SKOPE NEWS FOR OCTOBER 30, 2017

Former Homeless Drug Addict singer RONALD TROY COLLINS Drops First Single

Release of the first single from Ronald Troy Collins on Goat Records, “Hell or High Water.” The release represents a stupendous achievement for a man who was homeless less than a year months ago. The single is the coming together of all the amazing talents who have supported Collins, combining their professional skills and Collins’ amazing voice to bring this first single to audiences. The song will be available on iTunes, Spotify and all major digital platforms November 3. “I am very proud to be part of the career of Ronald Troy Collins for both his soulful music and what he stands for in this world!”, says Jonathan Finegold, owner at GOAT Records. “Hell or High Water” was written by Ronald Troy Collins, William Dane, Jared Beckerman, and R.W. Enoch Jr. and performed by Ronald Troy Collins. iTunes Pre-order link:

JINCO Drops Newest Track

Just coming off from his back-to-back tour throughout Australia, New Zealand and India, JINCO is rounding out the year with releases coming out on a weekly basis, peppered with original tracks and remixes for fans to get pumped for his eventual performance at this years’ OMFG! NYE Festival is San Diego.

Marc Cohn Co-Writes Three Tracks on New Album From Blind Boys of Alabama

The songwriting skills of GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Marc Cohn can be heard on the three opening tracks of newly released album Almost Home by legendary gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama’s. This album is earning critical praise from NPR Music, No Depression, Jambase and more and is being considered for a GRAMMY for Album Of The Year. Cohn, alongside co-writer, guitarist, and producer John Leventhal, penned the tracks “Stay on the Gospel Side,” which they co-wrote with surviving founder Clarence Fountain, “Let My Mother Live” which includes writing contributions from surviving founder Jimmy Carter, and “God Knows Everything.” “Let My Mother Live” is being considered for a GRAMMY for Best American Roots Performance and Song.

blackbear Releases ‘up in this’ feat Tinashe Out Now

Singer, songwriter, and producer blackbear releases new single, “up in this” featuring Tinashe today via Beartrap/Alamo/Interscope Records. This follows the release of last week’s “bright pink tims” feat Cam’ron and “playboy shit” feat Lil Aaron, the first singles to come from blackbear’s upcoming album cybersex which will be released on the Monday after the Thanksgiving weekend, November 27th, also known as Cyber Monday.

LIZ HUETT RELEASES SINGLE “H8U” TODAY

“H8U” is the follow up to Interscope Recording artist Huett’s debut single “STFU & Hold Me” which was released over the summer to rave reviews with Entertainment Weekly including the tune in their Must List and stating “Huett mixes the melodies and storytelling of country music with the slick production and hooks of pop” and Baeble saying “‘STFU & Hold Me’ is sincere and genuine.” Huett was recently picked by Refinery 29as one of the “next generation of music superstars.” Watch the video for “STFU & Hold Me” — shot on a road trip to Calipatria, CA.

Superstar Agnez Mo Releases New Music Video, “Damn I Love You”

Of her new LP X, Agnez said, “This album is my most personal to date. It’s how I see me, not how others see me. Like I always said, my own version of me. Not other versions of me. I don’t let others tell me who I am or what my identity is. You know people have tried to put me in a box my entire life, whether I’m working on my fashion line ANYE, acting in a movie or belting out a song on stage. This project is really personal to me, but at the same time it is a loud message to all my fans, that it is okay for you to be yin and yang. It is okay for you to have and embrace different sides of you. People always ask “which one” is Agnez – is she A Or is she B? Well, I am A and B. I am A,B, C and D. That’s the noise I’m making and that I’m embracing. All the negativity is just background noise to me. So as I’ve always done, I’m just gonna be over here making some LOUDER noise and throwing a party like you’ve never seen!”

Mickey Hart Of The Grateful Dead Announces New Album? ‘RAMU’

The album’s title – RAMU – is also the name of Hart’s Random Access Musical Universe, a musical database he’s been collecting since the late 60’s and has been utilizing in the live sphere since the 80’s. RAMU started out as a place for Hart to collect and organize “musical universes” – things as analogue as tom toms and djembes, a vast amount of digital loops and samples, and sonifications of things like the cosmos, plants, and brain cells.

GRACE VANDERWAAL RELEASES NEW TRACK “CITY SONG”

Singer/songwriter Grace VanderWaal has released her new track “City Song” today. The track is one of 12 on Grace’s upcoming debut album Just the Beginning, which is set to release on November 3. The album also features her infectious single “Moonlight,” beat-driven track “Sick of Being Told,” uplifting song “So Much More Than This” and the gritty “Escape My Mind.” In addition to writing all the songs on the album, Grace also worked with multiple award winning producers and writers Ido Zmishlany (Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello), Kinetics & One Love (Hailee Steinfeld), Greg Wells (Katy Perry, Adele), Gregg Wattenberg (Train, Phillips Phillips) and Sean Douglas (The Chainsmokers, Demi Lovato).

