Jammerzine’s The Week in #Indie presents a special about the best in independent music. We all know that 2020 wasn’t the best of years and we’ve all had to endure isolation physically and mentally. But we must highlight those wonderful bright sides of this year with this presentation of great music.
Beauty in Chaos curator Michael Ciravolo gives an exclusive interview about their new album titled ‘The Storm Before The Calm’, as well as exclusive interviews with The Mystery Plan and The Orange Kyte.
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.
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
The 20 4 2020 (Twenty for 2020) is a compilation of music from artists that have made the most impact on the Jammerzine website and apps.
This list is in no way organized in order of popularity or online traffic, instead, the list is in purely random order.
The criteria for selection in this list is a minimum of 1000 shares on social media and a statistical impact of at least 10,000 views on the particular webpage that the music or video was featured or reviewed on the Jammerzine website or app.
This edition features music from Auld, Beauty in Chaos, Patrick Doval, Panaviscope, K Michelle Dubois, Otis McDonald, The Awakening, Joy Cleaner, Minx, Tiny Fighter, Rise, RoQy TyRaiD & DJ Green Lantern, The Nile Deltas, Klammer, Drew Davies, Ummagma, Dar.Ra, US3R, & The Cazales.
Take a journey around some Iconic venues of Brighton UK with Author and Music Producer Darragh J Brady and see some of the Magic that resides there.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Dar.Ra7
https://www.instagram.com/dar.ra.brady
https://www.twitter.com/kushdeep
https://www.kushadeep.co.uk
This episode of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’ features exclusive interviews with Prima Donna and UK artist Faultress as premieres from ASM, BLɅCKƎLVIS, Dar.Ra, Drew Davies, Elizabeth The Second, Fea, and Fo Fera.
Prima Donna is a band that has strong ties around and within the music scene. They are, to me, the underground underdogs. What I mean by that is that they keep their street-creds while raising the flag for the indie scene showing just how awesome it is.
And, in this interview, we get to talk with one-fourth of this awesomeness in the form of David S. Field, drummer for Prima Donna. We cover a lot of ground here too. We get a glimpse of the beginnings of Prima Donna as well as collaborations including there inclusion into legendary musician Steven Van Zandt’s illustrious Wicked Cool Records stable of artists as well as the side project David and Prima Donna frontman Kevin Preston have with Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong called The Longshot.
Prima Donna clearly has a full plate throughout 2020, as you will hear in the interview, including a new video for ‘Sing to Death’ (read our single review HERE) as well as a new album and more.
LINKS:
http://primadonnarocks.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/PrimaDonnaVision
https://twitter.com/primadonnaband
https://www.instagram.com/primadonnaband
https://www.facebook.com/PrimaDonnaOfficial
Faultress is an extinct word for a female criminal, and this musical project is about wearing your unpolished faults and imperfections on your very female sleeve. As an artist, Faultress embodies the challenge to heterodoxy implied in her name, which she wields as a firebrand to write incisive and psychological songs that offer us a look into the complex fragmentation of feminine power, desire and mental health in a rapidly changing musical and cultural world.
Faultress’s prime influence is Kate Bush, a soul she shares a love of theatricality with – Faultress has a playwriting MA from RADA – alongside a diverse set of influences that includes the likes of James Blake, Aldous Harding, FKA Twigs and Joni Mitchell. Her full banshee show is a six-part girl choir replete with synths and drums. In her solo shows, Faultress plays piano and loop stations. With the release of her 5 Myths EP, she reveals herself something of a polymath: lyricist, musician, singer, and storyteller employing the full spectrum of her skillset to make unforgettably charged music.
LINKS:
https://www.faultress.com
https://www.facebook.com/faultress
https://soundcloud.com/faultress
https://twitter.com/thisisfaultress
https://www.instagram.com/thisisfaultress
ASM drop their new collab with Chinese Man with their new video titled ‘Honey’. Like a sucker punch to the gut, the track hits you hard with the beat and lyrical assault to the senses like depleted uranium to the skull. The video perfectly compliments the song with cut and paste-like creativity and dropped mic-bombs with each scene cut that keeps to the rhythm of the track. A perfect marriage of audio and video.
