@skopemag HQ – http://smarturl.it/skope
TOTO Lead Singer Joseph Williams Debuts “Wilma Fingadoux” From Forthcoming Album
He offers, “’Wilma Fingadoux’ is the latest in a long line of musical messages, songs and poems to my mother who died at the age of 41. I was 13 years old. This song is a reflection of the painful yet wonderful place in my memory where I can speak to her. Also singing with me are my daughters Hannah Ruick and Ray Williams. Their voices, their presence, makes me so proud of my beautiful girls and their unparalleled talent. And I feel relief also because in this way they too can speak to her through music the way I always have. My mom had such a sharp sense of humor. The title of the song is the punch line of one of my favorite jokes she used to tell…she taught me how to feel funny deep inside! This lyric is my release letter. Miss you Momma! Xojoe.” Steve Lukather and Joseph Williams will both release new records simultaneously later this month.
Satsang return to their roots “like a bolt of lightning,” new album 6/4
On the heels of American Songwriter’s premiere of the “warm, inviting” title-track, the Montana-based quartet Satsang has announced their extraordinary new album ‘All. Right. Now.,’ out June 4th via SideOneDummy. Written and recorded during an extended hiatus from the road, ‘All. Right. Now.’ finds frontman Drew McManus reconnecting with his roots and exploring a whole new palette of sounds, drawing on classic country and modern Americana. The performances are broad and spacious, reflecting the wide-open fields and soaring mountains that surrounded the band while they were recording. The result is a lush, organic collection fueled by acoustic guitars, fiddle, and pedal steel; a warm, inviting record that hints at everything from Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks to Gregory Alan Isakov and The Head and the Heart.
Satsang Readies Americana Album With Title Track, “All. Right. Now.”
SUNNY RIOT DEBUTS STIRRING, ANTHEMIC POP BALLAD “BABYLON”
After spending much of his youth and adolescence battling mental illness, drug addiction and a life of illicit crimes that eventually resulted in homelessness and numerous stints in rehab, institutions and jail, the enigmatic UK alternative pop artist SUNNY RIOT has found peace and redemption in his new music and support from an unlikely group of A-Listers. Today, he has revealed a poignant pop ballad titled “Babylon,” the first of a string of new singles coming this year. Watch the video now at the link below.
Quiet Canyons (Tim of Soft Swells) releases debut, self-titled album
Today, singer-songwriter Tim Willams has shared Quiet Canyons, the debut album from his new project of the same name. This album is by far his most personal and stripped-down, taking a glimpse into the sleepless nights of William’s life. On top of everything going on in the world, 2020 saw the birth of his second daughter, just before having his fourth heart surgery. The nine songs on Quiet Canyons’ self-titled debut album were written and recorded in the span of just two weeks, solely by Tim in Los Angeles.
SARA KAYS SHARES NEW SONG “FUTURE KIDS”
“Ever since I was a kid, I envisioned a future where I had a family of my own and this song talks about how that has become harder to see as I’ve gotten older. It’s hard to think about my possible future kids feeling the same way about themselves as I do about myself sometimes. This song isn’t me writing off the idea of having kids someday…I just have to come to terms with the fact that if I do have kids, they might struggle with the same things I do.” – SARA KAYS
TREY SONGZ IS SETTING THE MOOD FOR VALENTINE’S DAY WITH BRAND NEW TRACK, “BRAIN”
Days before Valentine’s Day, R&B superstar Trey Songz has arrived to set the tone with a new track, “Brain.” The sensual record is intimate, featuring Trey’s signature melodies about love and desire, this time about a woman he can’t get off of his “Brain.” True to his name, Trey is embracing the spirit that he’s embodied in his music for the past decade. Listen to “Brain,” now available via all digital streaming platforms.
Trey’s brand new record is here after October’s release of his long-awaited and highly-anticipated 8TH studio album, BACK HOME. The 3x GRAMMY® Award-nominated R&B artist worked with a number of renowned names to bring the album to life, including Troy Taylor, Johnta Austin, Hitmaka, Boi1da, Eric Hudson, $K, Troy Oliver and more.
