Posted on
May 22, 2013 – 3:12 pm by Johnno Casson
THIS WEEK:BOBBY WOTNOT
Bobby Wotnot is an electronic musician/producer/remixer based in St Ives,Cornwall.
Its fair to say I have known Bobby as part of the online music community we both frequent for a good what? 5 years or so? We are yet to meet face to face but its an enduring example of the power of internet that we have managed to maintain a trusted friendship even though we don’t catch up so often these days-we always seem to pick up where we left off though.
He also has links to me through the HOME compilations of various under the radar artists(all of which are FREE to download btw and its lovely to have seen some of the artists involved go onto greater things-Stealing Sheep for one).Bobby has been an integral member of the HOME inner circle of trust & has also kindly provided me with the odd bootylicious remix of my own music.
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Posted on
May 20, 2013 – 8:57 am by Jim Craigen
Our Fresh Faves are reviewed this week by Jim Craigen from AlternativeFriday.com. Although it was a bumper week for discovering new music, discovering anything about the artists who made it proved a lot harder. Time and again Jim found himself wishing bands would read our advice on How To Write A Band Biog…
Thirty excellent and varied tracks made it into the Listening Post at the weekend, and so thanks on behalf of all of us to everyone who voted for their five favourites. Sadly they couldn’t all make the Fresh Faves, but the eleven tracks that received the most votes make up quite an eclectic mix, ranging from grunge blues to a marching band via some awkward noises and a bit of 007.
Confused? Read on and listen to the tunes…
ANNA CORCORAN – Sailed Away
Anna Corcoran is a singer songwriter from Liverpool, and her calm melodic sound is perfect for warm hazy summer nights… if we ever get any. Sailed Away could be pop, it could be folk, but it’s probably wrong to pigeonhole it, as it’s just sublime.
Official | Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp
BAGEL PROJECT – Rob Is An Alcoholic ft BROSEXO
Bagel Project is the musical venture of London and Wales based Sula Bay, who confesses to make “awkward noises”, and while the track ‘Rob Is An Alcoholic’ is a great example of their dark ambient electro sound, the feel of it is comparable to a good title track for a James Bond film.
Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp
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Posted on
May 19, 2013 – 11:00 pm by Tom
Download or subscribe to Tom’s BBC Introducing Mixtape
Every Sunday night/Monday morning on BBC Radio 6 Music from 2-3am you can hear a selection of my favourite new tunes from the BBC Introducing Uploader in an hour-long music mixtape. Some of the tunes are recommended by BBC friends and colleagues, others are handpicked by me from our inbox here at Fresh On The Net.
Each of these mixtapes is available free when the radio show ends at 3am via the 6 Music Downloads Page. You’ll also find archived episodes there from the previous 4 weeks. As of this week, the full tracklists and start times are now published here at Fresh On The Net with a link to each artist’s website. These are the listings for Monday, 20th May 2013 – an exceptionally strong week – where a great many of my favourite acts all seem to have brought out new music within a few days of each other.
Previous mixtape tracklistings can be found on the BBC website.
Tom Robinson
GUNNING FOR TAMAR – Dark Sky Tourism [START 0:13]
http://www.gunningfortamar.co.uk
This stunning Oxford four-piece go to strength. Since releasing this extraordinary single last August, they’ve released a fine new five track EP for Alcopop records called Camera Lucida, which we also highly recommend. Their next UK gig is at Nice N’ Sleazy in Glasgow on May 24th. Miss it at your peril.
TANAOU – A Nursing Home In Full Swing [START 02:58]
http://www.tanaou.co.uk
The welcome sound of Northants 5-piece The All New Adventures Of Us (now abbreaviated into the unpronounceable acronym TANAOU) back on top form on their latest single “A Nursing Home In Full Swing”. It’s the first new track from their as yet untitled 2nd album due later this year, and there’s a great promo clip for this on that we recently our featured as video of the day on our YouTube playlist.
The All New Adventures Of Us
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Posted on
May 15, 2013 – 5:00 pm by Johnno Casson
THIS WEEK:PAUL MOSLEY
Paul Mosley is a musician/composer & so much more based in London, Leeds and Hartlepool.
I first heard Paul’s new album ‘ A Chattering of Birds‘ a few weeks ago and was instantly smitten.It is truly a fantastic album & is full of glorious songs,I haven’t liked an album as much as this one in ages-Folkwit Records are on a mega roll atm,delivering some of the best folk/alt/pop music coming out of anywhere-period!
The world is full of delightful differing opinions on music (thank God) and my own opinion is that this album is at a Mercury prize level-there I said it,put that in your pipe and smoke it hehe.
