Don’t tell me it ain’t true
And hold it straight
Line it up and let it loose
Lap it up, lap it up right now
There’s nothing else to choose

We can compromise
Change our jobs and trade our lives
No matter what I think, someone’s in charge of mine
I can calculate
That even if I was to leave
I’d have a freedom
That lacks security

Maybe we’re like brothers rolling across this land or
Maybe we’re like someone else in somebody else’s hands

The video for the song is a live performance by Harroland at Pyramid Studios in Reading, which they won in a competition run by the studio. It was filmed by local photographer Victoria Holt and edited by Kate Kennedy. The track was mixed and mastered by sound engineer Jack Twiner, who’s a co-owner of Pyramid Studios.

Connect with Harroland on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream on Spotify / Apple Music

New Song of the Week: UNQUIET NIGHTS – “Four Winds”

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Unquiet Nights Four Winds

Unquiet Nights is an outstanding rock band based in both Northern Ireland and Italy. Begun as a solo project for singer-songwriter Luke Mathers, Unquiet Nights relocated from Belfast to Rome in 2010, where his debut album  21st Century Redemption Songs was finished and released a year later. Mathers eventually brought Italian musicians Matteo Bussotti and Francesco Piciucchi on board, and Unquiet Nights officially became a band. In 2015 they released a second album Postcards in Real Time, a beautiful work that I strongly recommend my readers make an effort to check out by using one of the links at the end of this review. One of the singles from that album, “George Best City”, recently passed a quarter million streams on Spotify. About that feat, Mathers stated “That’s really satisfying for us considering we’ve never worked with a PR company during the history of the band or had any budget to help promote our stuff.”

Mathers moved back to Northern Ireland in 2016, though he has continued recording and releasing new music with Bussotti and Piciucchi as Unquiet Nights. In February 2018 they released a fantastic single “Promise of You” (which I reviewed), then followed two months later with another banger “Young Believers.” Now they return with “Four Winds“, a superb single that keeps their perfect score of releasing excellent guitar-driven songs fully intact. The song was produced by Mathers, and mixed and mastered by Neal Calderwood, who also mixed and mastered all previous Unquiet Nights releases.

“Four Winds” opens with an ominous synth chord and pounding drum beat, then we’re suddenly plunged headlong into a gorgeous reverb-drenched soundscape of swirling guitars, dramatic sweeping synths, throbbing bass and muscular, thumping drumbeats. Mathers’ vocals are wonderful as he plaintively sings about betrayal and deceit: “Don’t leave me to the four winds. I only got myself to blame. Things like these don’t seem to change.”

Connect with Unquiet Nights:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music on  Spotify / Apple Music/ Soundcloud 
Purchase on Bandcamp / Unquiet Nights Online Store

MOONLIGHT BROADCAST – EP Review: “A Cynic’s Guide to Dying Happy”

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Moonlight Broadcast EP

I’ve stated in previous posts that one of my favorite aspects of social media is learning about new musicians and bands, and another recent find is Moonlight Broadcast, a rock group from the fair city of Melbourne, Australia. They released their debut EP A Cynic’s Guide to Dying Happy back in February 2018, but I’m reviewing it today, as it’s a stellar work that’s highly deserving of peoples’ attention.

Now a four-piece, Moonlight Broadcast is comprised of Cameron (lead vocals), Adi (guitar), Craig (bass, backing vocals) and Ash (drums & mojo). Influenced by such greats as Crowded House, The National and Death Cab for Cutie, they write songs with memorable guitar-driven melodies and poignant lyrics about (in their own words) “the winding, bumpy road we’re all travelling on.”

