Best New Indie Music Discoveries (7/30/2021) – “Fastracks” 14

Darling Boy, otherwise known as Alexander Gold, carries musical promise wherever he goes. A musician, actor, and songwriter, his multi-faceted talent has seen him flit with ease between the worlds of music, theatre and film and with a string of dynamic singles under his belt, Gold has been praised far and wide for his bold artistic sound.

‘Breaking Into Forever’, his glittering new offering, mixes powerhouse beats with shimmering pop melodies and retro-fitted synths to create an irresistible three-minute adventure out-of-time.

Entirely self-produced, save for a little editing help from XTC legend Andy Partridge, ‘Breaking Into Forever’ is an impossibly catchy three-minute pop monster cut that would feel right at home on the soundtrack of Stranger Things. Reminiscent of classic Dexy’s Midnight Runners or The Human League, its definitively 80s’ keyboard sound, synthesised strings and vocoded vocals amount to a track that is addictive, danceable and beams with a glossy chrome sheen.

Speaking about the track Gold says:
“It’s dedicated to someone who changed the direction of my life profoundly, in a very short space of time”, says DB, “effortlessly smashing down a door that I’d long thought was a wall. It’s about the power we all have to make a real difference, and a testament to the notion that sometimes all it takes is a fleeting moment.”

Alice SK’s debut single, “Another Girl’s Man”, is a track that blends Folk with Indie to tell an age-old tale of love turning sour. Her haunting, soulful voice sounds classic yet modern through the influence of cultural icons, such as Ella Fitzgerald & Joni Mitchell, and present-day acts, like The Strokes, to create something fresh.

The song, produced by Muca (Los Bitchos, L.A. Salami) is taken from Alice SK’s forthcoming EP, “Electric”, which will be out in late 2021. On the collaboration, Alice SK said:

“I’ve been writing for years and it never really crossed my mind to get involved with others on the writing side of things; but when I heard a few of Muca’s other projects and his ideas for the demos that I showed him, I thought it could be a great combination of our two sounds and I’m hoping that that comes across in the tracks too.”

“Another Girl’s Man” is the stream of thoughts of a woman who has been scorned. Meant to reflect how one can turn ‘crazy in love’ and that love then quickly turns to an infatuation, as the song goes on and the woman subject gets more wound up and obsessive in her thoughts to the point where she becomes self-destructive. The track is essentially about romance that can go from sweet to sour in a flash.

As the theatrics of the situation unravel, Alice sings:

“As another girl’s man, a friend, other lover, heart undercover,

I sit and I watch from the stand.

Another girl’s man, friends, other lover, heart undercover.

You’re playing another girl’s man.”

The lyrics conjuring a classic sounding tale of a broken heart that weaves vintage sounds with Alice’s London accent in a way that is recognisable yet an exciting calling card of an exciting new talent. The track is satisfyingly similar on first listen, yet intriguing and full of its own depths as it gets more and more intense as Alice’s own story and emotions dig in, making repeat listening rewarding.

“Another Girl’s Man” comes out right after the collaboration Alice did with Muca and Roberto Menescal, one of the pioneers of the Bossa Nova genre, for the single “Until We Meet Again” which will, be a bonus track on the debut Alice SK EP. The video for “Another Girl’s Man” was directed by Jude Lilley.

Las Vegas, NV based dark Rock/Pop/Industrial artist rue vox has released the official music video for her new single, “90s Villain.” Featuring BUTCHER BABIES’S HENRY FLURY and HEIDI SHEPHERD as well as CHRIS KAEL of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and directed by SHANE and DEED of SonStudios, the visceral music video follows the songstress through a series of brutal murders of seduced victims until her own murder at the denouement of the saga.

“90s Villain shows how our character defects can find a way to take us out in the end. I wrote this song to kind of call myself out in how I’ve been a terrible girlfriend in my past. In the video I’m a serial killer who ends up getting murdered by her would-be-victim. It symbolizes how the worst parts of us have to die, sometimes involuntarily, in order for us to truly live.” – rue vox

“rue vox is a beast of a talent behind the microphone and her creativity doesn’t stop there. She came to me with the inspiration for her music video to be a female slasher and the epitome of a 90s Villain. We took our love of giallo films to the next level and delivered a pulp-esque style short film.
We shot on Red camera with appearances by Butcher Babies and 5FDP’s Chris Kael, and all slated in the dingiest, grimiest motel on the Las Vegas Strip as each victim plays the odds with a seductress.

