Ask people if they’ve ever heard of a band called Nouvelle Vague and the majority would say that they haven’t, after all, a French band that perform covers of classic songs with their unique and mesmerising ‘Bossa Nova’ style may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But dig deeper, to the hardcore that ARE fans of this fascinating band and you will unearth a treasure trove of tracks that demand to be heard.
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musomusofm on the radar playlist #37 - Jacob Humber, Gergely Kalapis, Diego Philips, Malin Wättring, Slow Fall and more....
As the playlists are released, the days are just rolling by, I can’t really believe that it’s 21st March today, it seemed like a couple of weeks ago since I started the ‘on the radar’ playlists and here we are, publishing #37 for you to tune in and enjoy!
We have delved deep this time and unearthed 9 brand new tracks from acts and bands from all over the world, there are some absolute gems in here but I’ll let you have a listen and work that out for yourself!
I was half hoping that the playlists may start to quieten down sometime soon, give me a bit of a break but owing to the sheer quality of music coming through, I’m going to keep them on a bi-daily basis for the foreseeable future and review things around mid-April to see if I can relax things a little! We’ll see….
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musomusofm on the radar playlist #36 - The Banquets, The 139, Sabertooth Swing, Nicolaas Walle, Couvo, Aridonis, King Kismet, Huru and more....
This playlist is going out on Satruday 19th March but as I type these words, it’s Friday 18th March, I’ve just finished work for the week and am looking forward to letting my hair down tonight.
Onto the playlist, same old drill, another 9 incredible tracks from bands and artists all over the world, as usual, I don’t set any rules so the mixture of genres is often wide and varied meaning that on every playlist, there’s bound to be at least one track that floats your boat hopefully more!
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The Fleece in Bristol hosted a night of acoustic music from some familiar faces - Read our live review....
A midweek acoustic intimate gig at The Fleece featuring a group of musicians who you may not know the names of but you will be familiar with the bands they used to play in.
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RATTLERFEST takes place in Cornwall from 22-24 April - We recommend some bands to watch out for....
You’ve got the weekend of 22-24 April booked off from work, you arrive at Healeys Cyder Farm, the home of RATTLERFEST, start getting stuck in to the many cyders that they have on offer but you’re not sure about which bands to go and watch….that’s where we come in!
If you’re into your music, you are no doubt well versed with the headline acts (Utah Saints, Dub Pistols, Scott Mills (Radio 1 DJ) and The Feeling) but do you know anything about the other acts on the bill? If the answer is ‘no’, then read on to learn more about some of the acts that you should definitely check out whilst you’re there.
Antimatador
Antimatador are an 8-strong synth laden, horn heavy outfit from SW:UK, fusing hiphop, funk, jazz, electronica, soul, rock and DnB.
They deliver a nuclear explosion of high energy and positive vibes and have crafted a sound all of their own.
Whether it’s the cerebral vocals and tricksy horn licks or huge synths and earthy rhythms, they bring something for everyone to every show.
Catch them playing on Friday.
Black Friday
In 2006 singer Tom O Reilly started a folk band, joined by Party on mandolin and Helen on bass. many years and hundreds of gigs later and the line up has grown to include Ryan on fiddle, Kit on guitar and Jovian on drums. The band have racked up an impressive list of festival peformances including Glastonbury, Boomtown fair, Boardmasters, Trowbridge folk festival, Little Orchard Cider festival, Port Eliot, Eletcric Picnic (ireland) and Madhatters (france). Since 2009 they have visited Austria on many occasions and regularly played christmas parties and europes largest festival – Donauinsel fest. This year the band made their TV debut on Sky 1’s most popular drama ‘Delicious’ with Dawn French.
The band have played support for Canadian folk-punk band Mahones, Ferocious Dog, The Wurzels and Brendan Shine. They have also been joined on stage by a huge range of local and international folk musicians including Seth Lakeman, the Belfast Busker, Maddog Mcrea and Simon the national Spoons Champion!
