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The Big Takeover Issue #93
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The Flavor That Kills - Book of Secrits (Shortwave Records)

16 March 2024

Taste The Flavor, become part of the universe. The New Album Book of Secrits is out now! The Flavor That kills is a band from Madison, WI, one full of bravado and swagger.

RIDE – Interplay (Wichita)

15 March 2024

RIDE’s seventh full-length (and third since their reformation 10 years ago) arrives March 29th. Most certainly worth the five-year wait since the last album, “Interplay” builds on their prior two records with cohesiveness and conviction.

Conflict Choir - The Real Thing (Conflict Choir Recordings)

15 March 2024

This alternative rock powerhouse is comprised of session musicians who have worked with members of The Scorpions, Ocean Colour Scene and more. Hailing from the UK, and formed from the ashes of 2020’s lockdowns, Conflict Choir emerged with a self recorded commentary on the state of the modern world – their album Strange Game; which the band is releasing track by track to slowly reveal their completed work.

Charles Lloyd - The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow (Blue Note)

15 March 2024

Concerned by the state of the world, the saxist brought together old and new tunes, with an ear toward inspiring melodies and arrangements.

speakeazie - Jamie, You're No Good For Me (Independent)

14 March 2024

A classically trained musician in her formative years, speakeazie’s roots earned her numerous accolades in the Sunshine State. Inspired by the depths of personal experiences and reflections, her narrative is a dance between the sultry past of speakeasies and the melancholic present of the indie scene. The artist released her debut album, Prohibition Hippie in 2022, allowing her to find a spot in the dreampop community.

faults. - Sweets (self-released)

13 March 2024

Prepare to be plunged into the freezing Nordic Noir universe of “Sweets”, a brand new music video by faults. – the audiovisual project by Swedish artist KC Dahlehan.

Created in the form of a crime drama by the artist alongside filmmaker Georg Bruno Baur, the video follows a dishevelled, paranoid couple on a drive through a dismal and icy landscape. With nods to North American thrillers of the 90’s and aughts, tension and anxiety build as viewers are left searching for clues to the protagonists’ ambiguous misfortunes…

Ivo Perelman/Mark Helias/Tom Rainey - Truth Seeker (Fundacja Sluchaj)

13 March 2024

The rhythm duo fits right into Perelman’s free improv vision, following him anywhere he chooses to roam.

Reptiel - Down Below World (Cubby Control Records)

11 March 2024

Reptiel was formed in San Francisco in 2009 by members of Bay Area underground indie rock bands The Cubby Creatures, Thee More Shallows and The Druggles. The REPTIELians claim to practice “ritual musick” in order to summon their stories and sounds, and only rarely do they perform live due to the various members’ agoraphobia, superstitiousness and excessive stage fright.

Paulcito - MVP (self-released)

11 March 2024

“Art-house pop-rock-psychedelic underwater guy. If you think the pop world starts and ends with Bowie, or at least understand Bowie and his kind are really a cut above in that upper league of good work, something better and more fascinating than the generic pop star, you might find something in the things I am doing with my collaborator Carl Dennis (aka CD Music).”

Paulcito

Billy Alexander - Hammer Of The Gods (self-released)

11 March 2024

After racking up countless road miles on tour with his band YYNOT, John Waite and Anna Nalick, producing, writing, and recording for various artists, and having two Billboard charting songs with his band Feel, *Billy Alexander8 is set to deliver his debut solo album Rock & Roll Diary.

Rodrigo Recabarren/Pablo Menares/Yago Vazquez - Familia (Greenleaf)

8 March 2024

With a rhythm section from Chile and a pianist from Spain, the beats here don’t reflect the danceable end of Latin America. Instead the trio draws on the Chilean chacarera and the Galician xota to find cultural beats that intersect and evolve.

Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps and The Star Prairie Project - California Smile (One Media iP Ltd)

8 March 2024

Tom Tikka, a former Sony/BMG songwriter, best known for his work with Carmen Gray, began his solo career in 2020 and has since released two critically-acclaimed albums This Is My Happy Face and Better Man. New album Rainbows and Dead Flowers has already spawned to UK chart top ten singles.

Bloodstains - Bloodstains (self-released)

7 March 2024

Santa Ana, CA’s Bloodstains are back with their first full Lp and it’s an absolute corker!

Bad Mary - Forget About It (Dead Pill)

7 March 2024

Drawing on influences from the likes of Blondie and The Ramones, Green Day and The Dollyrots, this tight-knit family unit uses humor and the power of music to push back on all the crap going on in the world. Bad Mary holds up a warped mirror to the current culture and reminds us that having fun is the best way to give yourself an escape from the craziness.

