TrueStyleMusic

REVIEW – Gentlemans Brawl’s new double A side – Roseblunt & Black Tar

Song 1 – Roseblunt

The track opens with an almost traditional indie style guitar riff, and soon goes into the heavier sounding guitars and drums, a droning, overdriven guitar compared to the heavier riffs to come. This slower guitar, accompanied by the driving drums make up a longer introduction than what is considered traditional, but one that the band have really managed to pull off. At just over a minute before the lyrics start to come in, this would make a really good set opener.

The track has more of a heavier, metal sound compared to Black Tar, bit less pop, bit more punk, and definitely has more of a head-banging-circle-pit-wall-of-death feel to it. This track also isn’t quite as vocal heavy as track 1, but from what I can tell, has mixed feelings. From getting to the end of something stale and broken, to going forward into its own area of positivity and self-efficacy.

The end of the song, with a low, metal style scream, as well as a washed out guitar riff, would also make this song the perfect set ender. One last chance to get moving, before finishing in a way that leaves people wanting more.

I think that Roseblunt is a brace new direction for the band, but I feel they have managed to pull this one off, and I’m sure future tracks to come will continue to grow.

Song 2 – Black Tar

The song opens up with a similar style riff to Roseblunt, but this time settling into the pop-punk sound that this band is known for. Think Green Day meets Artic Monkeys. The heavy, overdriven guitars and driving drums and bassline really keep this song at a high pace. To me, this song explores being on a night out, drunken and sweaty in some dive bar, while a band you’ve never heard of is playing on stage. It talks about the awkwardness of meeting someone, and falling into this nervous, drunken blur. That feeling when you should be looking for more but, in reality, you actually like where you are now. I don’t know if that is what the band were going for, but that’s what I heard from the song.

At about halfway through the song goes into a rolling guitar riff, and soon after the drums kick back in and we go into a full blown guitar solo. I could imagine this on stage, with lights and smoke flashing everywhere while the lead guitarist shreds away. All this before going into one last, fully packed, final chorus.

Overall, two songs that would equally hold their place in a club or at a gig, and although this is a slightly new direction for the band, it is certainly a good one.

We chatted to local band KITE THIEF about their new single SWEEPSTAKE

The video dropped yesterday, and the single is now live across all platforms. We chatted to the band about all things music and more!

Tell us a bit about the band, where are you from and how did you all meet?

Originally, we are all dotted around the place, we actually all met at university in Bristol! We were each studying our respective instruments and through some of our classes we got to know each other quite well. There was a live showcase happening in Bristol and we really wanted to audition, so we ended up coming together for that. We auditioned with our version of Play, by Marmozets and we were picked to play the show! I’m pretty sure we all thought it would be one off thing… We’d do the show, have a good time, and continue with our individual lives. But something just felt right during that first performance. It all just seemed to click. In the end we thought, why not give this a go?

If you had to sum up each band member with one word, what would you say?

Let’s try and answer this without causing an argument…Haha!

Josh – Dad
Elin – Loud
Max – Josh
Henry – Moist
Zac – Big

You released today your latest single today, Sweepstake. What does this song mean to you, as a band?

As a band, this song represents a new era for us. It marks a solidifying of who we are and what we do. We have hit the ground running with Sweepstake, we’re coming for ya and we do not intend to stop anytime soon.

Is this a hint at more new music on the way?

Pre-COVID we would be shouting YES YES YES OF COURSE. As you can imagine we have been somewhat halted recently. However, being forced to collaborate via zoomyzoom and other online platforms has unleashed more creativity than we realised we were capable of. We’ve developed our recording and techy knowledge, and with the help of the magical music production wizard that is Joe Marsh, you can hope to be hearing a lot from us this year.

Who produced this? Have you worked with them before? How was it working with them?

We mentioned him earlier, but his name is Joe Marsh and we came to hear of him via some friends in the local scene. We heard what he had done with our fellow Bristolian mates Superlove, and we were like WHO IS THIS GUY? We dropped him a message and it turns out he knew who we were too and he was super keen to work with us.

