There is no doubt that Tuff Love are one of scotland's most exciting new bands. Having played with the likes of Purfect Pussy, Joanna Gruesome, Paulo Nutini and even getting a personal invite to support Ride on their triumphant comback tour; it's already been a busy and very special year for the three-piece.
Now, as the days get shorter and the winter tours begin its time for some new material and new track 'Duke' effortlessly continues Tuff Love's fine form. Taken from the upcoming EP Dregs, released on November 5th via Lost Map Records, this shimmering guitar led track is all you need to get over that sore summer hangover. Lofi fuzz and dreamy vocals take you back to that sun drenched festival feild that always feels so far away in the early September drizzle.
In November the Glasgow trio will take their exciting new EP on tour and will definitely be worth checking out. Dates are as follows:
Nov 5 – Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavík
Nov 7 - Limbo, Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
Nov 8 – Swn Festival, Cardiff Nov 9 – The Harley, Sheffield
Nov 10 – The Musician, Leicester
Nov 11 – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton Nov 12 – Dalston Victoria, London Nov 13 – Beacons Metro X DIY, Leeds Nov 14 – The Castle, Manchester Nov 15 – The Fulford Arms, York Nov 21 - Hug & Pint, Glasgow
Art Is Hard Records may only just be old enough to start primary school but they've had a pretty busy last five years. From humble beginnings releasing purely south west based bands to becoming one of the UK's most influential DIY record labels. It is no surprise then, that last Saturday's fifth birthday party, hosted over three stages at the Exchange and the Stag and Hound in Bristol, had everything.
The afternoon began in the cosy, and perhaps fittingly modest, bar of the Stag and Hound where Exeter's Skeleton Frames drenched the room in a spectacularly dark and dingy shoe gaze. After a quick nip round the corner to the Exchange it was time to see Caramel, a band I'd heard about but not listened to before the gig. Featuring members from the brilliant Joanna Gruesome, including Owen Williams (also of Grubs), the Cardiff and Bristol based band really impressed with their lively punk riffs and shouty vocals.
Sadly an awkward hotel check-in time meant we missed a few bands sets. Luckily however we were back in time for Manchester's brilliant Fruit Bomb. The four-piece treated the growing Exchange crowd to tracks like 'Normcore Girlfriend', released as part of Art Is Hard's Family Portrait compilation, and recent single 'Goin' Home'.
Fruit Bomb where not the only Family Portrait artists to bring their rowdy sounds to the party. Abattoir Blues and Bruising also made appearances at the Exchange, the latter of whom proving just why they are one of the most talked about DIY bands around at the moment despite a slight delay due to new guitar troubles.
Grubs, who are set to release their debut album on September 11th, were next on. Despite some troubles remembering their own songs the band whistled through a set that had all the charm we've come to expect from the trio and which was finished off in style with a raucous rendition of 'Gym Shame'.
Soon afterwards we found ourselves upstairs in the Stag and Hound awaiting a second set from Roxy of Grubs this time however as her own project Two White Cranes. It was a set to remember as every song was met with what seemed like endless woops from friends and fans alike. The set contained great tracks from both her debut and recently released second album and was described as her "favourite ever set" on Two White Cranes' Facebook.
After a quick ear rest it was time for the noise to really start with a string of heavy bands all in quick succession. First Birdskulls unleashed their ever darkening sound on the Stag and Hound with tracks from their imminent debut Trickle. Soon after being involved in Birdskull's very rough and sweaty mosh, Bloody Knees exploded into action in the Exchange swamping the room with the sludgy pop punk sound that has made them favourites with the likes of the NME and DIY magazine.
In a day of amazing sets it was the next that would really take my breath away. Nai Harvest, the night's special guests began with an empty looking room as people slowly stumbled in from the pummelling of Bloody Knees. That soon changed. A set that featured tune after tune from debut album Hairball and a cover of Teenage Fanclub's 'Ain't That Enough' that even got me singing along; strong praise indeed I assure you. The mesmerising set ended with a rapturous singalong to 'Buttercups' before singer Ben Thompson leapt onto bandmate Lew Currie's bass drum, taking in the crowd's sticky excitment as he flung his guitar to the ground.
As the night drew to a close there was just one question on everyone's lips: Trust Fund or The Black Tambourines? We decided to compromise, Trust Fund first then catch the end of The Black Tambs'.
