Brian's favourite video this week is Fortaleza by Hanging Valleys. Hanging Valleys is an alternative band founded in 2016, comprising of Thom Byles (acoustic guitar, vocals), Mike Phillips (electric guitar, vocals) and Alexis Meridol (beats, synthesizer).
Hanging Valleys music is centred around soaring falsetto vocal harmonies accompanied by ethereal atmospheric phrasing on electric and acoustic guitars, which combine to create a rich shifting soundscape. An unusual percussive playing style on the acoustic is blended with percussion and self-produced samples to create pulsing rhythms with captivating crescendos.
Welsh singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist The Indigo Palms (Johnny Boon, previously known as The Lost Embers) is soon to release his brand new single, Live It Up. Live It Up is the first taster of The Indigo Palms forthcoming new album Future Proof which is set for release in September. Inspired by artists such as Prince, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Radiohead, The Indigo Palms has recorded a work that celebrates the extremities of pop music without losing the hooks and love of melody.
The single and album are a deliberate move away from The Indigo Palms previous more lo-fi recordings and sees him turn his gaze towards the lyrical themes and sonic adventures of those inspiring artists from the eighties and nineties. For me, the result is a Counting Crows like feel, comfortable and yet slightly edgy as he's bolstered up his sound. Seek out The Indigo Palms album Future Proofwhen it's availableyou won't be sorry and Ralph will be spinning Live It Up on next Sunday's Radio KC Indie Show, so tune in from 5-7pm.
With the release of the much vaunted and highly acclaimed Forget Your Ghosts, debut album in March of 2015, Cambridgeshire alt-rockers Phoenix Calling caused quite a stir amongst the mainstream 'heavy hitters' like Kerrang and Scuzz TV. No surprises then that they're releasing Hold On To Glory, a stand-out track from Forget Your Ghosts, as a single to kick off 2016. Its burgeoning, frenzied guitar and percussion overlaid with a driving vocal will see it receive no small amount of radio plays including, of course, Ralph's Radio KC Indie Show. Phoenix Calling supported Young Guns on their recent UK tour and have also shared the stage with Mallory Knox and Nothing But Thieves as well as headlining a number of regional festivals. They are regular contributors to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. The band did a mini tour of Poland in September 2015 playing some top venues in Warsaw and Krakow and were also featured on Polish national Anty Radio.
Their new video for Hold On To Glory will be revealed soon. It features boxer Tommy Martin who is fighting for the Commonwealth Light Welterweight belt on January 30th at the Copper Box Arena. They hope Sky Sports will be playing the video at the event. In the meantime, here's an acoustic set Phoenix Calling did for garycool.com on YouTube last year.