Working with him was honestly so fun and such a good learning experience. Joe isn’t just a producer, he doesn’t just record you and send you on your way, he’s a songwriter. He added melodic ideas, harmonies and other parts to Sweepstake that we didn’t even know we needed.

Are there any music videos planned?

You’re darn right there is. We didn’t spend 9 hours in -4 degrees for nothing! The video for Sweepstake is actually out right now! This video represents the dystopian, technological themes that the song encompasses. We worked with Cineoteric films (they directed, shot and edited the video) and they were amazing. They brought our concept to life!

How about any live shows, when it is safe to do so?

This is a tricky subject. We have been booked and asked to do a few shows and all have either fallen through or we decided not to go ahead for obvious safety reasons. As soon as the sun shines through the corona cloud you bet we’re gonna be out there. We really wanna make our first show back a spectacular show, till then, we’re saving up all that stage energy for you! Mostly from biscuits.

What are some of your favourite memories from playing shows in the past?

Last January, right before the world closed, we had the pleasure of supporting Vukovi in Cheltenham. Apart from the stress of Josh’s guitar breaking, that show was sick. The place was packed and the whole night was a party.

Also headlining a live showcase at the fleece was insane, people went OFF! Amazing crowd.

We’ve had some amazing experiences on our tours as well. However, there was one time in Nottingham we thought it would be a good idea to get Taco Bell right before the show. I’ma just advise to you that you never, ever do that.

Also being from Bristol, what parts of the Bristol scene are you currently missing?

Getting harassed for ciggies outside the crofters rights was a regular occurrence for us, haha. But, in all seriousness, we miss how Bristol used to be so much. We miss the buzz, the culture, the music. It’s as if it’s been stripped down it’s bare bones, but it won’t last. The Bristol scene will be back to life one day, you can’t keep Bristol quiet for long!

Where can we find out more about you?

Head to our Instagram (@kitethiefuk) for your regular ludicrous and amusing updates. You can find us on Facebook (@kitethiefuk) and YouTube (@Kite Thief) as well!… P.s. we may or may not also have tik tok now #downwiththekidz

Anything else you would like to tell us?

Yes – our guitarists are indeed the same person.

I have met with the band over zoom, and can confirm, they are the same person.

I would like to thank Elin and the band for taking the time to answer my questions and this is a band I really hope to be working with in the future.

We chatted to LOW GIRL about her latest single BIG NOW

It’s new music Friday, and Low Girl’s brand new single Big Now is live across all streaming platforms. We decided to catch up with Sarah about all things music:

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Where are you from and where did music start for you?

I was born and raised in good ol’ Hemel Hempstead! I come from a very musical family, so both myself and Tom (drums) had classical piano training from a young age. If we ever went on a drive as a family, I would beg my parents to play Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. I’d say a lot of my early interest in music can be credited to that album and those piano lessons. It took me until my mid teens to let anyone hear me sing as I was deeply embarrassed by my voice. I thought it was really unfeminine, which for some reason, was a big deal to me.

If you had to use three words to sum yourself up, what would you say?

Anxious, clumsy and gay

You released today your latest single Big Now. What does this song mean to you?

This song is all about fighting apathy in any form. I wanted to touch on violence against women, climate change and the 1% mentality that profits from other people’s misery. In other words, I clearly can’t pick a theme.

Is this a hint at more new music on the way?

It is indeed! You can expect a whole EP very soon, and hopefully a second EP before the year is through. It’s getting to a point now where I want to avoid writing songs because I’m already so restless about the amount of other tracks I need to record.

How does Big Now compare to your debut single, ICU, released last August?

They are jarringly different, but hey, if you want the same thing over and over you probably aren’t gonna find it here! ICU feels like sadness, Big Now feels like anger, sugar coated in upbeat Nintendo sounds.

Where do you find inspiration for your music?