After playing at the renowned Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues Club in London, they were invited to record at the famous Maida Vale studio in London for a live BBC session. While they were there, they met their hero, Pogues singer Shane MacGowan, who enjoyed the band’s rendition of Dirty Old Town enough to buy Tom a Jamesons.
In 2008 the band broke a Guinness Record by performing the most gigs in one day – 30 gigs in 12 hours.
Catch them playing on Saturday.
The Busketeers
The Busketeers are an energetic, instrument swapping, vocal harmonising group formed on the streets of Plymouth, Devon, UK. The band is made up of four artists in their own right, Ken Williams (Kenoby), Luke Engel (and the Mountain People), Matthew Gordon Price and Olly Parker (Pint Sized Tiger). The band labels itself as a “Progressive Busking” act which is also the title of their debut EP.
The members are from different backgrounds and have unique styles, but what really makes these guys stand is that they are multi-instrumentalists, perform classics from every decade; have unique twists, mid-song switching & harmonies that will melt your heart.
Catch them playing on Friday.
Company B
Company B are a jump jive band hailing from the “sunny” county of Cornwall, England. Over the last 11 years this rowdy 7 piece have been popping up all over the South West and further afield at various locations from London Science Museum to headlining slots at various festivals, playing support to many international artists.
Company B brings the sights and sounds of the 1940’s bang up to date with a rowdy energetic show full of swing and swagger. The band, who have built a reputation as one of the most entertaining acts in the South West, boast a rock-solid rhythm section, an exhilarating horn section and dynamic vocals which veer from rowdy chant to tight harmonies.
Company B play the songs of Louis Prima, Louis Jordan and others alongside their own “tongue in cheek” originals to create a hot atmosphere that is surprisingly cool to all ages.
Catch them performing on Sunday.
Roguey Roads
Hailing from Oxford, Rhys, Calum and Gus Warriner founded the lovable band Roguey Roads in the summer of 2017 and have been making waves in the indie music scene ever since.
These three brothers have gigged all over the country and internationally from pubs, clubs, music venues, festivals, private parties and weddings supporting the likes of Nathan Ball, Thrill Collins, Waiting for Smith and Andy Bennett.
Their refreshing style, genetic harmony and infectious energy make them the band you don’t want to miss!
Catch them live on Saturday.
Sam and the Womp
Sam and the Womp are a British group experimenting by mixing different genres from Dub and Drum N Bass to big brass fueled Balkan Funk and beyond.
Fronted by trumpeter and chief rabble-rouser Sam Ritchie and Dutch born singer/songwriter Bloom de Wilde. The group’s debut single ‘Bom Bom’ shot straight to No 1 in the UK music charts in August 2012 and has sold over a million copies worldwide.
The band prioritize the party and break free of conventional genres creating a fun, upbeat dance-floor vibe.
Catch them live on Saturday.
So there you go folks, just some of the many acts that are performing at RATTLERFEST, hopefully you may have just found a new favourite and you’ll be at the front of the stage, dancing along to their vibes…..
To see ALL acts that are playing at the festival and to purchase your tickets, head to the official RATTLERFEST WEBSITE
We curated our very own RATTLERFEST playlist which can be seen below, just hit play and get a flavour of what to expect.
Remember that RATTLERFEST is strictly over 18’s but if you are looking for more of a family friendly vibe, why not look at the Little Orchard Cider Festival (Kula Shaker, The Celtic Social Club, Feeder and many more) that takes place at the same venue from 9-11 September.
We suggest 6 bands and artists that you should check out at this year's BLACK DEER FESTIVAL OF AMERICANA
No doubt you’re all familiar with the heavy hitters like Van Morrison, The Waterboys, Wilco and maybe some of the other more popular names but what about the acts that you’ve never heard of before? do you leave them out as you’re not familiar with their music? if so, let us help you….
