Brian's Video Of The Week - Cocoa Futures 'Circus'

Brian's Video Of The Week commencing 15th October is the interestingly disturbing and highly compelling new one from the enigmatic London based Cocoa Futures, baby of Scottish singer songwriter par excellence Greg Sanderson..

Directed by Danny Nellis and Wesley Gonzales Cocoa Futures - Circus. Released on Lost in the Manor Records.

Stream Circus on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0BFEUv...






Stream on Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/cir...


Website: http://www.cocoafuturesband.com YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/user/cocoafut Twitter: http://twitter.com/cocoafuture Instagram: http://instagram.com/cocoafutures Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cocoafutures

Beerjacket

Cord is the first track to be taken from Beerjacket's most ambitious musical project to date – an album and corresponding book Silver Cords. 

Accompanying the 12 songs on the album are a collection of 12 short
stories; intertwined with the music, intended for consumption alongside it. Of the project Peter Kelly says, 

“At some point in the writing of Silver Cords, I decided the record would live in a book and that each song would be
accompanied by a short story inspired 
by its lyrics.”









The tenderness of the music ebbs and flows, conveyed perfectly with lead single Cord. Refreshing in its
simplistic truth, the track is an elucidation of why Beerjacket has become the cult figure, despite his modesty,within Scottish music that he is.

The accompanying short story, Shoots of Life, focuses on that one connection
in your life that holds everything together. The cord that connects everything.

“I’ve always believed that as people, the threads that tie us together don't just connect us to each other, they
connect us to ourselves and define the ‘selves’ that we claim as ours. 




The decisions we make are seldom made alone and we are seldom alone, even on our own.” – Excerpt from Shoots of Life.

The combination of sound and print is something unique to Silver Cords. Having released five albums in the traditional manner, PeterKelly was keen to release something special. 

Instead he's produced something exceptional in my opinion,something constant that won't be cast adrift on a shelf in favour of a digital imprint. 





This pairing creates an ethereal tone which binds the stories with a dreamlike, magic realism quality, and certain recurring themes of isolation, now-ness,  association, loss and fear. Peter Kelly started writing the album in 2015 and its completion has taken 3 years, but it's well worth the wait, although the only thing missing for me is vinyl but that doesn't deter an all star 5 star award.. 

“Story by story the songs’  siblings entered the room. My imagination superimposing details on the real-life buildings that inspired settings and, the stories play out almost interminably now on three to five minute loops.”  Cord will be released digitally on 7th September 2018 via indie Scottish Fiction records.








The track is imbued with poignant Americana-esque Bonnie Prince Billie stylee vocal (no higher compliment can I pay) as Beerjacket draws the listener in with his subtle engaging tones.

Therefor Cord is as true a musical gem as I've drooled over after listening to recently and his back-catalogue is a must do to search for you and get the headphones on like I did. You will not be disappointed. Ican't wait to give it a spin soon on Brian's Radio KC Sunday Indie Show!

Just click the red link! How many hints do you need? Go!!!

Scott Lloyd

We've covered Scott Lloyd's releases previously and regularly playlisted on our weekly Sunday radio show on Radio KC. No wonder with quality releases like his new Single Down To Earth which we've had on repeat here all week and now of course Living In The Dark playlisted right away for the Indie Show of Sunday 16th November, so tune in via Internet Radio on the following link: radiokc.fm at 5pm UK Time.

Scott Lloyd is producing his own brand of Americana to a quality way beyond his years since we last featured him and no wonder. Born in Middlesbrough, has previously released six EP's independently and played live in venues across the UK and America from San Francisco to Vancouver, Canada, as well as appearing at Glastonbury in 2015 and live on BBC Intro. 

His widening experience shows through in his increasingly mature and eminently listenable music. It's 9/10 for us.

Last year, in 2017 Scott sold out Jimmy’s venue in Manchester to release his EP In the Garden, a former Ralph's Life Video Of The Week,which was recorded with a full backing band. With roots firmly planted in the North East Scott also wrote songs for his Ironopolis EP, which were inspired by his hometown of Middlesbrough and the EP immediately reached number 12 in iTunes Singer Songwriter charts in 2015. 

After graduating from a degree in music at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2010, Scott listened to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel and Bruce Springsteen for their songwriting and inspired, Scott set out to record his first EP Long Live You in 2013.