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Posted on
May 13, 2013 – 2:09 pm by Simon Poole
This week’s Fresh Faves were chosen by genuine readers of our Listening Post over the weekend and are reviewed here by Team Freshnet member Simon Poole from Silent Radio:
They say laughter is the best medicine, and it’s a good point, but in my books, music is even better. Being from Salford and being a Manchester United fan it’s been quite a sad week, but thankfully I’ve had a very welcome distraction today in writing up another bunch of great tracks that have been picked by the Fresh On The Net readers. Once again you’ve done us proud, so without further ado, here they are…
ALL WE ARE – Utmost Good
This is the perfect track to ease us into this weeks Fresh Faves. Liverpool trio All We Are describe themselves as ’The Bee Gees on Diazepam’, and to be fair it’s a damn fine description. The Gibb Bros. disco beats have been replaced here by something much more serene and it works a treat. The single Utmost Ghost is due for release at the end of May and if this doesn’t get picked up and played by a few of the better radio stations up and down the country it would be a surprise.
Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
AZEKEL – No Ordinary Love
What can I tell you about Azekel? Well not much I’m afraid. His Facebook says he’s an Artist/Producer/Musician/Philosopher from East London and that his name is pronounced a-ze-ke-l (or maybe that should be il-lu-siv). What I can tell you though is that this track goes to show that regular Fresh Fave voters know good music when they hear it. This style of music is not submitted as much as the indie and singer/songwriter stuff, but this track stands out enough to get the attention. It’s a really well crafted nod to Sade’s track of the same name and deserves its place on this week’s Faves.
Official | Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
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Posted on
May 12, 2013 – 11:00 pm by Tom
Download or subscribe to Tom’s BBC Introducing Mixtape
Every Sunday night/Monday morning on BBC Radio 6 Music from 2-3am you can hear a selection of my favourite new tunes from the BBC Introducing Uploader in an hour-long music mixtape. Some of the tunes are recommended by BBC friends and colleagues, others are handpicked by me from our inbox here at Fresh On The Net.
Each of these mixtapes is available free when the radio show ends at 3am via the 6 Music Downloads Page. You’ll also find archived episodes there from the previous 4 weeks. As of this week, the full tracklists and start times are now published here at Fresh On The Net with a link to each artist’s website. These are the listings for Monday, 13th May 2013 – previous mixtape tracklistings can be found on the BBC website.
Tom Robinson
LAUREL CANYONS – Youth Blood [START 0:13]
http://www.laurelcanyons.com
This is the debut single from Doncaster 4 piece Laurel Canyons (formerly In Fear Of Olive) which was released at the end of last month on Wire Sound. Their name is a nod to some of their influences who include legendary musical heroes who lived in the LA suburb during what they calle its “bohemian heyday” of the 1960s and 70s from The Doors to The Byrds to Frank Zappa. They were signed two years ago by the managers of the band Magazine. They play The Great Ecape this coming weekend and you can view a brand new video for this song on their main website.
LOU HICKEY – One Man Tango [START 3:13]
http://www.louhickey.co.uk
I’ve been a big fan of Glaswegian chanteuse Lou Hickey – and of this song in particular – for several years, ever since first discovering it through BBC Introducing. I’m delighted to see that – having spent the past year as co-writer and vocalist of the Codeine Velvet Club with Jon Fratelli – Lou is finally about to unleash her own brand of “quirky jazz and burlesque glamour” on the world in the form of her longawaited debut album. The Scottish Style Awards have already named her the country’s Most Stylish Musician and she plays a headline show at Glasgow’s O2 ABC on Friday May 31st.
Lou Hickey
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Posted on
May 6, 2013 – 9:52 am by Nico Franks
This week’s Fresh Faves were chosen by genuine readers of our Listening Post over the weekend and are reviewed here by Team Freshnet’s Nico Franks:
It’s a Bank Holiday Monday, so whether you’re prepping the garden for a BBQ, doing the DIY or waiting for the sun to eventually come out, here is the perfect soundtrack to accompany whatever you plan to do on this day of freedom….
AELIUS – Echoes…
This heaving slab of electronica from former music tech students Martin Roberts and Lee Tyler may not sound like it comes from a “two-man powerhouse” at first… But what begins with contemplative synths and meditative lyrics soon gives way to a full frontal assault of crashing drums and dramatic, pounding chords.
Facebook | Soundcloud | Official | Twitter
BENJAMIN MASON – Give Me Your Tongue
Prize for creepiest song title and picture this week goes to Benjamin Mason, a singer songwriter from Pembrokeshire, Wales. The track itself, however, is anything but: with what sounds like a studio full of Benjamin Masons harmonising away over the plucking of an acoustic guitar.
Bandcamp | Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter
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Posted on
May 5, 2013 – 11:48 pm by Tom
Download or subscribe to Tom’s BBC Introducing Mixtape
Every Sunday night/Monday morning on BBC Radio 6 Music from 2-3am you can hear a selection of my favourite new tunes from the BBC Introducing Uploader in an hour-long music mixtape. Some of the tunes are recommended by BBC friends and colleagues, others are handpicked by me from our inbox here at Fresh On The Net.
