Formed in 2016, Los Angeles-based alternative rock quartet Half the Animal produces an infectious sound, which blends catchy, hook-laden rock attitude and pop-driven styles. Originally founded by vocalist Chase Johnson and drummer Nick Gross—who were featured cast members in the hit MTV reality TV series ‘Laguna Beach’ during their formative days as the band Open Air Stereo—Half the Animal also includes bassist Evan Smith (Silversun Pickups/Chromeo/Big Data) and classically trained guitarist Dan Graham.
Half the Animal made an impact with their memorable debut single “Babylon,” a grandiose, stadium-sized rock anthem that became the band’s first-ever viral hit, garnering over 1 million streams online, collectively, since its release in July 2016. The song quickly earned the band nationwide industry attention and strong radio support on multiple SiriusXM channels, including Top 40 radio station Hits 1 and The Pulse, as well as regular airplay on tastemaker Los Angeles stations ALT 98.7 and KROQ, which featured Half the Animal on their celebrated Locals Only program. Collectively, Half the Animal also count over 1 million YouTube views to date and have been featured on ‘Billboard’ and Ones to Watch (Live Nation).
In fall 2017, Half the Animal released the successful follow-up single “Bad Bad Love” via the group’s independent imprint Noise Nest Records. Featuring a lush soundscape built atop hypnotic vocal melodies, piercing piano chords and dreamy synths, the track was highlighted on Spotify’s influential New Music Friday playlist. The band also launched a 33-date US Fall tour in September 2017 alongside Atlas Genius in support of the track.
LINKS:
http://www.halftheanimal.com
https://www.facebook.com/halftheanimal
https://twitter.com/halftheanimal
https://www.instagram.com/halftheanimal
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Davey Woodward And The Winter Orphans – Bad Day
Davey Woodward And The Winter Orphans have premiered their new video for the track titled ‘Bad Day’. Capturing that quirky magic of the music, the video for ‘Bad Day’ gives that alt-rock bravado combined with the first-person perspective in a slow energy style grit guitar fiasco that is the signature of creativity. This is a new anthem for a new age. Let’s hope the title doesn’t carry over (lol).
‘Love and Optimism’ is out now, available on limited edition white vinyl and black vinyl, on gatefold CD with a booklet, and also digitally. It can be ordered via Bandcamp.
Check out our other features with Davey Woodward And The Winter Orphans HERE.
ABOUT DAVEY WOODWARD AND THE WINTER ORPHANS
Bristol indie music legend Davey Woodward and The Winter Orphans present ‘Bad Day’, the latest single from their ‘Love and Optimism’ LP. Best known for his bands The Brilliant Corners, The Experimental Pop Band, and Karen, they recorded this album ‘live’ in the studio. A very personal collection, this is Woodward’s most emotional performance, putting Davey solidly amongst the best songwriters of his generation.
Davey Woodward and the Winter Orphans play alt folk, often intimate songs set in Bristol. Sometimes they get into drainpipes and pointy boots ‘New Wave’ mode. ‘Bad Day’ is one of those moments.
‘Nobody visits. I’d like someone to stay
In my single bed with my microwave
I’m having a bad day.‘“Imagine a time when putting together the best cassette compilation ever (Today it’s called a playlist) was the sole purpose of the day. Getting it right would mean the difference between a good day or a bad day. It was also the best way to impress girls and show your mates how hip you were. A time when dreaming, looking cool, and disregarding the rules was everything. Decades later and life catches up, poverty, broken relationships, broken families. You could make a playlist but who would you send it to?” says Davey Woodward.
Ahead of this, the band previewed two singles – ‘Occupy This Space’ and ‘Warm Hands’, which could be a soundtrack to a David Lynch movie. This is pop music for grown-ups loaded with dark mysteries of desire and loathing, melody and lyrics that stick in your head.
‘Love & Optimism’ is the band’s second collective long-play, following their 2018 self-titled debut album, released via Tapete Records. On both set of recordings, the band wanted to capture that elusive live magic and spontaneity that is often lost by today’s modern recording techniques.
Davey Woodward first came to prominence with his 1980s band The Brilliant Corners, part of the jangly indie C86 scene, but with a diverse palette of indie pop, country, rock n roll, post-punk and humour. The mini-albums ‘Growing up Absurd’, ‘Fruit Machine’ and ‘Whats in a Word‘ brought the band to the attention of the music press and wider public, followed by their best-known album ‘Somebody up there likes me’ (1987), several John Peel sessions, indie chart success and regular tours. In 2013, Cherry Red Records released a retrospective of the band’s work ‘Heart on Your Sleeve’ (A decade in pop 1983-1993)’ to much interest.
