Tuscany-based alt-rockers, Piqued Jacks, share their second single, “Eternal Ride of the Heartful Mind,” from their third album, The Living Past, out now.
Impose Magazine premiered the song and the “powerful new single & cinematic video” today, raving, “If this video doesn’t move you, you might want to check your pulse,” adding, “It’s been a stereotype for a long time that Italians are a culture of romantics and are most passionate (maybe tied with the French), but this song proves that generalizations aside – these Italians understand the nuances of modern love and have hearts big enough to hold every definition of what it means to be lovers.”
Describing the video, Impose says, “We see a man take a pilgrimage into the forest, alone. We’re confused about where he’s going and why, until he reaches his destination: a protest against deforestation. People are chained to trees, as the demolition crew works around them. Holding signs, and full of emotion, the protests hold signs begging “don’t cut it! plant it!” We learn the man is in love with one of the protestor’s and has come to aid the cause.”
This drives home the band’s message, and they explain: “Mutual love is the refuge for every so-called “unusual” relationship, always surrounded by the skepticism and judgment of others; it’s a place where the couple’s intimacy is sheltered from doubts coming from the outside.”
The single was recorded and produced by Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Young Guns) in an old house immersed in the natural beauty of the Tuscan hills. “Guys, that’s the front runner single,” Weller said, right after listening to the demo.
After a heavily alternative track like the album’s debut single from the forthcoming album, “Loner VS Lover,” the Piqued Jacks once again prove their versatility and maturity with an intense pop song that opens itself up to a wider audience, without losing the band’s distinctive sound.
The first draft of the song featured E-King (lead vocals, keys), Penguinsane (guitar), littleladle (bass) and ThEd0g (drums), but its development came about with HolyHargot on the drums, and with the expert contribution of Dan Weller. Everything was then highlighted by the mixing of Forrester Savell (Karnivool, I Am Giant).”
“Eternal Ride of a Heartful Mind” is an overwhelming piece of music and lyrics, whose title is inspired by Michel Gondry’s cinematographic masterpiece. There’s no intentional comparison of the song to the film, just a beautiful love story.
LINKS:
http://www.piquedjacks.com
https://www.facebook.com/piquedjacks
https://twitter.com/PiquedJacks
https://www.instagram.com/piquedjacks
https://www.youtube.com/fourPiquedJacks
https://soundcloud.com/piquedjacks/albums
https://spotify.com/artist/5eprmPyM92CrWnnE1P840z
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Dar.Ra – Stand Up For The Heroes
Dar.Ra has dropped his new single and video titled ‘Stand Up For The Heroes’. Released as a response to these pandemic times, this couldn’t have been a better time for such a reminder to recognize not only the people that throw themselves in harm’s way but live with those dangers every day that they do this. And Dar encapsulates that sentiment with reverence and respect in a moving video and brilliant song done in a way that one hopes those heroes hear this and feel loved.
Check out our other articles featuring Dar.Ra HERE.
ABOUT DAR.RA & ‘STAND UP FOR THE HEROES’
Extraordinary times require the same extraordinary efforts to equalize the situation and none more so has been exemplified by the Keyworkers around the world. While we all in our own small ways did our bit to ease the pressure on our health infrastructures, it seems incomparable to the front line staff who in many cases have literally given their lives to save others.
The word Hero should only be used in such cases where someone stepped out beyond the call of duty and gave everything to make the world a kinder and more stable place to live in.
Feeling the need to honor this sacrifice and bravery Irish solo artist Dar.Ra has stepped up to the plate and written the ultimate anthem for the Key Workers, to thank and remember long after this situation has changed.
It’s all too easy sometimes to forget what previous generations have done to change the world for the better. People sit in the luxury of criticizing the actions of people who showed leadership in times of crisis. The classic statement of ‘What Did You Do In The Great War or The Great Pandemic’ will always ring true, and for those of us with a conscience will be able to say I did my bit.
The tribute song is titled ‘Stand Up For The Heroes’ is a solemn, strings, vocal, and piano arrangement that drives home the enormity of the situation with a lyric that tells the story of the everyday fight in the frontlines. While some gave all, some just caused more confusion, amplified by the lyric “The world is unsteady on its feet, some trying so hard while others close their eyes’
Equally followed by the lines ‘ So much is owed to you, and that sacrifice will never be repaid’. While we are reminded by the vocals that the ‘Tears that have fallen will never be forgotten’ we are urged to pay our respects by ‘Standing Up For Heroes’.
That standing up is not just about applause but by valuing their services with the money they deserve. From the Refuse Collectors, Shop Sales Assistants, Hospital Porters, Care Workers, Nurses, Doctors, Teachers, and everyone else who kept the ball rolling while the majority of us were being asked to stay safe at home – a small price to pay for the safety of others.
Every piece of history needs a piece of music that sums up the moment as Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet Again’ did during WW2, maybe ‘Stand Up For The Heroes’ will do the same for generations to come.