Inspiration usually comes to me whenever I’m feeling a strong emotion. I really struggle to sit with difficult feelings, and so putting it all in a song tends to get rid of that discomfort. I tend to alternate between a few different genres based on what I’m listening to at the time, but artists like Sufjan Stevens, Frank Ocean and SALES eternally inspire me.

Did you have any help with the writing and recording process for Big Now? How was it working with others?

I wrote the lyrics, melody and structure – but when it came to production, a lot of credit goes to Toby (keys). When I was at work, Toby stayed at home and worked on the track and then we would switch around when I came home, so it was very much our baby. I should also shout out Tom’s insane drumming as well as Brad’s guitar outro.

Q. What is a big hurdle you didn’t think you would have to deal with, while making music?

I personally have found my biggest hurdle to be my confidence, or lack thereof. Being a musician these days requires a very active social media presence, which I will admit doesn’t come naturally to me. I constantly compare myself to other people, and so it’s really easy for me to spiral when I’m looking at my feed. Whenever I go to post, there’s always a voice at the back of my head saying “no-one cares” or “people will laugh at you”. I’ve started trying to make a note of the nice things people say to me so that I can drown those voices out, but it’s tiring.

What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during lockdown?

I have found an unhealthy balance between sleeping all day and playing video games all night, which has kept me fairly busy.

Can we expect any live shows, when it is safe to play?

Of course! Behind the scenes we have been rehearsing non-stop for the past year to make sure that we are ready to go as soon as it’s safe. People are used to us playing as a three-piece too, so I’m hoping that they’ll enjoy the noise we make as a four.

Where can we find out more about you?

Our handle is @lowgirllowgirl across the board on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram – but I’d particularly recommend Instagram because you get the least formal and most dumb posts on there.

Anything else you would like to tell us?

We found out that Toby is loosely related to a Russian Prince, and so he will henceforth be spoken to like royalty.

And when I hopefully see Toby play, I will be sure to greet him as Your Majesty. But until then, I would like to thank Low Girl for taking the time to answer my questions, and wish her and the rest of the team the best of luck with all their new music.

Single review – The Fiasco with PLAYED ME AT MY OWN GAME

Pop-Punk 4 piece from Wakefield, The Fiasco released yesterday their new single Played Me At My Own Game. To us, it’s an instant pop-punk classic. Here’s what we thought of the song:

The single opens with a standard style pop-punk guitar riff, before coming in with a driving drum beat and heavy bassline. A standard, but one used because it works. This, accompanied with the Green Day/You Me At Six style vocals make this an instant catchy hit.

At about 30 seconds in, we start to see the heavier sound come through, before going full on into a drop at about 40 seconds in. The kind of drop that would have mosh pits, crowd surfing, flashing lights when played live. Throughout the song, I can already feel myself rocking out, a ‘kitchen dancer’, as I like to call them. An instantly catchy, singalong chorus.

Which goes perfectly with the crowd singalong at about 2 minutes in. This helps give the track a real feel of a live, personal performance. One where the band gives all into everything they do. Alongside the ‘false’ ending – which took me by surprise – this song is already stuck in my head, and I know I’m going to be humming along to it for the rest of the day.

To me, the song tells the story of a failed relationship, from the highs and happiness to start with, before playing the victim, then realising, actually, you were the one to blame. A story of self-realisation. I know I have used this phrase a couple of times, but it really is classic pop-punk.

So that’s what I heard from it, but what do I think about it?

An instantly catchy song. One that could easily hold its place at a small basement venue, a large arena, or an emo club night. Simply put, I cannot wait to hopefully see these guys live one day.

You can find out more about The Fiasco here.

This band was discovered by Damian Carruthers PR

Our February playlist is now live

It’s February, England is still in lockdown, the weather is still rubbish and we’re still here making a monthly playlist. Expect your normal mix of indie, folk, pop and rock, the right tracks to hopefully liven up your day and get you moving. This month we are also lucky enough to feature a host of local (well, to us at least), Bristol based bands.