A crowded Exchange eagerly awaited the much hyped Trust Fund and he didn't let his home crowd down. Shapes were thrown and lyrics were sung by a buzzing crowd. It seemed as though there was not a person in the room who wasn't loving the icon of Bristols DIY scene. A hypnotic rendition of 'Cut Me Out' glued us to the Exchange until the end of the set.
As the final bars echoed out we were on the run around the corner for The Black Tambourines. Total chaos awaited. Bodies flew around the small room. Feet swooped past heads. As the set came to an end a microphone disappeared into the crowd, then another before guitarist Josh Spencer-Fletcher was dragged above the crowd, still slashing at the strings of his guitar. The finale proved too much for bassist Jake Willbourne who found himself disappearing over the drum kit and onto the floor. And they say punk is dead!
From mellow beginnings to dazzling glory, the Art Is Hard 5th Birthday Party pretty much summed up the label's short history. It was brilliant.
It's been a long and work filled summer but finally I
have a moment to unleash my pent up musical excitement. It's been a while now
since I eagerly awaited the brilliant Grubs as they prepared to play in
Bristol's cosy Start The Bus bar. A year on and I am preparing again for the
quick trip up to Bristol to see the band again, only this time there is an
album on the way.
It Must Be Grubs will feature the bands only two
previously released tracks 'Dec 15' and 'Gym Shame'. These quick bursts of
youthful exuberance will be joined by recently streamed new track 'Windwaker'. Here
we hear Roxy Brennan (of Joanna Gruesome and many, many more) provide both main
and backing vocals along side band-mate Owen Williams (also of Joanna Gruesome,
Caramel and more).
The album is released on September 11th via
both Reeks of Effort and Tuff Enough Records. You can pre-order the record on
its own or with a t-shirt. Oh yeah, and there's a cute dog on the cover. Get ithere.
Any regular readers of this
blog will know that I adore Art Is Hard Records and by the looks of it that
isn’t going to change any time soon! While we’ve all been slaving away they’ve
continued to churn out more and more gold (in some cases literally).
A few years ago Art is Hard
introduced four bands on a compilation titled ‘Family Portrait’. One of these
bands, Joanna Gruesome, went on to win the Welsh Music Prize for their debut
album, Weird Sister. Another, Playlounge, have gone on to become one of the key
figures of UK DIY and have even hopped across the pond once or twice.
It is unsurprising then that
the thought of a ‘Family Portrait Volume 2’ sent shivers of joy down my spine.
Once again four bands came together for the compilation, which was for each of them
their first physical release.
Kicking off are Canada’s Living
Hour who provide a thick fog of shimmering shoegaze. Brighton’s rowdiest new
boys Abattoir Blues follow with gangling guitars and farce vocals aplenty. The
pair are joined by DIY band of the moment Bruising, who’ve exploded onto the
scene receiving bucket loads of love from the likes of DIY magazine, and Fruit
Bomb who share members with Nai Harvest and provide suitably up-beat indie
riffs in tracks ‘Normcore Girlfriend’ and ‘Naked’.
In more recent Art Is Hard news,
last week the label announced it’s latest release from Early Ghost. Single,
‘Now I Always Wander If I Like It Here’ is a laid back gem from the band who’ve
been seen supporting Neutral Milk Hotel. Soft, questioning vocals lie fittingly
over velvety guitar twangs and a tapped out drum beat. Released on a suitably
gold cassette, this is just really, really good.
Lastly I don’t think I’ve had a
chance to write about the new singles club, the Hand Cut Record Club. Following
on from last years pizza club this provides a new hand cut 7’ every three
weeks, of which just 50 will be made.
Falmouth’s surf punks The Red
Cords where the proud makers of the first single in the form of ‘Scratch It
Off’ and have been joined more recently by the likes of Double Denim and Dignan
Porch. Totness’s Dog are behind the latest single and it really is something
special. 'All Dressed Up Not Dancing' is only the second song the band has put out and mixes a
continuous sharp keyboard poke with soft vocals. Fans of Happyness will adore
this track and the bands other online material.
It’s perhaps fitting to end
this catch up series with Dog, a band who I believe we will be seeing a lot more of.
Definitely a band who are worth keeping an eye on.
I am one of those very lucky people
who will be attending the End of the Road Festival later this year and I can’t
wait. Mac Demarco, Alvvays, Future Islands and of course the Fat White Family,
will all be there. However there is one band that I am perhaps even more
excited to see.
