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Introducing… Chalk
Chalk aka Steven Stride will released his self-titled debut album Chalk on 2nd September 2013 via Sonic Anhedonic Recording Co. The album is a wonderfully introspective journey that is fully stripped back, just a man, his thoughts and his guitar.
The album track 'In Your Suit' is available to download now via the ABoF Soundcloud page.
You can also watch the video for 'In Your Suit' via YouTube.
Beginning the album with ‘No Ones Listening’, the music sounds almost optimistic despite the lyrics: “Got all this stuff to scream but nothing’s coming out, got lost in thoughts that once I was about...” With ‘Stinted Verse’, you can definitely hear Steven’s influences breaking through, it’s a little Scott Matthews in places with the atmosphere that’s built throughout. However, Stride’s influences break far beyond the typical singer songwriter leanings you hear on first listen. The guitar and vocals heard on ‘Why Do We Have To Get Along’ sound like a stripped back version of American bands like Cursive and The Paper Chase. Steven manages to combine his more alternative influences with a sound that isn’t dissimilar to Graham Coxon’s debut solo album The Sky Is Too High. Chalk’s debut album is a highly accomplished effort, it’s a personal journey that brings highs and lows and will leave you feeling hopeful.
To support the album’s release, Steven is currently booking live shows around the UK. The first confirmed show is 27th September with Tall Ships in Guildford.
A video for the album track ‘In Your Suit’ and two free downloads - ‘In Your Suit’ and ‘Next To Useless’ will proceed the album.
Jan Roth releases debut album ‘L.O.W’
Jan Roth's brilliant debut album L.O.W is out now. The album, released via cutting edge Berlin based label Sinnbus, is packed with majestic and quirky melodies that strike a fine balance between post-rock, electronica and chamber music.
Sinnbus have already released the album track 'Kleine Freiheit' as a free download, you can download it now via Soundcloud.
Jan Roth's video for 'Siebzehn' is available to watch now on YouTube. If you'd like to hear more, digital promos are available now - email info@abadgeoffriendship.com for more information.
On L.O.W, Jan Roth takes us on a weird and wonderful musical journey. ‘Glühwürmchen’ is a quiet start but a wonderful warm-up that showcases Jan Roth's heart-achingly beautiful piano skills and feels almost post-rock like in parts. ‘Einundzwanzig’ is stunning and filmic - it's easy to imagine the track as a backdrop to a film like Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are, for example. 'Siebzehn' is as if Darkstar and Hauschka joined forces and, midway through the album, it is one of his more "poppier"numbers. However, as you enter the latter half of L.O.W's journey, more intricate pieces of music begin to creep their way in with ‘Achtzehn’, ‘Rinnsal’ and ‘Regen’ feeling like the perfect amalgamation between Radiohead's Thom Yorke and jazz pianist Brad Mehldau.
Jan Roth has previously played drums live with German musician Tim Neuhaus at many of Hundreds' live shows. He has also played on many of Clueso and Max Prosa's records as well as countless jazz bands. Jan Roth's fascination for simple, beautiful compositions is perfectly presented on this debut solo album.
Music aside, in his down time he simply likes to sit and take in the world around him. It's this dreamlike idleness and wonder that inspired L.O.W's eight perfectly formed tracks. The album is a small declaration of love to the sunny side of melancholy and a cinematic gem just waiting to be uncovered.
Jan Roth's L.O.W is out now and available to buy via iTunes and Bandcamp. You can also purchase the album on CD or vinyl via the Sinnbus shop.
‘Aerosol’ by Algernon Doll available to download now
- Artrocker Magazine
- Whiteboard Project
Algernon Doll returns with the free download track 'Aerosol', taken from his second album Citalo-pop, which is out now via Common Records.
'Aerosol' is the final release from the successful album Citalo-pop. The sophomore release has been well received with Artrocker Magazine scoring the album 5/5, as well as gaining support from the likes of The 405, God Is In The TV and Glasgow Podcart.
'Aerosol' differs from the earlier singles, 'Anti-them' and 'Cassini', highlighting Ewan Grant's introspective side. Floating harmonies are punctured by Ewan's tortured vocals and weighty lyrics. Despite the melancholic nature of the track, Ewan still has the ability to create memorable hooks and alluring choruses that draw you in time and again.
You can download 'Aerosol' below or from the ABoF Soundcloud page.
Citalo-pop is a departure from last years debut album which confronted the singer songwriter's difficulties in dealing with the toils of extreme anxiety disorder and bipolar. Citalo-pop immediately offers a freshness in comparison with the inclusion of fuzzy grunge-esque guitars, distorted, layered vocals and Algernon Doll's trademark off-kilter alt-folk sound exhibited in his releases to date.
Inspired by the likes of Red House Painters on Old Ramon, Mark Lanegan, Elliott Smith and Dinosaur Jr, Algernon Doll continues to display a maturity beyond his years by executing such a rich texture to his songwriting - something many of his contemporaries would aspire to achieve.
Songs such as the previously mentioned 'Anti-them' and 'Cassini', mark an immediate change in direction - up tempo, distorted guitars soar throughout, with driven incessant drumming and time changes galore, all brought together by Grant's emotionally charged vocals. Even the dreamier 'Home- schooled', which has a far more ominous feeling, illustrates the direction Algernon Doll has taken as the track builds slowly into a visceral, heavy outro spearheaded by Grant's expressive guitar playing and intense vocals.
