Rettward von Doernberg has released ‘Manic Moondays’.

After his first three releases, which featured on numerous platforms worldwide, Berlin composer Rettward von Doernberg now releases his fourth single. It is a symphonic film score for the award-winning animated short film ‘Manic Moondays’ by Martin Schiffter.

Rettward says, “Martin Schiffter and I have known each other since our school days. Afterwards, we lost track of each other until Martin sent me an e-mail asking if I would like to do the music for his animated film. Of course, I said I would!”

The story and characters of the film ‘Manic Moondays’ have a lot of charm and heart. Plus the film is minimalist and masterfully realized. After its release, festivals around the world screened the film. It also featured on television.

Rettward outlines his approach. “For the sound palette, I chose a contemporary film orchestra sound and used leitmotifs. Leitmotifs means that individual characters are given a recognizable melody or perhaps just a short, succinct sequence of notes – namely, a motif. This technique was made well-known by the composer Richard Wagner.”

For the new release, Rettward mixed the music anew. He explains, “I took inspiration from the mix for the film. This had less reverb than my music had originally. The balance between individual groups of instruments also differed. However, I couldn’t adopt everything one-to-one. A cinematic mix is still quite different from a soundtrack mix. A cinematic mix can have a lot more dynamics and bass. A soundtrack mix, in contrast, has to be denser and more balanced to still sound good on the kitchen radio and cell phone.”

Rettward von Doernberg is on Bandcamp and the short film, ‘Manic Moondays’ is on YouTube.

 

Mo Pitney has recently released ‘Old Home Place’.

Although considered to be a rising star in country music, Mo Pitney is quick to tell you his interest in music was first peaked with the sounds of banjos and bluegrass. In particular, the music of the late J.D. Crowe. That interest spawned into a thriving career, as well as an opportunity to re-create one of Crowe’s classics in the most organic way possible – by accident. The result is an all-star recording of ‘Old Home Place’. It features the talents of Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Jerry Douglas, Jon Randall, Aubrie Haney, Guthrie Trapp and Barry Bales.

Mo says, “The first time I ever heard ‘Old Home Place’ was on a J.D. Crowe and The New South album when I was a young kid. I learned that version and would play it with my dad and my brother when we were touring Bluegrass festivals. When I was in the studio to record my current album, ‘Ain’t Lookin’ Back’, I started playing the song to warm up. My producer, Jim ‘Moose’ Brown, said “Mo, let’s just play through that to get the jitters out and don’t freak out when the band comes in”, and he recorded it.”

Mo Pitney has a website, at mopitney.com

 

On 17^th February, The Flints released ‘Different Drum’.

In February, Manchester-raised and London-based duo The Flints kick-started their breakout year with the news of their second EP ‘Keep the Party Going’. It is due28th April via their own Two Minute Music / AWAL. With that announcement, the pair shared a new single ‘Different Drum’. It is a seamless display of George & Henry Flint’s ability to merge the deep grooves and late night energy of 70’s disco with a sleek modern sheen.

The Flints note, “’Different Drum’ is a song about embracing your individualism. It’s shutting out the noise around you, staying true to what you believe in and seeing things through to the end.”

Written toward the end of 2022, the ‘Keep The Party Going’ EP follows last year’s ‘100 Million Lightyears’ and we heard a couple of tracks from that début EP – ‘Serengeti’ (Week 64, September 2022) and the title track, ‘100 Million Lightyears’ (Week 74, November 2022). The new EP also showcases the pair’s instinct for future-thinking floor fillers. Across its four tracks, The Flints reflect upon the joint changes and realisations they have experienced throughout different locations and relationships in the past few years.

The Flints have a website, at theflintsmusic.com, and are on Facebook, Twitter and Insta.

 

‘Insurrection Song January 6’ is from Grant Peeples new album ‘A Murder of Songs’.

