Tag Archives: LLIVELY Music

Reviews on Harrison Rimmer’s ‘Cold’

“Bringing back more of that bold and anthemic indie-rock energy he is known for, ‘Cold’ makes for a stellar return to form for him. With its bright and shimmering hooks layered throughout, he is certainly looking to get us up and out of our seats with this one.” – Review on FLEX

“Harrison Rimmer’s new single, Cold, is a powerful mix of rock energy and raw honesty, showing the artist’s journey through personal challenges.” – Review on Rock Era Mag

“Lyrically it dwells on the work required to get better mentally and was written partly after Harrison had his first panic attack. Yet, it’s also a track that you can dance to and draws from the likes of Springsteen and Frank Turner. Its tempo is relentless and its acoustic riffs lively. Harrison really goes for it with his expressive vocals, particularly during a singalong chorus.” – Review on York Calling

Behind the music: Harrison Rimmer on ‘Cold’

Harrison Rimmer is following up the release of his last single ‘Tough Love’ with new single ‘Cold’. The single is taken from his upcoming sophomore album ‘Cheaper Than Therapy’. This song is raw, angsty, and has teeth. Musically it draws inspiration from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Frank Turner and City & Colour, a musical pallet many Harrison Rimmer fans have grown to know as his bread and  butter, but the difference this time around is in the lyrics, it’s a style some Harrison Rimmer fans haven’t heard for a while.

Harrison’s mission with ‘Cheaper Than Therapy’ has been to have the music be fun and energetic, to be the listener’s escape, but the lyrics to be the crack in the door with them being raw and honest. ‘Cold’ displays this perfectly. Harrison says, “If ‘Tough Love’ was the rallying cry, ‘Cold’ is what happens when you’re in the thick of doing the work. I used to call this my Frankenstein’s Monster. Some of the lyrics were written after my first panic attack and some were written later during a time in my life when I despised myself and the man I was becoming. So I pulled the mirror up and began to start putting the work in. I started to plot and move on with my life and to be more true and authentic to who I am, no matter how uncomfortable it made me. I feel like I’ve captured that moment in ‘Cold’.”

Musically it’s fun and punchy, hell you can sing and dance to it if you wanted, but lyrically, lyrically is where Harrison really wanted to get listeners. “Did those words make me uncomfortable? Absolutely, but in writing them I set myself free. I got stuck into conversations with my friends, family and started therapy, and even exercising regularly. Those factors became driving forces for not only this song and album, but for myself going forwards.”

Reviews on Bakersongs’ ‘Turn a Blind Eye’

“Frontman Ruud Bakker’s distinctive voice, accompanied by his skilful guitar work, delivers a contemplative track that resonates deeply.” – Review on Little Garden

“Moving the spotlight towards the music, the music has this smooth, melodic flow, almost like a conversation, not just in the vocals but with the instruments too.” – Review on Melodymine

“An elegant, classic take on Americana and alt-country infused by traces of European Folk, ‘Turn a Blind Eye’ signals Bakersongs’ impressive and meaningful latest effort. Embarking on playful yet vivid storytelling, the Dutch project explores the difficulty a lot of us have when dealing with negative news, day after day.” – Review on Mesmerized

Behind the music: Bakersongs on ‘Turn a Blind Eye’

The announcement of Bakersongs new full-length release received a lot of positive response from Americana journalists in the Netherlands. One even called him the perfect combination of Ryan Adams and Paul McCartney. With the second single from the record, ‘Turn a Blind Eye’, Bakersongs shows such compliments are well-deserved.

On ‘Turn a Blind Eye’, singer Ruud said: “For ‘Turn a Blind Eye’ I was musically inspired by the lethargic feel of The Band. The chorus is of course meant ironically, in regards to everything that is going on in the world. It can also be interpreted in a way that gives you a bit more peace with looking the other way and not to concern yourself too much with the overwhelming amount of news that is shared with us daily.”

The music of Bakersongs is characterized by smart, creative approaches and excellent, crafted musicianship. In terms of influences, think of American Folk and Americana artists such as The Band, James Taylor and The Milk Carton Kids, but influences of The Beatles, and Damien Rice are also undeniable.