The Tonics - Memories Won't Drown (self-released)

7 March 2024

Forming in late 2022, The Tonics comprises of lead songwriter and charismatic guitarist Alex Malpass, vocalist Anna Marsh, bass player Charlie Plews and drum aficionado Matt Joiner, with each member bringing alternate perspectives within their close-knit chemistry. Writing music influenced by new wave, post punk and romantic poetry, the group laces their sound with a healthy dose of pop sensibility, building them a feverish and eclectic fan base.

Gary Dranow - Never Give Up (self-released)

7 March 2024

A force to be reckoned with, Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions have been releasing numerous singles prior to the release of their Destiny Road Album released May 26, 2023. The album features the talent of Jerry Manftedi on bass and Jethro DeFries on drums, , and Tommy Mars on keyboards. Having gigged extensively in Southern California, Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions are now looking forward to spinning magic in and around Salt Lake City and Park City, *UT

Gary Dranow - Dad (self-released)

6 March 2024

A force to be reckoned with, Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions have been releasing numerous singles prior to the release of their Destiny Road Album released May 26, 2023. The album features the talent of Jerry Manftedi on bass and Jethro DeFries on drums, , and Tommy Mars on keyboards. Having gigged extensively in Southern California, Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions are now looking forward to spinning magic in and around Salt Lake City and Park City, *UT

Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble - Elegy For Thelonious (Sunnyside)

6 March 2024

Elegy For Thelonious is a tribute both to its subject and its creator.

Cosmic Ninja - Filth (self-released)

5 March 2024

Cosmic Ninja are a powerhouse of energy with their unique fusion of rock, rave and punk sounds; combining an anti establishment message with joyful exuberance and positivity. Described as “able to deliver for the big occasions” and “truly a visual spectacle”, they never fail to bring down the house. Highly in demand for festivals all over the country, their raucously infectious set on the main stage at the 10,000+ capacity Bristol Pride Day was a fitting high to an extraordinary 2022 summer.

Jekyll - Trampled Ghosts (self-released)

5 March 2024

Born and bred in Blackpool, UK, and taking inspiration from a wide and eclectic pool of influences, Jekyll’s music is known for its expansive, melancholic soundscapes, dynamic mood shifts and visceral intensity. While appearing at The Great Escape Festival 2018, Jekyll were signed on the spot by the prestigious Fierce Panda (Coldplay, Placebo, Keane etc.).

Giack Bazz - The Moon Is Painted (Omikami)

4 March 2024

Giack Bazz is an indie rock singer-songwriter based in London. Giack takes the listener on a tour inside his mind, criticising society and discussing mental health, from love to loss. His first record Childhood Dream (2016), financed by crowdfunding, paved the road for Giack Bazz Is Not Famous (2018) and Haikufy (2019), a 30-tracks, 20-minutes album that started his personal protest against the unfair paying scheme of streaming platforms.

Friko with Smut -Cabaret Metro (Chicago) - March 1st, 2024

2 March 2024

These songs became heartfelt anthems for a packed crowd believing in the power of music and grateful for the experience.

The Avelons - Chit Chat (self-released)

2 March 2024

With goosebump induced guitar riffs, dirty, audacious bass lines, relentlessly driven drum beats and effortlessly gripping vocals, the Newcastle-based angry indie rockers, The Avelon’s made a mark on the scene back in 2021, which has lead to four sell out gigs at top local venues The Cluny, Head Of Steam, Zerox and Bobiks.

Marky Wildtype - Tell Me Again (self-released)

2 March 2024

Marky Wildtype is an Edinburgh based songwriter/musician/producer who has been plying his trade and honing his craft under various guises for many years. Most recently, he has been providing the buzzsaw guitar backbone of the vibrant heavy-rock-meets-trad instrumental alt-folk band The Jig Show.

Talk In Code - Something Of Nothing (Regent Street Records Ltd)

1 March 2024

The name Talk In Code is derived form the idea that everyone relates to music differently. Pushing beyond their indie pop boundaries, it’s no surprise the band have been described as ‘genre-blurring’! Hailing from the heart of the South West (UK), the quartet have firmly established themselves as a force – whipping up a storm of press and radio support including Q Music and BBC Introducing networks. This exposure has been bolstered by an impressive crop of live shows across the country appearing with Years & Years, Scouting For Girls, Go West and Marc Almond to name a few.

Julian Lage - Speak to Me (Blue Note)

1 March 2024

Lage and producer Joe Henry plot a divergent course for the music, worrying less about genre than about melody and how best for the players to bring it to life.

