On 5^th November, Downtown Patriots released ‘Lose a Little Faith’’.

Danny Watts is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer who started Downtown Patriots. He wanted a sound that captured his love of grunge but with a modern twist of energy. Originally hailing from Colchester, Danny trained as a sound engineer. He then worked in various London production houses, before opening his own writing and production studio in Southwark.

Now, Danny has left the congestion of the city and lives a rural life in Woodbridge. But he continues to write and produce music as a solo artist.  His latest project – Downtown Patriots – is a one-man tour-de-force of electro-pop rock that has inspired him throughout his life.

Downtown Patriots latest single, ‘Lose A Little Faith’ is based on the poem ‘Footprints In The Sand’. The words are set against an upbeat modern day grungey anthem.

About the track, Danny says, “The track was written on the 14th and 15th January 2003, two weeks before my daughter was born and recorded later that year. The track was later re-recorded in 2023 for release on the ‘We Don’t Need You’ EP. This is the first time in 20 years the track has been released.”

We’ve previously heard the title track from that EP – ‘We Don’t Need You’ (Week 102, October 2023) –  plus ‘Said and Done’ (Week 93, April 2023) ‘Your Burden’ (Week 102, June 2023).

Downtown Patriots have a website, at downtownpatriots.com, and are on Facebook, Insta, TikTok, Spotify and YouTube.

 

‘A Lot of People Hate Me, Who Haven’t Met Me Yet’ is from The Two Man Travelling Medicine Show new album ‘Folkadelica’

We’ve previously heard ‘I’m so angry I could vote’ (Week 114, September 2023) which – like ‘A Lot of People Hate Me, Who Haven’t Met Me Yet’ – from The Two Man Travelling Medicine Show new album ‘Folkadelica’. The album dropped on 10th November 2023. We’ve also heard ‘Boomtown’ (July 2021, Week 2) and ‘Life’s Quite Bland’ (December 2021, Week 24) from The Two Man Travelling Medicine Show.

Dorset’s best kept secret return with their third album ‘Folkadelica’. Recorded and mixed in a shepherds hut in a dark Dorset corner. 11 original songs cover topics such as love, life, death and politics. Expect fairground vibes and beautiful melody. Some real surprises from flat out punk rock to wistful Folkadelia. Insightful, biting lyrics with tongues planted firmly in cheeks.

This eight piece outfit incorporates banjo and fiddles to a lovely punky backdrop. Eight-piece harmonies are the icing on the cake.

You can follow The Two Man Travelling Medicine Show on Facebook, Spotify, YouTube and Apple.

 

Nick Edwards released ‘Grown Men Shouldn’t Cry’ on 10^th November.

UK singer/songwriter Nick Edwards released a brand new single, ‘Grown Men Shouldn’t Cry’. It brings a contemporary edge to the thriving UK country scene.

Nick explains, “I promised regular releases, and we are excited for you to hear this one, as we feel this one has something slightly different to offer than my previous records. A lot of my releases to date have been about love and connection, and this one touches on a subject I feel is important to me.
As the title suggests, the lyrics touch on the age-long belief that grown men should suppress their feelings, and in today’s world, it is hard to see that this is still a thing in our society. Throughout history, emotion has been considered a weakness in many cultures, or even a feminine thing. There still seems to be this suggestion that men should be strong, brave and confident, and whilst it is important to be strong through life’s various challenges, everyone who knows my story knows that I wear my heart off my sleeve and am not scared or ashamed to show my emotions.
I’ve always felt most alive when I can really feel a moment or connect with someone from the heart. It’s something I credit in myself, and I feel most at ease when in a similar company. I just feel this song is an important one, as I couldn’t imagine suppressing such a feeling. It’s a subject I feel still needs to be addressed in our society today.”

You can follow Nick on YouTube, Insta, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter.

 

‘To Every Purpose Under Heaven’ is from John E Vistic’s new EP, ‘Humanz are Bastardz’, which dropped on 10th November.

