New Music -Help Me - Danielle Lewis

Spectral folk/pop with a tender Welsh soul, “Help Me” is the stunning new single by DANIELLE LEWIS.

Drifting on misty melodies that recall the atmospheric works of Julia Holter, The Weather Station or Weyes Blood, Lewis’ beacon-bright vocal shoots through the soundscape with illuminating character.

Written on a chilly afternoon in Cardiff in 2019 after Lewis had just returned from a UK tour, gazing out at the January gloom beyond her window she was gripped by what she describes as a “sudden and cathartic moment of journaling”. Falling as naturally into place as the frost that clung to the frozen ground below, the words and music of “Help Me” came from within to capture a mood and moment in intimate detail. As Lewis says of “Help Me”:

“On reflection of 'Help Me', the lyrics shed a light on my inner dialogue at that moment in time, perhaps even another aspect of myself. It's a reminder of the importance of self love that ultimately starts from within.”

Channelling these humbling spiritual observations through Lewis’ own unearthly vocal, “Help Me”’s startling potential was immediate. Reaching out to TJ Roberts, frontman of the eponymously titled Welsh indie/americana quartet, he added the brittle starkness of his acoustic guitar to crystallize a track of haunting, breathtaking beauty.

“There's an underlying sense of power and drive from TJ Roberts’ beautiful guitar playing” says Danielle. “I felt the track warranted an acoustic and stripped back feel, almost as if it could be recreated time and time again. 'Help Me' ended up feeling despairing and enlightening all at the same time.”

Written by Danielle Lewis and produced by Secondson (who also contributes acoustic guitar, bass, drums, synthesizer here), “Help Me” was recorded at Sail Loft Studios (Cardiff). Mixing & Mastering was contributed by Leon West at After Life Studios (Cardiff), with additional engineering by Thomas V Westgård .

Originally hailing from the West coast of Wales, Danielle Lewis crafts ethereal folk with saintly vocals from another world. Her writing is raw yet unfiltered, with a voice that has a haunting grace and momentous power.

Breaking-out with her 'Live Forever' EP in 2018, its bold authenticity began to attract attention on a wider scale, including that of Super Furry Animal Cian Ciaran, who even offered to remix its title track. Returning in 2019, the singer grew her reputation with the acclaimed single ‘A Woman Like You‘, an empowering track that expanded into the realms of dream pop and drew warm comparisons to Karen Carpenter. With her live plans shelved in 2020, Lewis took the opportunity to release two further tracks: “Life of Worth” and “Flower”, each of which find the singer delving into new sonic territory.

Planning her debut album for release later this year, expect much more to come from this promising talent, with art direction by the esteemed Mark James Works (Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys, Gilles Peterson, Abbey Road Studios).

Owain Felstead- A Musicians Perspective

With the majority of people out of work, artists have been fortunate enough to continue on

during the pandemic, and in doing so, have provided fans with a hopeful form of escapism. The

obvious drawback being that they are unable to do it live. Whilst a large number of musicians

were reliant upon gigs as a source of income, that option is no longer possible. Though, the

pandemic has provided artists and songwriters with a unique opportunity to capture our current

situation in the form of music, and it can be used as something to look back on if we want to

give future generations a feel on what it was like to live through a pandemic.

Dropping a couple of singles, an EP and racking up millions of plays in the process, up and

coming Welsh talent Owain Felstead has thrived in creating music from his own home.

‘During the pandemic I have made more music than ever,’ said Owain. Spending more time to

improve and grow as an artist, he has been able to use Lockdown as a way of perfecting his

writing and production abilities, culminating in a more refined and mellow sound. Whether it be

his sobering outlook on love with the reflective pop banger, ‘Decisions,’ or his melancholy hit

‘Clover’ which has nearly 5 million plays on Spotify, it is obvious that he has a knack for creating

tunes worthy of chart placement.

Often layered with introspection, Owain has a talent for writing meaningful songs that not only

stick in your head after first listen, but also have something to say, a rare quality for an industry

rife with the generic pop formula.

‘It has been difficult to see friends and artists struggle with the problem,’ said Owain, when

referring to live gigs as a stream of income. The fact that artists have continued to work doesn't

always mean that they’ll be compensated financially. A large number of musicians these days

receive payment through streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music. They don’t

always pay well either. It is perhaps one of the harder jobs to find success in, though if you’re

talented then it is a question of whether you’re willing to work hard enough to achieve that

success, which Owain goes on to sum up with, ‘there are days where I wake up and don’t feel

like writing. These days are the most important. I make sure that I get up and write even on

these days, developing a strong mindset and attitude towards my craft.’

Giving us more time to reflect and achieve our own personal goals has been one of few

positives to come from the COVID situation, it has also provided us with the opportunity to

explore the vast range of music out there that may bring us peace in all the madness, and I

think Owain is definitely one worth checking out as he goes from strength to strength.