Grant Peeples has announced the release of his new album, ‘A Murder of Songs’. It is a collection of nine songs, recorded over two years during the pandemic and in ten different recording studios. Despite that challenge, the album provides a cohesive message of reflection, anger, and wistfulness about current socio-political conditions in the U.S.

Grant explains, “The opening track, ‘Brothers in Arms’, was written by Mark Knopfler and performed by Dire Straits in 1983. It was ‘informed’ by the Falklands War. Two songs are co-writes with people I doubt you’ve ever heard of. Two songs are over twelve years old; one of which I recorded for a record I have tried to permanently extract from my body of work. There’s one I will never play live, and one I can’t imagine ever doing another show without playing. But all of them sit on the tip of the same arrow. Or at least that’s how I aimed with this project. A few songs into the album and you’ll probably get what’s going on.”

Grant Peeples and Cody Williford wrote ‘Insurrection Song January 6’ after the attack on the US capitol on January 6th, 2021. They dedicated it to the brave men and women who defended the nation’s Capitol on that day. It was initially in time for the first anniversary. As the anniversary of that infamous day came around again, he again made the song available. It’s now appearing on his new album.

Grant Peeples is on YouTube and Bandcamp.

 

HighCap has recently released his début single, ‘Shade’.

Singer / songwriter HighCap may be new to the music scene, but his début single, ‘Shade’, demonstrates he has the lyrical and vocal prowess of a well-seasoned artist. On his first ever offering to the world, the 20 year-old newcomer seductively croons over his love interest on a sensual blend of Afro pop/R&B with dancehall undertones.

Born and bred in Nigeria’s capital (Lagos), HighCap (whose real name is Sunny Idoko) is the baby of a large family, who initially took an interest in maths and science. From the age of 16, the young prodigy suddenly diverted his passion to music, proclaiming that music found him. From that point, HighCap never looked back.

Being brought up as a devout Christian, HighCap joined his local church choir, which immensely helped him to further hone his craft as a musician. Citing the likes of Justin Bieber, Michael Jackson and Jon Bellion as his main source of inspiration, HighCap has developed his trademark of R&B, pop with the smooth and mesmeric sounds of the Motherland.

Now ready to take his place on the international stage, HighCap presents his début single, ‘Shade’. You can follow him on TikTok, YouTube, Insta, Twitter and Facebook.

 

Lucia & The Best Boys have released ‘When You Dress Up’.

Glasgow’s Lucia & The Best Boys signify the beginning of a new era with ‘When You Dress Up’ her first new music since 2020’s ‘The State Of Things’ EP. It offers a first glimpse into Lucia’s eagerly awaited début album, which is due for release later this year. It also documents a turning point in both her life and her music.

Embracing the effects of womanhood, the new single exemplifies Lucia’s blend of youthful fragility and an empowering air of maturity. It also shifts the band’s rock-inspired aesthetic into a hypnotic new space.

Speaking about the track, Lucia says, “I’ve known since the first time we played ‘When You Dress Up’ in the studio that it was the first song I wanted people to hear for this turning point in my music. This song resonates deeply with my values as a woman with its unapologetic, empowering energy. For me, this is an evolution from themes I have sung about in the past which underline the weight of the male gaze, and learning not to suppress our own identity for the sake of another person’s version of who we should be.”

Lucia & The Best Boys are on Facebook, Twitter, Insta and TikTok.

 

Crozier release ‘Die Young (As Late As You Can’) on 1^st March.

If you’re struggling to shake off the last of the winter blues, check out début single from Crozier. ‘Die Young (As Late As You Can)’ is a unique musical collaboration between Scottish musician Alan Crozier, alt-rockers Lonehead vocalist Martin Jenkins and Spoonr guitarist Nick Prentice. It is a one-off celebration of living for today.

‘Die Young (As Late As You Can)’ was released on new Scottish music start-up iOcco Music.

