Whispering Sons are Sander Hermans (synth), Fenne Kuppens (vocals), Kobe Lijnen (guitar), Sander Pelsmaekers (drums) and Tuur Vandeborne (bass). The band just wrapped up a mini-tour with The Soft Moon, but look forward to a series of shows with Gang of Four and headlining a series of European live dates in November in support of this album.
This is the first major release for this Brussels-based outfit since their ‘Endless Party’ EP in 2015. This new release represents what the band describes as a “giant leap forward”. Together with producer Micha Volders and engineer/co-producer Bert Vliegen, the band used their time in the studio as a means to broaden their sound, enriching it with acoustic drums and a whole range of synthesizers.
This album, recorded over a period of ten days at GAM Studios in Belgium, evokes an atmosphere that is ominous and urging while capturing the band’s live intensity. Mixed by Bert Libeert (Goose, B, Raving George – Charlotte de Witte) at Jetson Studio and mastered by Frederik Dejongh (Hooverphonic) at Jerboa Mastering, this work is tinged with angst and isolation. Lyrically these songs stem from alienation, distance, and inertia.
The songs on ‘Image’ were written after the band collectively moved to Brussels in 2016. Between intense touring, they channeled their new ideas into the music found on this album. Feeding on the dynamics of the city, the tracks unveil feelings of alienation and distance. ‘Image’ is a motionless state, in which observations overshadow actions. It reflects the artificiality of things, yet still desperately clings on to ideas and obsessions, something which is also strengthened by the cover artwork, created of Flor Maesen.
Whispering Sons won Belgium’s prestigious Rock Rally in 2016, the same national contest that launched the career of dEUS. Since then they released several 7 inches – ‘Performance/Strange Identities’ (2016) and ‘White Noise’ (2017), and the ‘Endless Party’ EP. Touring extensively in Europe, they’ve developed a reputation for their animated performances.
As of October 19, the ‘Image’ LP will be available everywhere, but it can already be ordered via Cleopatra Records on CD and also digitally via Bandcamp.
SOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
http://www.whisperingsons.com
https://www.facebook.com/WhisperingSons
https://whisperingsons.bandcamp.com
https://twitter.com/WhisperingSons
https://www.instagram.com/whisperingsons
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7AFnJzNQsK_bRA5Dwi3z9w/videos
https://soundcloud.com/whisperingsons
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2iIBcGbTd24FtVwuP9o2OT
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/whispering-sons/1068572713
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Clark Twain – Fly High (Like Richard Branson)
Sanguine indie pop artist Clark Twain has announced his debut single ‘Fly High (Like Richard Branson)’, a fun and upbeat track that is infectious with high positivity. Hailing from Austin, Texas, this song is the first single off his coming debut album ‘Life is Wonderful’.
The fun, high-flying accompanying video was directed by Vanessa Pla, who also co-produced it with Clark Nowlin. His music is influenced by Death Cab for Cutie, the Flaming Lips, Ben Kweller, and John Mayer. Thematically, for this single and the accompanying video, he also took inspiration from an unlikely, but intrepid source – Richard Branson.
‘Fly High’, which features a soundbite of Richard Branson speaking excitedly about flight at high speeds, is dedicated to the Virgin mogul and is timed to release on July 18, Branson’s birthday. With an ardent sense of optimism, he looks forward to a “world with color; a journey with many turns”, asserting “where we’re going, it’s going to be one hell of a ride”.
“I want to live a life like my biggest hero Sir Richard Branson, so I figured the best way to start was to do things that terrified me. I got my hands on a houseboat (Branson lived on one until he was 30) and then a private jet, and the vision for reenacting his life story in a music video was born. Making this music video terrified me. With it behind me, I learned that fear is always smaller when it’s behind you! Thanks for the inspiration Richard to challenge me and push my own boundaries,” says Clark Twain.
“Fun, adventure, and business as a force for good – these are the ingredients of Branson’s life and my own. We both love rock n’ roll and shaking things up for good. That’s what this video is all about it. It honors Sir Branson and I hope it inspires others to take this on!”
Clark Twain is the solo moniker of Clark Nowlin, who began playing guitar at 10, cutting his teeth on Metallica and Nirvana covers with friends in the attic and starting his first band a few years later. He eventually quit his day job to fully immerse himself in the world of music “because the gig money put enough gas in my tank”. After touring and recording with Tim Halperin and Marshall Young for a few years and supporting various artists, he amassed recording gear, learned the ropes, and began producing various musical projects.