Montreal’s Ought have been around for a
while and their debut album came out last April so it’s fair to say I’ve been
pretty slow here. I first saw a live video of them playing at Pitchfork music
festival in Paris and it just blew me away. Exquisitely atmospheric their sound
is timeless. Guitarist and Vocalist Tim Beeler Darcy’s punchy vocals sit
charmingly above floating keyboards and winding bass lines as the band build up
into exciting choruses to which you just have to sing along.
Debut album, More Than Any Other Day, is
full to the brim with brilliant tracks of Ought’s hypnotic cross of post punk
and indie. This really is the kind of album that you cannot stop listening to.
Girlpool’s debut EP, which I
wrote about on this very blog, was snapped up in moments by none other than
Wichita Recordings. Now they are back with a debut album in the form of Before
The World Was Big. Cleo Tucker and Harmony Trividad prove that best friends can
make simple but brilliant music together with ease.
Opener ‘Ideal World’ is driven gently by Trividad’s bass while
the pair perfectly harmonize, a feature that is dominant throughout the ten
tracks on the album. The title track sees the pair’s instruments coming
together in a way that almost seems as though they are finishing each other’s
senesces. This creates an enticing synergy that
reflects their close friendship.
There is a gentle sweetness that
makes this album about as loveable as you can get. Combined with the
fascinatingly beautiful harmonies and intriguing simplicity of just a guitar
and a bass, this makes Girlpool’s debut one of the best of the year so far.
After a quick jaunt up to Leeds my catch up continues: On my list of reasons for being
proud to live in Exeter, Birdskulls are right up there next to having a
football team who once held Man U to a nil-nil draw. It’s no surprise then,
that the announcement of their debut album, Trickle, which will be released on
Brighton based label Dog Knights Productions, really got me through the darkest
of those revision filled days.
To make things more exciting, we
were also treated to a brand new single in the form of‘Good Enough’, which premiered, on
Noisey. This is Birdskulls at their grungy best as guitarist and front man Jack
Pulman, also of the brilliant Abattoir Blues, angrily shouts “I don’t wonna go
to bed”. If the whole album is as good as this one track we are most definitely
in for a treat.
Birdskulls are off on tour
supporting Best Friends next month so look out for them and get there early to
sample some top-notch grunge.
My last post on this blog was
all about these guys. They’ had just released ‘All The Time’ from their
upcoming album Hairball. Fast-forward almost four months and that album is out
and it’s everything I could have ever hoped for!
Tracks like ‘Melanie’ and the hugely
catchy ‘Gimme Gimme’ are genuine DIY anthems backing up the fantastic early
tasters ‘Sick On My Heart’ and ‘All The Time’. Meanwhile ‘Ocean of Madness’ is
slower, but still as brilliantly memorable.
Ben Thomason and Lew Currie’s
ability to write fantastic indie pop songs full of dazzling glittery guitars
and hopping drums make this album perhaps the most fun record you’ll buy all
year.
If you’ve never listened to Nai
Harvest (where have you been hiding?!) it’s always worth remembering that ‘Hold
Open My Head’ is one of the best songs to come out of the UK’s DIY scene this
century!
Since I was lucky enough to see
Yak support Peace in Bristol in January they’ve really exploded into action. A debut
single already released and nestled nicely in my record collection and the
Plastic People EP on its way later this year, this band will be big and soon.
Yak’s first visit to Exeter was
back in February so it’s a bit of a disgrace I’m only just mentioning it. In a
support slot for Palma Violets, the band set about their fuzz filled set with
suitably rumbling bass lines and shimmering guitar feedback. The night was
young but the room was full to see one of the UK’s hottest new bands and they
definitely didn’t disappoint.
It wasn’t long before they
where back, this time with a headline slot at Exeter’s finest underground club,
The Cavern. Equally hotly tipped, The Big Moon joined Yak as supports and got
the party started with their fun filled set, which included fantastic new
single ‘Sucker’.
Soon after Yak were on, and
playful as ever. Front man Ollie Burslem presented a rather unappealing looking
buffest for audience members to pick at before singing through cardboard cups
and writhing around on the floor.
I’ve seen Yak three times now
and their phenomenally tight, gigantic sound is no doubt taking them to the
top.
Elias Rønnenfelt took a break
from the country-infused post punk of Iceage to release this gem. While
Marching Church began life as a Rønnenfelt solo project, for debut album, ‘This
World Is Not Enough,’ he is joined by a full band complete with strings and
horns.