Stand Up For The Heroes will be released as a stand-alone track on Kusha Deep Records and proceeds will go towards funding for people who are in the frontlines helping to change the situation.
LINKS:
https://twitter.com/kushadeep
https://facebook.com/kushadeep
https://youtube.com/kushadeep7 -
Tiny Fighter – Strangest Thing
“Strangest Thing is a song about the propensity to excuse or downplay toxic behavior within a relationship. What may seem to others on the outside to be irrational or unacceptable can be sometimes difficult to acknowledge or challenge when in the heat of a relationship with another person. This song is about those two competing perspectives,” says Therese Karlsson.
Based in Stockholm, Tiny Fighter was formed after a chance meeting between Therese Karlsson (a truck driver from Kalmar, Sweden) and Tim Spelman (a doctor from Melbourne, Australia). The two met in Stockholm in 2017 and began collaborating, offering an enticing mix of indie-rock and berserker chamber pop.
2019 saw the band’s ongoing collaboration with legendary multi-Grammy, Gold & Platinum Award producer Thomas ‘Plec’ Johansson, which also resulted in the ‘Tell Me’ EP (2019) and the ‘Reworks’ remix EP.
For their debut ‘Going Home’ LP, Tiny Fighter’s work Johansson has them recording over 12 months in both Stockholm and at The Panic Room in Skövde, Sweden. The result is a compelling combination of the unabashed indie-pop of Tiny Fighter’s earlier releases with deeper, darker arrangements that showcase the full range of Karlsson and Spelman’s songwriting.
“Being the lead single from our debut album, we really wanted to up the ante on the production values. This is why working with Plec Johansson was such a perfect fit. We wanted to take Plec’s experience working with some of the biggest names in metal and apply the same quality and precision in approach to an indie song. It’s a hi-fi production with a lo-fi heart,” says Tim Spelman.
Earlier, Tiny Fighter recorded their successful 2018 singles ‘New Century’, ‘Want Friends’ and ‘Hollow Talk’ in Los Angeles and Stockholm with Daniel Rejmer (Foals, Ben Frost, Girls Names). Their live album ‘The Loft Sessions (Live in New York)’, released in December 2018, was recorded on their first North American tour.
Tiny Fighter has grown from an artsy studio project to a live entity selling out tours and filling larger music venues, quickly building a strong reputation for their stirring live performances and ability to tastefully mix catchy indie-pop with darker themes and arrangements.
Most recent tours led the band through Ireland, Latvia, Serbia and Scandinavia. Tiny Fighter’s music enjoyed over 750K YouTube views and 250K Spotify streams in 2019 alone. Other notable achievement includes playing the Stockholm final of the competitive P4 Nästa 2018 song competition.
As of February 7, ‘Strangest Thing’ will be available across online stores like iTunes and streaming platforms such as Spotify. The full ‘Going Home’ album will be released on March 27 and can be ordered directly from Tiny Fighter via Bandcamp.
Featured image by Marcos Engman (a.k.a. Mecno)
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/tinyfighterz
https://tinyfighterz.bandcamp.com
https://twitter.com/TinyFighterz
https://www.instagram.com/tinyfighterz
https://www.youtube.com/c/tinyfighter
https://soundcloud.com/tinyfighter
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0TqpxHIKbhZJzcXreXDEvv
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/tiny-fighter/1338567635 -
Mavis Victory Project – Don’t Go Away
If you thought that having two brothers in the same band was dangerous, wait until you meet Mavis Victory Project. Featuring a near-record breaking four brothers, and aided and abetted by a childhood friend, the band’s unconventional line-up is the perfect match to their equally mold-breaking sound. Oozing seedy electronic loops and with echoing, swooping vocals, their sound is all dangerous street corners; distant sirens and the creeping underworld. Appropriately, their video is just as unhinged, inviting you into their world whilst looking at you suspiciously out of the corner of their eye.
Formed by the Ransom brothers – singer Michael, Phil on rhythm guitar, Ollie on bass, Chris on drums and Robert Rosser on guitar and keyboard – the whole collection is self-taught, taking the indie and garage rock blueprint to heart and learning their craft in any place they could. They honed their sound so it flowed organically – time signatures are out of the window; traditional verse/chorus/verse structures burned and thrown over the neighbor’s hedge. Their new single gets under your skin and slowly starts to peel it off, Michael’s breathy, ethereal vocals lulling you into a false sense of security and then pouncing.
With influences including Arctic Monkeys; Kanye West and ScHoolboy Q, Mavis Victory Project is the musical equivalent of joining a cult – once you’re in, you wonder how you ever managed without. The video to “Baby, Don’t Go Away” is due for release on September 22nd and is just as arresting as their sound; with girls, gangs and clandestine weirder likely to eat away at the inside of your head in a way you won’t be able to resist.
SOURCE: Official Release
LINKS:
https://soundcloud.com/mavisvictoryproject/sets/mavis-victory-project
https://www.youtube.com/user/MavisOfficial
https://www.facebook.com/mavis.official
https://www.instagram.com/mavis_victory_project