Browsing Tag

70s

AXiS got elemental for their latest razor-sharp slice of reinvented 70s rock, Firewater

Posted on 21 April 2023

The Serbian/Romanian power trio, AXiS, ensured the 70s rock n roll era made a monolithic return to the airwaves in 2023 with their elementally overdriven reinvention, Firewater.

Taking the iconic sounds from Black Sabbath, Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin and channelling a modern twist into the high gain guitars, the rock-reverent originators slathered Firewater with swagger and burning hot riffs that will turn your speakers into smoke machines.

After forming in 2012, the trio has shared its fair share of success as a touring band and in the studio. After their sophomore album left them pigeonholed as a blues rock band, they’ve proven with Firewater that their raw live sound is a million miles away from those roots. It’s straight-up sleazenik rock n roll that you will want to line up and drink warm beer for.

Firewater was officially released on April 1st. Stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MEVS sent a surge of funk-riding euphoria through the airwaves with his feel-good disco-pop anthem, Groovin’

Posted on 17 November 2022

Carving his own untrodden path back to the 70s, the Puerto Rican trailblazer, MEVS, unleashed the soul-stirring slice of euphoric funk-riding disco-pop, Groovin’.

While artists will tune in with envy of his capacity to release such a blazing debut, fans of funk, alt-RnB and authentic old-school soul will surrender to the danceable electricity in the progressively dynamic release, which paints across the brighter corners of the tonal spectrum.

Starting with the sultry rolling basslines in the smoky prelude before exploding into a riot of flavour with Nile Rodgers guitar chops and a strong brass section, immersing yourself in this intrinsically rhythmic earworm which uses ‘never give up, never give in’ as an enlivening reprise will always send a flood of dopamine through your synapses.

Groovin’ is the first single from MEVS’ debut album, Sentient Beings in the Streets, which is set to release in 2023. Even if you don’t stay tuned, something tells me his enlivening soul will be coming to a dance floor near you anyway.

Groovin’ is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Taupe shows us inside the harvest with the passionate single, ‘Fruitless’

Posted on 17 April 2022

Gliding high over the smokey clouds like a majestic eagle who is quietly spotting where the better lands are hidden, Taupe is quite marvellous on this fantastic new single to make your ears shudder in delight with, ‘Fruitless‘.

Taupe is a Los Angeles, California-based indie-folk solo singer-songwriter who makes that dreamy type of music to take you back to that place you forgot existed.

”Taupe attempts to take contemporary indie folk songs and layer them with 70’s rock inspired guitars.” ~ Taupe

Sending a real jewel into the world when it needed it most, Taupe is the kind of artist who grabs your attention with a soaring delivery that sends you into a much better place. He sends us into a reflective mindset and sings with that ultimate gusto, from a true underdog who is in peak form here.

‘Fruitless‘ from Los Angeles, California-based indie-folk solo singer-songwriter Taupe, is a wonderful single that will have you closing your eyes and looking deeply within. As the world burns before our scared eyes and with the harvest yielding only seemingly destruction and carnage, this is the type of inspirational soundtrack that we needed. Vocally incredible and featuring smartly-penned lyrics – that will force a re-think about the way you see the planet around you – this is a quality effort from an artist who is a timeless soul and who could be from another era completely.

Hear this new single on Spotify and see more via the IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Spotlight Feature: Winchester 7 & the Runners shared their world-weary wit in their ukulele-led indie rock album, Catacomb Songs.

Posted on 12 January 2022

Get your nostalgia fix and your catharsis hit in one in the latest album from the internationally scattered outfit, Winchester 7 & The Runners. Catacomb Songs was just one of the lockdown-born albums conceived via Zoom in 2021; notably, few albums advocate for the future of remote collaboration better than this 9-track release.

The hazy, smoky and garagey vibes in the ukulele-led indie rock album are just as sweet as any album from the Zombies, the Beatles and the Stones. There may be nothing like delving into your favourite records from decades past, yet Winchester 7 & the Runners have their relevant and resonant ennui as an upper hand.

The thought of an indie ukulele rock album may send the blood pressure of music snobs through the roof, but if anyone can change the reputation of the electric ukulele, it is Winchester 7 & the Runners. They know just how to pull the rich, warm timbre from the electric uke to compliment the equally as mellifluous vocals.