Wasson!? - Hold My Breath (ATD Media Ltd)

1 March 2024

Drinking rum and having fun. Wasson!? is a five piece Cornish punk band with a sprinkling of Italian pizzaz. Hailing from Bude, Cornwall, Wasson!? Comprises of Ryan Leverton (Vocals / guitar) Ben Clarke (Guitar) Brook Osborne (Bass / Guitar) Ben Edwards (Drums) and Igor Forsinetti (Keyboard / Bass). With influences as wide ranging as their musical talents Wasson!? continue to dine out off gig reviews such as “they weren’t actually that bad” and “not f*****g awful”.

Tina Schlieske - The Good Life (Shifting Paradigm Records)

1 March 2024

Tina Schlieske ventures into new musical horizons with The Good Life, her first jazz standards recording. Tina Schlieske, an icon in Minneapolis’ music scene known for rock and Americana, unveils her latest musical journey, The Good Life. This jazz album, featuring renowned musicians Cody McKinney, Pete Hennig, Bryan Nichols, Brandon Wozniak, and Jake Baldwin, is a departure into uncharted jazz territory. The album produced by McKinney and Patrik Tanner emerged from pre-Covid recording sessions that Schlieske revisited and transformed into an extraordinary collection of classic jazz standards.

Austin Willacy - Gonna Be Alright (None More Black Music)

1 March 2024

Austin Willacy is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter who has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe as a member of The House Jacks, a multi-award winning a cappella rock band currently featured on The Sing-Off on NBC and on Monday Night Football on ESPN.

Elea Calvet - Sinuous Ways (Hyssop & Victoria)

29 February 2024

Born in Canada to French parents, Elea lived in Hemmingford until age 5 when her family moved to Dharamsala, India for her father to pursue Tibetan medicine studies. She subsequently spent a few years in the south of France before moving to Bristol, UK at 16 to study music. Releasing a string of singles, “Lust”, “Trigger” and “Sacrifice”, to critical acclaim in her idiosyncratically “towering sound reminiscent of PJ Harvey and Feist”, she was touted as “a millennial Patti Smith”. Albeit being Gen Z, she decided not to correct the journalist for the (hopefully only partly) erroneous compliment.

The Margaret Hooligans - Royal Octopus Canal (Piety Street Publishing)

29 February 2024

One woman (electric ukulele, lead vocals), one man (drums, teapot, back up vocals), forming one band that incorporates garage rock, funk, and soul to create a swirl of sloppy transcendence. Why do Meg Cratty and Mr. Strontium make music together? Easy, they live in the same house and in 2020 and beyond that reason is completely sufficient.

Jeff Symonds - Riverrun (self-released)

29 February 2024

For almost three decades, Jeff Symonds has been playing bass, keys and guitar in dozens of projects. He has played thousands of shows in hundreds of venues big and small, helping bring artists’ visions to life. Now it’s his turn. 
Jeff steps into the spotlight for the first time with riverrun, an album that celebrates and looks back at a life lived in love with music; it’s a four-part exploration of youth, adolescence, adulthood and the glorious noise of rock ‘n’ roll. Written and performed almost entirely by Jeff, it represents his attempt to make sense of a life lived primarily from stage left.

The Arthurs - The Gloaming (self-released)

29 February 2024

The Arthurs is a Dutch alternative rock band from Amsterdam/Rotterdam, formed around singer/songwriter Robin den Drijver. In June 2021 the band released their second album Glass. Their debut When I’m Sane was released in 2017. In their music you may hear influences from bands such as The Smiths, Nirvana, The Doors and The Pixies, but the band distinguish themselves by their own unique style and sound.

Lunar Division - Young Lady (BMPR)

28 February 2024

Together since 2019, Lunar Division will drop their third full-length album Monuments on March 29, 2024. It’s a high-value effort that unveils the present evolution of their sound. Band members Paul Nguyen (guitar), Randy Mitchell (guitar, vocals), Matt Lanzer (bass), and Brandon Napoleon (drums, vocals) have built an artistic chemistry amongst themselves that allows all options to exist at once. The first single from Monuments is “Young Lady” and will be released February 14.

The Barren Spinsters - Let The Music Ruin Your Life (self-released)

28 February 2024

Award-losing power duo and terrible band name namers, The Barren Spinsters are the kind of band that Jack White would maybe join if he lowered his standards.

They look like a two piece, sound like a five piece, and move like a hair piece. The guy at the front in the bucket hat (Brendon Houlahan) is a bit weird, but the bloke at the back (Matt Tennant) fortunately holds it all together. Together, The Barren Spinsters deliver 70s blues rock with a modern thrashy twist. Much the same way that Wolfmother doesn’t.