Multi-instrumentalist and award-winning, London born (raised in Australia) songwriter John E Vistic plays a unique brand of punk, rock n roll & alt country. ‘Humanz are Bastardz’ is a raw, visceral and vicious aural attack, with an existentialist theme. This release follows the 2021 album ‘Under the Volcano’ plus recent singles ‘Das Ubermensch’ and ‘Spiderz’.

Vistic are no strangers to the big stage, with many festival appearances and live shows. Their live show is sweaty, loud and intoxicating. It’s an irresistible, unstoppable, larger than life force of nature.

You can follow John E Vistic on YouTube, Insta, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Spotify and Bandcamp.

 

‘I Wanna’ was released by The Too Late on 16^th November.

We’ve heard a few tracks from The Two Late (‘One Hit Love’ (Week 50, June 2022), ‘Psychological Warfare’ (Week 54, July 2022) ‘Summer Lovin’ (Week 65, September 2022) and ‘Just Don’t Tell Me’ (Week 98, May 2023)) ‘I Wanna’ is the latest release from Glasgow’ 4 piece indie/pop band. It’s a song that’s sure to hit you with a dose of nostalgia.

Taking elements and influences from several decades of music, The Too Late create a modern indie/pop hit with elements of classic rock combined with the bands signature twist. Simple yet enchanting vocals alongside a plethora of slick guitar riffs offer fans a good time at the simple press of play.

‘I Wanna’ is the band’s 8th release and rounds the year off on a high for The Too Late. Having only become a full band at the turn of the year, Connor, Ryan, Matthew & Donal have gelled giving the vibe of a band who’ve been together for years. The Too Late look set to make 2024 their year. They already have Summer festival dates confirmed and upcoming gigs secured for the first 6 months of the year.

The Too Late are on Spotify, Insta, TikTok and Facebook.

 

Unknown Territories released ‘Broken’ on 17^th November.

Unknown Territories is a Mancunian super-group of sorts. What started out as an idea between Rikki Turner (Paris Angels) and Martin McLaren grew into a project. Because Seán Crossey, Esther Maylor (Heavy Salad), Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets), Lewis Jones and Callum Croston joined them.

During the Summer of 2022, Rikki, Martin and Seán invited Esther along to record vocals on tracks the three had been working on. Lewis and Callum produced them, at Spirit Studios in Manchester. The idea then grew. Tom ended up getting involved on a few tracks along with Seán appearing on a number of spoken word tracks.

‘Broken’ is the first single from the forthcoming album. It features Esther’s gorgeous lead vocals. Big beats and thumping bass is the order of the day here, this may be Mancunian born but these are Unknown Territories.

Seán says, “Unknown Territories is the project I’ve been working on with some extremely talented friends and I’m proud to say we’re releasing the first single to be taken from the forthcoming album on. This has been a labour of love from all involved.”

You can follow Unknown Territories on Facebook.

 

‘Uyeasound Nocturne’ is from Nordic Viola’s new album ‘Elsewhere Elsewhen’.

Nordic Viola will take you on an extraordinary journey in words and music to the Faroe Islands, Orkney and Shetland, Iceland and Greenland. The islands are bound together by a common seafaring heritage and share musical and cultural connections. In a programme shaped by travelling in the region, immersed in the culture of the Far North, viola player Katherine Wren shares contemporary reflections, traditional melodies and personal testimonies that are shaped by vast northern landscapes.

Founded in 2016, Nordic Viola is a flexible ensemble of woodwind and string players forming musical and cultural connections in the North Atlantic Region with an emphasis on contemporary music and its relationship with traditional forms. They have performed in the Faroes. Iceland and Greenland.

Nordic Viola have a website, at nordicviola.wordpress.com, from where you can pre-order the album.