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We chatted to Louise Wener from Britpop heroes SLEEPER ahead of their 25th Anniversary tour to celebrate 'The it Girl'....
When I heard that 90’s Britpop darlings ‘Sleeper’ were playing a bunch of UK live dates to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their sophomore album ‘The It Girl’ which was delivered back in 1996, I was excited. I love Sleeper and when I was approached by the band’s PR company to ask if I wanted to speak to Louise Wener about the forthcoming tour and the album, naturally, I dropped everything and started drafting questions for our chat.
We talked for a good 25 minutes about the 90’s, the album, overseas promotional events including a stint on a prime-time Japanese TV show where they were repeatedly beaten with an inflatable pugil stick by a dwarf (as one does)…. For all of this and much more, read on!
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musomusofm on the radar playlist #35 - Tertia, The Valery Trails, Bjartmar, Stemin, Charlotte Hall, Glow Beets and more....
It feels like a Friday but it’s only Wednesday, this is what happens when I spend 2 days back to back in the office with a stopover in Bristol, I honestly did wake up today thinking that it was Friday, I even got a bit excited thinking about the weekend, only to have my dreams dashed when my 06:30am alarm started ringing!
The new music is coming in thick and fast, I’m receiving on average 4-5 tracks a day meaning that I am still pumping out a new playlist every couple of days, as things slow down (if they ever do), I would like to be putting out a couple of playlists a week but as they say, make hay when the sun shines so we’ll see how we get on going forward.
The playlist is embedded below for you, hit play, have a listen and see if there are any acts that float your boat. I have included the bios and social media links for our featured artists, have a read, go explore and show them some love by liking and sharing some of their posts.
See you on the other side.
Tertia
London-born, Dublin-based, Tertia (tersh-a) is a multi instrumental artist, producer and songwriter.
Tertia put out her debut release, ‘Tertia’s Mixtape’ last year which gained traction from some of Ireland’s biggest music magazines including GoldenPlec and District Magazine as well as Radio plays in Dublin and the UK.
The release of her single and music video, ‘Normal Stuff’ on March 2nd will be her first release since and an example of her evolving talent as a producer and songwriter. ‘Normal Stuff’ depicts the frustration of comparing oneself to someone who is very stable, content and ultimately, normal.
Tertia’s influences include Sault, Billie Eilish and Alice Phoebe Lou, as such, her music is unique, balancing indie-pop, jazzy elements with more experimental synth-based undertones.
Tertia has performed live in prestigious London venues such as Laylow, The Olympic Studios and Camden Assembly as well as Dublin’s Workman’s Club, Sound House and has many more gigs penned for 2022
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The Valery Trails
When a year-long trip around the world with his family was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Andrew Bower (vocals/guitar) ended up back in his hometown of Brisbane, Australia.
This unplanned relocation means that after several years of being separated by an ocean from bandmates Sean Bower (bass) and Dan McNaulty (drums) while Andrew was living in Houston, Texas, the band now all live in the same city.
The first result of this newfound proximity is the Introvert Blues EP (released on 25/2/22). The title track pairs raucous guitars with an infectious drumbeat (plus more cowbell!) with lyrics that are on point for the lock-down life we are all too familiar with after the last couple of years.
The EP also includes ‘The Benefits of Motion’, an ode to restlessness and travel which provides a counterargument to main track’s celebration of staying home, and Araby, a song originally recorded by 80s Austin band The Reivers.
Further releases are planned for 2022, including the Valery Trails’ fourth album in the second half of the year.
Having given them a good listen on Spotify, they transported me back to the 90’s with their heady blend of guitar led indie rock which is my bread and butter, great stuff!
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Bjartmar
Icelandic artist Bjartmar Thordarson is on fire these days. Having recently celebrated the release of retro synthpop single Danger Zone at club Kiki in Reykjavik, he´s ready to put forward his latest offering, the dynamic single Catching Fire.