Citalo-pop is a vehicle for Grant to expel his dark outlook on life while allowing him to tap into his punk and hardcore background, creating a schizophrenic sound that keeps the listener on their toes throughout the 13 tracks found on the album.
For this release, Grant has assembled a full band for live shows and has played a number dates around Scotland this year, made an appearance at Go North Festival and is currently maintaining his prolific output by recording his third album in a year.
Citalo-pop is out now via Common Records and can be purchased on the Algernon Doll Bandcamp page.
Introducing… Sunset Graves
Sunset Graves aka Andy Fosberry will release his debut album Variant on 23rd September 2013 via 3rd and Debut Records. The album is a highly accomplished journey of sound that spans genres and creates vast textured soundscapes that showcase Andy’s songwriting talent having written and played all instruments on the album himself.
The free album track 'Safe And Empty' is available to download now via the ABoF Soundcloud page.
After releasing five EPs in 2012, Andy became frustrated with his music; he decided to go back to the drawing board and strip everything back. “To find my voice, I had to stop singing...” Andy explains. The result is debut album Variant - each track on the album feels completely unique and showcases Andy’s array of influences. Tracks like ‘Sixty Minutes Sixty Seconds’ and ‘Abyssal Ghosts’ could have easily featured on Oceansize’s debut album Effloresce yet equally on a Russian Circles record. However, then there’s ‘Under the Widefield’ - a track that channels Boards of Canada through acoustic guitars and ‘Safe And Empty’, which is like an instrumental Massive Attack track. Variant feels like a brocade of Andy’s influences coming together as one, it’s a highly ambitious piece but one that feels like a personal journey as well.
It isn't obvious on first listen, but the record is very sample heavy, adding textures to the forefront and deeper structures of nearly all the tracks. Andy wanted to blur the lines between what people perceive as sample based music and music performed by a full band.
Andy’s influences span even further than what is actually heard on the album, his inspirations whilst writing Variant flit from alternative metal like Deftones to the indie electronica of Chromatics, the Blade Runner soundtrack, Slayer, Curtis Mayfield and DJ Shadow. A lot of 70s vinyl and films also influenced the recording of Variant and it’s clear to hear the latter having a hold on the sound with each of the eight tracks feeling almost filmic at times.
Andy recorded the whole album himself in his own purpose built studio, which he lovingly calls The Graveyard. However, despite the gloomy connotations, this is a place where all of his ideas and feelings are sonically birthed and forged into what you hear on Variant.
Sunset Graves is an exciting project from a real songwriters’ songwriter and marks the beginning of something very intriguing indeed.
Cherri Fosphate release single ‘Pretend’
Glaswegian four-piece Cherri Fosphate make a welcome return with the release of single, Pretend, via CTN Records and available to buy on iTunes.
Pretend quickly follows the band's successful recent EP release, Burning Youth, and perfectly highlights Cherri Fosphate's faultless ability to write memorable indie dance-floor fillers. Pretend builds slowly, as Jonny Sharpe's vocals playfully interchange with the sporadic guitar playing, rich bass lines and relentless drumming, with the track building apace into a jittery, stop start indie-rock classic.
You can stream Pretend from the embed below or from the band's Soundcloud page.
Formed in February 2010 and, consisting of Jonny Sharpe (vocals/rhythm guitar), Alan Robinson (lead guitar), Jordan Lannigan (bass) and Sonny Kainth (drums/backing vocals), the band have cited influences of key indie stalwarts like The Strokes and Bloc Party alongside current buzz bands Little Comets, Frightened Rabbit and The Maccabees.
Having been championed by BBC Introducing's Vic Galloway, Ally McCrae and Amazing Radio's Jim Gellatly, Cherri Fosphate released the EP, Burning Youth in May. This saw them gain support from the likes of Artrocker and The Vinyl District, who named the band 'UK Artist of the Week', as well as performing a session for Scottish Television.
Perfectly demonstrating the band's unique brand of drum infused guitar pop, Burning Youth came riddled with perfectly formed winding guitar pieces and resonant bass lines, driven by forceful yet graceful drums. Tracks such as 'Kerry Rodgers' and 'Wool' paint the perfect picture of danceable indie-rock. Coloured by the band's intricate fretwork, where major cords blend into explosive, powerful percussion, the band are able to create a potent record which grips the mind, body and soul.
Cherri Fosphate have supported Dry The River, The Crookes and Vigo Thieves, made festival appearances at Belladrum Tartan Heart, GoNorth and Brew at the Bog. 2013 has been a breakthrough year for the band having already sold out King Tut's in January, completed a UK tour and released the Burning Youth EP. There will be no let up with live dates scheduled for July and August as well as the promise of a further release later in the year. Cherri Fosphate will be performing live at the following venues:
- 19 July - GLASGOW - King Tut's
- 14 August - EDINBURGH - Bwani Fest
- 24 August - GLASGOW - Classic Grand
Pretend by Cherri Fosphate is out now via CTN Records and is available to buy on iTunes.