WHETHAN TAPS BIICLA FOR “HURTING ON PURPOSE (FEAT K.FLAY)” REMIX
“Biicla and I first met at Holy Ship,” Whethan recalls. “We kicked it the whole weekend and played each other some tracks we were working on. He’s a great dude and since then I’ve been consistently inspired by everything he’s been doing.”
Balmorhea unveil new single “The Myth” today from upcoming album The Wind — out 4/9
The Wind comprises a dozen tracks inspired variously by meditations on the natural world and its fragility, an ancient tale about a saint who carried the wind to an airless French valley and thoughts of climate activist Greta Thunberg crossing the Atlantic. “The Myth” was conceived early on in its production: “The framework here revolves around two guitars: a nylon and a steel string,” says Muller. “This song is tuned to open C, which is very low for a gentle acoustic instrument. It took many takes to land the live duet of guitars, as one or both would slightly slip out of tuning by the end of the track. The ethereal graces us again with Lisa Morgenstern. Her vocal range is just hard to believe. There were a lot of chills in the room hearing her parts being recorded.”
LEDFOOT Release ‘Take Away The Hurt’ Music Video
Ledfoot (Tim Scott McConnell) recently won Spellemann (Norwegian Grammy) in the blues class for his latest album ‘White Crow’. Leedfoot has developed his own playing style using a 12-string guitar with extra thick strings, steel plates and brass slide, often accompanied by stomp-box. In addition to four albums as Ledfoot, he has released several solo albums under his full name, played in The Havalinas, been covered by Bruce Springsteen (High Hopes) and played in the NRK series ‘Exit’.
P!NK + WILLOW SAGE HART RELEASE “COVER ME IN SUNSHINE”
“This past year has been so many things for us. Sad, lonely, scary, yes. It’s also been quiet, reflective and a great teacher. Willow and I find comfort in music, so we’re putting this song out for no other reason than that we hope it brings you sweetness, sunshine and comfort, too.” – P!NK
Willie Nelson + Diana Krall Duet “I Wont Dance” — New Animated Video Premieres Today
Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, announces the premiere of “I Won’t Dance,” a video animation of the Willie Nelson-Diana Krall duet on Willie’s upcoming studio album, That’s Life, a musical homage to Frank Sinatra. The “I Won’t Dance” animated short film debuts Friday, February 12.
THE PRETTY RECKLESS 4TH STUDIO ALBUM DEATH BY ROCK AND ROLL OUT NOW
THE PRETTY RECKLESS have released their highly anticipated, fourth album Death By Rock And Roll via Fearless Records. The 12-track album follows 2010’s Light Me Up, 2014’s Going To Hell, and 2016’s Who You Selling For.
Brooklyn’s Sarah Cicero has released her delightfully cutting new single “Letter to the Editor,” and announces her debut EP Cold Immaculate Opposite due out on April 9th. “Letter to the Editor” is a catchy indie-pop track that was written as an ode to men who consider “being tall” a character trait and wield that power to make others feel small. Cicero cleverly delivers cutting lyrics such “Your head’s gotten bigger since the last time, Guess you and your ego are getting by just fine The only thing I liked at all, Was that you were over 6 feet tall, But you’re done making me feel small, So please don’t call,” with a hint of a smile through a catchy guitar-driven pop melody. Cold Immaculate Opposite is an ode to being young and feeling lonely. With lyrics that are deeply affective and cerebral, Cicero embraces all of the uncertainty and nebulousness that is being a twenty-something. It’s the evolution of a young woman becoming self-aware, and especially with this past year of forced solitude, being comfortable in her own skin.
ENFORCED Releases New Track For “Curtain Fire” Off ‘Kill Grid’
“Also known as ‘the creeping barrage,’ curtain fire is an artillery tactic used in tandem with advancing ground troops”, singer Knox Colby explains. “It’s meant to soften up defenses or wipe them out completely. The lyrical narrative is on the defending end of curtain fire; ruminations on the death of soldiers, their grieving families, and how they’ll eventually be forgotten through time (a folded flag in a garage). The last few lines flip to the perspective of the attacker. With a very apathetic and unsympathetic attitude towards all the damage created, paving a parking lot over the conflict.”
