Denver, CO based Alternative Rock Band LaRissa Vienna and the Strange has revealed the Official Music Video for their single, “Haunted,” off of their upcoming, debut LP Neptune VII, due out September 1st. “Haunted” was directed by Daniel Rachlitz and Demi Dehererra.
“I wrote Haunted” about the guilt of missing someone from your past. It is a song about the shame of desiring things you can’t have. For the music video, each band member has a storyline of what “haunts” them, whether it be relationships, alcohol abuse, or mental illness. Everyone has that one thing that haunts them, and in the music video, we wear it on our sleeves.”
– LaRissa Vienna
Influenced by David Bowie, Marilyn Manson and Shirley Temple (with a tattoo on her shoulder to match), LaRissa Vienna is a force to be reckoned with. Her somber, ghostly rock tunes will entrance you and run chills down your spine while the melodic, story-telling guitar mixed perfectly with the melancholy tones of her voice and the bass stays loyal to the hard-hitting drums.
Despite the soothing rock tones, LaRissa Vienna’s live show is nothing short of electric; despite standing only 4 feet 11 inches tall, her fiery energy demands the attention of every soul in the audience.
Starting out as a solo artist in 2008, LaRissa Vienna made her mark on the Denver music scene by writing and producing her own music, which she dubs “spooky rock.” Coming off of the local success of her 2015 and 2016 EPs, Strange Siren and Make the Pain Pretty respectively, and having had accumulated over 100,000 views on her “Underwater” music video within just a month of its release, Vienna is set to release her debut album, entitled Neptune VII” in September 2017.
There’s a definite camaraderie on the project, which finds her further honing her craft and establishing herself as a versatile artist within the rock realm, navigating the genre with grace and authority. Centering at its core around reconnecting with your inner child, the album’s lyrical content tackles the subject of facing the inevitable changes that come with growing older. Never shying away from autobiographical honesty, what results is arguably Vienna’s most personal project to date, embracing change and heartbreak as a natural course of life.
“The Strange” is Nick Workman – the lead guitarist with wild hair who has experience in every style. Aaron Mendoza on bass, influenced by The Cure and Coheed and Cambria, has experience in experimental bands and plays perfectly with the compelling drum styles of Luke Wolff. The classically-trained violinist Vanity Welch adds a perfect unique touch to the band.
LaRissa Vienna and the Strange intend to inspire and influence fans to be creative and express themselves by leading by example.
LINKS:
http://larissaviennamusic.com
http://facebook.com/larissaviennamusic
https://twitter.com/larissa_vienna
https://www.instagram.com/larissaviennastrange
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Kepa Lehtinen – It is Ok to Be Sad and Dark
Kepa Lehtinen was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1971 and began studying music in childhood, eventually learning to play piano, synthesizers, theremin, and drums. He went on to study Sound Design at Finland’s Aalto University and has since written music for many films, commercials, and TV productions. He routinely works as a composer, sound editor, and sound designer. His work has appeared in award-winning Finnish titles such as Kimmo (TV series), Almost 18 (feature film), and A Stone LeftUnturned (short film). He released his first solo album, Playing Theremin, in 2018. In 2019 he released Helsinki in November. Spring 2020 is coming album “It Is OK To Be Sad And Dark”.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/kepalehtinenartist
https://songwhip.com/artist/kepa-lehtinen -
The Room in the Wood – Mars (Won’t Save Us)
Band members Paul Cavanagh and Dave Jackson are once again working together after a huge gap since their post-punk band The Room split back in 1985. After reuniting, this past year has seen them write over 30 new songs.
Featuring contributions by drummer Colin George Lamont (Mark Lanegan, Dave Gahan), this album was recorded by Steve Powell (Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band) at his Liverpool-based Ark Studio and mastered by Pete Maher (Barry Adamson, The Alarm).
“‘Every Lie’ is a bluesy, countrified stomper bemoaning the rise of the populist right, and inspired by the late great Johnny Cash – this is a response to Trump and Brexit. ‘Get Clear’ a Spanish guitar-tinged ballad extolling the virtues of escaping cult thinking. It follow-ups our song ‘Magical Thinking’, but is sung to a friend escaping some dogmatic cult,” says Dave Jackson.
“Time Machine’ is another vague sci-fi rumination, wistfully reflecting on the passage of time filtered through the vision of HG Wells. We thought that ‘Mars’ and ‘Time Machine’ gave the EP a science fiction edge and Mark Jordan’s video reflects that,” says Paul Cavanaugh.