Each of these mixtapes is available free when the radio show ends at 3am via the 6 Music Downloads Page. You’ll also find archived episodes there from the previous 4 weeks. As of this week, the full tracklists and start times are now published here at Fresh On The Net with a link to each artist’s website. These are the listings for Monday, 6th May 2013 – previous mixtape tracklistings can be found on the BBC website.
Tom Robinson
NATIVE TONGUE – Between Heaven & Hell [start 00:13]
http://www.thisisnativetongue.com
“I like a good anecdote,” wrote guest writer ANDY VON PIP when reviewing this track on our Fresh Faves recently “so if you’re sitting comfortably..I’ll begin …Legend has it that Native Tongue were invited to tour with Kaiser Chiefs despite never actually having played a solitary gig before! Their drummer Josh Williams worked for a dog sitting company and as chance would have it, Kaiser Chiefs drummer Nick Hodsgon was one of the clients. Inevitably, their conversations turned from Barbara Woodhouse and Victoria Stilwell towards music and when Josh played Nick one of the bands demos he decided pretty much on the spot to invite them on tour! And if ‘Between Heaven And Hell’ is indicative of what Native Tongue have to offer they certainly wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the bigger stage! Epic and anthemic without ever sounding bombastic or trite!”
THE LOTTERY WINNERS – Elizabeth [start 03:50]
http://www.thelotterywinners.co.uk
Born in Salford and raised on romance, The Lottery Winners can be found pottering somewhere on the musical spctrum between the blithe Beach Boys and the suffering Smiths. “The songs are the most important thing in the world to me” says frontman Thomas Rylance. “I grew up listening to all the painfully miserable eighties bands like The Cure, Smiths and Joy Division, but in all honesty my desire be on stage was Freddie Mercury’s fault”. The promo clip for Elizabeth has already been featured as our video of the day on our Fresh On The Net YouTube channel – and brings out the full poignant charm of this delicious slice of quirky northern pop.
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Posted on
May 3, 2013 – 7:37 pm by Tom
Earlier today at Liverpool Sound City, I chaired a discussion panel on funding options for musicians and songwriters entitled Money And How To Get It. It featured Joe Frankland from Generator, Laura Whitticase from the PRS For Music Foundation and our very own Chris Bye wearing his hat as an employee of Arts Council England. At the end of the discussion we promised delgates that we would post links to the panel’s most recommended options for funding applications.
Joe and Chris have jointly sent a first instalment: “Here’s a list of funding sources with the caveat that artists should research first…not every fund is suitable or every artist. If you can’t find any links we can send them when not on phones. We’ve not included various business grants but could if you need.
Arts Council England
Majority of bands/songwriters will want Grants for the Arts
PRS for Music Foundation
which breaks down into:
Core Funding – this incorporates Funding for Organisations & Groups and Funding for Individuals
Music Industry Talent Development Fund – a new programme to give grants of between £5k and £15k to bands and solo artists to develop their careers
British Music Abroad – the UK’s music export funding programme supporting artists for international showcasing
Women Make Music – supporting women music creator, composers and performers to make their mark
Jazz Promoters Awards – grants of between £500 – £2000 are available to support new and established small-scale jazz promoters from across the UK
Musicians Benevolent Fund
Youth Music
Ideas Tap
Sky Arts Futures Fund
BBC Performing Arts Fund
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Red Bull Music Academy
Fundersonline.org
And specifically for East Anglia: escalatormusic.co.uk
We also mentioned Umbro Music but it doesn’t appear to be active in 2013.
We hope to add a few further suggestions from Laura – and possibly also from Joe and Chris – in due course.
Tom Robinson
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Would You Let A Poet Drive You To Work?
Guest rant by Robin Millar
Robin is a musician who has conquered blindness to become a world famous record producer with over 150 gold, silver and platinum discs to his credit – not to mention 55 million record sales. He was made a CBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours. He has contributed this post to us at Fresh On The Net – questioning the modern pressure on musicians and artists to beome active users of social media – and is keen to hear your views.
I’ve touched on this before but it’s becoming a burning issue. This is about people who write songs, sing, play instruments, feel things very very deeply, hurt easily, are highly strung, creative, unworldly, brilliant, awkward in their own skin, impractical, gifted, passionate, emotional.
A musician and singer came to see me last week. She lives outside the UK. She came a long way to see me. I have recorded with her. She is brilliant. She was in a state of confusion.
All her friends – and family too – are telling her she has to get out there on Twitter and on the Internet and get busy doing it for herself. Blowing her trumpet – or in her case, alto sax – telling everyone what she’s doing, alerting them to gigs, building her fan base on Facebook or MySpace, possibly joining Pledge, certainly uploading to Soundcloud … STOP!
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