Dylan Fraser Says ‘You Can Still Cry In Gucci’
Pared back in arrangement yet magnetic in execution, “Gucci Sweater” finds 19-year-old Dylan ruminating on the notion of materialism vs happiness and is yet another flawless showcase of his introspective songwriting. The track was written by Fraser and Jonah Summerfield (who also produced the record).
MELISSA CARPER UNVEILS NEW SINGLE “I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU” + NEW VIDEO VIA WESTERN AF
Singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has released her latest single “I Almost Forgot About You,” a track from her forthcoming album Daddy’s Country Gold, set for release on March 19th. “The idea for ‘I Almost Forgot About You’ came from a weekend in which I had a very good time and had managed to forget about a love interest that I had been obsessing about,” Carper explains of the song. “When I got back home that phrase came to me, ‘I Almost Forgot About You’ and I realized I had a song there. I just kind of tied in the various lost loves of my life to come up with the rest. It came to me that way and in fact, this entire song had a nice easy flow with the way it all came. I like it when that happens, feels like you are getting help from the universe.” “I Almost Forgot About You” follows lead single “Makin’ Memories.”
Jon Foreman Drops Solo LP ‘Departures’ w/ “A Place Called Earth (f. Lauren Daigle)” Lyric Vid!
“I wrote this song with Lauren Daigle and my brother a while back. Time passed, and I forgot all about the song. Then one morning I woke up with the chorus stuck in my head. I went looking for it and rediscovered this lost gem. I love the longing expressed in this song. The yearning that this song embodies is a common feeling for me, one that feels especially poignant during these times of unrest and pain and suffering. I’m so glad that this lost song was resurrected for this project.” – Jon Foreman
NEW MUSIC: THE SHINDELLAS RELEASE NEW SINGLE “MONEY”
Multi GRAMMY-nominated hit songwriting and production duo Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony (a.k.a Louis York) is officially introducing The Shindellas. Handpicked by Chuck and Claude, the masterminds behind some of the most popular and liberating hits for artists like Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston, Miley Cyrus, Fantasia, Jazmine Sullivan, these ladies are an amazing three-part harmony band and has finally released their long-awaited new single “Money.”
The Shindellas Announce Debut Album, Shares New Single ‘Money’
Anie Delgado Demands Change With “Dancing While The World Is On Fire”
Uncomfortable change is something everyone deals with. “Dancing While The World Is On Fire” encourages listeners to find the enjoyable moments of humanity that are worth remembering. “This last year has been really difficult for just about everyone,” explains Delgado. “I was really inspired to see moments of unity and glimmers of humanity as we worked together to solve big issues like COVID, racial injustice, and climate change.” The song’s joyous beat accompanied by her sweet, silky voice creates an uplifting experience while spreading an important message. “It’s inspiring to see my generation coming together to enact change.” Delgado co-wrote the single with Sam Nicolosi (Warner Chappell), who also produced the track. “As I was writing, I realized a lot of my existential anxiety boils down to being concerned that our planet won’t be inhabitable in the future. That’s where all of the imagery in the song comes from and that’s what gave me the idea to collaborate with my friends at Zero Hour.” Alongside the single release, Delgado is launching a line of merchandise with proceeds being donated to Zero Hour. Using her platform even further, she will also be putting out a call to action on her TikTok channel for her fans to get involved in the conversation about climate change and to volunteer with Zero Hour.
Swedish duo Dada Life are renowned for their fun sensibility and broad view of nonsense and surrealism. So, fans of their sound and ethos will be excited by the news that the Dada revolution continues to gather pace with the arrival of their own recording label – Crash & Smile – and a new single with ‘Rumble Slow’.
Undoubtedly moulded in a laboratory of madness, Dada Life has spawned Crash & Smile to be a buoyant, grin inducing imprint that will not only serve the full on, big room anthems that fans have come to expect! But it’s also going to be an environment for building and support a new generation of artists that share Dada Life’s focus for top notch productions and big bass lines.