Opening up this month and featuring as the lead image is Wildpack, with their second single Talk About It. The first of our local bands, these guys have exactly what you would expect behind an up and coming indie band. Josh, Howard, Callum and Hugo all met at BIMM, a well-known creative hub that has brought along so many great, undiscovered artists (more on that coming soon). This single talks about the struggles of a relationship and the importance of communicating. This message, with the driving, jangly guitars and twangy bass, make it the perfect opener to this month’s playlist.

Next up is Blue Statue, with their single So To Speak, which was part of a double A side released in October last year. Although the songs were actually released back in October, the band have recently released a music video for So To Speak. Also it’s our playlist and we can put whatever we want in it. A mix of bright indie riffs with the underlying pop-punk styles, this song and music video looks to explore confusion, the uncertainty with life and just having a bit of fun and a laugh. A decent track and a band that would be pretty cool playing live.

The first from across the seas, Chattanooga based indie band Behold The Brave released their latest single, Doctor, back at the start of the month, along with an awesome, dark yet very funny music video. This rocking banger is reminiscent of early brit-rock, with crazy synths and twangy basslines. To me, there isn’t a huge amount of meaning behind the song, which is great because it is one you can simply enjoy and rock out too.

Also from the USA, Minneapolis based Sleepy Soul’s latest track comes in at number 4 on this month’s playlist. Another dreamy indie track (can you sense a theme yet), this track explores loneliness and wanting to be with others, that feeling we have all been missing so much at the moment. The sad song style, combing with the drawn out melodies, really help set the mood that everyone is feeling right now.

Tigers Jaw, The Menzingers, Captain, we’re sinking. These are just some of the amazing music creators that have come out of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and our next track joins the ranks with some of these Midwestern legends. Sleeplore’s Anything You Want To Know combine post punk and indie elements to create a washed out track, which explores new beginnings. Although the band formed reasonably recently, this is certainly one that has the potential to go far.

Now back in Bristol, Duke Frienzy released their latest track, Disintegrate, last week. Going down a slightly heavier indie-funk sound, this is another track that will hopefully get you dancing around the kitchen. Describing their music as Rebel-Folk, they hope to spark fresh perspectives, which this certainly does, and this split genre does not contain the band, even going into a near rap style, come the second half of the song. Think Sleaford Mods but less angry. These guys are certainly one to watch out for in the Bristol Scene when things return. (This track is not currently on the playlist, it will updated as soon as possible, however the video is available below)

Taking a less indie turn, Believe, the new track from Scottish based SheBeat, hopes to bring some positivity into this world, with this folk-pop single. SheBeat’s Jodie wanted to help people feel uplifted and help make the most out of the life we find ourselves in, and as her Dad always told her to believe in herself, why not spread this out to the world. Although originally made back in 2014, the song has had a 2021 revamp to help give something back to all her fans out there.

This month’s penultimate track is from midland’s based indie band Violet, titled Fade. Although it sounds like a bit of a bleak track to begin with, and seems to explore teenage naivety and the move into the ‘real world’, to me this track still has a positive message behind it, a message of hope and the fact that you can still enjoy things. This is certainly one band who make the most out of their guitar pedals, combining weird and wacky sounds with a heavy bassline and driving drums, a worthy contender in this month.

And coming in to end this month off is Reality, the new single from Eric Vattima. The song is the last track from what will be his up and coming EP, due later this year. A punchy guitar riff driven song, the powerful vocals help bring attention to the ‘fun’ of casual conversations and the effect of those meaningless interactions. A happy end to the playlist.

And there we have it, another month gone by, and another 9 tracks for you to get stuck into. I promise there won’t be as much indie next month (well, maybe. Who knows?).

So what else is there left to do but have a listen. In the meantime, stay safe, keep finding new music, support your favourite artists, wash your hands, wear a mask, stay at home (depending on where you are in the world), and we will all see each other at a gig as soon as it is safe to do so.