“I knew that if I didn’t make a solo album and put out my own music, it would haunt me. That’s what I’m doing now. In an honest state of writing about what’s real for me – a song that embodies my own aspirations – that’s how this single was born,” says Clark Twain.
“Last November, I went to Cozumel for 11 days. The only book I brought with me was Richard Branson’s autobiography ‘Losing My Virginity’, which inspired me to write this song and make a music video re-enacting the big pieces of his story: adventure, business as a force for good, and of course fun. I decided to throw myself into all of these situations… a lifelike Sir Richard’s is one of great fun and chaos!”
Clark dedicated a solid 6-month block of time to working on his new material, beginning in January of this year, and splitting time between Elmwood Studios in Dallas, Clark’s home studio in Austin, and in Denton, Texas with Brack Cantrell, one of Clark’s all-time favorite producers, who also mixed his new material. Mastering was performed by Jon Törnblom.
“If music is to serve any purpose, it’s to remind us that we’re alive and that we’re not alone. For me, making it is a sign that I’m alive. Connecting with it is a sign that this big mysterious journey called life isn’t new territory and that whatever situation we’re in – someone’s already been there and has made it through,” says Clark Twain.
“I’m an eternal optimist and truly believe the best is yet to come in our experiences here on Earth. If there’s a shred of this hope embodied in this music, I’ve achieved my goal. I hope that these sounds put a little wind-in-your-sails when needed on a still day.”
The song eventually meshes into Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ – the first album released on Virgin Records. In fact, this label was created for the purpose of putting out this record. It quickly became an international sensation, selling tens of millions of records and becoming the theme for “The Exorcist”. This success allowed Virgin Records to sign the Sex Pistols, XTC, and many groundbreaking artists and eventually artists such as The Rolling Stones and Janet Jackson. ‘Tubular Bells’ was the initial snowball that got enough momentum to create the avalanche we know as the Virgin empire today.
LINKS:
http://clarktwain.com
https://www.facebook.com/Clark-Twain-1563597527101436
http://www.instagram.com/clarkin
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvpeieaYohK7OkHgeyk82KQ/videos
https://soundcloud.com/clarktwain
https://clarktwain.bandcamp.com -
Small Town Titans – Dragonfly
York, PA heavy rock band Small Town Titans have released the Official Music Video for their heartrending single, “Dragonfly”. “Dragonfly” is vocalist Phil Freeman’s celebration and memorial of his mother’s life and tragic passing.
“This song was written for my mother. She passed away in February of 2017 after a three-year battle with cancer. She loved dragonflies which happen to have deep spiritual significance in many traditions and cultures, representing love, freedom of spirit and compassion. She embodied all of these qualities…The intent of this song is to celebrate her life and bring a little light and love to anyone who may be dealing with the grief of losing someone to illness. She was and is an amazing soul, and I hope this song captures a tiny glimmer of her spirit for the person listening to it.”
– Phil FreemanThe Small Town Titans are a power trio from York, PA who love to constantly create, as well as play live. Gone is the notion that a rock band should only release 10 songs at a time every 2 years. In a world where music fans crave new content constantly, the Small Town Titans aim to deliver their brand of art all of the time, drawing inspiration from a new wave of rock bands such as Highly Suspect and Royal Blood, and rock legends such as the Foo Fighters, Audioslave, and Deep Purple. Thanks to their efforts at assembling their own studio in a basement, STT can create and release songs, podcasts, live online concerts, and more with no rules. This artistic change in attitude stems from touring for the better part of 2 years, and realizing how difficult it really is.
After coming home from their last 30-day run, the band had made $4,000. After repairing their vehicle, restocking their merchandise and more, the band was left with $1,000. After putting most of that back into the band’s funds, as usual, each member took home $150. This startling reality made STT take a step back and evaluate themselves as a band, a brand, and a business. After firing their manager, the boys soldiered on with the help of their team at Round 2 Records. They began to truly treat Small Town Titans as a legitimate small business more than ever before. Unnecessary expenses were cut, and more creative and innovative sources of new revenue were explored, such as utilizing the direct to fan creation platform Patreon, where the band is currently making $200 every time they release a new song on YouTube.
Instead of trying to make a million fans, STT is focusing on the fans they already have. With a love for playing live, a Small Town Titans show has evolved into more than a concert. It’s an event, with a setlist that’s decided right before the show, and plenty of stage banter in between songs. The band simply hits the stage to deliver an energy driven show using guitars, drums, and their voices. Nothing more, nothing less. This approach to their live performances has led to them sharing the stage with acts such as Highly Suspect, Papa Roach, Black Stone Cherry, Pop Evil, and more.