‘This World Is Not Enough’
takes us through an array of varied sounds from the pumping drums of opener
‘Living in Doubt’ to the shrouded darkness of ‘You’re Father’s Eyes’. The
Iceage front man’s often bleak but always fascinating lyrics tie together each
song with illustrious ribbons of pure pretension.
I can see that this album will
not be for everyone. If you’re a fan of beautifully grandiose music and Nick
Cave-esque vocals this album was lovingly crafted with you in mind and you’ve
in for a treat.
Weary heads are emerging from the thick, suffocating cloud of exam time
stress and sweltering nervous anticipation. I have finally finished exams
(hopefully forever) and therefore I have returned to spread my opinions via
this deep crevice of Internet space that I call my own.
While your heads have been buried deep in textbooks, red eyes straining
to grapple with just a few more lines of Hamlet,
your ears have missed a lot. For this reason I’ve put together this little
catch up to introduce what you’ve missed and I’ve failed to rave about in the
last few weeks.
You can expect a new post every day for the next seven days as part of this feature. I hope you enjoy!
Sheffield punksNai Harvestknow how to write a tune. It was not
surprise then when, in early February, they announced that their debut albumHairballwas on its way! 'All The Time' is the
most recent of the album's tracks to appear online, bringing with it yet more mind-bending
riffs and pounding drum.
Frontman Ben Thompson’s pop vocals rudely interrupt
the tracks jumpy guitar hook to trample on a pile of feedback. His forceful,
yet playful sounding vocals stutter, "I-I-I- I want it all the time"
he shouts. The duo alternate between the punchy early riff and its insistent
pop shriek and a slower hopping section of almost funky indie sound over which
Thompson vigorously shouts "I want to break free".
'All The Time' joins the beautifully named
'Sick on My Heart', a frantic fuzz-ball of punk goodness, as the only two track
from Hairball to have appeared online as of yet. If these two beauties are
anything to go by there will no doubt be sweat next month when the band take
their noisy surf rock neighbours Best Friends on tour with them. It's not
one you want to miss!
Wakefield's finest, The Cribs, recently declared "punk rock
and indie are dead" in the steady build-up to the soon to be releasedFor
All My Sisters. Whether this hasty defence of the poppier new sound
found on the bands sixth studio album is needed remains to be seen with just a
handful of tracks online so far. The most recent of which, 'Different
Angle' leaped into the brains of many when it was premiered on Steve
Lamac's 6 Music show yesterday evening.
Unmistakably Cribsy, the wailing guitars of charismatic front
man Ryan Jarman dominate the song, continually strutting around the fret
board with the confidence of a band that have been carefully developing
their sound for over a decade. Soft coos and distant vocals sit beneath the
assertive guitars.
It's not until well into the second half of the single that the cries
of brothers Gary and Ryan smash through the wall of noise. As
the shroud of sound around the pair backs away timidly, they
repeatedly question "when you look at me from a different angle, do
you see something that you just can't handle?" Moments later
a flutter of guitar strings waves away the track into ponderous silence.
While this change of sound might not be sitting well with some
fans of retro Cribs, there is no denying they have earned the right to try
something new. While 'Different Angle' doesn't quite matched up toFor
All My Sisterslead single 'Burning For No
One', I can see that its repetitive charm could well gnaw its way into the
brains of the masses, finally giving this fantastic British band the chance to
make it big time.
So The Cribs are on the search for big time success, can you really find it in your heart to blame
them? In the meantime I can assure you, punk rock and indie are very much alive
and kicking!
Manchester's Luke Bather has been making music under
the Sorry, No umbrella
since 2010 now. His melancholy brand of lo-fi sadcore has produced some
exquisite parcels of DIY goodness, none better than 2013's charming 'Boy/Girl
Party' released as part of Art Is Hard Records fabulous Postcard Club.
Sweet chimes join a gently strummed guitar
as Bather's sweet vocals flutter in on the gentle breeze of sound. A distant fizzing
synth murmurs as the young singer wistfully exclaims, "I got a little less
excited, as the days rolled by". It's 'Boy/Girl Party's beautifully
innocent and youthful lyrics that really make it memorable, Bather softly
contemplates the excitement and gut-wrenching nerves that are synonymous to
hosting a party.
As the song grows a fog of synth buzz
bleeds into the mix of dancing drums and whispering guitars before everything
but a gentle guitar and Bather's solitary vocals plunges away into the
distance. Seconds later a cacophony of noise flitters back into action lead by
the ever present electronic buzz.