All tracks for this playlist were discovered by Musosoup. If you are a musician looking to get your music out there, you can sign up here.

NEW MUSIC ALERT: The Lottery Winners release new single featuring Sleeper

After creating a weird hybrid of sea-shanty-pop-punk cover of Nickelback’s Rockstar earlier this month, and a collaboration with the legend that is Frank Turner, The Lottery Winners are back with another banger.

Bad Things, featuring another British music icon – Sleeper, was released across all platforms today, with another great music video to go alongside.

A more beats driven song, we are sure this will have as much success (or even more) as their previous singles and sea-shanties).

What’s more, the band are also planning to go on tour later on this year, with a mega 11 stop schedule, taking them across England (sorry Scotland, Wales and Ireland). The dates are as follows:

Wednesday 1st September – Brighton, The Prince Albert
Thursday 2nd September – Southampton, Joiners
Friday 3rd September – Birmingham, The Castle & Falcon
Sunday 5th September – Nottingham, Bodega
Tuesday 7th September – Bristol, Thekla
Wednesday 8th September – Leeds, The Key Club
Thursday 9th September – Blackpool, Bootleg Social
Friday 10th September – Wigan, The Boulevard
Saturday 11th September – Stoke, The Sugarmill
Thursday 23rd September – London, Oslo
Friday 25th September – Manchester, The Ritz

Tickets go on sale on the 19th of February, and are available here

Keep an eye out, as I’m sure we will have more stuff to come with these guys soon!

We chatted to Sweethearts about their latest single DO YOU LOVE ME?

Released TODAY across all streaming platforms, we thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up with the Hull based band about their debut single.

Can you tell us a bit about Sweethearts? Where are you from and how did you all meet?

We’re a brand-new band from Hull, England (the greatest place in the world), influenced by 90s alternative music and culture. Niall Tennison (me) on vocals and guitar, Toby Needler on lead guitar, Josh Drury on drums and Brendan McCourt on bass. We all got together through mutual friends although me and Toby have grown up together, playing music with each other for years. We’ve all played in various bands around the local scene then eventually came together to create sweethearts.

If you were to sum up each band member in one word, what would you say?

Niall: do
Toby: you
Josh: love
Brendan: me?

You released today your debut single Do You Love Me?, can you tell us a bit about what this song means to you as a band?

Well, this song was the big turning point of what we wanted our sound to be. We were booked to go into the recording studio to record a couple of tunes but I wrote ‘do you love me?’ a couple of days before and brought it to the band the next day. We jammed it through a few times, worked out a structure and Toby added the riff. We realised this is the song we wanted to record so we said if we could nail it in the next hour, we’d record this track instead. We did and we did. The song’s lyrics were built around the line “I lay in bed for the millions, I play on stage for no one”. A lot of what I was thinking at the time was about how it’s hard to do anything else when you’re focusing so hard on achieving a certain way of life.

Is this hint at more new music on the way?

We have a lot of music ready to go now. It’s just about figuring out how to get the most out of each single, since in today’s world we see too much good music get lost in the digital world. But yes, we have a lot of new singles written, so don’t be expecting to wait around too long before a follow up to ‘do you love me?’.

Who produced this? Have you worked with them before? How was it working with them?

All of our music is produced by Jonny Hooker of Young Thug Records in York. He has a great studio there, solid vibe and it’s a joy to get to record our tracks with him. He does what a producer should and doesn’t tell you every idea you have is good.

Any plans to go on tour, when it is safe to do so?

We plan to go on tour the very second we can! We still have a very DIY attitude when it comes to being in a band, I feel like you have to play live as much as possible, in as many places as possible, to really perfect your craft and call yourself a band. For me personally, that’s what it’s all about, it’s a way of life.

What is one thing you never expected to have to deal with as a musician?

The crazy amount of work you have to do behind the scenes before, during and after recording a track. Being an independent musician, once you’ve recorded your song, that’s the easy part done. Then you have to make people listen.

