Don't Believe In Ghosts - This Is Paradise

Alternative rock band Don't Believe In Ghosts has just released their latest single, This Is Paradise.

The new song combines state-of-the-art indie-pop production with a modern rock sound, all surrounded by lyrics of finding freedom in losing yourself. Watch the music video for the song clicking on the image.

Currently, the band is featured on the soundtrack of the new Apple TV+ show WeCrashed starring Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto. Don't Believe In Ghosts is also featured performing on the show's third episode.

With their latest single, Don't Believe In Ghosts explores optimism in the face of difficulty and hopes to lift people with their infectious melodies. "This song is about the mental pitfalls of self-doubt and pushing yourself till you finally crack," explains lead singer Steven Nathan. The lyrics in This Is Paradise follow the idea of losing your mind, yet coming to terms with this lack of control. Intense guitar riffs are interspersed with electric synth chords to have listeners hooked from beginning to end.

"Don't give energy to the ghosts of your past," says Nathan when describing the meaning behind the band's name, "Worrying about what other people may think can be draining and debilitating." The band amplifies this theme throughout their music with an unapologetic and boisterous sound that demands your attention.

This Is Paradise is a creative collaboration of the four band members, headed by the writing and mixing production of Steven Nathan. The track was co-written by Morgan Rose from the rock band SEVENDUST. This Is Paradise was mastered by 4-time Grammy nominee Stephen Marcussen, who has worked with musicians such as The Strokes, Bruno Mars, and Nirvana.

This Is Paradise is a liberating rock anthem that demands to be played at full volume. The song, released through Imagen Records / Warner ADA, is available to stream worldwide on all platforms.

ROMERO: Turn It On! Friday, 8 April 2022 18:03 by madseason
Romero - Turn It On!

The debut full length from Melbourne, Australia's Romero is a burst of hard hitting, punk-laced powerpop. Well informed by the classics and every bit as relevant-as-it-is timeless, Turn It On! is a memorable party. An album that captures the vitality of a young band hitting their stride and doing it on their own terms without a single note of indecision. Much in the way that The Undertones, Blondie, and even Big Star debuted with a sense of purpose, Romero invite us to eleven tracks of soulful powerpop gold.

Sharp production across Turn It On! catapults the impressive guitar work of both Adam Johnstone and Fergus Sinclair to the front of the mix alongside Alanna Oliver's heart-pounding energy and show-stealing vocal prowess. Anchored by the smooth rhythm pocket of Justin "Murry" Tawil and Dave Johnstone, Romero waste no time in showing their hand on the quick-paced album opener Talk About It - recalling 80's powerpop rhapsodies. The title track beckons bodies to the dancefloor with a rich Runaways-like temper that naturally explodes into a fiery guitar solo. Meanwhile Halfway Out The Door and White Dress show off the band's adept ballad-writing, boasting truly emotional highs, lows and soaring choruses. Those hip to the incredible debut Romero single - Honey b/w Neapolitan (Cool Death, 2020) will be overjoyed to see these relatable anthems recast in the album's tracklisting.

Turn It On! reveals stories of personal striving, restarting, mulling-over the unsaid, resisting control, deteriorating relationships, the emotional throes of uncertainty and celebrating growth through all such experiences. The rollercoaster of life is mirrored by the sonic and lyrical turns Romero have crafted into their debut album - a hopeful tonic for whatever you're going through, and a dose of excitement for what's to come.

Turn It On! is now available to stream worldwide on digital music platforms worldwide.

ANTON BARBEAU: Power Pop!!! Friday, 25 March 2022 18:45 by madseason
Anton Barbeau - Power Pop!!!

Anton Barbeau is releasing his new album Power Pop!!! today, via Big Stir Records. The new collection features 19 tracks balanced between fully formed songs (including the lead single Rain, Rain) and a handful of fascinating interstitial miniatures.

The title of the album is archly ironic: Barbeau intends the album partly as a rebuke of the self-imposed limits of the titular genre. He's not sugarcoating it, either: "Put down your guns, you culture cops, there ain't no crime like Power Pop" is just one of the pointed barbs in the title track (which also happens to be as filled with hooks and grooves as anything Anton's ever done). The ongoing critique is amplified in The Sound, a driving psychedelic takedown of facile genre purism, and the garage/new wave ode to Julian Cope, a key Anton influence and fellow iconoclast equally known for blending melody and quirk into something utterly new.

But more than a sharp commentary laced with both kinds of acid, Power Pop!!! is very much about Anton reinventing the very wheel he's puncturing. "The concept is, early ABBA gets hipped to Krautrock, disavowing their Schlager roots. Drugs happen. Their tight, super-pop sound merged with the kosmische vibe catches the ear of young David Bowie who offers to produce their next record. They convince him to co-write and sing on the record, and the rest is alternate-history," says Ant. "Can’t say I lived up to that, but out of noble ambitions grow tiny Raspberries, I suppose!"

