Available now on iTunes, the new single from Amanda St John is the title track from recent album ‘Grow’. A well executed power ballad from the top drawer, it’s a great demonstration of the Northern Ireland born artist’s talents.
Her powerful vocal shines throughout, given plenty of room to breathe by the slow tempo and smart, subtle production. If it whets the appetite, you can also find the full album on iTunes at the link above.
Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Helen Perris is a pop songwriter based in Australia. Out now through all the usual digital outlets, her new single ‘Mirrors & Windows’ is a wonderfully infectious piece of piano pop – soulfully captured with a compellingly dark inspiration.
Written about the feeling of needing help in life but being too afraid to ask for it, the song wears its influences on its sleeve – namely the piano preferences of Ben Folds, and the powerful female role models of Tori Amos and Kate Bush.
There’s an album on the way too, so if you like what you’re hearing, find the single online and head over to www.twitter.com/helenperris to keep up to date.
When a songwriter is backed not only by an independent label (Matchbox Recordings) but by the distributing power of a major player (Universal), that’s usually a good sign in terms of quality. Based in Cambridge, song writer Elliot Porter is definitely a talent, and deserves all the backing he is getting.
A subtle writer in the vein of Damien Rice or Glen Hansard, his sound is primarily acoustic, spinning his lyrics around the tried and true combination of light percussion, acoustic guitar and piano. His vocal also bears up to the Damien Rice comparison – harsh edged and melodic, it is captured with little vocal effect in the production, giving it a real raw quality.
That raw quality is exactly what makes this a release worth recommending. If you enjoy the track above, the EP is available here from November 23rd.
Song number 19 so far in his monthly run of singles, ‘Wisdom of Crowds’ is the latest indie flecked single from songwriter Prints Jackson. His day job is to compose music for games, films and TV, and in his down time he has chosen – perhaps surprisingly – to just keep on making music.
His mission statement, started in March of last year, is to release one independent single (alongside full artwork and a video) per month, and he has promised to do so until the day he dies.
It’s one hell of a project, and admirable in its ambition. Previous singles can be found, along with the dazzling array of artwork, at http://www.printsjackson.com/, and we really hope he can keep up the schedule and quality shown so far. This is real music, from a real music lover, and thus deserves a hell of a lot of credit.
A Grammy award winning singer songwriter with over 40 years in the industry, it’s no exaggeration to call Leo Sayer a legend. Responsible for dozens of hits – including the likes of ‘You Make Me Feel Like Dancing’, Roger Daltrey’s ‘Giving it all Away’, ‘Thunder in my Heart’ and more- Sayer has returned with his first studio album in 6 years. And it’s a treat.
Titled ‘Restless Years’, the album finds a performer on great raconteur form in the autumn of his career. As a result, many of the tracks take on a certain kind of appeal, Sayer’s raw vocal flowing over lyrics that deliberate on life, the world and the music industry. It’s the kind of songwriting you can only really do once you’ve actually experienced a full life, and Leo Sayer takes full advantage.
Particularly strong songs include the likes of ‘Competing with a DJ’, which sees Sayer in self-deprecating mode – a songwriter struggling to overcome the advent of easy access digital music. Then ‘How Did We Get So Old’ is a wistful look at ageing, but from an upbeat perspective which includes a lovely whistle along section.
The album is stock full of moments like these, truly enjoyable work from a songwriter still on top of his craft.
‘Relentless Years’ on iTunes / Amazon.