“Not So Silent Night: Christmas with REO Speedwagon”

REO Speedwagon will crank up the holiday spirit this year with the definitive version of its yuletide classic, Not So Silent Night: Christmas with REO Speedwagon. It features remastered sound, four bonus tracks and a newly recorded version of the group’s original Christmas song, “I Believe In Santa Claus.”

Not So Silent Night: Christmas with REO Speedwagon will be available on digital formats today (October 20), CD (November 3), and on LP (December 1).

TIGERTOWN – RELEASE “COME MY WAY” AHEAD OF TOUR

Tigertown’s Chris Collins explains: “We wrote “Come My Way” last year in Nicaragua with our friend James Flannigan. It’s about helping someone through a time of depression. We make ourselves so emotional vulnerable these days, which can be great but it means, now more than ever, we need to be looking out for each other always.”

FRENCH MONTANA SHARES POWERFUL DOCUMENTARY PROJECT: UNFORGETTABLE — “MY PROJECT, THEIR REALITY” ON NOISEY

French Montana has officially become 2017’s most “unforgettable” artist…

Today marks yet another special day for French. He teams up with Vice’s Noisey at 11am (est) for the exclusive debut of his documentary, Project: Unforgettable — “My Project, Their Reality”. The riveting film traces the unbelievable worldwide journey to “JUNGLE RULES” and spotlights the heartwarming relationship between the rapper and YouTube sensation Uganda’s Triplets Ghetto Kids who star in the “UNFORGETTABLE” music video and have become a linchpin of his inspiration for “JUNGLE RULES” and the past year at large.

Dirty Fences’ ‘Goodbye Love’ Out Today on Greenway Records

Like the band’s past releases, Goodbye Love is full of meaty riffs, sing-along choruses, and perfectly-executed harmonies. It’s a gritty, rambunctious album that gives a nod to rock and punk acts of the past — from Johnny Thunders and The MC5 to Mötley Crüe and KISS — but is infused with Dirty Fences’ own tongue-in-cheek vibe. It also features a guest appearance from Sheer Mag’s Christina Halladay, who sings on closing track “One More Step.”

THEORY OF A DEADMAN SHARE NEW ALBUM

Recorded with producer Martin Terefe at London’s Kensaltown Studios, WAKE UP CALL finds Theory – Tyler Connolly (lead vocals, lead guitar), David Brenner (rhythm guitar), Dean Back (bass), and Joey Dandeneau (drums) – extending themselves beyond the easy comforts of complacency to create an album that pushes the songwriting envelope with songs like “Rx (Medicate),” which takes aim at the opioid epidemic impacting families across North America and “PCH,” which juxtaposes the nostalgia for seemingly endless nights with friends and the bitter realities of life.

BROHUG Offer Fans a Treat With Free Halloween Themed Single “Boogieman”

Swedish trio BROHUG return to Dim Mak with wicked bass house single “Boogieman,” just in time for Halloween. Fueled by ominous vocals and monstrous drops, the track haunts listeners with an eeriness suitable for the occult. Fueled by the spirit of not trick, but treat, BROHUG supports the single with a free download alongside a release day performance at FreakNight Festival in Seattle, WA.

RACHEL PLATTEN RELEASES NEW ALBUM

Today multi-platinum, award-winning pop star Rachel Platten has released her sophomore album Waves, via Columbia Records. The 13-track album including feel-good, dance-able tracks such as “Broken Glass” and “Perfect For You” was recorded in Los Angeles and is available everywhere now.

Rachel shares: “I loved making this album, I’ve never felt so free creatively. I wrote all of these songs without getting in the way, and I just let whatever needed to come through me just come. I worked out a lot of heavy stuff on some of the songs and cried on my piano at 3 a.m. some nights, but I also woke up some days and jumped into the ocean and felt amazing and just wanted to write songs I could dance to. This album is raw and it’s emotional, but it’s also fun and sweet and it’s real. It’s honestly just all of me and I am so damn proud of it.”

L.A.’s Lone Kodiak, Has a New Single “Someone Else’s Future” .

Long before East LA’s newest indie power trio became Lone Kodiak, singer/guitarist Dainéal Parker and bassist Daniel Alden were in a Portland band called Emberghost. Having risen to the upper ranks of a crowded PDX “post-hardcore” scene with their aggressive mix of anger and sorrow, Emberghost reliably sold out large venues like The Roseland and earned itself a trip to NYC to meet with Sony Music. It was around this time that their co-vocalist, the extraordinarily talented Sarah Jennings, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Sadly, she would not recover.