Catching Fire, is best described as dark, dreamy, and experimental electronic pop, influenced by the music of nineties trip-hop legends Massive Attack, Icelandic electronic group GusGus with a hint of late Bowie. Bjartmar´s velvety vocals add a soft, melancholic vibe and lush harmonies lend an epic, almost cinematic, feel to the material. It is the second out of 4 planned singles from Bjartmar´s EP single collection Secondhand Dream.
To make the body of work Bjartmar got songstress and producer Zöe Ruth Erwin to lend her production magic to his material. Zöe is probably best known as front woman of Los Angeles based band Little Red Lung, but also for writing the title track for the hit Icelandic film Lof mér að falla. She has just released her album, Shook, which is out via Alda Music (Now part of Universal).
Catching Fire revolves around the theme of love, but not in the most traditional sense. It´s about red hot smouldering love that feels great to begin with but makes us blind to everything around us. The all encompassing kind that can make us ignore red flags, leaves ruin in its wake and, if you´re not careful, burn you to ashes.
As with Bjartmar´s former body of work, Catching Fire is very personal, warm but with a hint of darkness and an eerie sense of danger underneath the smooth surface. His material never shies from self-exposure, and, despite the pop structures underpinning the writing, plays with unusual key changes and experimental soundscapes.
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Stemin
Award-winning singer/songwriter/musician Stemin has officially released his eagerly anticipated new album, Unspoken Dreams.
The self-written eleven-track collection was written and co-produced by Stemin, Benjamin Ventura, and Filippo Bubbico and features collaborations with musicians including Jacopo Volpe, Adriano Matcovich, Pedro Millan, and Chiara Stroia.
The release of the album follows the successful worldwide release of three singles, “Our Universe, Our Galaxy,” “Falling,” and “Love Never Felt So Right.”
In Unspoked Dreams, Stemin explores the dissociation of keeping feelings hidden from ourselves and others — and the liberation of speaking them aloud. The album uses dreamy synthesizers, sharp vocal harmonies, and strong synth-bass lines to create a galactic vibe that bounces, soars, and explodes like the birth of a new star.
Unspoken Dreams is a musical universe where unspoken desires come to life; where tension and excitement collide with vulnerability; and where a kaleidoscope of love — in all its forms — shines light into darkness.
“Allowing your inner dreams and desires to see the light is always a struggle, especially in a society that still struggles with tolerance,” said Stemin. “As a queer artist, I want to tell stories about conquering fears, embracing our true selves, and most of all, celebrating queer love. This album is about the insatiable feeling of falling in love and I invite listeners to embrace every complex emotion that comes with that experience.”
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Charlotte Hall
“‘Telepathy’ is about a controlling friendship I had a few years ago and sharing what that experience was like to listeners. It is about encouraging people to stand up against being treated unfairly and to fight for what is right”, says Charlotte Hall of her latest track.
As an artist, she is influenced by the likes of Yungblud, Blondie, Paramore, Fleetwood Mac and Sam Fender. ‘Telepathy’ however, is very much influenced by Tears For Fears; their song "Shout" in particular, a song released in 1984 about protesting for what you believe in, which still stands true 38 years later in 2022.
Charlotte Hall is a songwriter based in Chesterfield U.K. and her ambition is to be a full-time songwriter. She has written songs under a variety of genres from Country to Indie Rock. She has taken on many different subjects such as sexual liberation, the "Quarter-Life Crisis", toxic relationships and the importance of friendship.
Two singles so far have had airplays on BBC Introducing York and North Yorkshire, and one, "Stratosphere" secured Record of the Week on the same platform.
All in all, a wonderfully written synth led pop banger that reeks of multiple influences harking back to the golden age of synth-pop.
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Glow Beets
‘Better Times’ is the first single of 2022 by EDM Producer Glow Beets.