Alan wrote the track in lockdown, after attending a funeral for a friend. He says, “The song is really about attitude. It’s about making the most of life regardless of your age. I was attending a funeral for a friend’s father who had lived a full life, dying in his mid-eighties in 2019. In the eulogy, Alex McLeish, a friend of the family, quoted anthropologist Ashley Montagu “The idea is to die young as late as possible.” That really struck a chord with me and led me to exploring the ideas about each of the characters in the song’s lyrics. They are all living life to the full, each in their own way.”

The single is available from the record label, iOcco Music, and they have a web page with all the down-load links.

Chris Stanley released ‘Hold Me Now’ on March 1^st.

We’ve previously heard a number of tracks by Chris(‘Bristol, Tennessee’ (Week 67, October 2022) ‘When the Rain Came Down’ (Week 56, July 2022) ‘Queen of the Blue Jeans’ (Week 50, June 2022) and ‘This Isn’t Like the Radio’ (Week 48, May 2022)).

Chris Stanley is an English singer, songwriter, and musician, currently living in Bristol. His backing band is The Prison Club Band, named after the club where Chris launched his début album. Chris’ style of music is a combination of country and heartland rock. Some of his most popular songs tell stories of life on the fringes of the American Dream. He is known equally for his commanding solo sets and high-energy live performances with his band.

Chris says, “‘Hold Me Now’ is a simple love song I recorded with The Prison Club Band three years ago during our first session for the ‘This Isn’t Like the Radio’ album. I decided not to include it on the album because I wanted to rework it as a duet. Rhiannon is a fantastic country singer and we’ve performed live together several times, but this was the first time we’ve sung together in the studio. I’m pleased to say this won’t be the last.”

Chris has a website and is on Facebook and Spotify

 

The Late Arrivals Club released ‘You Move Me to Tears’ on March 1^st.

In today’s world of 24-hour news and social media pumping out pictures of war, disaster, disease and starvation it’s hard not to become numbed by so many images. This song is a plea to wake up our worn out emotions and be able to be moved to tears.

The Late Arrivals Club are a band from West Yorkshire. This track is from their album ‘the desert is a lonely place…’. We’ve previously heard a number of tracks from it. (‘Citybound’ (August 2022, Week 60), ‘Take my Hand and Run’ (November 2022, Week 73) and ‘Flyboys’ (December 2022, Week 76)).

The Late Arrivals Club are on Facebook, and their music is available from all the usual down-load sites.

 

Charlie Pace released ‘Pink Boa Man’ on March 2^nd.

Blues, funk, folk, punk, singer, songwriter Charlie Pace is from Florida, USA. Described as having a sound like Aretha Franklin meeting Paramore, Charlie Pace has been making huge inroads on the US live music scene. She has a number of high profile festival gigs booked for the year ahead. Now she is releasing her new single ‘Pink Boa Man’ which is from her forthcoming debut album.

You can find more information about Charlie Pace on her website, at charliepacemusic.com and you can follow her on Facebook and Insta.

 

‘Love is Blind’ is Ruiz!’s ninth release.

Ruiz! is the mysteriously evoked moniker for Sheffield based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and vocalist Hugh Ruiz Robert. ‘Love is Blind’ is from a new collection of songs which started in lock-down. They seamlessly transcend across 60’s rock ’n’ roll, electronica, punk, pop, psychedelia and dark rock. Each genre is effortlessly fused with Ruiz!’s take on life in modern times. Songs about life, love and the modern maladies between men and women, and life in these strange COVID times. As well as playing all the instruments himself, he’d never written or sung anything on his own until lock-down. That left him staring at his Mac. A teacher by day, creator by night.

‘Love is Blind’ is the ninth release on Only Fruit Recordings, and was released on the 3rd of March. A new album will be out in 2023, and will also be on Only Fruit Recordings.

Ruiz! has a website, at ruizmusic.net, and is on AppleMusic, Facebook, Insta, Spotify, TikTok and YouTube.

 

A recording of the show is on MixCloud.

 

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