UK TOUR DATES 2015
With special guest, singer/songwriter, Michael Armstrong
September
Wednesday 9th – BIRMINGHAM JAM HOUSE
Thursday 10th – MANCHESTER LOWRY
Friday 11th – WORTHING ASSEMBLY HALL
Saturday 12th – EAST GRINSTEAD MEAD THEATRE
Monday 14th – LANCASTER GRAND THEATRE
Tuesday 15th – HUNSTANTON PRINCESS THEATRE
Thursday 17th – NORWICH ST ANDREWS HALL
Friday 18th – BUXTON OPERA HOUSE
Saturday 19th – MUSSELBURGH BRUNTON
Sunday 20th – GLENROTHES ROTHES HALL
Tuesday 22nd – LEEDS CITY VARIETIES
Wednesday 23rd – PORTHCAWL GRAND PAVILLION
Friday 25th – LONDON HIPPODROME
Saturday 26th – HARLOW PLAYHOUSE
Sunday 27th – MILTON KEYNES STABLES
Tuesday 29th – DURHAM GALA THEATRE
October
Thursday 1st – ISLE OF WIGHT SHANKLIN THEATRE
Friday 2nd – SOUTHAMPTON CONCORDE
Saturday 3rd – WIMBORNE TIVOLI THEATRE
Sunday 4th – BURY ST EDMUNDS APEX
Tuesday 6th – LONDON HIPPODROME
Thursday 8th – WOLVERHAMPTON ROBIN 2
Saturday 10th – HOLMFIRTH PICTUREDOME
Sunday 11th – WARRINGTON PYRAMID & PARR HALL
Coming at 58 minutes and comprising 14 songs, the debut album from songwriter Michael Armstrong is something of a rarity in modern times. It’s a throwback to when albums had more substance and volume, when they were packed out to the full with quality tracks, as opposed to today’s equivalent – 45 minutes of music, mostly filler to make up the numbers around the singles.
A romantic notion perhaps, that the musicians of yesteryear all outweigh those of modern times, but that’s the feeling you’re left with by Michael Armstrong’s album. It’s a look back at the styles and ideas of songwriting past, giving credence to the phrase ‘they don’t make them like they used to’. It feels like Armstrong understands this point, and writes songs based on the older ways – and it pays off.
Maybe it’s the lovely production on the double layering of acoustic guitars that runs through it, maybe it’s the use of several saxophone solos throughout the album, but this is a new album not grounded in the modern. Instead inspiration comes from classic songwriters and the album is all the better for it.
It’s fitting then that one of the most moving tracks on the album is a cover of Billy Joel’s ‘Allentown’. That’s not to say that the original songs on show here aren’t great, but this cover sums things up nicely. A tribute to the good old days of songwriting, but with a contemporary sheen:
Josh Healey’s new EP Lost, Found & Lost Again is out now and is already getting national radio play for it.
The lead track, Sometimes, starts the EP with a very relaxing and laid back feel, the acoustic guitar very subtle in the background with the vocals carrying the song. There is a hint of folk in the song which carrys the song very well, breaking the song up between verses. Tom Robinson of BBC 6 Music has already been playing this track which is huge statement to how well written this track is to start off the EP.
A more upbeat track to follow with People Like You, a song to tap your feet to but a very strong message in the lyrics of the song about society today. The song helps the EP along after the lead track to show that Josh can write powerful upbeat music with strong underlining messages and make it work with more soft acoustic songs.
City of Saints has a beautiful finger picked intro that carries the song and shows off Josh’s talent on the acoustic guitar. A simple song of just Josh and his acoustic guitar in very stripped down and raw track. The title track Lost, Found & Lost Again closes the EP perfectly. The intro of acoustic guitar and piano which play throughout give the perfect accompaniment to Josh’s soft vocals in a very heartfelt track to close the EP.
Josh’s beautiful subtle tones have already been compared favourably with the legendary Nick Drake, which can’t be bad!
If you want to listen to the EP you can have a listen on SoundCloud here
The EP ‘Lost, Found & Lost Again’ is available now on iTunes here.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/lost-found-lost-again-ep/id918091270
One of the UK’s hottest new singer/songwriters 19 year old Jess Thristan has recorded a breath taking live version of her upcoming new single ‘Little Bird’. The stripped back version of the wonderfully melodic and catchy tune is a masterly piece of music that fuses classic singer/songwriting with contemporary pop sensitivities.
The new single, which is released October 20th, is a follow up to April’s ‘Side By Side’ EP which gained major national radio play and reached number 8 in the iTunes singer/songwriter chart.
‘Little Bird’ shows a progression in the development of Jess as an extremely credible writer and performer. Also recorded at the Ont’ Sofa sessions was Jess’ interpretation of the classic Beatles track ‘From Me To You’. To view ‘From Me To You’ visit the link below.
With ‘Little Bird’ already achieving national radio play on BBC Radio 2 and with a live performance already booked on Clare Balding’s radio show, the single looks certain to further Jess Thristan’s reputation.
To see Jess perform ‘Little Bird’ for the Ont’ Sofa sessions visit the link below.
Real Music Network 