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Introducing… Steve Strong!
Steve Strong is Plymouth’s one man multi-instrumentalist, specialising in sweeping soundscapes and heartfelt melodies that speak to the soul. His debut album, Three Hands Tall has been four years in the making, and will be available on Vinyl and MP3 via Genepool Records on 19th May 2014.
To get a taste of Steve's sound, you can download and stream 'Marta', a track taken off his upcoming album over on SoundCloud or via the embed below.
An accomplished drummer with 15 years under his sticks, Steve decided to expand his repertoire to include multiple instruments while living and performing with Bristol-based former band Elliot Whale Boy. After a self taught crash course in production, Strong was soon building live guitar loops and overdubbing drum tracks to create his first solo projects. From those first few dalliances with composition, the project grew into Three Hands Tall, and he enlisted the help of friends Scott Brown (guitar/vocals) and Jack Joyce (bass/vocals) to join him on stage for live performance alongside And So I Watch You From Afar, LITE, and This Will Destroy You.
Very few artists can boast having poured four years of their lives into their debut album, but Steve’s dedication and ability to completely immerse himself in the songwriting process has created something that is a reflection of those four years, an organic sonic catalogue of all the trials and tribulations faced by an individual recording his personal masterpiece. Recorded in in Plymouth’s dBs Studios with producer, and close friend, Jay Auborn, Three Hands Tall blends elements of Math-Rock with heavy influences from Four Tet and Squarepusher’s instrumental albums. Strong creates a captivating and genre-defying sound that fills the room, painting the air with sonic pictures.
With a new EP and a selection of live performances scheduled for Summer 2014, Steve Strong’s complex and experimental style is set to hypnotise the UK.
Three Hands Tall is released on 19th May 2014 via Genepool Records.
Fat Goth release video for ‘Class A’
"You'll be none the wiser by the end of it all, but much richer for stumbling in to Fat Goth's odd little universe."
- Kerrang! Magazine
Fat Goth are crashing your house party with their latest piece of visual art, the pinnacle of cinema verité that is the video to 'Class A'. It's already been premiered exclusively by Kerrang!, and now it's available to watch on the band's YouTube channel.
Frontman, and all round lothario, Fraser Stewart had this to say about the inspiration behind the video:
“In order to give the video a humorous edge, we thought it might be funny to act like the kind of people you would never want at a house party and try to capture all the awkward and unpleasant instances resulting from unprecedented arrogance, intoxication and general sleaziness. In reality we’re invited to parties all the time due to our celebrity stature. Our friends who star in the video all found it extremely difficult and upsetting to show disdain for us on camera because they love us so much and are in awe of our brilliance. The girls who slap my face were particularly emotional and it took a long time for them to dry their tears after each take. Bless ‘em.”
You can also download 'Sweet Mister Scary', a track taken from their upcoming album One Hundred Percent Suave via Kerrang!'s SoundCloud page.
'Sweet Mister Scary' is also available via Fat Goth's official SoundCloud page.
One Hundred Percent Suave is released on 12th May 2014 via Hefty Dafty with support from Creative Scotland.
Introducing… The Cadbury Sisters!
"…beautiful harmonies and gorgeous vocals."
- Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music
- Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music
The Cadbury Sisters release their debut EP Close via Fear Of Fiction on 16th June 2014. Like all the interesting things in life, they come with a secret - their great great grandfather was William Cadbury, the man behind the world famous chocolate company. Jessica (vocals and percussion), Mary (vocals and electric guitar) and Lucy Cadbury (vocals and acoustic guitar) are his direct descendants and yes, they are all sisters. Their goal is simple; to take the spirit of traditional English Folk music, infuse its DNA with contemporary influences such as Fleet Foxes, Daughter and First Aid Kit before disseminating it into the world. If Cecil Sharp House were run by Saga Noren this is how its corridors would sound.
The Cadbury Sisters live in a half forgotten dream, inhabiting places we remember, yet sometimes feel uneasy about returning to. Their music is a meld of harmony, discord and mindfulness, their songs the sonic equivalent of watching Swallows And Amazons or The Railway Children inter-spliced with The Wicker Man or Lord Of The Flies.
The gorgeous video for 'Milk' has already been premiered by Gigwise, but you can also watch it via The Cadbury Sisters YouTube channel.
The trio played 20 festivals last year including 2000 Trees, Cambridge Folk, Mosely Folk, Hard Rock Calling and Blissfields and have supported George Ezra, Dry The River, Stornoway, The Staves, Treetop Flyers and Caitlin Rose. Former Blur drummer and XFM DJ Dave Rowntree will also be remixing the single Milk, from the EP. Rowntree and Cadbury - it’s a marriage made in heaven!
