Jenn Champion AS

As of a couple of days ago I had never heard of Jenn Champion, but after listening to one song from her new soon to be released EP posted online by Hardly Art Records (video at bottom) I have been on a slight binge. Under the stage name S, she has produced 4 LPs to date Sadstyle, Puking & Crying, I'm Not As Good At It As You and Cool Choices. And if that wasnt enough, before her solo work she also made another 3 albums under Carissa's Wierd which consisted of her and two guys who went on to form Band Of Horses. At time of writing, I haven't heard any of CW stuff yet but I am looking forward to when that time comes greatly.

As good a starting point as any, I urge you to listen to her first solo LP below (Sadstyle) It gives a initial feel of her sound which includes part indie, part pop, part singer/songwriter and part just straight up alternative goodness. My favourite release of hers so far has to be her third LP INAGAIAY. It is probably the lightest toned release to date and I really enjoy the wide range of instrumentation that is used throughout the LP. It shows off her talent and skill as a musician, song writer and all that other good stuff.

Be sure to keep up to date for her new EP coming out later on this year HERE.

Beach Slang - Punks In A Disco Bar YTV

A bit of a taster from their upcoming second album is the single Punks In A Disco Bar from my boys Beach Slang, (when I say my boys I mean I have never actually met or even talked to any member of the band, safe to say strangers at best).  And this week isn't as much of a video as more of a still image but the music accompanying it is what counts. A brief 2:40 of a song that almost expectantly flies by with punkish charm, PIADB does a damn fine job with the instrumentation levels, not overly prioritising the vocals and truly showing off some sweet ass guitar licks and other great beats for me and you both to enjoy!.  

Wichita Recordings - July Podcast SCS

This initially may seem like a grab bag of tracks and a bit of an easy way out instead of picking just one standout song, but after you listen to this months release of the Wichita Recordings Podcast you will hopefully realise it is so much more. They pack the best of the best tracks from their signed artists like the immense cover of The Night done by Frankie & The Heartstrings, Globelamp, Fidlar and many more plus a great little interview with the talented Meg Bairdwhich inspired me to hear more of her work (incredible). It was also really satisfying to hear a bit of Los Campesinos again before their imminent album release. So if you can spare an hour, give this a listen. Enjoy!

Johnny Foreigner - If You Can't Be Honest, Be Awesome YTV

Recently pop punk seems to be coming back into my audio life, what with the massive Blink album and killer tracks like this one from Johnny Foreigner. Dual vocals that blend together beautifully with simple, strong guitars and drums to back them up. Bands like these guys do a great job keeping the classic punk rock vibes alive and accessible and that is no mean feat (not enough can be said about it in my book). JF have been with us for over a decade now, let's hope for another decade more. Enjoy! 

Frankie Ballard - El Rio JA

June has been a long month, that is for sure. Tiring and at some points a drag but the music has been there time and again to re-energise me and keep me singing along. With great albums from Whitney, Womps, Weaves and many other artists beginning with W there are many reasons to keep smiling. You can check out my full month playlist HERE. Without any further ado here we go with my top 3 picks:

Decorations - Have Fun was my third favourite album of June and it came as a bit of a surprise for me. Having not heard of the band before this release I really had no clue what they were like or how much I was going to love this album. A little bit electro pop, a little bit of indie rock and just the right amount of grandeur for my ears, Have Fun definitely has more sides to it than an a4 sheet of paper and that is a compliment from the bottom of my heart. Enjoy one of the singles 'Promise' below.

Straight out of the gate with this album I knew I was on to a winner when I heard the guttural scream of "Are We Alive". That's right, it is the Augustines third release This Is Your Life. Unlike Decorations, I had known of and listened to a lot of Augustines before this release and it is pretty safe to say I was expecting fairly big things. Thankfully I was not let down in the slightest and they delivered on every aspect. The epic ballads, the more chilled numbers with hints of electronica and the same great vocals from Mr Billy McCarthy. Easily their best work to date but it is almost expected that musicians improve over time as does everybody. Enjoy!

Perhaps a slightly surprising number one pick, perhaps not. One thing is for sure, Frankie Ballards El Rio is a absolute banger. Released in the earlier end of June, ER is packed full of 'Country Foot Stompers' that kept me smiling ear to ear all month long. His personality has a charm that comes through in the music and lyrics that I feel if another artist were to sing the same songs, they would come across as cheesy and out dated. He definitely has all the songs about the usual tropes: cigarettes, alcohol and girls but he puts a personal spin on the standard that any regular old Joe could come up with and has made a truly fresh and brilliant album. Summer afternoons in the park I hear you calling. Enjoy!

Ian Sweet - If You're Crying YTV

I'm back! Yes I took a weeks gap between posts mainly due to being busy with work and partly due to the extremely nerdy fact of obsessively playing a new video game that I have been hooked on. Anyhoo back to normality, well as close as possible as we can all be. Its Tuesday officially for just under 4 hours now so I call that perfect time for my YouTube Video post. 

As I am sure I have stated somewhere in a previous post, I am a big Hardly Art Records fan and their current roster of artists is full of heavy hitters, with one of the newer signed bands being IAN SWEET and I am loving this track from said band 'If You're Crying' off of their recently released self titled EP. Chill indie at a strong 12/10, these guys know how to craft a song. Mellow guitar lines and drum beats with vocals that soothingly touch your ears and the occasional peak dotted around for added excitement. The record seems to be dialled back just enough to keep the emotion of the lyrics and instrumentation without being in your face or screeching. Great track and am looking forward to September for the LP. Enjoy!