The EP kicks off with “Breathe Easy,” and as we press play, our ears are greeted by an arresting jangly guitar riff that immediately grabs our attention. Once the rhythm section enters the mix, the song settles into a really pleasing soft-rock groove. Cameron has a fine singing voice, and his heartfelt vocals nicely convey his love and devotion for a partner who’s put up with his shit over the years, and still chose to stay by his side:

I will be, I will be yours
Until I, until I die of a coronary from poor lifestyle
I hope that, I hope before I go
I’ll give you some days that make it worth your while

All those dark roads I may have dragged us down
I’m surprised you’re still around
All those dark roads I know I dragged us down
I’m so glad you’re still around

Stay with me, stay with me now
So I can breathe again

The beautifully-filmed video shows the band performing the song on a beach, with the tide gradually encroaching and ultimately engulfing them at the end.

Next up is “Harm Min (Josie)“, a bittersweet song about finally ending a tempestuous relationship with a mercurial lover named Josie. The jangly guitar work is gorgeous, and Cameron’s fervent vocals express a sad but detached sense of resignation that they’re both better off apart.

As wonderful as the first two songs are, my favorite is the hauntingly beautiful ballad “Sorrow Pass Me By.” Gorgeous twangy guitars and a somber drumbeat create a stirring backdrop for Cameron’s emotionally-charged vocals as he laments about his string of bad fortune, hoping his life will make a turn for the better: “I’d like to be lighthearted or even optimistic. Might be more to life than just getting through. I’m asking for once, sorrow please pass me by. It seems like you have been there, breathing down my neck for a real long time.”

The guys serve up more of their signature jangly guitars and driving beats on “The Ballad of Cognitive Dissonance“, a rousing tune with some great harmonica that give it a Country-rock vibe. The lyrics speak to being in a destructive, co-dependent relationship, knowing it’s destined to fail but unable to get out of it: “We’re driving in the dark with no headlights. I think there’s someone in the back here with us. I’m like a moth and you’re a buzzing street light. I’ll break my head in against you, over and over. / Sometimes I stick to my guns. Other times I turn tail and run.”

“Square One” is another take on being stuck in an unhealthy, one-sided relationship where the other person keeps a firm hold on your emotional attachment, making it impossible for you to let go: “It costs too much of me to keep you outside. I open the door and now I find, we’re back to square one. Your voice dancing through my brain, and I come undone. / It’s not so simple. It all hurts more than it should./ I will always be your alibi.” Musically, the song opens with a pensive, reverb-heavy guitar note, then settles into a slow, bass-driven tempo. The music gradually builds with more guitars, keyboards and heavier percussion, as Cameron passionately refrains “It’s all or nothing!” The guitar work is fantastic, and I love the extended run that continues straight through to the end, reminiscent of the great O.A.R. song “Shattered”.

A Cynic’s Guide to Dying Happy is a solid debut effort by Moonlight Broadcast. Every track is high quality, and the instrumentation, vocals and production values are all first-rate. These guys need to get busy recording some new songs ASAP, because we need their music in our lives!

Connect with Moonlight Broadcast:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Purchase on Bandcamp / Amazon

New Song of the Week: REVOLVERS – “Rubbing Shoulders With the Devil”

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Revolvers2

There are many terrific indie artists and bands in the UK these days making some really outstanding music, and among the best of them is London four-piece Revolvers. Originally formed in 2016 and comprised of James Thurling (guitar/lead vocals) Will Oliver (guitar/backing vocals), Steven Morrison (bass/backing vocals) and Rhys Kibble (drums), they play sensational high-energy guitar-driven melodic rock. I first featured them in February when I reviewed their single “True Love”, a fantastic, hard-driving track filled with lush, reverb-drenched jangly riffs. They followed up in early April with another great banger of a tune “Come Again”, and now return with their third in a series of singles “Rubbing Shoulders With the Devil“, and I think it’s their best work yet. All three singles were produced by George Apsion (White Lies, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Ellie Goulding).