Brad Cox

New Music- Aderyn-Silver Screen

Photo Subject To Copyright

From the wilderness of the Brecon Beacons, Aderyn left home at 16 to play drums in a grunge band.

This is her first solo project. Aderyn channels her raw indie roots through her music, which is peppered with quirky, confessional lyrics and hooky guitar riffs.

Aderyn's influences include Courtney Barnett, Soccor Mommy, Pixies and Arctic Monkeys. She released her first single, Lucozade, in 2020 and it had a great response from radio, blogs, and BBC Introducing.

Aderyn is a Forte Project Artist. The Forte project is an artist development scheme which has successfully helped to uncover exciting new music emerging from Wales.

Silver Screen is a sweeping grunge pop banger, about wasting your youth, drinking in front of the TV and falling sideways in love. It is the second single from Welsh indie artist Aderyn, whose debut Lucozade was played on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru by Huw Stephens, Lisa Gwilym, Bethan Elfyn, and Adam Walton.
Silver Screen has raw, confessional lyrics which Aderyn wrote in honour of her first, fleeting love, backed with thumping drums and crunchy lead guitars. 

Silver Screen is released on 23/2/21

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https://open.spotify.com/artist/45iS2zKC0Ri3mFQOq5Ktk6?si=5jMTOF2uSlWX9PTO7FFHLQ

New Music - Ragsy New Single Released Today

Former The Voice star to release a new single in the middle of the crisis

Ragsy’s forthcoming album ‘One More For The Road’ has been a long time coming. There was a delay in its release in early 2020 due to the effects that the coronavirus pandemic continues to have on the world, including the music industry. The singer’s new album was recorded at Northhouse Studios and co-produced with his producer Chris Peet.

Talking about their relationship, both professionally and personally, Ragsy expressed:

“I can chat with Chris about the stories behind the songs, the mood, the feel, and then somehow the sound effortlessly develops from thereon.

“He’s a great producer, a ‘Musical Magician’ as I like to call him - a very talented man. We’ve worked together for a long time now and achieved a lot along the way.”

I had the opportunity to interview Ragsy to tell me everything about his life since partaking at The Voice UK, back in 2012. Here’s the latest from the star:

The new single ‘The First Time’ has been identified as upbeat, passionate and a song that we can all relate to. Ragsy stated that the lyrics refer to the beautiful initial feelings that people experience when they meet the love of their life:

“From that moment of setting eyes on each other, to holding hands, and then the first kiss. The journey begins, pinching ourselves every day, hoping this feeling never goes away, remains the same and lasts

Forever.”

He described.

The artwork for the single as well as the album was created by Ragsy’s partner Hannah Day.

“Hannah has been a huge support for my music career. Having to constantly listen to the tracks as they develop, as well as my concerns. But when it comes to the artwork, we kind of thrashed out the ideas, then Hannah has just a great ‘let’s go get it done attitude’ with a natural ability to capture the imagery for the music.” 

The star stated about his partner.

‘The First Time’ released today and is available to stream and download from all major online distribution sites. The Song also has an animated lyric video to support its release.

Charles Stylianou

New Release Today-UK Exclusive!

Our Friend and Ex Cardiff Student Justin Ripassa releases his new single today.

The single is gaining air play in his native Netherlands and the UK.

Check it out!

MAKE ANGER GREAT AGAIN - JAMES KENNEDY (KONIC RECORDS - OUT NOW)

The year 2020 will forever be remembered as the time that everything changed and the world as we once knew it changed forever. Former Kyshera main man James Kennedy must have had a touch of the mystic Meg about him when writing and recording this prophetic sonic masterpiece earlier this year. In a world obsessed by Brexit and Trump it seemed that this era couldn't get any more surreal, how wrong we were, enter a virus ‘Made In China’ to completely change everyone's lives.

The cover emblazoned with Russian style revolutionary Politik imagery and calligraphy sets up the listener for the revolutionary call to arms that is contained herein. Even the albums title is a jibe at Trump’s rabble rousing slogan of Make America Great Again (I for one will not be able to see a MAGA baseball hat on a redneck without thinking of James and this aural Tour de Force)

Lydon once enamoured us with the notion ‘Anger is an Energy’ and James picks up the gauntlet on opener The Power. I had always thought of Kyshera as being like an angry Muse, well James solo is like an even angrier Kyshera and this track gives us a taste of things to come with its accompanying video initially banned by youtube only adding to the revolutionary nature of the album.

The angst comes thick and Fast on nearly all the tracks and they all have positively filthy guitar riffs and shouty up and at 'em chorus’. Solace In Sickness is almost a ballad by comparison but the anger is still there and it is probably my favourite track on the collection closely followed by Autopsy.