Dave Jackson has been writing and recording since his teens – with The Room, 051, Benny Profane, Dust, Dead Cowboys, as Dave Jackson & The Cathedral Mountaineers, and also with former Shack guitarist John Head. He has recorded and released 10 albums with these various incarnations, notched up 7 John Peel sessions with The Room and Benny Profane, and has also appeared on the Whistle Test, Janice Long and Saturday Live.
Jackson has also toured the UK, Europe, and the USA extensively with The Fall, The Violent Femmes, Aztec Camera, The Lemonheads and The Wedding Present. He currently teaches creative writing at Liverpool John Moores University and has developed his novel ‘Violet City’ as a low-budget fantasy feature film.
Apart from The Room, Paul Cavanagh has performed as a solo instrumentalist as Cabin in the Woods and as one of Mike Badger’s Shady Trio. He worked with The Room drummer Alan Wills at Deltasonic Records with The Coral and The Zutons. Paul has also recorded 4 John Peel sessions and released albums with Top, It’s Immaterial, Moongoose, as well as critically acclaimed singles with Gloss. He also played guitar for Chinese Religion, The Balcony, and Ludus.
A Turntable Friend Records is an independent record label. currently in its second life. Based in Germany with distribution through SRD (Southern Record Distributors) and Rough Trade, their mission is to keep vinyl alive while casting light on sonic gems of yesteryear and today. 1990s peers of Sarah Records and Slumberland Records, ATF Records has always had a roster as diverse as Secret Shine, The Wolfhounds, Boyracer (with Even As We Speak), The Claim, The Ropers, the Hellfire Sermons, Lorelei, Bradford, Easy and Dose.
As of November 23, The Mars EP will be available across music stores and streaming platforms such as Spotify. It can already be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.
“Candid and catchy.. between Wall of Voodoo’s Stan Ridgway, The Fall and more folk-pop territory with The Doors also a likely deeper influence”
– Big Takeover Magazine“Brilliant offering, loaded with optimism and wit. This lush and highly memorable music calls to mind other local bands like The Railway Children and Echo & The Bunnymen… gives every indication of a band that is going places”
– Louder Than War“With delta blues riffs and a style that burrows deep into the subconsciousness like Iggy’s ‘Passenger’, it’s an insidious cut”
– God is in the TV“The Room in the Wood play their new set out of their sonic window, and the result is not only rich and diverse, but also significant”
– The Record StacheLINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/theroominthewood
https://twitter.com/davejacksonroom
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi7t-iOS-5UXW26DdPnFRJQ/videos
https://soundcloud.com/theroominthewood
https://theroominthewood.bandcamp.com
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/the-room-in-the-wood/1376319762
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6NAEwzJ6Ygbnx2Bw1rSjTz?si=BEK-hnFYRNeT00Zmquq07A -
Berries – Wild Vow
Berries recent single sees the band further explore their unique take on riff-driven rock with even more grit and confidence. “Wild Vow” boasts big riffs and choruses and further highlights the clever musicianship, weaving guitar and bass lines and well thought out drum patterns that this exciting three-piece are becoming known for.
The band has had an infectious buzz around them ever since they dropped their first release “Lights” last year, followed by singles “Waiting” and “Siren”. Their tracks immediately caught the attention of BBC London Introducing and they were hastily invited into the studio for an interview with Gary Crowley who openly showed his support for the band urging listeners to “keep an ear and an eye out for them as they have a lot of promise!” The band’s tracks have also received regular airplay by Jim Gellatly and Shell Zenner on Amazing Radio, Tom Robinson on BBC 6 Music and John Kennedy on Radio X.
Following the release of their debut EP Those Funny Things the band was approached by a member of Fender’s A&R team who expressed his interest in their unique and energetic playing style. They were endorsed with new gear and included in a playlist of Fender’s ‘Top 10 favorite new acts’ alongside Bryde and featured on Richer Unsigned. Their song “Siren” was then added to nationwide playlists in Richer Sounds stores, Samsung and Barclays. The band’s EP has been championed by Fred Perry Subculture, Gigslutz, Even the Stars and The Revue along with several other influential tastemakers and blogs. “Wild Vow” is their anticipated follow-up single.
The band has regularly featured on the Gigslutz girls show called ‘Get In Her Ears’ on Hoxton Radio and have also received great support from It’s All Indie who have mentioned them in in a recent interview giving a shout out to female musicians.
LINKS:
https://Soundcloud.com/Berriesband
https://Facebook.com/Berriesband
https://Twitter.com/Berriesbanduk
https://instagram.com/berriesband
https://Youtube.com/BerriesBand