It’s a darkly beautiful track, opening with an ominous gritty guitar riff and a deep, buzzing bassline that immediately hook us in. As James starts to sing, the music expands with more guitars and Rhys’ thumping drumbeats and crashing cymbals into an exciting and rather menacing soundscape. In his review of the song for Obscure Sound, Mike Mineo observed that Revolvers exude a vibe reminiscent of early Arctic Monkeys, and I totally agree. Once the chorus arrives in a stream of sweeping synths and wailing distorted riffs, I’m completely besotted with this song. James’ vocals have a cold, yet slightly seductive quality, backed by the guys’ stunning but ominous vocal harmonies that have a kind of gothic horror film air, similar to what you’d hear in a film like The Omen or The Exorcist as they croon:

Rubbing shoulders with the devil
  (Anywhere you go I’ll go there)
Rubbing shoulders with the devil
 (Anywhere you stay I’ll be there)
Rubbing shoulders with the devil
 (Cause you drag me down)

James continues to sing the brilliant lyrics that speak to someone who leaves him feeling unsettled almost to the point of revulsion:

But every night I wake up to the smell of you
While I’m clutching to a dirty pillow
Your shadow stops the reflection of bedroom lights
And raises alarms in my head
Complain the swimming pool’s not as deep as your love darling
Guess your love is just so ardent
But every time I see someone drinking your cocktail
Take refuge inside the devil’s lair

I’m really impressed by the high quality of a lot of music videos being made by indie bands today (having also been blown away by the video UNDER AEGIS made for their song “Separate” that I just reviewed). Like the music, the gorgeously-filmed video has a dark feel similar to The Omen, and I think it’s brilliant that parts of it were filmed in a cathedral. It was expertly directed by Bradley Davies of Yosemite Bear Productions, and stars band frontman James, who now plays the role of the devilish character. He’s a nice-looking fellow, but that cold stare of his is downright malevolent! He’s shown carrying a briefcase as he lurks and skulks around in a disquieting manner, and at one point coldly watches a woman drowning in a pool, and even strangles a man in another scene. It’s pretty disturbing, but the scenes of the band performing the song in the cathedral balance things out quite nicely – both symbolically and literally.

I love this band and I love this song! It’s instantly one of my favorites of the year, and will most definitely end up on my list of Top 100 Songs of 2019.

Those of you fortunate to live in and around London can catch Revolvers at one of these upcoming shows:

Friday 7 June @ 7:30 pm – The Finborough Arms, London
Saturday 15 June @ 7 pm – Roadtrip & the Workshop, London

Connect with Revolvers on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music on Spotify / Soundcloud
Purchase on iTunes / Bandcamp

BLAIR DOLLERY – Single Review: “Strange Kind”

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Blair Dollery3

Blair ‘Misty Red’ Dollery is a British singer/songwriter and guitarist from the western London suburb of Twickenham. A phenomenal guitarist, Blair has been playing and performing for nearly 20 years in a number of different bands, as a session musician, and also as a solo artist. He currently serves as lead guitarist and vocalist for the outstanding alt-rock band The Underground Vault, but has also recently begun releasing singles again under his own solo project. In March (2019) Blair dropped a gorgeous single “Dream On”, and now follows up with another single, the hauntingly beautiful “Strange Kind“.

The only sounds we hear are Blair’s stunning layered acoustic and electric guitar work and resonant, heartfelt vocals, yet the track has an incredible lushness and depth. It’s a testament to his skill at coaxing such rich and full sounds from just his guitars. The dark lyrics seem to be about someone contemplating drowning himself in the ocean due to feeling heartbroken over losing the love of his life.

Follow me down to the ocean
To the deep blue sea
No time for reflection
The end is near, can you see
Some will say I have lost my mind
Some will say I’m a strange kind
Strange kind

Watch the sea growing quickly
She is everything to me
All my love, all my life
Unconditionally
Some will say I have lost my mind
Some will say I’m a strange kind
Strange kind

Connect with Blair:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music:  Spotify / Soundcloud / YouTube
Purchase: Amazon / iTunes / Google Play Music