"You're all invited to the
party" Bather sings moments before the music cuts leaving just a gentle
glow of sound. If the party refereed to is the brilliant Postcard Club it's
true, this delightful track and many more from the likes of Theo Verney and
Trust Fund are availablehere for as much
money as you feel is fair.
Doesn't it seem as though The Magic Gang have been around for ages? The exciting young four-piece exploded into the crowded Brighton scene, covering onlookers with a warm exuberance that quickly spread throughout the land. There was only one thing missing from the UK's most hotly tipped new band - songs. With just two rough songs on an empty looking SoundCloud, including indie floor filler 'She Won't Ghost', the band have kept us waiting and waiting for new material.
As drowsy heads rose on yet another crisp Monday morning, soberly mapping out plans for the forthcoming week, a buzzing elation ignited within fuzzy brains. Laptops across the UK lit up with the news of a first proper single from The Magic Gang. The song in question, 'No Fun', will be released via Telharmonium Records on April 16 and its a cracker!
A rumbling bass brings in inquisitive guitar echos before heaving feedback makes way for flying riffs. As the chaotic smoke of strums clears, frontman Jack Kaye's Weezer inspired vocals take a trip on the constant wave of bass thunder. As a whirring chorus commences it's almost impossible to not imagine yourself in a sweat drenched mosh roaring along.
The long wait for 'No Fun' was indeed.. no fun, however it's eventual arrival brings with it more than enough joy and excitement to make up for it. On the evidence of this first single this will by no means be the last time we eagerly await fantastic new music from this thrilling Brighton band.
Over the last few years Brighton's Theo Verney has been building
up a bit of a reputation. Slamming bricks of sludgy distorted guitars under
raucous howling vocals to build rooms of pure noise. Now Theo's back and better
than ever.
'Mountain Rose' is the first song to appear from Verney's upcomingBrain
Disease EPand offers
up a slightly more refined sound than the unadulterated fuzz of previous
releases.Built
on foundations of sprinting guitars and a hopping drum beat, Verney's vocals
are soft, gently filling in all cracks and crevices of the chugging
verses.
A heavy riff demolishes any sense of calm as a punchy chorus
explodes into life. "I wont get knocked down!" insists Verney,
calling out from beneath boisterous guitars and crashing cymbals. The gallop of
guitars once again takes over, quickly rebuilding what was demolished just
moments before, only for it to be once again crushed under the weight of more
fearsome guitars.
A shimmering guitar solo is the perfect interlude between the
final lethal rounds of wrecking-ball guitars. The song quickly collapses out of
view leaving just a murmuring cloud of dusty feedback.
Verney'sBrain Disease EPis
out soon on Marshall Teller Records and if this first peak is anything to go by
we are in for a treat. If an upcoming EP isn't exciting enough a debut album is
also on its way to our ears in the not-too distant future!
Madrid's Hinds (formerly Deers) took 2014 by storm touring their playful summer tunes and bringing the fiesta wherever they went. Travel east to Spain's second city and you'll find group of young Catalonians. Barcelona's Mourn, from a distance seem to have popped up over night, releasing their self-titled debut LP on February 16 on Captured Tracks.
Opener 'Your Brain Is Made of Candy' paces out of the blocks before trotting along echoed guitar strums and leaping into a drum lead gallop. A sudden finish to what has become a raucous opener sounds almost as if some ludicrous person has pulled the plug on the four teenagers. They quickly set things straight by jumping into the suitable named 'Dark Issues'. Thundering drums and ragged guitar riffs create a shroud of post-punk smog which leaks slowly into your jubilant ears.
'You Don't Know Me' and 'Marshall' offer up a mesmerising few minutes of heavy head-banging guitars at the album's midpoint. 'Squirrel' then meanders towards a more indie sound with a busily bumbling bass solo which plunges into a pool of slashed guitar chords.
Youthful anger opens 'Jack' as singer Jazz Rodríguez Bueno calls out "you think you're awesome, I say you're boring, you called me a baby, I just said fuck you!". This fury continues until the albums bitter end in the form of the band's first ever song, 'Boys Are Cunts'. Scratching guitars accompany vocals reminiscent of Savages' front women Jenny Beth. Soft coos then morph into agonising screams of punk rock euphoria as the album explosively arrives at an abrupt finish.
On the surface Mourn's music is far from the dreamy indie rock of Hinds. However, as front women Bueno and Carla Pérez Vas chant "Your brain is made of candy" a fierce wave of youth power crashes against the glistening beaches of Barcelona. Despite their sound differences, Spain's two brightest new bands are leading the latest wave of exciting young European musicians and the future is looking sunny!