The album starts with the quasi-morbid single, Dead Celebrities and New Beginnings, which questions why new beginnings seem impossible for ordinary folk while the famous can enjoy posthumous transformations. Once Dead Celebrities and New Beginnings has grabbed your attention, the album kicks things down a notch with the 70s rock reminiscent single, The Song That You Sing, which opens up a new level of lyrical intimacy that continues through the duration of the album that is tinged with satirical wit and the rare sense of compassion that can only be extended from world-weary soul to another.

Here is what Winchester 7 had to say about Catacomb Songs:

“We released our previous EP, Argos Holiday, last year on December 17th to limited fanfare due to the pandemic. In the following months, we made the best use of our time, took to our home studios and worked via Zoom to produce a follow-up. Catacomb Songs is certainly pandemic influenced in places, especially Riding High Again, which was written in memoriam of a good friend that succumbed to alcoholism during it. However, there is also a message of hope and inspired joy that is directly related to the normalcy we found playing together, albeit apart, amidst the lockdowns and travel bans.”

Catacomb Songs was officially released on December 17th. It is now available to stream on Spotify and Bandcamp.

Connect with Winchester 7 & the Runners to stay up to date with the 60s-inspired alchemy yet to come via Instagram and Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bourbon House give 70s blues-rock a demure riff-driven kick in ‘I Got Trouble’

Posted on 27 October 2021

70s rock became even more demure under the coercion of Bourbon House’s deeply rhythmic licks and Lacey Crowe’s vixenish vocals in their 2021 album, Into the Red.

I Got Trouble is just one of the standout singles that prove Lacey Crowe is a blues-rock siren. With the vintage-to-the-bone instrumentals behind her soulful vocal timbre, you fall right into the stormy core of I Got Trouble hook, line and sinker.

Jason Clarke’s guitar crooning is enough to take your breath away alone, but with Ryan Sargent’s snappy visceral percussion and Jon Peck’s grooving, almost jazzy, basslines, I Got Trouble becomes a delicious pool of 70s blues-rock nostalgia.

It hardly comes as a surprise that the album garnered hype from Classic Rock Magazine, reached number 1 on Australia’s independent music charts and number 2 in the UK.

I Got Trouble is now available to stream on Spotify with the rest of their third album which was released on October 22nd.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

That Peaceful Place: Martin Packwood is rather special with Jazz-inspired debut single ‘Daydreamer’

Posted on 17 October 2021

With his highly anticipated full album set for release in 2022, Martin Packwood soothes all our worries away with one of the most peaceful instrumental-only songs you will hear all year with ‘Daydreamer‘.

Martin Packwood is a solo recording Jazz guitarist and a retired software engineer, who was most active while playing extensively back in the 70’s and 80’s in Birmingham, UK.

You feel like he is playing above the clouds as he is floating around with a massive grin on his face, jamming his trusty guitar because he loves it. There is so much to respect about an artist who has made a comeback after working on his business, who plays with a sterling blend of excellence which is such a blessing to witness.

‘Daydreamer‘ from the skilled software engineer and Jazz guitarist Martin Packwood, is a lovely piece of music from a highly experienced musician. After reconnecting the much-missed love for his true passion again recently, you feel this raw emotion inside his experienced fingers which absolutely transforms this wonderful single. There is much to hold onto here, as this ravishing riff is just so perfectly constructed with much love attached.

Sometimes you just need to lather in peaceful ambiance, to break away from all of the distracting noise of this pollution-filled world.

Hear this delightful debut on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

The Dazed Son gets pious in his 70s rock n roll ode, Hail Lord.

Posted on 28 September 2021

You may have seen many rock artists brand themselves as the prodigal sons of rock n roll well, prepare for The Dazed Son’s nostalgic ode to the 70s in his debut album, Crazy, featuring the piously sweet standout single, Hail Lord.

The solo artist brought his sonic vision of becoming a one-man digital rock n roll band to life through the grace of the lockdown in 2020. His crunching over-driven guitars, choral vocals, blazing solos and easier-than-breathing chord progressions allowed plenty of 70s rock fans to find refuge in his unique spin on a retro sound. If anyone has what it takes to dominate the digital realm of rock n roll , it is the Dazed Son.

The Dazed Son’s debut album is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Just Remember Where You Started: Arizona’s Victims of the New Math bring us an inspiring lifeguard moment to float with on ‘You’re Swimming’

Posted on 20 September 2021

Taken off the latest four-track EP called ‘Heading to the Suburbs‘, Victims of the New Math urge us to turn our mindsets around from the negative to remind us that ‘You’re Swimming‘.