Sandy Kilpatrick – Mesmerised

PR Results ‘Mesmerised’

Radio

Amazing Radio • The Sound Lab • UKI Radio

Reviews

Akt Music • Berlin On Air • Brand New Tracks • Bread Records • CHARMMusic • HUMBUG NORTH EAST • Nieuwste Hits • Odyssey Magazine • PRESSED

Playlists

Angel Dust • Apollo’s Folklore • Beat Waves • Best of 2024 • Black Fruit Promotions • BREAKOUT INDIE • Chromind • Dive In • Dolce Brano • Dreamy Pop Tunes • EDM Station • Euphony BlogNet • EXTRAVAPOP • Folk & Strings • FVMusicBlog • Good Music Daily • Groover City • HighOnBass • Indie + Rock Retrievers • Indie Dock Music Blog • Indie kingdom • Indie Music Flix • Indie Pop & Folk Mix • Indie Vibes Unplugged • INDIEOCLOCK • INFO MUSIC • lacavernamx • Lost In The Manor • Lyrical Landscapes • Melodie Soft Hits • Mesmerized • Muse Chronicle • Music For All • Os Garotos de Liverpool • Pigeon Opinion • POP • Pop Bliss • Pop Pulse • Pop Star Vibes • PopHits • Princess • RGMS Radio • Rina Unicorn • Roadie Music • Senocular Media • Sinusoidal Music • songplode • Space Sour • The Intelligence Music • The Music Asylum • The Musical Road • Tompo Team • VIBEZ by Underground Sounds • Ze Rock Porto

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FRASER. – Loving Creature

PR Results ‘Loving Creature’

Radio

Amazing Radio • Newfangled Radio • noesfm • Rock’n’Roll Vibration • Teri’s Music Matters • The Sound Lab

Reviews

Amplead Music • Bread Records • Caesar Live N Loud • HUMBUG NORTH EAST • Nieuwste Hits • Pitch Perfect • Purple Melon • Rotate Magazine • Teethsound • Thoughts Words Action • Unrecorded

Playlists

Apollo’s Folklore • Artistas independentes • Bad Wolf Records • Beat Waves • Best of 2024 • Bookshelf, an indie pop collection • BREAKOUT INDIE by CAGE RIOT • Electronic Dreams Unplugged • End Sessions • Essential Music Discovery • Euphony BlogNet • EXTRAVAFRENCH • FVMusicBlog • Hinterland • Hot Folk/ Country • IGGY Magazine • Indie + Rock Retrievers • Indie Discovery • Indie Dock Music Blog • Indie Kingdom by Rocky • Indie Measure • Indie Music Flix • INFO MUSIC • It’s All Indie • KIMU New Music Spotlight • LaCavernaMX • Latest Release • Lost In The Manor • Lyrical Landscapes • Melomani • Music Addict • Music For All • MusikePOOL • Nashville Nights • Obscure Sound • Odyssey Music • Os Garotos de Liverpool • Pop & Funk • Pop Muse by Muse Chronicle • Pop Pulse • PopHits • Princess • RGM • RGMS Radio •Roadie Music • Rustic Serenade • Senocular Media • Sinusoidal Music • SoundTulip • Space Sour • The Musical Road • The Sonic Soup Kitchen • TJPL NEWS • VIBEZ • We Write About Music • Ze Rock Porto

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Jacob D. Edward – Musings

PR Results ‘Musings’

Radio

Amazing Radio • The Sound Lab

Reviews

Akt Music • Berlin On Air • Brand New Trackz • HUMBUG NORTH EAST • LaMusique • Little Chief Music Blog • NottsRocks

Playlists

Angel Dust • Apollo’s Folklore • Apricot Magazine • Beat Waves • Country & Folk Music For All • Dulaxi Entertainment • El vacio • End Sessions • Euphony BlogNet • Folk & Strings • FVMusicBlog • Indie Discovery • Indie kingdom • Indie Music Flix • INDIEOCLOCK • INFO MUSIC • KIMU New Music Spotlight • lacavernamx • Lost In The Manor • Lyrical Landscapes • Muse Chronicle • Os Garotos de Liverpool • Pop Pulse • PopHits • Precious Ojo • Press Play! • Princess • Punk Head • RGMS Radio • Roadie Music • Senocular Top Picks • Sinusoidal’s Pop Mix • Songplode • The Music Asylum • The Musical Road • The Other Side Reviews • TJPL FRESH! • VIBEZ • William & Bella & Luna • You! Me! Dancing! • Ze Rock Porto

Facebook • Instagram • Twitter • Spotify

Jacob D. Edward – En Route To The End

PR Results ‘En Route To The End’

Radio

Amazing Radio • The Sound Lab

Reviews

3voor12 Noord-Holland • Existential Magazine • FVMusicBlog • Headstuff • Kindline Magazine • Lost in the Manor • Right Chord Music