LINKS:
https://www.chinesemanrecords.com/asm
https://www.facebook.com/ASMastateofmind
https://twitter.com/ASMastateofmind
https://www.instagram.com/asm_astateofmind
https://www.youtube.com/user/ASMastateofmind
BLɅCKƎLVIS (BLACKELVIS), A South-Wales based band who have created a monstrous stir across the music scene within just 3 months of their first debut show at Tiny Rebel Cardiff in May 2019.
The band’s infancy has included headline bookings at six of the most renowned venues in and around Cardiff, which have consistently generated rapturous “always-wanting-more “crowds each time without fail – in addition to numerous support bookings across the region. “It is rare to see a band that can captivate a room full of people and takes them to a level of musical ecstasy. To do that on your debut performance is almost audacious and a wonderful spectacle to behold. BLɅCKƎLVIS is quite simply the best new band we have seen in a long, long time and could well become one of the biggest bands to emerge from Wales this year.
LINKS:
https://instagram.com/blackelvisband
https://twitter.com/blackelvisdiff
https://facebook.com/Blackelvisband
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!
LINKS:
https://facebook.com/Dar.Ra7
https://youtube.com/kushadeep7
https://twitter.com/kushadeepmusic
https://instagram.com/dar.ra.brady
Earlier we brought you the review for Drew Davies’ new single titled ‘Mrs Taylor’ and told you how special the meaning behind the music is. This time around we concentrate on the video, which just dropped.
The video perfectly encapsulates said meaning with a symbolic journey via car and foot through what I think is one of the more beautiful countrysides in this world. The scenes are cut to the beat which punctuates the track and enhances the driving tone of the song as a whole. Topped by interesting guitar and chord changes that give soul and take score, ‘Mrs Taylor’ is one of those beat-centric anthems for the #indie scene.
LINKS:
https://www.drewdaviesmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/drewdaviesmusic
https://www.twitter.com/drewdaviesmusic
https://www.instagram.com/drewdaviesmusic
https://drewdaviesmusic.bandcamp.com
Elizabeth The Second has officially dropped their new EP titled ‘Two Margaritas at the Fifty Five’. This set of songs is a modern guitarist’s dream to listen to. The riffs are varied and ethereal, to say the least. Combine that with a solid rhythm section and fresh vocals and you have that modern magic that shows Elizabeth The Second is first in new music.
‘Two Margaritas at the Fifty Five’ was released on November 9.
LINKS:
https://elizabeththesecond.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.the.second.band
https://www.instagram.com/Elizabeth_the_second_band
https://soundcloud.com/elizabeth_the_second
https://twitter.com/Elizabethe2nd
https://open.spotify.com/album/6R8Q2w3CUbdX2wLNItafCo
Fea drops a monster of a single with visuals in the form of their new track titled ‘Itch’. A surf-Punk Riot Grrl with a tad bit of The Clash and fIREHOSE thrown in for good measure, Fea drops a soul bomb on the realities of touring and embrace the grit and grime of life on the road in the only way they know how: full throttle.
LINKS:
https://fea210.com
https://www.instagram.com/fea210
https://twitter.com/fea210
https://www.facebook.com/fea210
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3nKEqmxHdIu4WbtE2kKvya?si=ApteZrsqR_q6lnjCxVbFNA
Fo Fera has just dropped her new video for the song titled ‘Honey, Are You Broken’ as an exclusive premiere right here on Jammerzine! This is her second single and very first video and we are proud to show it right here. To listen to this track is to know a piece of Fo Fera. A very powerful and sacred piece.
Healing is a tumultuous process. And we’ve all been there. But, for some people, the light at the end of the tunnel comes through creative expression. That can be both a documentation and a process in which the heart can harden as well as heal. And that is what I believe Fo Fera is doing with ‘Honey, Are You Broken’. In fact, this song brought a tear to my eye before I read her biography (below). Fo Fera may not know it but she wears her heart on her sleeve with this track and video. Like a beautiful rainbow at night, you may not be able to see it, but, that beauty is still there. Just because it’s in the dark doesn’t mean its any longer beautiful. ‘Honey, Are You Broken’ is the sunrise that sheds light on that beauty with a wonderful song that can warm the heart and a video that will please the senses.