More than a broadside, Power Pop!!! sees Anton Barbeau charting his own path forward as always, inviting the adventurous pop-rock fans of the world to follow. He's aided and abetted in his work by like-minded luminaries like Donald Ross Skinner (known as Cope's longtime collaborator Donn-Eye), guitarists Kevin Allison and Charlotte Tupman, saxophonist Fred Quentin, multi-instrumentalist Rosie Abbott, and vocalists Karla Kane (of The Corner Laughers), Lara Miyazaki, and Julia VBHB, Anton's wife who's also the graphic designer for the album. It's a work so unfettered by genre constraints that it can only be seen as Anton Barbeau's next leap, with much to offer to longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Check it out now clicking on the image.

MAX CRUISE: City Lights Friday, 11 March 2022 18:39 by madseason
Max Cruise - City Lights

City Lights is the sophomore album from Max Cruise with nine original tracks inspired by the sounds and vibe of the '80s from up-tempo synth pop and synthwave-esque instrumental numbers to powerful heartfelt ballads.

This release features the vocal talents of Pat DiMeo (The Motion Epic), Alessandra Gonzalez and guitar extraordinaire Jesse "Sparkee" Allen. Produced by Benjamin Harrison and his wife Alessandra Gonzalez, the album was mixed by Ben Wood at Delta King Studios and mastered by Ben Feggans at Studios 301 in Sydney, Australia.

Max Cruise is a project by Australian multi-instrumentalist producer Benjamin Harrison combining his deep love of the nostalgic synth-driven sounds of the '80s with modern production values and epic saxophone/guitar solos.

Listen/buy the album here.

NICE VICE: Bloom Friday, 11 February 2022 21:30 by madseason
Nice Vice - Bloom

Nice Vice just released his debut single, Bloom. The single draws inspiration from 90s rock and features melodic guitars, heavy undertones, and honest lyricism. The single is released ahead of a music video that guides audiences through the storytelling and range of emotions that influence the track.

Seth Horst, who performs under the alias Nice Vice, spent the better part of two years writing and recording a slew of new songs for his forthcoming EP, First Dose. "Bloom was the first song written in a large batch of songs over the last year and a half. It was never supposed to be on the EP," explains Horst. "I had honestly forgotten about it. Sometimes you miss the beauty and potential in something at first; fast forward, and it's the debut single."

The indie-rock single is accompanied by a music video shot by Dirty Shot Clean, to be released next week. The visual showcases four friends as they embark on a road trip in an RV and the adventures that ensue along the way. Horst played and recorded every instrument on the single. "It took me a long time to teach myself how to record all of the instruments and really get the sounds that I was looking for." He recruited Zak Van Zeumeren to mix Bloom and Theodore Papadopoulos to master it.

Nice Vice got started in his hometown of Toronto and is currently located in Los Angeles. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Counting Crows, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, and Jack White, Nice Vice has been able to capture and reinvent the sound of 90s rock and melodic acoustics, exemplified in the new single Bloom.

Horst's songwriting style is a culmination of these artists, along with his own honest and unique flair. Blending sounds of the new and the old, this first release gives the listener a broad range of what he is capable of. With smooth and surprising transitions from soft to heavy, the powerful voice and captivating lyrics touch on themes of new love, lost love, and introspection.

Bloom is now available to stream or download on digital music platforms worldwide. Keep an eye out for the music video on February 17th. Be on the lookout for Nice Vice's EP, First Dose, due out in 2022.

WILD GIANTS: Hey There, Slow Down, Help Me Thursday, 20 January 2022 21:54 by madseason
Wild Giants - Hey There, Slow Down, Help Me

Alternative-rock band Wild Giants have just released their latest EP titled Hey There, Slow Down, Help Me. On the EP, Wild Giants jump outside the usual songwriting box of topics like love, hard times, or partying and into the realm of subjects like science fiction, spirituality, and dream-state lyricism. The innovative new release is now available to hear worldwide on digital streaming platforms.

Produced by Dan Parker, the seven-track EP explores these traditionally unconventional topics in a way that emphasizes their sound and image as a group. With Hey There, Slow Down, Help Me, Wild Giants are able to elaborate on and inquire about these subjects while maintaining their grit, engaging melodies, and mature lyricism cohesively.

"In a slight departure from my past writing styles, this EP tends to be more extrospective. I wanted to tell the story of how I see the world and the people around me. These songs illustrate my struggles with my health, relationships, government, and religion," explains lead vocalist and guitarist Austin Walashek.

Fans of Wild Giants have already gotten a peek of the EP with the pre-released singles Souvenir, Why Aren't We Freaking Out?, and Sleep Is For The Weak. These guitar-driven, compelling tracks, and the remaining unreleased songs from Wild Giants, offer bold insight into the band's future. Songs like If God Only Knew and Hometown showcase a more vulnerable and raw perspective on personal reflection. Hey There, Slow Down, Help Me takes elements of the rock music we love from the '90s and '00s and uses a modern voice to give it a fresh, contemporary inflection.