Austin Meade Is “Happier Alone” In New Video Feat. Koe Wetzel — WATCH
“Koe has been a big supporter, and our bands have been friends for a while,” Meade explains about how the collaboration came to be. “He was really into ‘Happier Alone’ before we even put it out, so the rest just happened naturally. The dude has a killer voice and I really like the way he finds melodies and interesting phrases with lyrics. It was important to me that this feature was with someone I respected and could relate to. We cut his new part while out on a run of shows and came up with a new storyline/perspective to the video that is hilarious. It’s too much damn fun to joke around for a living.”
Newly formed Virginia/North Carolina-based duo AREPO confirms the impending release of their eponymous debut album through Pax Aeternum in late March. The band’s first single “Nonmaterial” is now streaming alongside preorders and more.
While Ryan Parrish and Graham Scala have long been collaborators on a variety of projects ranging from the blistering hardcore of Bleach Everything to the atmospheric indie rock of Highness to the subdued soundscapes of Harmonic Cross, each has a long-standing interest in the outer fringes of sound.
The Boys Next Door by Dan Greenberger
2021 will be the year of the Rock Novel. With the popularity of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones and the Six and her upcoming follow up Malibu Rising, there is a recent trend in the rock novel with these soon to be published books: Bootleg Stardust by Glenn Dixon, Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie and Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. Starting off this trend is The Boys Next Door by Dan Greenberger.
The Boys Next Door by Dan Greenberger (Appian Way Press) tells the story of a Columbia University student and poet named Alan Levy who, while spending a semester abroad in Hamburg, Germany in 1960, finds himself living next door to Paul, John, Ringo, and former members Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best, otherwise known as The Beatles. Alan is a pompous intellectual who would like to write his own version of Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet and finds himself both irritated and fascinated by this group of young musicians.
Demon Hunter share “Loneliness (Resurrected)” single from stripped down album out 3/5
DEMON HUNTER shared the latest single “Loneliness (Resurrected)” from their upcoming album, Songs of Death and Resurrection. This new version of their chugging slow-burner, originally from the album Peace, embraces the band’s most melodic and haunting moments, replacing crushing guitar tones for soft keys and backing strings. The album, a mostly acoustic and stripped-down affair, features eleven new “Resurrected” versions of classic DEMON HUNTER songs from across their ten studio albums. Marking an entirely new approach for the band, Songs of Death and Resurrection puts these fan favorites in a new light.
NANGA PARBAT Release New Single/Official Video ‘Blood, Death and Silence’
“An Angel is lost in a cold and murky marsh, ahead only a desolate waste with stormy weather. She is still struggling for answers but the maddening voices brought by the silent winds instill the fear of death inside her”
The second single taken from the upcoming full-length entitled Downfall and Torment by Nanga Parbat is a crushing track that after the first evil clean arpeggios of the beginning, explodes in a series of powerful death metal riffs and complex breakdowns. The chorus is majestic and epic with technical guitar lines, all filled with an epic orchestra quartet which leads to the deepest parts of the frozen caves of the killer mountain.
iskwē – Night Danger (Lovers Mix)
We often see the warning signs about someone, not because they are inherently bad, but because what they will offer to us can be bigger than what we feel prepared for.
My new single, “Night Danger (Lovers Mix),” taken from The Stars (out March 5th), is meant to reflect an element of tension and release surrounding the sensations of love, passion, emotion and struggle.
This is a tune written about each of those feelings, with a bit of a pushback on what is often considered the “normal” way of being and feeling in a relationship. It is a score for lovers.
NEW RELEASE : BORDER PATROL by FAREES
FAREES drops new controversial Concept-Album. Protest songs, rap, spoken word addressing racial injustice, anti-immigration, and xenophobia, all packed with incredible musicianship.
Discriminated both for being mixed-race and muslim, unjustly arrested and detained both in the US and Europe, FAREES responds with powerful music.
Jace Allen (Jason Mendelson) release, “Pissed Off at You” to benefit
Jace Allen (aka Jason Mendelson) spent many years as a lauded venture capitalist and philanthropist. As a founding partner of The Foundry Group, he helped nurture many US startups from their infancy, but music has always been his one true love and with it at the helm of his efforts, he is determined to make a difference. On February 12th, Jace releases “Pissed Off at You,” a ballad in the tradition of classic soul, on all streaming platforms and on bandcamp, with an express purpose: to benefit those still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