LINKS:
https://www.foferarecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/foferaofficial
https://twitter.com/FoFeraOfficial
https://foferarecords.tumblr.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaWLOVgAjIs4pulCSIJc-cQ
https://www.patreon.com/FoFera
Click HERE to watch Season 5 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 4 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 3 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 2 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 1 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
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!
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
Jammerzine’s The Week in #Indie for the week of September 9th, 2019 includes exclusive interviews with TC&I and former XTC bassist/singer Colin Moulding, Moon Palace, Night Tongue, and Palm Haze plus premieres from Dar.Ra, Desensitised, Otis McDonald, Peter Saputo, and Resurrection Fern.
Colin Moulding is one of my favorite bassists/multi-instrumentalists. I say this because he is one of those rare breeds that plays for the song. That, along with his TC&I partner drummer Terry Chambers, shows exactly how evident that fact is on TC&I’s new live album titled ‘Naked Flames: Live at Swindon Arts Centre‘. The music is played for the music and, what I mean by that is, that there is no ‘grandstanding’ on the instruments, however, there are beautiful re-interpretations of the classic XTC tracks that Colin and Terry were known for.
LINKS:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeyKX6mvA6dFdIx39a3S89g/videos
https://www.facebook.com/tcandimusic
https://www.facebook.com/groups/433386610411385
https://soundcloud.com/user-316294301
https://burningshed.com/tcandi_naked-flames_cd
https://burningshed.com/tcandi_great-aspirations_cd?filter_name=colin%20moulding&filter_sub_category=true
On August 23rd, Moon Palace officially release their new album titled ‘Shadowcast’! And to celebrate this new milestone in, what I consider, to be a monstrous juggernaut of an original #indie band, We get an in-depth interview with Carrie Biell, Moon Palace bassist and vocalist. Along with her sister Cat and the rest of the band, Moon Baby have solidified themselves in the minds of many and the hearts of everyone that hears them. Their music is an exciting mix of underground and demands to be heard.
LINKS:
http://moonpalacemusic.com
https://twitter.com/mo0npalace
https://moonpalacemusic.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/moonpalaceband
https://instagram.com/mo0npalace
In this Jammerzine Exclusive, we talk to, who I feel, will rapidly become legends in the #indie music scene. I am speaking of Night Tongue. Originally from Australia and based in Los Angeles, Night Tongue are the dynamic duo of Carisa Bianca Mellado and Andrew Dalziell. Their new upcoming album is titled ‘The Stag King’ out October 11th. An added bonus is they were kind enough to let us embed their new track titled ‘Flood’ off of ‘The Stag King’. Definitely worth a listen to. After you listen to that give the interview a listen. It will put a lot into perspective because we talk a lot about their style and sound, which is original and inspiring in many dark and creative ways.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/nighttongues
https://twitter.com/NightTongue
https://nighttongue.bandcamp.com
Palm Haze is a duo that knows what they want musically. And they get it with their new album titled ‘Rêve Bleu‘. Released on August 30, 2019, the album is an almost complete showcase of what Palm Haze are going for and where they are headed.
And, in this interview, we get to catch them right at that special breaking point. That point to where you, the listener of this interview, will get to say in a year that you heard about them a year ago when your friends ask you if you’ve heard of this amazing new band called Palm Haze. And in that interview, we catch singer/bassist/co-founder Anna Wagner about this special point in their career and what it’s like to be in an emerging band in this era of global #indie while on their tour through Canada.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/palmhaze
https://twitter.com/lovepalmhaze
https://www.instagram.com/lovepalmhaze
Dar.Ra has dropped his full load with the new album titled ‘New Kinda Normal’. We got a taste of what was to come with the video for ‘Diamonds in the Shadows’ back in February, but this was nothing like I suspected. That track fooled me in many ways. What I mean by that is that every song and I mean every song, not only threw me for a loop as to what I expected vs. what I got but impressed me deeply for those very reasons and much, much more.
This is a mega-diverse album, to say the least. ‘New Kinda Normal’ is not an album to pigeonhole into a single musical genre. I mean, you have everything modern from electronica to raw and raucous rock to funk to quasi-punk, and it’s not only done with earnest from a talented musician but from a true fan of each style. If you are of the mindset that you want an entire album dedicated to your style of music and nothing more, then I must confess that this album may not totally be to your liking, but, if you like an adventurous trip through the musical world of a genius, then press play and leave the controls alone. You won’t be disappointed.