Austin Walashek turned to music as his saving grace when he had to cope with the aftermath of a severe athletic injury. The harrowing event led to the destruction of his dream of becoming an Olympic athlete. He formed Wild Giants in 2018 to expand his creative outlet and dive deeper into music. Wild Giants is a combination of talents between Walashek (vocals, guitar), Lyman Lipke (bass), and Cameron Agan (drums).

Wild Giants is defined by their unique formula of lyrical and musical inspirations. Drawing from artists like Nathaniel Rateliff and The Avett Brothers for their lyricism and bands such as Weezer and Kings of Leon for their musicality, this fusion of characteristics helps create the framework for Wild Giants' distinctive sound and aesthetic.

Hey There, Slow Down, Help Me is now available to stream worldwide on digital music platforms worldwide.

MIA MORRIS: Fucket Bucket Friday, 10 December 2021 18:57 by madseason
Mia Morris - Fucket Bucket

Alternative rocker Mia Morris has just released her fiery new single, Fucket Bucket. With retro guitars, loops, and powerful vocals, this single is an ode to letting go of the worries in life and chucking them in the Fucket Bucket.

Mia Morris's Fucket Bucket is the edgy punk anthem that can resonate with everyone. Handling everyday stress while trying to live life to the fullest can put a strain on people, so Mia Morris made a carefree anthem to help let go of the stressors. "I want life to be fun, so I wrote a song about where to put everything else," states Morris. The song begins with her declaring, "life's too short to have regrets," as a single guitar advances into an ensemble of classic rock sounds. She uses her ability to mold together aspects of alternative, rock, and punk sounds to create a track that reminds listeners that some things simply need to be thrown into the Fucket Bucket. The song was written entirely by Mia Morris, which showcases her writing dynamic perfectly. From emphatic chord progressions to her energetic vocals, Fucket Bucket pulls from her varied musical tastes and eclectic influences.

17-year-old Mia Morris is a rock singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. She first made a name for herself online at the age of 12 when videos of her drumming reached over five million views on YouTube. Since moving to Nashville to pursue a music career, Morris has backed up over 150 artists on various instruments across the country.

Morris has released over 40 songs as she continues to grow her career, with most being written, recorded, produced, and mixed by herself. Taking influences from artists such as No Doubt, Avril Lavigne and Fountains of Wayne, her ever-growing style is uniquely hers, making her stand out in the rock genre. Deemed a "drum protege" by other professional musicians, her musical resume puts her amongst some of the music industry's most seasoned veterans. Learning from some of the best, she was able to study with rock legend Kenny Aronoff, drummer for many notable artists such as Alanis Morissette, among other famous and accomplished drummers. Her many talents and accomplishments have gained her a large following on social media; with over 34K TikTok followers, nearly 24.8K Instagram followers, and 51.8K YouTube subscribers alongside 9+ million views on her videos, Mia Morris is a name to remember.

Fucket Bucket is available now on all streaming platforms worldwide.

THE ROYAL FOUNDRY: Listen To The Beat Friday, 26 November 2021 18:48 by madseason
The Royal Foundry - Listen To The Beat

The Royal Foundry is a Canadian indie-alt-rock band anchored by husband and wife Jared Salte and Beth Schumacher, along with touring band members Robbie Szabo and Jeremy Dehek.

Their new track, Listen To The Beat, was borne out of remembering past tours as the band belted lyric ideas on a long drive back to Canada from Nashville. It's an upbeat, pop forward alternative rock tune that pays homage to life on the road and the band's love of playing live music.

Through euphoria tinged melodies, The Royal Foundry captures that longing for a night to never end, for that favourite song to be on repeat, and the experience of vibing late into the night because nothing else in the world matters.

Founded in 2013, The Royal Foundry were thrown into the spotlight when their music video for All We Have received attention from local radio station, Sonic 102.9. The video went "indie-viral," quickly hitting 80,000 views on YouTube. Over the course of their genre bending journey they have amassed nearly 3 million streams on Spotify alone and the band has gone on to win numerous awards, have chart topping singles and toured extensively in North America, opening for the likes of Twenty One Pilots, July Talk, Rachel Platten and many more.
In 2016 they signed a publishing deal with Peermusic (the world’s largest independent publisher) and since then they have gone on to have incredible success in the sync world. Their music has ben featured and appeared on MTV’s Catfish, the CFL, NHL, Disney Wedding Fashion Show and has been used in commercials by Purina, ENMAX, Comcast and many more.
The Royal Foundry have shown no sign of slowing down, with their recent album, Wakeup Wakeup, garnering two Top 20 singles across Canada and over 1 million streams on Spotify.

Watch the video for Listen To The Beat clicking on the image and stream/download the song from digital platforms worldwide.