Victims of the New Math is a compellingly down to earth Phoenix, Arizona-based 70’s inspired lo-fi rock act lead by Thomas Young.

”With several album and EP releases over the past 15 years, the band has incorporated other diverse influences ( Glam rock, New Wave, psychedelic rock, lo-fi rock, and indie rock) to create a unique sound that never quite fits prescribed genres or styles.” ~ Victims of the New Math

With an honest tone and compelling lyrics that have you suddenly feeling so introspective about those moments you wish you could take back, the message here is to look forward as you are floating anyway. The seas will always calm down eventually once the tide changes – as you move forward to brush off any sticky seaweed – that is holding you back from progressing your soul to better times ahead.

‘You’re Swimming‘ from Phoenix, Arizona-based 70’s inspired lo-fi rock band Victims of the New Math, shows us a story about being sad about something ending, but being self-aware enough to know that the bad times won’t last. With a glaze-filled ambiance that has you feeling like you are in a movie on this tremendous new single, this is something rather specially-made with that rare class of yesteryear.

Hear this new track from the experienced Arizona native up above in the Soundcloud and see more news on the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

We Danced To The Music: David Goundry remembers those incredible days on ‘Fire and Water’

Posted on 6 August 2021

Taken off his sterling six-track debut EP named ‘Time and Place‘ which was produced by the legendary Nick Sykes, David Goundry sounds so inspired as he sings with such meaningful gusto and love on ‘Fire and Water‘.

David Goundry is a former semi-retired UK-based indie blues singer-songwriter. After almost putting his guitar away for good, a chance meeting with Nick helped him get over his unfortunate divorce in 2017. From there, making music again and working with such a positive force, has really helped him find a new lease of life and the results are quite astounding.

”Reminiscent and inspired by the singer songwriters of the 70’s, Fire and Water encapsulates folksy finger picking , blues rock riffs aligned to melodic singing which evoke the feel of the analogue era.” ~ David Goundry

As he sings with such a distinct tone that washes peacefully all over your awaiting body – you feel that he is such a wonderful talent – who is now getting the chance to show the world his incredible artistry. This is the ultimate underdog, a man lost for a while as he struggled to locate his inner compass after such a devastating heartbreak – but came back strongly and is has now found redemption in the best possible way.

‘Fire and Water‘ by the highly inspired UK indie blues artist David Goundry, is that that warm analogue sound reminder from those classic days back in the 60’s and 70’s. He reminisces about those memorable best days that he ever had, as their love was so strong and he recalls every second so vividly. These sweet moments together may have past by like a train in the wind, but they shall be cherished fondly forever.

Hear this new single on Spotify and see his journey to finding that happiness again on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Nadine Shah brought her broodingly veracious post-punk-tinged soul to the Barbican in a one-off performance of her seminal album, Kitchen Sink.

Posted on 19 July 2021

In our depressively dystopic times where nothing seems to hit the same, Nadine Shah made sure she was the exception from the ennui; from the moment she walked on stage to the tune of synthesised jazzy discord, the atmosphere became just as electric – despite the social anxiety that mostly muted the audience aside from rapturous applause.

In her one-off performance at the Barbican in London on July 18th, she played her jazzy post-punk record, Kitchen Sink, in its entirety before playing what she claimed to be (they are) her ‘hits’. The critical acclaim she received following the release of her album in June 2020 had little impact on her infectious humility that radiates from her unfiltered stage presence.

As a proud owner of all of her records, I still somehow managed to underestimate the immensity of her vocal talent. There are few things in life more visceral than hearing her resounding, Jazzy vocal timbre and Pete Wareham’s demonic sax solos complemented by the acoustics in the Barbican.

Within the male-dominated realms of post-punk, Shah’s misogyny-challenging latest album, as with all of her music, comes with a sense of vindication that feels like a nuanced extension of the Riot Grrrl era. If anyone can kick ass with class, it’s Nadine Shah.

The deliciously rich brooding tones in her fourth studio album are a far cry from the abrasiveness of most artists striving to inspire through their lyricism, and they are all the more efficacious for it.

Grab yourself a copy of Kitchen Sink via Nadine Shah’s website.

Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

Review by Amelia Vandergast