Scott’s first single released via the fiercly independent Aardvark Records,Looking Out To Sea, gained over 1000 plays on Apple music within a few weeks of release.

Scott’s new single ‘Down To Earth’ goes on sale on Friday 7th September on digital music retail and streaming sites. Aardvark Records have also pressed some CDs. The song was recorded at Red Sand Studio, Chorlton, Manchester and produced by Mathieu Garcia.

For more information about Scott Lloyd please visit his website without delay on www.scottlloydmusic.co.uk to find links to videos and his previous EPs and upcoming gigs. 

More info you will need as you discover the burgeoning strength of his songwriting and musicianship. His creative maturity is pushing his writing to new levels and who knows what heights the next release will bring. 

Pretty certain I do and it's all good. Can't wait for more from this charming young man! Bring it on!

Tom Lumley

Cambridgeshire native Tom Lumley is set to release his new single 'Crawling' on September 14 via North Acre Records and it's a proper Rock 'n' Rolla which we love. Yes it's shades of Big Country (Nae bad thing) but with a fresh in your face feel.

Leaving the usual singer-songwriter sound in his wake, Tom Lumley and his band are gaining a reputation for taking to the stage with monumental energy that’s felt from the front row to the back of the room. His debut 'Dream City EP', released in 2017 charted at No.2 in the iTunes Rock Charts, with lead singles 'Dream City' and ‘Running From Our Lives’ gaining press support from reputable music journalists and of course now Brian.

Following on from the success of his debut EP, the 22 year old returns with infectious indie rock anthem 'Crawling' and the track is about being trapped in a chemical relationship, to the extent where it’s almost an addiction. Even though you know it’s nothing but bad for you, you just keep going back.  

Speaking about the track, Lumley said, “I feel it reflects a lot of modern day relationships. I feel my generation are very insecure in themselves and in their relationships due to social media and only sharing the “highlight reel”. Everyone shows off the good stuff, but no one ever sees the discord that is often happening behind the scenes in these relationships.”

Photo Credit - Isabelle Ingham

Tom Lumley and his band have supported some of the UK’s hottest bands, including The Hunna, The Sherlocks, Coasts and Airways but that's going to change very quickly as his star is very much in the ascendancy of the rock firmament and it'll be the other way around without a mistake!.

Photo Credit - Isabelle Ingham

He also took to the stage last year to play the very last Secret Garden Party for BBC Introducing, as well as playing Dot To Dot, Splendour and Green Meadow festivals. 

Having sold out The Portland Arms in Cambridge this year already, Tom looks to continue the pace and spread his sound across the country.

Airplay support, Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1; John Kennedy, Radio X; Tom Simkins, BBC Introducing Cambridgeshire; Charlie Ashcroft, big Jim Gellatly, Josh Hannen, Amazing Radio; Playlisting, Soundlab Evening Experiment & Playlisting syndicated show and of course upcoming airplay on Brian's Indie Show on Radio KC from Sunday Sept 2nd.

Track Of The Day

Brian's Track Of The Day for Wednesday 15th August 2018 is...

Marina Florance: 

This track was written by Marina Florance for the community project in Colchester organised by long time Ralph's Life favourite Johnno Casson called The Warn and Toasty Club after a performance there by Marina.



Marina recently worked with The Warm and Toasty Club, having been commissioned, along with co-writer Jules Fox Allen, to compose three songs based on the memories of residents at retirement complexes for the Coast To Coast Project. All three songs are now complete and you can support the wonderful work of The Warm and Toasty Club by buying the EP or one of the tracks. 

Marina Florance came to performing late in life, however, very soon after making the decision to "come out of the kitchen" to widen her audience she was awarded Arts Council funding, via the Escalator Project, to record a debut album, Somewhere Down The Line,using this as a platform she has since reached audiences never previously thought possible. 

She has had success with lots of radio play, including BBC6Music with Little Black Cloud and The Moon both of which were selected for the Tom Robinson Mixtape via 'Fresh On The Net'.

Millie Manders & The Shutup - Video Of The Week PREMIERE

Brian's favourite video this week is a premiere of Monster by Millie Manders and The Shutup.

Millie had this to say about the video which touches on subject matter very close to our collective heart.