How have you been keeping busy during lockdown?

I’ve been going through phases of keeping busy and then having a week of thinking my life is over. Luckily me and Josh have been super productive. Constantly sending songs back and forth, ideas for the band and promo. I dyed my hair for a bit, bought an xbox 360, got addicted to coffee and couldn’t sleep for a week, but that worked out well because I had so much time for the band! I wrote some good songs in that period! Josh also had to have a FaceTime intervention with me over my coffee addiction. He couldn’t handle the 3am voice notes anymore.

What advice would you give to those looking to make money?

Don’t do this if your goal is to make money.

Where can we find out more about you?

We’re on all the social medias, just type in @sweetheartsxox and you’ll find us there.

And finally, as they are often left out on interviews, any final words from the drummer?

He’s better at bass.

If you didn’t spend part of lockdown getting addicted to coffee, did you really do lockdown correctly?

Anyway, I would like to thank Niall and the band for answering my questions and I wish them the best of luck, and cannot wait to hear more of their music, and hopefully catch them on tour one day.

We chatted to George Clement about his new song MUM PICK ME UP, I’M SCARED.

Also based in Bristol, George released his new single across all platforms last Friday. We thought it would be a good opportunity to have a chat with him about all things music. And keep an eye on TrueStyleMusic Socials, as we might have some cool collaborations coming soon.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and where did music start for you?

I’m from Bristol so I’ve always grown up around a super creative culture whether that be in school or just witnessing it around the city. My family weren’t really tied to music in any way but my mum got me piano lessons when I was little because I thought MIKA was the coolest person alive! I always locked myself in practice rooms at school practicing Muse songs on the piano and it was super nice, escapism for how rubbish school was haha! My music teacher was the best and really encouraged me to keep growing as a musician. Now I’m studying it. Oh geez!

If you had to sum yourself up in 3 words, what would you say?

I’m a mess.

You released today your latest single Mum Pick Me Up, I’m Scared. What does this song mean to you?

This song is super special! It started off in life as a dumb party song because I saw a meme with the title and was like ‘Yoooo, that’s sick!’

I wrote the line ‘I’m sorry I don’t know what you’re talking about, mum pick me up, I’m scared.’ and I realised that the direction the song was going wasn’t very me. I realised that the title had great potential to be a coming of age sort of thing and I completely rewrote it to be a reflection on how I’m an adult now and everything is super stressy and I have no idea what is going on!

https://open.spotify.com/track/3lxoaSq9LaObwslPtq3ahS

Is this a hint at more new music on the way?

This release is like the first in a few things that will come out down the line, culminating in a little EP!

Did you have any help with the writing, recording and producing process?

I wrote the thing myself on my piano one afternoon and began recording a little demo for it. After finishing with that my friend Dave lovingly recorded guitar and BV’s for me and I had a nice little thing going! My friend Beth produced it and her partner (also a Beth) recorded drums! Honestly so grateful for my friends!

How does this latest single compare to your release from 2019, Arty Devotee?

It’s been over a year since my last release so I’ve learnt a lot from that first experience. I’ve played more of a part in making the song but also I’ve had some super lovely help along the way. The song itself is more chill and I think a better song from a technical standpoint than Arty Dev, but I know that’s all entirely subjective!

What has been the biggest hurdle making music in this current state of affairs we find ourselves in?

Probably the lack of being able to see other people, It’s super convenient to rehearse and record in one session compared to recording stems individually and transferring them all over the place!

What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during lockdown?

I’ve been doing general self help stuff, along with a lot of writing. Oh, and a lot of uni work!

As you are from Bristol, what are some of your favorite places in the local Music scene?

Before everything was closed I used to love going around Bristol for gigs and open mics. In my first year I used to frequent The Grainbarge’s open mic and Mr Wolf’s for the occasional show. You can never go wrong with the bigger venues for show’s too, Thekla and The Fleece are well lovely.

