Two time San Diego Music Award-winning soul/pop/R&B artist Rebecca Jade can trace the origins of her music career to growing up in an extremely musical home — her mother, was a professional jazz singer in Puerto […]
Tag: indie soul
New Video: The Suffers Remind You of Profoundly Sweet, Real Love
https://screen.yahoo.com/stay-130000291.html?format=embed With the release of the Make Some Room EP, Houston, TX-based dectet The Suffers have exploded on to the national scene this year as the band has played festival sets at Hangout Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Neon Desert Music Festival, their […]
New Video: The Trippy and Stylistic New Video for Chet Faker and Marcus Marr’s “The Trouble With Us”
London-based DJ, producer, electronic music artist and multi-instrumentalist Marcus Marr is an internationally recognized artist, who has released a number of critically acclaimed singles through renowned electro pop/dance music/dance punk label DFA Records. His two best known […]
Guaranteed that if you’ve been frequenting this site over the past month or so, that you would have come across a couple of posts on the Los Angeles-based duo Pom Poms. Comprised of singer/songwriter Marlene and Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Billy Mohler, who is probably best known for his work with Awolnation, Liz Phair, Kelly Clarkson, and Macy Gray, the duo have been thrust into the national spotlight for a sound that owes a debt from classic garage rock and pop such as Connie Francis, Pasty Cline, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, the girl groups of the early 60s and others — but with a subtly modern (and anachronistic) twist that makes the sound seem as though it could have been part of a a Quentin Tarantino film.
The duo’s debut single “Betty” first gained the attention across the blogosphere for a subtly scuzzy, lo-fi-like garage-based guitar rock sound that would make you think of the aforementioned Roy Robison and Buddy Holly the song possesses a similar urgent and swooning Romanticism. The heartache expressed by Marlene’s aching vocals is a heartache that we all have known at some point — being desperately in love with a fickle and thoughtless lover, who you know will inevitably break your heart. Following up on the buzz from “Betty,” the duo released a hushed and spectral alternate version of Betty that featured Marlene’s vocals paired with a sparse arrangement that includes a subtly Bossa Nova guitar line. Sonically, the alternate version channels Patsy Cline — in par — in particular, “Crazy” and “Walkin After Midnight.” And as a result, the alternate version aches with a similar desperate loneliness and longing.
Pom Poms latest single “123,” is a swinging and swaggering 60s-inspired soul song in which the song’s narrator describes playing a cat-and-mouse game with a potential suitor, who the song’s narrator sets upon having as hers and hers only. And as a result, Marlene’s sultry and soulful vocals possesses a come hither and stop wasting my damn time quality. Sonically, the song pairs Marlene’s vocals with period specific staccato bursts of organ, propulsive rhythms and some funky guitar chords; thematically (and to my ears), I’m reminded of several songs including Amy Winehouse‘s “Rehab,” and Nancy Sinatra‘s “These Boots Are Made For Walking,” as the song possesses a similar brassy confidence.
Up-and-coming, Watford, UK-born, London-based future soul artist Connie Constance quickly received national attention with the release of her debut EP In The Grass produced by Blue Daisy. The EP which was praised for its dreamy yet beat-driven soundscapes paired with Constance’s earnest songwriting and vocals was championed by Pharrell Williams, who played tracks on his Beats 1 Radio show and several BBC Radio hosts including Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, Mister Jam, Julie Adenuga and Giles Peterson.
Constance’s latest single “Answer,” continues her ongoing collaboration with Blue Daisy — and sonically, the single pairs propulsive and percussive African-inspired beats, shimmering guitar chords and swirling electronics with Constance’s aching and intimately soulful vocals in a confessional and earnest song with a burning, sarcastic edge. As Constance explains in press notes, the song relates to two different people in the world — “one person that knows all the answers for taking all your troubles away,” as well as “a kind of know it all person, like, they already know the answer.”
2016 looks to be a huge year for the British soul artist, as she’s currently working on material for a new effort.
New Video: Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings Infectiously Soulful and Joyful Take on a Christmas Standard
Released last month to critical praise from the likes of Rolling Stone and The Guardian Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings‘ latest effort, Holiday Soul Party offers some fun and soulful takes on holiday standards with a couple […]
New Audio: Chet Faker’s Club-Friendly and Sexy Collaboration with Marcus Marr
Up-and-coming, London-based DJ, producer, electronic music artist and multi-instrumentalist Marcus Marr has received international attention over the last couple of years for a number of critically acclaimed singles released through renowned dance music/electro pop label, […]
New Audio: James Chatburn’s Sleek and Seductive, New Single “The Creator”
Australian-born, Berlin-based singer/songwriter and producer James Chatburn has developed a reputation for production work that seamlessly meshes soul, blues, and indie electronica and paired with his warm, effortlessly soulful vocals. And if you’ve been following JOVM […]
New Audio: The Old School Soul-Inspired Sound of McClain Sullivan’s “Happy Anniversary”
Born in Seattle, WA and currently based in Brooklyn, McClain Sullivan grew up with an unwavering passion for making music; in fact, Sullivan says in press notes, that “I could sing before I talk” and […]
New Audio: The Old School, Soulful Sounds of Helsinki’s Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators
Brooklyn-born, Helsinki-based singer/songwriter Nicole Willis has had a lengthy and storied career that goes back to the mid 80s, when she first became known as a vocalist working in London with the act Washington Week […]
New Audio: Introducing Up-and-Coming Sydney-based Singer/Songwriter Wallace’s Charming and Effortlessly Soul on New Single “Beauty” feat. Sampa The Great
Wallace Gollan, who performs under the mononym Wallace, is a Sydney, Australia-based singer/songwriter, whose expressive and soulful vocals are paired with a sound that draws heavily from blues, soul, jazz and pop, and as a result […]
People’s Champs is an all-star collective of some of Brooklyn’s most accomplished musicians featuring primary members bandleader Alex Asher, Cole Williams (vocalist), best known as a member of Pimps of Joytime and Melanie Charles (vocals, flute), […]
Over the last couple of years, Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner has seen his profile grow both nationally and internationally. As a bassist, Bruner effortlessly manages a propulsive, throbbing, sensual funk and a delicate, passionate sensitivity in […]
Originally from Bega in New South Wales, Australia pop artist, KIT has developed a reputation across her native country for a vocal styling that has been described as a mix of Adele and Aretha Franklin. […]
Chicago-based. singer-songwriter The ELLE can trace the origins of her music career to when she started using various forms of writing as an emotional and creative outlet when she was 8; however, despite the fact […]