Kick out the jams kids and get yourselves some short sharp revolutionary kicks, i heartily recommend James’ accompanying book Noise Damage also just released for the background behind the making of this Rock n Roll Underdog from the South Wales Valleys.

CHRIS PHILLIPS
KEEP CARDIFF LIVE

THE PANDEMIC TAPES - COACHES (SELF RELEASED - OUT NOW)

The year 2020 is  probably not an ideal time to start a new musical project given that there is no chance of any live performances on the other hand it gives the opportunity to hone your songwriting and get an outfit tight as a drum before being unleashed on an unforgiving public.
Londoner Jake Hussey came to Wales with an impressive set of songs composed Prince like in demo form, a chance work encounter with drummer  James Phillips led to them discovering that they had many similar musical influences (more of that later), the band grew during lockdown to include Jake’s brother George Hussey on rhythm guitar / vocals, Ceri Ellis  on lead guitar/vocals and Kirsty Thomas on Bass/vocals, all veterans  (yet still in their twenties) of various local ensembles. Coaches take their name from the Coach and Horses pub in Abergavenny where all the guys n gals used to meet to for a weekly pub quiz and to plan world domination.
This reviewer has been reviewing bands and artists since the late eighties and musically the valleys have been a hot bed of metal and punk which is fine by me but it is rare  that I receive an Indie gem such as the Pandemic Tapes, emblazed with nods to the past but with a fresh urgency that bodes well for the future.  The E.P. opens up with Control Us a frenzied call to arms  which has all the raw emotion of the Manic Street Preachers in their You Love Us era, Weight Of The World has 100 MPH guitar ala Gedge in the Wedding Present prime and a big shouty chorus.

The pace slows on Surreal with a haunting melody with shades of Oasis with a sprinkling of Fontaines D.C. bass underpinning it all, a heady cocktail indeed. Don’t Listen To The Crowd gets the buzzing chainsaw revving again with a feel of second wave British Punk to deliver a short sharp shock. Purgatory is cut from similar cloth and has shades of S.L.F. (interesting has a major influence is Greenday in the band bio, memories of the fabulous Hi Fidelity film).
These six songs make a great opening statement and the guys save the best till last, Dreamers is like the Stone Roses vocalising over The Cure guitar meanderings. On this evidence 2020 not been a total right off for music. Coaches have taken a blend of influences and mixed them together to make for a welcome tonic in these troubling times.
Live Music be back soon and to paraphrase Frank Zappa, Don’t make a fuss and get on the …….Coach.

Chris Phillips
Keep Cardiff Live   

Alan Jones presents THE DEBUTANTES and their “Symphonic Pop” (Exclusive Podcast)

The debut album by sensational new female pop duo “The Debutantes” is the creation of Alan Jones, a man with his finger firmly on the pulse of today’s music trends and an extensive knowledge of pop history- because he was part of it.

So it’s not surprising that the 14 songs on The Debutantes’s new recording have a definite 60’s ‘vibe’ mixed with a strong 2Ist Century appeal.

Alan Jones has enjoyed a long, colourful career in both music and fashion, having enjoyed success as an original member / sax player with 1960’s chart toppers Amen Corner, famed for classic pop hits “Bend Me, Shape Me”, “High In The Sky”, “(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice” and more, and touring with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd.

Following the band’s break-up, Alan formed the ‘supergroup’ Judas Jump who were managed by the infamous Don Arden and after that band broke-up, became involved in the world of high-end rock n’ roll fashion, opening a chain of clothing shops in the UK and pioneering the fashion explosion on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles during the ‘eighties with his shop Let it Rock which catered for a clientele including Michael Jackson, Prince and Bruce Springsteen.

He was also responsible for the career of The LA Guns managing them for five years and orchestrating a deal with Polygram Records with whom they sold one million records of their debut album.

All these experiences have led to Alan creating, writing and recording an album of songs which he describes as ‘Symphonic Pop”, performed by two very talented, beautiful sisters from Cardiff – Victoria & Lavinia George-Veale – collectively known as ‘The Debutantes”.

The album was engineered by Richard Jackson (who co-produced with Alan) and features Victora and Lavinia’s stunning blend of voices combined with John Rea’s lush orchestration. Featuring strong melodies and catchy sixties style ‘hooks’,the album has the feel of Phil Spector’ s “Wall of Sound “mixed with Abba - like vocals. Many of the 14 tracks are potential singles , including a version of the Amen Corner no 1 hit “(If Paradise is ) Half as Nice “ with a cameo vocal from the bands lead singer Andy Fairweather Low.

There’s no doubt that with their debut recording, ‘The Debutantes’ have put the ‘class’ into classic pop!

Keep Cardiff Live was lucky enough to sit down with Alan to talk about his fascinating career in music and his latest project, The Debutantes.

Listen to the podcast