TrueStyleMusic agrees with the above statement

We’re not quite sure what is going on in this picture, but we love it

What is next for you?

More music. Hopefully some shows depending on how the world is.

Where can we find out more about you?

I’m mostly active on Instagram which you can find at: https://www.instagram.com/georgeeclementt

All my social handles are @georgeeclementt though so it’s kinda easy to find me!

Anything else you would like to tell us?

Thank you for having me! This is super cool! I really appreciate it! 🙂

We chatted to THE SHOP WINDOW about their latest single OUT OF REACH

Released yesterday, this is one of our favorite releases so far of 2021. We thought it would be a good opportunity to chat to the band about all things music.

Tell us a bit about the band. Where are you from and how did you all meet?

Carl – Vocals/Guitars

Syd – Vocals/Keyboards

Martin – Bass

Phil – Drums

Syd – I’ve known Carl for many a year now – I replied to his ad in a local Maidstone music shop looking for like minded musicians back in the 90s. It all went from there really, although there have been some gaps ‘ere and there in between before arriving at where we are now!

Martin – People say I am from Kent… At least that’s what they shout at me in the street.

Syd – They do indeed Martin 🙂

Carl – We’re all originally from Kent. I have been in various bands with Syd and Martin in the distant past and went to college with Phil. The Shop Window kind of happened by accident… a bunch of mates just getting together for a jam after not seeing each other for years. Before we knew it we were releasing singles.

Where did the name The Shop Window come from?

Syd – That’s Carl’s fault!

Martin – From the film Time Machine I think.

Carl – It actually comes from a lyric in our debut single ‘Mannequin Lies’, “Looking like a Shop Window, the mannequin Lies”. It relates to everyone having a bit of a shop window front, something to hide behind when you don’t want to display what’s on the inside. It was probably the first song we finished in rehearsals and it just seemed right for us.

If you had to sum each band member up with one word, what would you say?

Carl – I would say Syd is Great, Martin is Hilarious, Phil is Chilled

Syd- I would say Carl is Genius, Martin is ‘Certifiable’ and Phil is Solid

Martin – Class but not me ha ha

Phil – Class but not me either. I’m still learning.

You recently released your latest single Out Of Reach. What does this song mean to you as a Band?

Martin – I remember the comradery of the recording.

Phil – The first track on the first day of the album recording sessions . This song got my full release from the first lockdown. For me It set the tone and pace for everything I did after.

Carl – For me it meant that all this is still possible without being able to get together in the same room for a rehearsal, I wrote it during the first lockdown. We still managed to send each other files and produce a demo and get the song in shape before going into the studio to bash it out for real between lockdowns.

Syd – Like Carl, I think it shows that we can work remotely and create great material. There’s an energy in that song that really exploded when we finally got to record it properly in the studio. When I first heard Carl’s demo I knew I was hearing something special.

Is this a hint of more new music on the way?

Syd – As Henry the Mild Mannered Janitor would say: ‘Could be!’

Martin – I certainly hope so

Phil – Wait and see, you won’t be disappointed.

Where do you look for inspiration in your music?

Syd – Down behind the sofa.

Martin – New music and other band members.

Phil – Band members, friends and of course Twitter is king.

Carl – Songs that make me sit up and think ‘I wish I had written that’.

Pre world-gone-mad, did you get the chance to play many gigs? What were some of your favourite stories from these shows?

Carl – We were due to start gigging in April 2020, sadly COVID had other plans. Myself, Syd and Martin have done hundreds of gigs together in the past in previous bands.

Syd – In a nutshell- No! Got plenty of gossip from touring with Carl back in the 90s though…..

Martin – Didn’t get a chance.

Phil – Meeting Mike Joyce at the 100 club, my former band supported The Primitives on their 25th Anniversary gig there and he was dj’ing.

Do you hope to get back on the road when it is safe to do so?

Syd – Yes please.

Martin – Really hope so.

Phil – Hope so too.