Doug MacDonald - Sextet Session (Dmac)

28 February 2024

Guitarist/composer Doug MacDonald has somehow never been a household name in the jazz world.

The Forcefields - Slip Away ft. Julia Othmer (self-released)

28 February 2024

Julia Othmer is evolving into a new artistic reality as Aayama Forcefield alongside renowned UK producer James T Lundie aka Max Forcefield8. Together they are *The Forcefields.

Zen Bunny Collective - Funky America 9/38 (self-released)

26 February 2024

“Funky America 9/38” was written and recorded as part of 2023 project – Chaos Before the Void – A Dirge of Hope in Twelve Parts – It was decided to release this part of the work as a message to the American people to treasure what they have and to aim higher in the future.

Lesley Gore - You Don't Own Me [The Heroic Enthusiasts Remixes] (ECR Music Group)

26 February 2024

The most commercially successful solo singer to be identified with the girl group sound, Lesley Gore hit the number one spot with her very first release, “It’s My Party,” in 1963. Produced by Quincy Jones, who fattened the teenager’s sound with double-tracked vocals and intricate backup vocals and horns, she reeled off a few more big hits in 1963 and 1964, including “Judy’s Turn to Cry,” “She’s a Fool,” “You Don’t Own Me,” “That’s the Way Boys Are,” and “Maybe I Know.” She wasn’t the most soulful girl group singer by a long shot, but she projected an archetype of female adolescent yearning.

Riley Mulherkar - Riley (Westerlies)

26 February 2024

Trumpeter Riley Mulherkar usually plies his trade with the all-acoustic, rhythm-less brass band the Westerlies. For Riley, however, he’s chosen a different route: blending standards and originals with modern production approaches.

Starlight Alice - I Swear To God (JB Records)

24 February 2024

Starlight Alice draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of country music history, yet infuses their sound with a modern twist. Their journey began in the UK, where they honed their craft and developed a signature style. As individual artists they have combined Spotify plays of over 30million.

Jeff Symonds - Every Five Minutes (Elegy pt.2)/48 Lines About 12 Men (self-released)

24 February 2024

For almost three decades, Jeff Symonds has been playing bass, keys and guitar in dozens of projects. He has played thousands of shows in hundreds of venues big and small, helping bring artists’ visions to life. Now it’s his turn. 
Jeff steps into the spotlight for the first time with riverrun, an album that celebrates and looks back at a life lived in love with music; it’s a four-part exploration of youth, adolescence, adulthood and the glorious noise of rock ‘n’ roll. Written and performed almost entirely by Jeff, it represents his attempt to make sense of a life lived primarily from stage left.

Satico Satellite - Innocence (Slumrise Records)

24 February 2024

Everyone has something they wish they could go back in time and change. They romanticize about the possibilities of what could have been had they not been so eager to grow up fast. Nothing says this more poetically than Satico Satellite’s new single “Innocence”.

With an increase of 100K fans across their socials in only 3 short months, the song will be played on terrestrial radio stations and reviews in major magazines . They might be the first artist to crossover to mainstream with such a distinct bedroom pop vibe that the song exudes.

Olivia Hellman - Prove It! (self-released)

24 February 2024

Originally from San Francisco, Olivia Hellman honed her craft at NYU Tisch and is a certified triple threat with her singing, acting, and dance skills. Her distinctive BrattyPop genre flawlessly embodies the essence of her generation, fusing elements of pop and rock with a rebellious Gen Z spirit.

Laetitia Sadier – Rooting for Love (Drag City)

23 February 2024

The elegant Stereolab singer continues her restless quest.

The New Nostalgia - A Fridge in Berlin (self-released)

23 February 2024

Stained with echoes of Nothing But Thieves and Gang Of Youths, established Yorkshire songwriter Patrick McCallion, along with James Sands, Sam Bramhall and Charles Adey stormed into 2019, bringing their explosive new live show to smoke filled rooms across Europe. With haunting lyrics that will get under your skin, The New Nostalgia are questioning what it means to be young at heart in a Post-Brexit world.

Maddie Morris - Skin (No Masters Co-operative Ltd)

23 February 2024

Maddie Morris is an artist who strives to make a difference in the world. Bold, insightful and refreshingly unique, she takes traditional song in new directions to shine a light on contemporary issues, offering new perspectives about the world we live in today. 
 Folk songs have always told stories, but how Maddie makes her mark is by turning this storytelling into action. She was recently commissioned by Rural Arts to explore LGBTQIA+ experiences through traditional music, and has also been proud to collaborate with organisations such as Queer Folk, Esperance and Trans Pride Brighton.