Playlists

Apricot Magazine • Artistas independentes • Beat Waves • Black Fruit Promotions • BREAKOUT INDIE • De Ochtendschijn • Dive In • Dreamy Pop Tunes • Dulaxi Entertainment • Euphony Top Charts • EXTRAVAPOP • heitmusic • Hot Folk • Indie Dock Music Blog • Indie Kingdom • Indie Music Flix • Indie Radar • KIMU New Music Spotlight • KMasters • Muse Chronicle • Music For All • Needle Hits The Groove • New Music Island • Os Garotos de Liverpool • Pigeon • Pitch Perfect • RGMS Radio • Rina Unicorn • Rising Artists Music Blog • Roadie Music • Rotate Magazine • Rustic Melodies & Country Roads • Senocular Top Picks • Sinusoidal Music • Soft Pop • Testing Melodies • The Musical Road • TJPL FRESH NEWS • Turn It Up! • Ze Rock Porto Recommends

Facebook • Instagram • Twitter • Spotify

Curating Sofar Sounds

When I’m asked what it is I do, I usually simply answer “I work in music and events”, as that is a safe way of saying “a shed load of different jobs”. One of my favourite jobs, however, is one that doesn’t take up much time but always delivers in pure magic. Curating Sofar Sounds Newcastle’s monthly shows is the most gratifying volunteer role I’ve ever fulfilled. There’s a wonderful team of volunteers supporting myself and co-city leader Jay on the evening s of our events by being on the door, checking attendance, liaising with artists, helping on sound, and introducing our artists.

This week we headed to Gateshead’s co-working and independent studio space Orbis Community for another sold out evening. One of the owners of the business, JP, brought his enthusiastic self and made us feel right at home. I had met JP through one of our incredible Sofar Sounds volunteers, which is how we got the space for our event. With one of our initially confirmed artists cancelling his performance on the morning of our show, we had to find a replacement very quickly and found that in Teesside-based singer songwriter J.W. Darwin. He performed a great set of soft but exciting pop tracks, with a good amount of stage chatter in-between songs.

Next up was York/ Newcastle-based singer songwriter Jeremy M who’d sent his music through us and who we got captivated by. His softly spoken voice combined with a warm guitar sound made for a fantastic live experience, a bit more experience and stage presence and we’ve got a star in the making. Last up were Leeds-based outfit VICTORS who performed in acoustic trio form. With influences taken from Jungle and jangly pop outfits they created a very exciting and powerful performance that left us all softly swaying until the very end.

The Sofar Sounds audience is like no other; they sit and listen, interact, and appreciate. They have sold out our shows for the past 24 months, and keep showing up, either we’re doing something well, or they’re just too kind for this world. I think it’s a combination of both. It’s not always easy finding the right space for our events, as we look for the unfamiliar, the slightly odd; hairdressers, cafes at night, cinemas, cocktail bars, wherever we can fit our sound system and audience! Though not always easy, incredibly fun, it’s a task I do with pleasure, as well as finding the right artists for our line-ups, and when all’s been found, it’s meeting our wonderful audience. Every single month, Sofar Sounds is what I look forward to!

We need your art

Music and politics are intrinsically entwined. Making music is an act of revolution. Using sounds and lyrics to share your thoughts, your feelings, and your perspectives on the world is a way of inspiring, mobilising others. Artists shouldn’t be afraid and fear what is thought of them, or to be disliked. Music and art should make people think and feel, be that about love, loss, or politics.

The world is on fire, she is burning because of us. We should be angry and up in arms to take back the reigns and show them how to lead compassionately. Our world leaders, they depend on us. Our multinationals, they need our hard-earned money to survive. When you decide to spend differently, their pockets will eventually start to empty. I have written before about part-time punks, and this is an extension of that point of view. What we need is more full-time punks, those truly living and breathing their music, their art. We suffer for our art and passions, because they are what makes us human.

Sadly I recently spoke to a well-known Dutch music journalist who found that artists shouldn’t bring their live show to a stand still to talk about politics. I was rather surprised to hear this from someone who is a fan of bands such as IDLES and Fontaines D.C., very much political acts. Artists have a stage, a platform, to share their views and to educate those that would not have been educated if it wasn’t for their favourite artists, a song they liked, a sound they were able to relax to. Artists, musicians, they decide to share their views, in their lyrics, their ethos, and on their stage. Frankly, I don’t think that anyone has anything to say about what an artist decides to do on stage as it is their show, their programme.

I am a fan of the bands I listen to and enjoy because of what they stand for. Their music, and their views are undeniably connected, and I don’t think they should be seen as separate. It is a privilege to be able to say that you would rather not hear about war, ethnic cleansing, and death. Most importantly, it is a privilege to be able to express yourself artistically, to share your thoughts and emotions into a language we all speak; music. We need your music, we need your thoughts, we need your art.