Carl – Oh Yeah!!!!

What was one thing you were not prepared to encounter when making music?

Carl – Having to learn how to promote music via social media.

Martin – Online recording.

Phil – The Wombles.

Syd – Social distancing.

Where can we find out more about you?

Carl – Our Twitter account is the most active but we’re always updating our Facebook/Instagram/Bandcamp/Youtube/Soundcloud accounts.

And, because they are always left out, any final words from the drummer?

Carl – He can’t hear you as he is thumping his tubs. In fact, nobody can hear anything…

Syd – The what?

Martin – Who’s that then?

Phil – Never heard of him.

We chatted to Bristol based EINSAM about his latest release STUCK PIG

Released back last Friday, Bristol born EINSAM’s latest single is starting to make headway across the underground-electronic scene. We chatted to Sam about all things music

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Where are you from and where did music start for you?

I was born in Bristol, had my first drum kit and drum lesson as a 5 year old here.Since then I’ve lived in a few places, but most recently came back from living in Vienna for three years where the idea for this solo project Einsam came about. Since the word Einsam means solitary (literally ‘Onesome’) it made sense for a solo project by someone called Sam.

If you had to use three words to sum yourself up, what would you say?

Ah…Scatty, thoughtful, mischief

You recently released your latest single Stuck Pig. What is this song about, for you?

It’s basically about inner and outer divisions. I started developing an older idea in 2016 and kept it germinating as I felt things changing in and around me. I wanted it to go beyond being a statement about one single division, but to give examples everywhere and then show the relatedness between all of them. I also wanted to look at the effects your environment has on your body and mind, and the effect you can have on your environment.

Is this a hint at more new stuff to come?

All being well, there will be plenty more new songs to come this year! Another single in March, and then an EP in the summer for starters. Then we’ll see how we go. The songs are all quite varied though, which I’m proud of. I made a decision to follow the text of each song and fit the atmospheres around them.

Who produced this? Have you worked with them before? How was it, working with them?

This was produced with Adam ‘Cecil’ Bartlett (PJ Harvey, Ed O’Brien, Jehnny Beth) who’s my main man! He’s got a great ear for what needs to happen and we share a wide music taste – he’s adept at venturing into so many different sound worlds. It’s definitely been harder trying to communicate ideas about arrangements over video chat in lockdown, but I guess that’s all part of this new process.

How does this new music compare to your previous release, Pressing Matters?

Stuck Pig is a bit more troubled but it’s another necessary subject I wanted to find the right way of expressing. Pressing Matters is about the importance of touch and pressure and is looking at the experience of isolation. Now it really does feel like there are loads more people going through a similar thing. Overall the recurring theme is looking at our connections to and disconnections from people, place, language and self.

Also being Bristol based, what are some of your favorite places in the Bristol scene?

With typical expert timing I moved back here maybe two months before we went into lockdown, so I saw pretty much none of the live music scene last year. I managed to get to one at Loco and in the past I’ve seen great stuff at Crofters Rights, Thekla, Start the Bus (RIP), The Louisiana… Aside from music I’m a big fan of the Pipe and Slippers, and the jerk place next to it Rice and Things. Think Bosco might be the best pizza in town too – all my knowledge of places out these days extends to takeaways.

How have you been keeping busy during lockdown?

Luckily I’ve got my recording set up here and a set of drums in my basement studio, so I’m still writing and practicing. Trying to get natural light whenever else I can though, walking or running. Good to get light in the eyes and air between the ears once you’ve been in the dark indoors for a few days straight.

Where can we find out more about you?

All the socials! @einsammusic – barge into my DMs

Anything you would like to tell us?

I can tell you Spike Lee’s film of David Byrne’s show American Utopia is worth watching, Calvino is worth reading, and Gerald Stratford and his vegetables are worth protecting at all costs.

And yes, Bosco does some amazing pizza. I would like to thank Sam for taking the time to answer my questions and wish him the best of luck with Stuck Pig and all future releases.