The UK based DJ Producer has enjoyed a prolific past two years releasing 18 singles throughout 2020 and 2021.
His first single of 2022 features the vocals and songwriting of widely respected UK Singer Songwriter, Joe Jury who also has had huge rise in popularity in recent times.
‘Better Times’ sees a return to the upbeat and positive vibe that Glow Beets is often best associated with. Opening with the central theme of the song’s essence, Jury pleads for the “better times” that surely await us as we move towards the beginning of the end of the global pandemic. Glow Beets’ signature upbeat pallet of guitar sounds, pads, plucks, claps and snaps is met with choppy percussive rhythms, tightly diced catchy vocal chops and a bass guitar that forces your foot to tap before you’ve even noticed all the sonic ear candy that is ladened throughout the track. Add these sonic elements to the hopeful yet melancholic story telling and vocal delivery from Joe Jury and the fusion is a catchy house song that fuses the sensibilities of the singer songwriter genre with summer soaked tropical house.
The track is the ultimate antidote to a long cold winter and heralds the coming of spring which will finally lead to Summer and better times for all!
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SO there you have it folks, another 9 awesome tracks for you to get your ears around. If you liked any of them, please hit them up on the socials and tell them, mention that you heard them on the musomusofm on the radar playlist and they might even buy me a cookie if our paths ever cross!
Please take a moment to spread the word on social media, it’s on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, just head to musomusouk on either platform and give it a LIKE, SHARE, THUMBS UP or whatever you can!
Until next time…..
VAN MORRISON, WILCO & THE WATERBOYS to headline this year's BLACK DEER FESTIVAL OF AMERICANA
JAKE BUGG TO JOIN WILCO (UK EXCLUSIVE), IMELDA MAY AND COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS AT AWARD-WINNING BLACK DEER FESTIVAL FOR 2022 EXTRAVAGANZA
VAN MORRISON, FOY VANCE, THE DEAD SOUTH, WARD THOMAS, DRIVE-BY-TRUCKERS, COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS, POKEY FARAGE AND GET CAPE, WEAR CAPE. FLY AMONGST BIG NAMES REVEALED
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We check out some of the acts that YOU can enjoy at this year's CORNBURY FESTIVAL
With CORNBURY FESTIVAL happening from 8 - 10 July this year we’ve taken a look through the STELLAR lineup that they have prepared for you and wanted to let you know about some of the acts to make a beeline for whilst you’re there.
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FUNKE AND THE TWO TONE BABY delighted Bristol with a breathtaking live show - Read our review
Funke and the Two Tone Baby is a one-man phenomenon who mixes folky singalong anthems with blistering blues riffs, juxtaposed with fat bass, big beats and sub kicks. It is always a high energy, four to the floor show whenever he is in town and post the covid hiatus, it was time to get your dancing pants on, in the exquisite venue that is The Louisiana in Bristol.
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musomusofm on the radar playlist #34 - KUSHYKUSH, Matt Saxton, Frank Bramble, Ruiz!, Olivia Castriota, Nick Cody & The Heartache David Givens and more....
It’s 15th March and I really don’t know where this month is going, the last time I stopped to think about it, it was the end of February so I really don’t know where the last two weeks have gone….If anyone finds, them, please let me know!
I have dug deep to find 9 stunning new tracks to play you from unsigned acts from all over the world, every playlist is a real mixed bag of offerings and I don’t really know what it’s going to consist of until I sit down and start to have a listen to them and put them into some form of order, I hope you enjoy what I do!
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Little Orchard Cider & Music Festival is back with FEEDER, KULA SHAKER, THE WURZELS and more....
9TH – 11TH SEPTEMBER 2022
HEALEYS CYDER FRAM, PENHALLOW, TRURO, CORNWALL
A charming Cornish Party with big live bands in the UK’s grooviest Cyder farm!