FRIGHTENED RABBIT ANNOUNCE “THE MIDNIGHT ORGAN FIGHT” 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Canvasback Music/Atlantic recording group Frightened Rabbit have announced details for a special North American tour commemorating the 10year anniversary of their seminal album “THE MIDNIGHT ORGAN FIGHT.” The run of dates – which will see the band performing the album in its entirety for the first time ever – kick off at Chicago’s Thalia Hall on February 16th (see attached itinerary). Wintersleep will support on select dates and tickets are available for pre-sale on Wednesday, November 1 at 10am Local Time, with general on-sale beginning on Friday, November 3 at 10am Local Time.

JIM JAMES ‘Tribute To 2’ Set For December 8 Release

After releasing the politically charged solo album Eternally Even in 2016, My Morning Jacket front man Jim James returns with Tribute To 2, a collection of cover songs that reverberate with fresh meaning. Blurring the boundaries of time and genre, James interprets songs made famous by a wide variety of artists – ranging from early 20th century standards by Ray Noble and Al Bowlly (“Midnight, the Stars and You,” “Love is the Sweetest Thing”) and 1960’s songs by Willie Nelson and Sonny & Cher to Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s 1970 breakthrough hit
“Lucky Man” and 1990’s releases by Abbey Lincoln and Diane Izzo. Tribute To 2 will be released on December 8 via ATO Records.

THE ROOTS: TINY DESK CONCERT DEBUTS TODAY VIA NPR MUSIC

GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum hip-hop icons The Roots star in the latest installment of NPR Music’s iconic Tiny Desk concert series, set to premiere on NPR.org/music today. The legendary Roots crew performed “It Ain’t Fair” from the original soundtrack to the critically acclaimed motion picture DETROIT.

“‘It Ain’t Fair’ was designed to emphasize the importance of social justice through the prism of late-sixties Detroit, which means many things culturally and politically, and also certain things musically. Music has the power to express both anguish and hope,” explains The Roots drummer and producer Questlove.

THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM AND 2018 EUROPEAN TOUR

British rock and rollers THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT have returned with news of a brand new studio album to be released in early 2018, supported by a European headlining tour.

Following a whirlwind few years in which they released two Top 20 albums, toured around the world and shared the stage with rock megastars THE ROLLING STONES… THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT are finally back, having been hard at work behind the scenes preparing for an even bigger year in 2018.

The band’s eagerly-anticipated new album, ‘A Deeper Cut’, is due to be released on February 16th, 2018 and features 12 brand new songs which draw on the band’s recent experiences and showcase their ever-improving songwriting abilities.

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ORGANIKA VISUALISES THE CORE OF ALPINE UNIVERSE’S MUSIC

ALPINE UNIVERSE is proud to release ORGANIKA, a new song taken from his eponymous debut album featuring a special music video.

The music video was directed by David Grabowski and choreographed by Lee Daniel who also worked with such artists as Selena Gomez, Usher and Ariana Grande. It features a female robot who explores her motion abilities and becomes more and more human.

Julien Baker’s Acclaimed New Album ‘Turn Out The Lights’ In Stores Now

Julien Baker’s highly anticipated new album Turn Out The Lights arrived in stores Friday via Matador Records to wide acclaim, with Pitchfork declaring it ‘Best New Music’ alongside glowing coverage in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The FADER (‘Gen F’), Entertainment Weekly (‘Must List’), Stereogum (‘Cover Story’), Billboard, The A.V. Club, W Magazine, and Uproxx, among many others — including her first print cover story for Under The Radar’s current issue. Baker, who performed on the season premiere of A Prairie Home Companion earlier this month, also made her morning TV debut last weekend on CBS This Morning: Saturday Sessions, performing “Appointments” and “Turn Out The Lights,” as well as a special web-only performance of additional album track “Televangelist.”

EMA Debuts “First Water Air LSD” Video

EMA today shared her new video for “Fire Water Air LSD” off her recent album Exile In The Outer Ring. Directed by DaVideo Tape with art direction by Erika M. Anderson (EMA), the clip combines footage of an analog performance utilizing Tachyons and artist tools designed by Logan Owlbeemoth and Omebi Velouria in Florida, with footage of EMA shot at Open Signal Portland Community Media Center in Portland, OR.