Woodward’s next band The Experimental Pop Band (1996- 2012) was again championed by Peel and signed to City Slang Records, enjoying critical acclaim in the UK and Europe, and performing at Glastonbury.
In the last decade, Davey has released a handful of solo LPs, including the lofi folk pop album ‘6 miles east of here 5 miles north of nowhere’ (2011). He also recorded with alt guitar band Karen, releasing several EPs on The Environmental Sounds label.
The album was recorded in Summer 2019 prior to the Covid 19 pandemic and the tragic events that led to Black Lives Matter, but strangely it is still relevant to these times. ‘Occupy This Space’ seemingly captures the whole feeling of ‘Lockdown’ and the song ‘Clara’s Ghost’ is partly about the history of Bristol’s involvement in the Slave Trade. Just a few months after it was written, Bristol residents pulled down the Statue of Slave Trader Edward Colston in the center of town, making worldwide headlines.
LINKS:
https://daveywoodward.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/daveysongs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LjUye3GMgM&feature=youtu.be
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/davey-woodward-mn0000527805/biography
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/davey-woodward-and-the-winter-orphans/1412097438
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Oiv29FDDnrhtM3UiP7Lq2 -
Dar.Ra – Rock Steady
Dar.Ra scores cinematic gold in this first-person hyperactive sonic blitz of a video for his new track titled ‘Rock Steady’. The track itself is something that must be listened to. Again and again. The adrenalin in the hook is like a drug that will keep you up for days. The video, however, adds layers to each beat in such a unique way as to make you wish this was a full movie. Think ‘Hardcore Henry‘ vs #indie gold. Pure genius!
ABOUT DAR.RA
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Darragh J Brady – AKA Dar.Ra has been in the music industry for a while with hits in the UK and Australia, signed to EMI, Festival and various dance labels over the years, remixing Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Tears 4 Fears, Savage Garden, and writing for Rachel Brown (Faithless, Groove Armada) plus having music on various Hollywood films like ‘Snakes on Planes’ films starring Hilary Duff on ABC TV, Match Of Day (BBC TV) and US Documentary City Of Hope.
He grew up in Brighton and London and his first solo album Soul Hours was released in 2010 made the album of the week of Spain’s Heart FM, as well as receiving support from BBC Radio, playing to over 1 million people on-air within one live show.
Also an author, Dar.Ra has a book available called ‘Road Tales’ which has been getting brilliant reviews and is based on people Dar.Ra met while being the road from the late 1990s to 2008.
LINKS:
https://facebook.com/Dar.Ra7
https://youtube.com/kushadeep7
https://twitter.com/kushadeepmusic
https://instagram.com/dar.ra.brady -
Oliver Jones – Ugly (ft. Mello D)
Oliver Jones drops his new video for the track titled ‘Ugly’ with a little help from Mello D. With a harsh heart and hard lyrics, Oliver drops a soul-sorte with the mind of madness and heart of purity. Visually dark and mindfully dirty, ‘Ugly’ is ugly in that it scrapes the scab off and exposes the truth. In a world of honesty, we can honestly say that this, in fact, is something beautiful. however, in the real world, it is something to fear. But, when those of us expose the truth in themselves the become leaders, or at least what leaders should be. And, by saying that, Oliver is a leader with his music.
ABOUT OLIVER JONES & ‘UGLY’
Oliver Jones announces himself in explosive style with his debut single Ugly… the combined debut breakout release from fledgling record label powerhouse Pyro Music MGT. Taken from the forthcoming album also entitled Ugly, Jones delivers a brutally honest account of his life tribulations in which he lays his deepest emotions bare.
Produced, composed & arranged by long-time collaborator Mello D – Ugly arrives accompanied by a visceral visual narrative directed by Adam Al Sened (dLO Media). The cinematic visuals serve to compliment Ugly’s dark and sinister themes, seeing Jones portray a troubled alter-ego whose story goes from bad to worse as a night on the town unfolds.
Discussing his debut release, Jones states:
“I wrote Ugly at a time where things were really going wrong for me as life’s pressures became all-consuming. Instead of playing the blame game, I thought I’d reflect on where I stood, and the part I was playing in the situations I was finding myself in. I’ve always been real & seek to convey the truth in my music, but that can’t just be exclusive to portray me in a positive light, I’ve got to be honest with myself & my mistakes in life”.
In addition to the single release of Ugly, the South London native has also announced the album also entitled Ugly is scheduled for release later this year.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsOJ
https://twitter.com/_ThisIsOJ
https://www.instagram.com/_thisisoj
https://www.facebook.com/pyromusicmgt
https://twitter.com/pyromusicmgt
https://www.instagram.com/pyromusicmanagement