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THE FEELING, UTAH SAINTS, DUB PISTOLS and SCOTT MILLS head up this year's RATTLER FEST - Tune into our Playlist NOW
Rattler Fest, showcases an eclectic mix of local talent, established National and world-renowned musical acts and celebrity DJs. Amongst the first confirmed acts are; The Feeling, Scott Mills, Utah Saints & Dub Pistols. Also joining the line-up are Sam and the Womp, The Mighty Offbeats, Antimatador, Jessica and the Rabbits, The Busketeers, The Bob Marley Revival, Black Friday, Company B and Roguey Roads with more names to be announced in the coming weeks.
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musomusofm on the radar playlist #33 - Dan Morris, Tarn PK, Daverage J. Normal, Quinn Sternberg, Cris Cap and more....
I have curated another 9 tracks from bands and artists all over the world and the results are incredible, normally, the playlist runs for circa 30 minutes each time but there is one track in this one that plays for an incredible 12 minutes, pushing the time up to nearly 43 minutes, nothing wrong with that I hear you cry but I just wanted you to know in case you only get 30 mins to enjoy it!
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musomusofm on the radar playlist #32 - 5ON5, Sean David Christensen, Hyattsvillain Rassix, Savanna Blu, Christine Tarquinio, Peter Cat and more....
Well here we are again, it’s Friday 11th March and I’ back with another 9 offerings from unsigned bands and artists all over the world who are just crying out to be heard. This collection of tracks has something for everyone, Dance music, Americana, Electro Rock and more….
I started to put out these new music playlists as a way of helping bands and artists to get their music heard, if you told me at the start of the year that rather than a weekly playlist, I’d be putting out a new one every 2 days to try and cope with the demand, I’d have laughed at you but this is exactly whats happened and here we are, 32 playlists in 2022 and it’s only early March!
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Southampton based rockers REGENT reveal show-stopping new track 'Yes It's Love' - Listen Here
The Southampton based rockers have charged into the new year with a new single’ ‘Yes It’s Love’. Taking aspects of old-school rock and updating them for the modern day, the group have always looked to the past for sonic inspiration, while keeping one eye firmly on the future.
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THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS return to the live scene with a whistlestop tour of the UK in April 22
PSYCHEDELIC FURS APRIL 2022
2nd - Nottingham, Rock City ^
5th - London, Royal Albert Hall * **
7th – Glasgow, SW3 ^
8th - Liverpool, O2 Academy ^ **
10th – Manchester, Academy 2 ^ **
12th – Cambridge, Junction ^ **
13th – Bristol, O2 Academy ^ **
*Jah Wobble & The Invaders of the Heart
** Wasted Youth
^ Pauline Murray and the Invisible Girls
LAZY QUEEN played an inspiring set at The Lanes in Bristol, read our live review....
I found myself in Bristol on a cold, March evening, why was I here? now that Russia has invaded the Ukraine and COVID is apparently no longer an issue, I have started to return to the office for my day job and it just so happened that my office days were Monday and Tuesday. What to do...... Well, I walked from the office to the hotel, dumped my bags and checked on the map to see where I was, I spotted a branch of 'Honest Burger', headed there for some food and as I was finishing up, I checked to see if there were any live gigs happening in the city. Much to my surprise, The Lanes had 2 bands on, Slug Puppie and Lazy Queen, I'd never heard of either of them so I thought I'd chance my arm and check them out.
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We catch up with Cal and David from Alt/Psych/Experimental band TOYZ....
Toyz are a formidable writing duo which consists of Cal Lynn and David Kenter, they are joined by multi- instrumentalists, Malte Henning, Rob Whale and Guitarist, Olly Parkes. They formed in 2019 and refuse to be pigeon-holed, instead they describe themselves as a blend of Alt, Psych and Experimental Rock and Baroque Pop.
After hearing their latest single ‘St Helena’ a number of times, we wanted to learn more about the band, how they formed, their influences and future musical plans, for all of this and a few surprises along the way, read on!
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