It’s Saturday and I’d like to welcome you to my latest weekly look at developments on the new music front. Five of the six featured songs are from studio albums that appeared yesterday (February 23). The sixth pick is a single that dropped on Wednesday
Whitelands/The Prophet & I
Kicking things off today are Whitelands, a UK shoegaze and dream pop group from London. According to NME, the four-piece includes Etienne Quartey-Papafio (vocals, guitar), Michael Adelaja (guitar),Vanessa Govinden (bass) and Jagun Meseorisa (drums). The Prophet & I, credited to all members of the band, is a track from their debut studio album Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day. While shoegaze and dream pop are outside my core wheelhouse, the song’s amazing sound drew me in immediately!
Blaze Bayley/Mind Reader
Blaze Bayley is an English heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. Before launching his solo career in 1999, Bayley co-founded British heavy metal band Wolfsbane in 1984 and had a 5-year stint as lead vocalist of Iron Maiden from 1994 to 1999, replacing Bruce Dickson. Wolfsbane who had disbanded after Bayley’s departure reunited in 2010, with Bayley back in the fold. From Bayley’s new solo album Circle of Stone, here’s the opener Mind Reader – another great example how heavy rock and a decent melody aren’t mutually exclusive!
Gramercy Arms/After the After Party
Next up is neat power pop ear candy by Gramercy Arms who their website notes are a revolving New York-based collective of musicians and artists led by songwriter and producer Dave Derby. Prior to Gramercy Arms’ eponymous 2008 debut album. Derby co-founded indie rock band The Dambuilders and lo-fi home recording project Brilliantine; released two solo albums; and composed and produced some music for film and TV. After the After Party, released on Wednesday (February 21), is the catchy lead single from Gramercy Arms’ fourth studio album The Making Of the Marking Of, scheduled for April 26. It’s got a nice Marshall Crenshaw vibe!
Elephant Stone/Lost In a Dream
Canadian psych-pop band Elephant Stone were formed in Montreal in 2009 by Rishi Dhir (lead vocals, bass, sitar) after his departure from local indie rock group The High Dials. Elephant Stone’s other members include Robbie MacArthur (guitar, backing vocals), Jason Kent (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals) and Miles Dupire-Gagnon (drums, backing vocals). Starting with their 2009 debut, they have released six studio albums to date, including their latest, Back Into the Dream. Here’s the neat-sounding opener Lost In a Dream, penned by Dhir.
Royal Tusk/Hated
Also hailing from Canada are Edmonton-based hard rock group Royal Tusk, who according to their AllMusic bio draw from post-grunge, progressive rock, punk, and groove-laden stoner metal. They were formed in 2013 by Daniel Carriere (vocals) and Sandy MacKinnon (bass) and currently also include Quinn Cyrankiewicz (lead guitar, backing vocals). From their third and latest full-length album Altruistic, here’s Hated.
Ghost Funk Orchestra/Again
Ghost Funk Orchestra describe their music as “a sonic kaleidoscope that defies genre specification, but draws heavy influence from the worlds of soul, psych rock, salsa, and beyond.” The New York-based band started in the late 2010’s as a solo experimental recording project by composer and multi-instrumentalist Seth Applebaum. GFO’s Bandcamp page notes their new concept album A Trip to the Moon features real recorded transmissions from the Apollo moon missions – a remarkable coincidence, given Thursday’s moon landing of a U.S.-built spacecraft, the first in half a century. Here’s Again, a fitting title. This is kind of wild!
Sources: Wikipedia; NME; AllMusic; Gramercy Arms website; Shameless Promotion PR press release; Ghost Funk Orchestra website and Bandcamp page; Spotify; YouTube
Christian's Music Musings 