I've been pouring my musical heart out
onto this blog for a little while now and while I try to keep things diverse
one name seems to keep popping up. Art
Is Hard Records was, until fairly recently, my local label. Set up by
two friends, David and Richard, The label's love of local bands and links with
the UK's extensive DIY scene helped introduce me to a whole new world of noisy
pleasure.
I spoke to co-founder David about the
past, present and future of Art Is Hard.
How and why did you start Art Is
Hard?
The how feels sort of fuzzy thinking back, it just sort of happened. Me
and Richard had been talking about doing it for ages. We used to put on gigs in
our hometown of Weymouth, mainly just because we wanted to put our tiny seaside
town on the map as decent place for music. Starting a label was what we decided
to do when we realised no one was going to come to our shows.
You recently sold the last
copies of The Black Tambourines/New Years Evil split EP, your first release.
how did that feel?
We were incredibly naive and had no idea what we were doing when we put
out two tiny bands from the South West on 7". When 250 copies turned up in
my tiny bedroom I rather quickly resigned myself to taking them to my grave, so
it's with a mixture of gratitude and sadness.
What's it been like building up
a record label in the South West?
It was originally our plan to only release bands from the South West but
it didn't take us long to release most the bands we would of wanted to. We then
started getting exciting people from further afield asking us to release them,
so we had to break our own rules. I love the south west though, bands seem
quite happy just making great stuff without getting really hyped and fizzling
out like they might do in other places.
One of the great things about
art is hard is how you get lesser known bands heard through initiatives like
the pizza club and the post card club, can we expect more to come?
Definitely, this time last year me and Rich lived together and Georgie
and Jake who help us out were both close by. We've all got less time at this
year so we'd agreed it would be a silly idea to do one but then a couple of
weeks ago Rich came to stay and we had a couple of drinks and decided we really
missed doing a single's club so hopefully we should be launching the 2015
version very soon. We've got some great stuff lined up already including
singles from The Red Cords, Trust Fund and Doe as well as lots of completely
new bands.
There seems to be a sudden
increase in AIH activity involving bands from across the pond, what's it like
working with people so far away and how do those intercontinental relationships
come about?
We're in a good position where a lot of good stuff now comes to us which
is how we've ended up working with people like Shunkan and Blessin'. It's good
fun although it can be a bit tricky trying to organise stuff with the time
difference. I keep seeming to read important emails, first thing in the morning
when I wake up and then completely forget about them.
2015 marks your fifth birthday,
will you be celebrating in style?
I hope so, in terms of the wider music world which we exist in it feels
like it's going to be a really big year. All the bands we've been releasing
over the last couple of years suddenly have their debut albums coming out so it
would be fun to get everyone back together for a big party later in the year.
Maybe even a festival...should probably start planning!
If you could sign any band or
artist, old or new, who would it be?
I'm not too sure on this actually; it's not something I ever really
consider. Sort of like how I never really got celebrity crushes, it's just a
weird unrealistic thing. It would be nice to carry on working with bands
instead of being a stepping-stone for a bigger label but right now we can't
really support that.
Is there anything coming up in
2015 that you are particularly excited for?
Tons! Obviously the aforementioned single's club. We're also doing a
Record Store Day release with a dream team of other labels, the debut Shunkan album
and also the second part of our Family Portrait series.
What advice would you give to
anyone looking to start a label?
Start small and simple and be prepared to spend hours emailing people
without a response. p.s. try and just have fun.
Visit Art Is Hard's tumblr to brows the archives and get your hands on some epic free music.
I've not done one of these for a while so it's probably about time
I shared with you what I've been adoringly shovelling into my ears by the
bucket load.Idesis perhaps best known because she is
Alana McArdle, lead singer of Cardiff's noisiest indie-pop rabble - Joanna
Gruesome.
On 'Prisms', in the absence of her four band mates, McArdle is
almost unrecognisable. There is a vulnerability to the lonely partnership
of young woman and guitar as she gently calls out "simple things,
they make no sense to me". Perhaps ironically it is the songs beautiful
simplicity that gives it a sweet and relatable charm. McArdle's
heart-breaking sincerity, as she sings, "I hope that you're as happy
as can be", seems to cover a deep frustration revealed as the song softly
floats away on a gently flowing river of humming feedback.
Ides four minutes of tender bliss is available as part of Art Is
Hard records' 2013postcard
club, where the download is accompanied by a beautiful postcard.
