LISTEN: BLÓM – ‘Be Kind’

Noisy, abrasive, and intensely cathartic; BLÓM are firing on all cylinders on their latest single ‘Be Kind’. Self-described as “three qt punks playing pure radge shit; with female, trans and non binary members”, the band power through four minutes of explosive riffs, intense distortion, and raging vocals on their latest offering.

‘Be Kind’ – despite its furious nature – is a reminder to be open-minded, compassionate and understanding towards issues surrounding gender, sexual identity and mental health. It’s the first single to be lifted from the band’s upcoming debut album Flower Violence, which is set for release on 1st May via Box Records.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Sam Grant at Blank Studios, the album explores themes of queerness, feminism, gender identity, mental health, socio economic challenges, Christianity, Twin Peaks and the Fyodor Dostoyevsky novel ‘Crime and Punishment’. That’s a pretty eclectic mix of influences, so BLÓM’s debut looks set to be a diverse and empowering listen.

The band will be touring their riotous sounds across the UK in support of PIGS x7 in April and early May, so grab a ticket quick if you like what you hear. Listen to ‘Be Kind’ below, and follow BLÓM on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

BLÓM UK Tour Dates 2020 (Supporting PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS)
Apr 16 Manchester Gorilla (SOLD OUT)
Apr 17 Birmingham The Mill
Apr 18 Bristol Thekla (SOLD OUT)
Apr 24 Leeds Stylus
Apr 25 Glasgow St Luke’s
Apr 29 Nottingham Rescue Rooms (SOLD OUT)
Apr 30 London Electric Ballroom
May 1 Brighton Concorde 2 (SOLD OUT)

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: THICK – ‘Mansplain’

A cathartic, witty, guitar driven take-down of the men who undermine women in bands (and women in general), Brooklyn punk trio THICK have shared their latest track, ‘Mansplain’. Lifted from their debut album 5 Years Behind, which is set for release on 6th March via Epitaph, the single’s premise will resonate with women and girls who have struggled to be taken seriously on, and off stage.

The track opens with a plethora of snarky comments – “Girl bands are really in right now”, “Does she know where to plug that in?”, “Are those your boyfriend’s drums?” – before the single rips into life with crashing drums, cutting vocals, and riotous riffs. “Those are all things that men have actually said to us or our friends at shows,” drummer Shari Page explains. “A lot of these songs came from feeling stifled in silence, but then the song itself is an answer to that,” adds bassist Kate Black. “It’s us saying, ‘I have my opinion, and I’m going to share it no matter what.’ Instead of keeping things all bottled up, it feels so much better to face everything head on, and just be really loud about it with your two best friends.”

THICK have crafted the perfect track to crank up the volume to, and rid yourself of the unnecessary negativity on ‘Mansplain’. The band took this ethos of doing what feels right into the studio with them whilst recording their new album at Studio G in Brooklyn, with producer/engineer Joel Hamilton (Iggy Pop, Jolie Holland). “It was really important to us that the songs feel emotionally connected to our reality, so that it feels as natural as possible to play them” Black shares. They’ve clearly achieved this on ‘Mansplain’, which is accompanied by a humourous video directed and produced by Jeanette D. Moses.

Watch the video for ‘Mansplain’ below and follow THICK on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Michelle Lobianco

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Song Sung – ‘Come To The Water’

Hypnotising vocals, atmospheric electronics and echoing beats permeate ‘Come To Water’, the latest single from Song Sung. Taken from their debut EP I Surrender, set for release on 27th March via Night Time Stories, the duo have a talent for crafting alluring, melodic soundscapes.

Formed of twin sisters Georgina and Una McGeough, Song Sung grew up in Monaghan, Ireland before moving over to New York a decade ago. Since then, the pair have been dabbling in software and even creating songs over second-hand bass lines from a nightclub DJ that used to rumble through the floor of their East Village apartment. Now, the duo are working with David Holmes (Unloved), who co-wrote and produced their EP along with his bandmate Keefus Ciancia. The pair have previously worked on scores with Holmes too, including The Fall and Killing Eve (for which they won a BAFTA).

Speaking about the new single, Georgina of Song Sung explains: “‘Come to the Water’ is a song caught somewhere between obsession and vulnerability. There’s a fragility in the tone, a yearning within and an uncertainty in the end.” It’s this blend of emotions that makes the duo’s new track so captivating, and has us eager to hear more of their beguiling sounds.

Listen to ‘Come to the Water’ below, and follow Song Sung on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Erica Freas releases new EP ‘Young’

A moving ode to friends and loved ones; Bristol-based, Olympia-born songwriter Erica Freas has shared her latest EP, Young. Released via Specialist Subject Records (and as a self-release in the USA), Freas has taken a step back from fronting punk bands and created a sentimental, soft-sounding record instead.

Recorded over the past two years, the eleven tracks on Young are all love songs for Freas’ friends who needed support during moments of big change and transition. The songwriter reflects on what inspired her to write this deeply personal record: “We’re so caught up in this moment with all the real pressures and challenges that mark our lives right now; this all-consuming moment. With these songs, I was thinking about what world we’re welcoming the next generation into and, similarly, how we approach our own futures and histories as we grow. These songs are about being alive, whether we’re new to it or have been around awhile.”

We’re enjoying Freas’ sounds that urge her listeners to slow down and appreciate the smaller things in life. Listen to Young in full below, and follow Erica Freas on Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

 

Erica Freas UK Tour Dates 2020
29th Feb – Bristol – radio/ON
1st Mar – London – Water Into Beer with Cristy Road Carerra
9th Mar – Brooklyn NY – Trans Pecos
14th Mar – Anacortes WA – The Business
24-26 April – Manchester Punk Fest 2020
1-8th May – European Tour (via YoYo Records)
9th May – Berlin – Miss The Stars Fest VII
7th Jul – 2000 Trees Festival UK

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Photo Credit: @gingerdope

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