LINKS:
https://facebook.com/Dar.Ra7
https://youtube.com/kushadeep7
https://twitter.com/kushadeepmusic
https://instagram.com/dar.ra.brady
Desensitised has released their new track titled ‘Emily’. ‘Power trio’ is a term that, sometimes I feel is overused when it comes to a band with three members, however, it truly fits here with Desensitised. Fits as in this is a trio with power. That power streams through the speakers with the confidence of a 50 piece orchestra and a mission, and that mission is to rock. And rock, they do.
LINKS:
https://www.desensitised.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/DesensitisedUK
https://www.youtube.com/DesensitisedUK
https://www.instagram.com/DesensitisedUK
https://www.twitter.com/Desensitised_UK
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7MyayQoHtb8xXPivCqQZJL
https://soundcloud.com/desensitised
Basked in originality and drenched in progressive creativity through a soulful sensuality on steroids comes Otis McDonald with his future classic titled ‘Body, Mind and Soul’. While harking back to the giants of Soul and R n’ B via his own musical genius, Otis gives one of those feel-good thumpers for the summer at a date that makes you wish summer was another 6 months longer. Otis manages to keep the groove in the pocket while cutting loose in a way only a true aficionado of the genre can, and that is what makes this genuine and not a knock off like we are all too used to these days. Otis McDonald is the real thing.
For those aspiring musicians out there, here is yet another reason to show Otis some respect; His music got its global start on Youtube. Read this interesting article on how he made his career through royalty-free music via Youtube HERE.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/otismacmusic
https://twitter.com/OtisMacMusic
https://www.instagram.com/otismcdonald
http://www.otismacmusic.com
https://soundcloud.com/otismacmusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ps1M3A9ck9G3gbPjllg7T?si=zX2m-sU5ShGUf9pw9c6dJw
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCej6bRv8lR48AEbQvdb_9Cg
The first thing that caught my attention about Peter Saputo’ new single titled ‘Let Me, Please?’, released today, is his voice. His voice is such a beautiful monster that simply soars over the music like a guiding light with such a power as to make you take notice. That is just the beginning, however. The music, although at times seemingly competing with the voice, is actually the voice’s best ally. By giving Peter’s vocals a solid score to soar to, the hooks become more prominent and the notes are highlighted with such an intensity that you can get trapped at the moment the song creates and really let the emotion in. This is s solid lesson in songwriting.
LINKS:
https://twitter.com/pjsaputo
https://www.facebook.com/petersaputomusic
https://www.instagram.com/pjsaputo
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCBEnlYK7qMi3VM-W0shFAQ
Resurrection Fern is one of the many new and up and coming artists promoting their music on Twitch, which is a brilliant idea considering the white noise that Youtube and Spotify have become. She has done this to the point to where is a Twitch partner, and not just for her social media skills. Take ‘Savanna’, her new single. This track is brilliant and beautiful with the glow of a talented and original songwriter who knows how to express herself musically. ‘Savanna’ is heartfelt because it is from the heart, not a song merely written for listens, but from experience.
LINKS:
https://resurrectionfern.net
http://twitch.tv/resurrectionfern
https://twitter.com/ResFernMusic
https://www.youtube.com/resurrectionfern
Click HERE to watch Season 5 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 4 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 3 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 2 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 1 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
LINK:
https://jammerzine.com
Shot in a pseudo-50s sitcom style really fits the video for the new track by Dar.Ra titled ‘Diamonds N The Shadows’. The video gives a stylistic way to tell a story in a campy comedic way. The track is five minutes twelve seconds of sonic bliss that never lets up and is comprised of an almost continuous hook. ‘Diamonds N The Shadows’ is a track that really needs to be put on a loop. It’s that melodic and tasty.
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
Jammerzine exclusive interview with Evi Vine about her new album titled ‘Black Light White Dark’ plus premieres from From Carbon, Brim Liski, Callow Youth, Tito Montana, Kristin Hersh, Paris Street Rebels, SPC ECO, Dar.Ra, and more.