And so the slaughterhouse began.” – Shane O’Neal
The stunning passion in her vocals, and sensationally dynamic sound, is the natural result of rue vox always having had a strong connection to music & a true desire to entertain.

Growing up in music, she learned the roots of classical styles at first, and it wouldn’t be long after that she started winning competitions as a teenager, as Rue began to discover & refine the pure power & potential of her remarkable vocal range. Making a pivotal decision to move from Detroit to Las Vegas and pursue her dreams of stepping into the spotlight – Rue confidently started the most exciting chapter of her story to-date.

Bursting onto the scene like a supernova, with breathtaking vocals & a brilliant hybrid sound of her own that explores the wild depths of Rock/Pop/Industrial – Rue’s undeniably edgy style instantly got the buzz surrounding her music going strong. Able to deliver the most delicate of melodies with precision & heart, to the most extreme hard-hitting moments designed to take her vocals to the limits & beyond – Rue’s astounding voice is every bit as captivating as it is charismatic.

Launching her official debut in 2020 with the release of two incredible covers & currently working on brand-new originals with the A-list assistance of producers Brian Steele Medina (Gemini Syndrome) and Nikka Bling (In This Moment, Five Finger Death Punch) – rue vox is ready to seize the momentum and surge straight to the tops of charts & playlists worldwide, where she truly belongs. – SBS

Drawing inspiration from the sounds of the stoner-based rock that sprung up from the deserts of Southern California in the late ’80s through the ’90s, Hell & Hollar has blended their own brand of kickback rock nuances and incorporated a modern drive to bring a sound all their own. Hell and Hollar bring us the aggression that drove desert rock from its genesis and then tops it off with ruminative melodies. Their music leads you on a trip both sonically and lyrically. its core resonates in the realm of rock. A continual motion to develop their sound while holding true to themselves is set before their listeners. Defining a future of marking the solid foundation of who Hell & Hollar is.

British multi-instrumentalist songwriter and lyricist, Alan Brown’s legacy as an underground artist has been apparent since 1983. Featured on the influential C86 NME cassette with BIG FLAME, Brown also recorded nine John Peel sessions for BBC Radio One with BIG FLAME (4), The Great Leap Forward (2), A Witness (2) and Inca Babies (1).

Since BIG FLAME’s split in 1986, Brown has channeled his work as The Great Leap Forward, writing all songs and lyrics, as well as playing and programming all instruments on recordings.

The new LP features Brown’s trademark political digs and social commentary, with incisive political and social commentary layered over sharp yet melodic guitar pop – plus a touch of electro and humour thrown in for good measure. Not surprisingly, the name ‘Revolt Against An Age Of Plenty’ was lifted from an article by one of Brown’s favourite social commentators and writers, Jack Common, whose works has inspired him for decades.

“The culmination of four year’s writing, this album has a more varied approach than previous releases. Whereas previously I’ve concentrated on a political approach, this album takes a wider view of the world – perhaps it’s an age thing – last year (2020) saw me reach a milestone birthday which I explore in the song ‘Can You Kanreki?’, celebrating the Japanese concept of second childhood and re-birth for those hitting 60,” says Alan Brown.

“Of course I still provide the trademark political and social vignettes – how could I not – such as the title song of the album ‘Revolt Against An Age Of Plenty’ – named after a collection of works by the English writer Jack Common in which I rail against mass consumerism and media control.”

The Great Leap Forward debuted with the ‘Controlling The Edges Of Tone’ EP in 1987, followed by 1988’s ‘A Peck On The Cheek À La Politique’ EP, described by the NME as “conspicuously excellent” and the 12-inch single ‘Who Works The Weather?’

1988’s debut album ‘Don’t Be Afraid Of Change’ was praised by The Guardian, Melody Maker and other leading magazines, leading to UK and Europe tours with the likes of That Petrol Emotion. In 2007, The Great Leap Forward reformed, releasing albums ‘Finished Unfinished Business’ (2008) and ‘This Is Our Decade of Living Cheaply and Getting By’ in (2012).