"I wrote Monster while I was in the middle of an anxiety attack. I felt like I had a monster behind me and inside of me chaining me down and feeding me all the nasty things you feed yourself  - that you are worthless, pathetic, unloved, alone etc. 

I wanted to articulate that feeling somehow; The crippling, debilitating fear that comes with it. The irrationality of it and the confusion. Hopefully I have managed to get that across both sonically and lyrically with this track, and the video."

A review of the video of Monster by writer, spoken word performer and

mental health advocate Lynn Gerrard. - 10/10

"Through this video the outstandingly talented and creative Millie Manders has managed to relay a disturbingly accurate description of how it feels to be in the grip of the ‘Monster’ that is an anxiety attack.

I say ‘disturbing’ because, as someone who is host to such a monster herself, seeing that monster exposed so graphically through Millie’s hard hitting and factual experience is a reminder of just how real that monster is and how quickly and unexpectedly its parasitical tendrils can invade any of us at any time as it attempts to dominate and control.

In essence, I absolutely adored this video in all of its truth because not only could I see the monster through Millie’s behaviour I could hear it as Millie’s voice became intermittently darker the more possessed she became and the harder she had to fight.

And that is exactly how it feels to be in the monstrous clutches of an anxiety attack..

In fact, the next time I am struggling to explain to my GP just what I am going through I am going to show her this remarkable video by the unforgettable Millie Manders and I shall simply say “THIS!”.

Hey Bulldog - Video Of The Week

Brian's favourite video this week is Al Lupo by Hey Bulldog. 

Like many bands before, Hey Bulldog began as a germ of an idea of main man Rob Manton. The multi-talented Manchester-based musician recorded the debut EP, New York City Blues, by himself with the help of a drum machine.

Before turning the project into a fully-fledged band, Manton created a buzz with the help of music websites and a variety of fanzines. 


Finding a pair of like-minded cohorts Matt Parry (bass) and Ben Howarth-Lees (drums) Manton turned Hey Bulldog into a live bluesy three-piece psychedelic rock band known for their musicianship and live improvisations.

Track on Bandsintown

May 01

Soup Kitchen

w/ The Liminanas

Tuesday, 7:00PM

Manchester, United Kingdom

Tickets

May 05

The Garage

Saturday, 7:00PM

London, United Kingdom

Tickets

Jul 20

Blackthorn Festival

w/ We Are Scientists, The Blinders, Peter Hook & The Light

Friday, 7:00PM

Stockport, United Kingdom

Tickets

Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles - Single Launch

We've followed the ascendancy of Billy Bibby since he started to plough his own furrow on departing Catfish and The Bottlemen and the formation and transformation of Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles.

So we're delighted to be featuring news of the new single War Of One here on Ralph's Life and Brian will be playing the single on the Radio KC Indie Show on Sunday April 29th between 5 and 7pm.

Billy had this to say of the new release:

"War Of One is another upbeat rock song that I personally loved writing because I just know that live it's gonna be a blast to play for mine and the band's sake, and I'm sure from the audience perspective too," 


Billy mused further:

"Any fans of rock music are going to want to be hit with a wave of sound that fills their hearts with joy and tears them down with its sheer power and driving force behind the amps, and that's what I am hoping this single will bring to the fans. I always want to keep an element of secrecy behind my lyrics so that you can all create your own thoughts as to what they mean to you."

"For me, it is simply about the war between you and you alone and how you deal with certain normal issues in life. Hence why it's called War Of One. As depressing as that may sound I always try to make light of it and write positively so it's far from being a negative song!"



Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles will be celebrating the single release tonight and most appropriately, at Record Junkee in Sheffield.  This marks the penultimate date of busy 16-date spring tour that began near home in Chester and zig-zagged across the UK, from Cardiff to Birmingham, from Liverpool to Glasgow and many more places in between. 

The tour ends on a high note in London with a Camden Rocks appearance at Nambucca April 28th. 

Apr20

Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles / Sundance / Keyframe

Today 19:30 · Record Junkee · Sheffield

Apr28

Camden Rocks All-Night'er feat. Echoic & more at Nambucca

Sat 19:00 · Camden Rocks Presents · London, United Kingdom

Aug4

Gig in the Car Park 2018

Sat 12:00 · The Greenside Venue · Leslie, Fife, United Kingdom

As we wait to spin the new single...why not have a listen to the last one which was a big favourite on Radio KC here...