 

Emma and The Fragments released ‘Lonely Star’ on 23^rd November

Based in East London with a sound fully capable of shaking the entire planet, Emma and The Fragments are putting the finishing touches to their upcoming EP ‘Beneath the Polite Surface’. Ahead of that, they are releasing an irresistibly addictive, second single ‘Lonely Star’. Loaded with the dynamic energy of their signature sound, plus hooks that confirm the band is set to dominate the end of this year. With their cleverly versatile vibe and exciting hybrid music, ‘Lonely Star’ is guaranteed on ever playlist in 2023.

A memorable animated video accompanies the track. It brings the emotion and imagery of the song to life with the central character of a star, longing to fit in with the world which surrounds it.

Join Emma and the Fragments as they release their most gripping material to-date. To find out more about them, check out their social media via their linktr.ee page.

 

On 1^st December Abz Winter released ‘Are You Good’.

We’ve previously heard ‘Wasted Energy’ (Week 106, July 2023), now she is seeing the year out with a bang! With her fresh, new artistic vision, Abz is making her mark. Plus she is finishing this year with a banging tune, ‘Are You Good?’

She has seamlessly evolved from pop to a mixture of pop/rock/punk whilst maintaining her signature powerhouse vocals. With her latest release, Abz says “I wanted to add to my previous style, breathe new life into it, these are genres I am very much in love with musically and adding these styles into my music has been so much fun, empowering, and a real game changer.”

‘Are You Good?’ celebrates youthful chaos, using thundering crescendos and a big anthemic chorus, the lyrics, emotionally vulnerable and from her heart. Abz comments, “You know when you see your ex with someone new for the first time, you get that horrible feeling deep down in your gut like someone has just punched you, well I got that twice over when I saw his new girl on Insta, the total opposite to me ‘blonde hair blue eyes’ – ‘a Cara Delevingne’ even though he swore I was everything he was looking for in a girl.”

Abz Winter has a website, at abzwinterofficial.com, and is on Facebook, Twitter, Insta, Spotify, Apple and YouTube.

 

‘Shovelling Hopes and Dreams’ is the title track from Sasha Dawe’s new album.

Namibian born artist Sasha Dawe, previously known as David Stars, defies genres. His eclectic style fuses post-punk folk, shoe-gazing sound, and insightful storytelling. Drawing inspiration from the Norwegian German shoe-gazing sound, Sasha’s music questions deeply held assumptions while exuding a sublime youthful freedom. It also weaves intricate narratives that connect with the soul, offering a unique perspective on societal observations. His début album is an all-encompassing sound, incorporating, mesmerising alternative country with blues.

The album features his soothing vocals and melodies throughout that exude a country-pop essence. The songs possess a raw authenticity that resonates deeply with listeners. ‘Shovelling Hopes and Dreams’ immerses listeners in a country-infused soundscape, creating a tranquil atmosphere with its stripped-back arrangements.

In his own words, Sasha Dawe explains the essence of the title track, stating, “This song is about the journey away from home, chasing the infinite that exists within our dreams, hopes, and aspirations. It’s about embracing the experience of living while also yearning for the peace of mind that can only be found by taming the fire within.”

You can follow Sasha Dawe on Facebook.

 

The McKenzie FIX will release ‘Time Tunnel’ on 8^th December.

Ewan McKenzie’s musical journey began in the late 1990s, with early demos championed by Peter Whitehead. He appeared on industry unsigned compilations with the likes of Stereophonics, and he attracted interest from major record label Arista. Prior to The McKenzie FIX, Ewan was lead singer with the Edinburgh band Emporium.

The McKenzie FIX follow up their recent release, ‘The Beginning of the End’ (which we heard recently (Week 123, November 2023)), with the contrasting new single ‘Time Tunnel’. The song combines the flair of modern indie with the huge sound of new-wave. As a result, the music has an 80s-inspired touch while maintaining a modern sound that fits the vibe of the band’s aesthetic. ‘Time Tunnel’ shows a willingness to keep expanding creative horizons and try new ideas.

Ewan McKenzie has a website, at themckenziefix.co.uk, and you can follow him on Soundcloud, Facebook, Spotify and YouTube.

 

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