By focusing on their engagement with social media and managing themselves, Small Town Titans are growing like never before and having more success as a business and a brand. The band just wrapped up a weekend-long recording session at Hybrid Studios with friend Kevin Soffera, drummer for Seether on the 5x platinum selling record Disclaimer II, and who STT also recorded their last album Reflection with. Six brand new songs were recorded live in the studio, as well as professionally filmed by Springwood Productions at the same time. These new songs and videos will be released throughout the rest of 2017 and 2018. Songs range from the hard-hitting “Me, Myself, and Monster” and “Wreck” to the ballad “Dragonfly”, an emotional song written in memory of Phil’s mother, who passed away earlier this year due to cancer, performed live with just one voice and an acoustic guitar.
Small Town Titans are actively forming a team of like-minded individuals in the new music business who are just as driven and passionate as they are, rather than waiting to be discovered. As the band continues to grow their fan base online this year, they will also hit the road, this time with a smarter game plan, a stronger fan base, and a passionate team behind them.
LINKS:
http://smalltowntitans.com
https://www.facebook.com/smalltowntitans
https://twitter.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.instagram.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.youtube.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.patreon.com/smalltowntitans -
SPC ECO – Under My Skin
SPC ECO (pronounced Space Echo) has officially released their new video for the single “Under My Skin”. Hauntingly eloquent in delivery and beautifully persuasive in execution, SPC ECO captures a spectacular lucid dream with a video that’s as charming as it is eclectic.
About SPC ECO
Electronic dream pop duo SPC ECO present their single ‘Under My Skin’, which also just featured in Series 6 Episode 7 of the MTV series ‘Teen Wolf’.“It was fantastic to wake up and hear what had happened with the Teen Wolf sync. Under My Skin is very close to both mine and dad’s hearts so it couldn’t have been a better track for something like this to happen to,” says SPC ECO vocalist Rose Berlin.
SPC ECO is comprised of alternative electronic maverick producer Dean Garcia, the musical mastermind behind seminal alternative rock band Curve, and his daughter Rose Berlin.
Rose is a Sound and Light artist, having graduated from Camberwell College of Arts in 2013 with a first class honours degree. She experiments with the potential for sound and light to be used as atmospheric mediums, intent on bridging the gap between art and music. She has exhibited her work in various shows around London and, in 2015, was selected to showcase her work as part of the Venice Biennale. Rose is currently making artwork for a show in London.
For his whole life, Dean Garcia has been sculpting sound to create alternate-universe pop hits that simultaneously straddle several genres. Apart from a decade with SPC ECO and nearly 15 years with Curve, Garcia has also toured the world several times and recorded multiple albums with such established artists as Eurythmics, Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, Bryan Ferry, Sinead O’Connor and Ian Dury.
On ‘Under My Skin’, Rose Berlin is at her most vulnerable and tender, expressing her lament in crooning fashion. This lustrous finely-spun SPC ECO track is so well delivered that she seemingly placates any emotional wreckage that might otherwise be felt. Beginning with the words “I’m done crying for moments I once adored”, Berlin seems to sing on a wavelength connected directly to your soul.
“There was a truly emotional earthquake between Rose and myself due to a personal ongoing issue, which left us both scarred and in tears,” explains Dean Garcia. “One hour later to mend us both, I asked her if she would like to sing on the sad piano song again and she sang what you hear on the track. Driven to tears once again but for the polar opposite reasons this song is the epitome of the unquestionable love and bond that only occurs between family.”
Unquestionably one of the most prolific bands today, SPC ECO (pronounced Space Echo) are currently on a roll. Over the past year, they have released ‘Dark Matter’ and ‘Anomalies’ on Saint Marie Records, both to critical acclaim, in addition to two albums released through Dean’s side projects S T F U (with Preston Maddox of Bloody Knives) and M A D (with Monty from The Jesus & Mary Chain).
The video for ‘Under My Skin’, created by Harry Kite Garcia, was filmed on Hornsey Lane Bridge – otherwise known as Suicide Bridge.
‘Under My Skin’ was originally released on the album ‘Dark Matter’, which is available digitally, on CD and vinyl through Saint Marie Records. This EP also features ‘Found’ and ‘Meteor’, several other haunting, minimalist tracks that are nothing short of breathtaking. This EP is being made available via SPC ECO’s Bandcamp.
LINKS:
http://spceco.com
http://www.facebook.com/SPCECO2
http://spceco.bandcamp.com
http://soundcloud.com/spc-eco
http://twitter.com/spceco
http://youtube.com/spceco
http://spceco.tumblr.com