Hotels – inspired by Tarantino’s 4 ROOMS

“Hotels” is from our upcoming album 11:11 which is set for release early 2018. It’s a collection of tracks we can best describe as musical photographs. A moment in time turned dance party, true story turned love song, a daydream turned erie alt pop lullaby. We hope to take the audience on an emotional roller coaster, these new songs truly reflect our stories. Although very personal and coming from very different places, our collective experiences feel somewhat universal.

Paradise – Members of Primal Scream, PJ Harvey & Marianne Faithfull’s bands

It’s not exactly the first time around for the already acclaimed individuals however – who consist of renowned Norwegian vocalist Sivert Høyem, Rob Ellis (who worked as drummer/producer/arranger for artists including PJ Harvey, Bat For Lashes and Placebo), Simone Butler (Primal Scream’s bassist) and Robert McVey (Marianne Faithfull’s guitarist). Together as Paradise they serve as a testament to rock music in all its visceral joys…

Superet Releases Debut Self-Titled EP

Los Angeles rock band Superet today released their debut self-titled EP via Rob The Rich Recordings. Mixed by Dave Fridmann (Spoon, MGMT, Tame Impala) the EP, which includes previously unreleased tracks “Loving The Animal” and “Stockholm Syndrome”, is available to stream and download now HERE @skopemag.

LEX THE HEX MASTER Terrifies the Masses with Horror-Flick Inspired Music Video for “Beyond Redemption”

Queens, New York-based horrorcore rapper LEX THE HEX MASTER will drop his highly-anticipated full length album, Beyond Redemption, tomorrow, October 31, 2017 via Majik Ninja Entertainment. In celebration of the album’s release and of tomorrow’s horrific holiday, LEX is dropping his new music video for the title track via Dread Central. Watch the horror/paranormal flick-inspired music video, directed by Kelleyanne Bujold, here.

Evil Astronaut, “Terminal”

“Terminal” is the fourth song from Swedish duo Evil Astronaut. The overall feeling of Weltschmerz (feeling of melancholy and world-weariness) and a world slowly falling into gloom made “Terminal”.

“To us it’s a way of handling it, or just let it pass us by while dancing our way into the inferno. We used a lot of shakers,tambourines and other percussion instruments to get a upbeat feel to an otherwise kind of cheerless song. Anna Hulth, who made the video, illustrates the nakedness of someone who just got really bad news — and without words shaking it of their shoulders.”

Apollo Brown & Planet Asia – “Deep In The Casket”

Straight from Apollo Brown & Planet Asia’s minimalist masterpiece comes a new video from director Diego Cruz. The new visuals for “Deep In The Casket” linger like fish smell in the back of a restaurant. Apollo strips down his beats beyond minimal while Planet Asia twists and weaves words into crime stories that would leave Iceberg Slim cold.

Shanghai Restoration Project Share “Spooky Party” Track On HuffPost

Brooklyn based electronic duo, Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP) are set to release their new album on December 1st, 2017. ‘R.U.R. was recorded and self-produced in New York over the last year and features thirteen brand new tracks including the new single ‘Spooky Party,’ which recently premiered on The Huffington Post.

Keak Da Sneak Gets Romantic on the Rayven Justice-Featuring “For You”

A major forefather of the hyphy movement, Oakland’s Keak Da Sneak’s distinctive rasp is one of the defining sounds of Bay Area hip-hop. Joining forces with Rayven Justice for an airy, windows-down lover’s anthem, Keak shows off his sensitive side on “For You.” Produced by renowned Oakland duo The Mekanix, “For You” is the perfect track for this unseasonably warm Fall, with breezy synths and a soaring Rayven Justice hook, as Keak declares his allegiance to the woman in his life. Premiered by The Boombox, “For You” is the latest single from Withdrawl, Keak’s upcoming album, following the Mozzy-featuring, FADER-premiered “Him Not Them” and “Ima Keep It Goin,” blessed with an animated verse from E-40. Featuring additional appearances from J. Stalin, Kool John, and others, Withdrawl hits stores on November 3rd, via Allnfallndoe​ / Zoo Entertainment / EMPIRE.

The Clientele share video for “The Neighbour” in advance of North American tour

In September, The Clientele released Music for the Age of Miracles, an album NPR Music proclaimed “perhaps their most musically ambitious” to date. The band will tour North America for the first time since 2014, and tickets for all dates are going fast! Watch and share the reflective new video for “The Neighbour” now and find the album in the Merge store, your local independent record store, and via these digital outlets.

Ora Cogan shares haunting, otherworldly “Crickets”

Ora Cogan combines the intricate guitar picking of Americana with Psychedelic dreamscapes, drawing comparisons to 70’s folk legend Karen Dalton. She has shared the stage with the likes of Grouper & Hope Sandoval while touring extensively in North America, Europe and the UK.