Opening track ‘Milk’ and closer, ‘Fire’, showcase the burning crescendos that set The Cadbury Sisters apart from their contemporaries. ‘Lolita’ and ‘You Choose’ embody the forbidden fruits of lust, covetousness and jealousy, while the delicate ‘Quarry’ hints at early Kate Bush or Pentangle in its harmonies, yet its accessibility firmly evokes Rumours era Fleetwood Mac.
Close will be receiving a dual launch at The Islington, London June 11th and The Louisiana, Bristol 12th June. They’ve also confirmed festival appearances at The Bristol Folk Festival, 2000 Trees Festival and The Alternative Escape in May and have picked up radio play from the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, BBC 6Music’s Tom Robinson, and XFM’s John Kennedy.
Close is released16th June 2014 via Fear Of Fiction.
Scary People release EP ‘Chicago!’
Scary People have released their second EP Chicago! via RedRoom Recordings and is available to buy on the band's official Bandcamp page.
The band demonstrate from start to finish their raw, take no prisoners brand of rock and roll with the intense opening title track ‘Chicago!’ leading a glorious assault on your speakers.
If Smoke showcased a band that were honing and developing their sound, then Chicago! takes that sound and confidently pulverises you until you are begging for more. Scary People are a powerhouse of technical prowess, with tunes that force you to intently listen, with few moments of quiet reflection - each track ups the ante until explosive closing track ‘Crush The Bug’ as it culminates in a shower of pure, unadulterated foot-stomping noise.
To give fans a taste of the upcoming EP, the band released two free tracks, 'Crush The Bug' and title track 'Chicago', which you can stream and download from our SoundCloud page.
Check out the live session Scary People recorded for their track, 'Crush The Bug' on the band's YouTube channel or via the embed below.
Born from the partnership between two tour technicians, Scary People had only one week to form a band and rehearse a set before their first gig at a sold out show in Dundee. Rising to the task, Dan Forouhar (guitar/vocals) and Scott Anderson (drums) called upon close friends, Steven Anderson (guitar/vocals), Jamie Brown (bass) and Troy Lynch (guitar), to join them to prepare for a show that would immediately gain them an impressive crowd response and, since then, a dedicated following.
Having recorded and produced both EPs independently, Scary People maintain their fiercely independent and strictly DIY ethic towards all of their creative outlets; including promoting their own shows, directing their own videos and printing their merchandise by hand. They’ve already gained outstanding coverage from the likes of Artrocker Magazine (who are streaming the EP in full), Jim Gellatly in the Scottish Sun, The Skinny, BBC Introducing, and a UK Artist Of The Week feature on the US website The Vinyl District, as well as performing live with the likes of The Cribs.
Chicago! is available now via RedRoom Recordings and is available to buy on the band's official Bandcamp page.
Penguins Kill Polar Bears release album ‘Building Homes From Broken Bones’
Penguins Kill Polar Bears have released their debut album, Building Homes From Broken Bones via So Say We All. Each song flows effortlessly into the next with the boys taking their songwriting to a new level, smoothing out the rougher edges of their previous EPs and transforming their sound into something more intelligent, thoughtful and esoteric.
You can listen to and download album track 'Lungs' on the band's official SoundCloud page, or from the embed below.
You can also stream and download 'Scarce', the first track made available as a free download, from SoundCloud.
Although they take the music seriously, their influences stretch far, from the aforementioned post-rock greats to Smashing Pumpkins and Limmy’s Show.
PKPB have already played sold out shows with The Twilight Sad, And So I Watch You From Afar, The Xcerts and British Sea Power, even ‘the curse of the merch stand’ hasn’t put them off playing a blinding live set; every time they’ve set out on tour their merch stand has either been robbed or set on fire!
Now the line-up is complete with Gregor Graham taking on bass and vocal duties, the Linlithgow lads - Ben Proudlock, Fraser Sanaghan and Kieran McGuckian - are ready to represent as one of Scotland’s finest young exports.
Catch Penguins Kill Polar Bears live at one of the following dates:
Sat 19th April - Broadcast - Glasgow
Sat 10th May - Tunnels - Aberdeen
Building Homes From Broken Bones is released 7th April via So Say We All. Buy it on iTunes.
If you'd like more information on Penguins Kill Polar Bears or our PR services, please email info@abadgeoffriendship.com.