What an interesting chat I had with Richard Davies, Australian-born singer/songwriter who started with The Moles and later joined multi-instrumentalist Eric Matthews to form the duo Cardinal. We drop a lot of names (Robert Pollard, Wayne Coyne, Ray Davies), and he even asks me a question. He’s dropped out of a music career, and then came back. He will be touring with Guided By Voices this summer. Very cool. Check out his website: https://www.themolesband.com/
🎸 Listen to a sample below:
Now something completely different: Vancouver-born and Los Angeles-based Mikayla Geier is a singer, songwriter, and former ballet student of the controversial Kirov Academy of Ballet. With the support of friends and family, Mikayla left the academy behind and began writing music and posting on social media to journal her past experiences. “Dance of the Trees” is her debut EP. Mikayla also has another song commenting on the dangers of eating disorders called “i don’t feel safe in my body.” She will be donating/fundraising for Project HEAL which provides resources to those who are struggling.
Hey Indie Musicians! Some interesting facts!
A staggering 87% of the top 100 artists on Spotify in the US are self-taught, challenging traditional paradigms of music education.
Only 4% of them have a music degree. An additional 4% started a degree but didn’t finish it, meaning that the remaining 92% don’t have a music degree and didn’t even start one.
This trend points to the growing accessibility of music creation and the democratization of the music industry, empowering artists without formal training to achieve success. We’ve got a full report available here:
Activities of Daily Living is the third album by the Scottish power-pop band Aerial, and it’s been 10 years since their breakout LP Why Don’t They Teach Heartbreak At School. Despite a little softening of the band’s sound over the last decade, they can still tear through gems like “Pixelated Youth,” a rocker about playing video games akin to Green Day. The band’s main musicians, Colin Cummings and Mackie Mackintosh, created most of the music during the COVID-19 pandemic. The slower, more reflective “Hollywood Ghosts” brings to mind the mid-tempo thoughts of Ryan Hamilton or Fountains of Wayne. The catchy melody and well-planned handclaps of “I Bet You Know Karate” make it stand out.
They go for the grand ballad on “Debutante” and “Silversand Beach,” but it’s back to heavier riffs for “A Encore and a Cover Song” and “Cadence,” which is closer in spirit to Weezer. The well-written and executed “Bad Tattoo” is yet another standout track. The lack of the carefree spirit that permeated the prior album is the most significant criticism. In addition, the uneven styles don’t stick as well either. Despite this, Aerial puts forth a quality album that is highly recommended.
The Cyrkle is one of those rare two-hit wonders back in 1966, with a Paul Simon/Bruce Woodly penned “Red Rubber Ball” and “Turn Down Day” as their claim to fame back then. The core duo of Tom Dawes and Don Dannemann had a pleasant and energetic folk/pop/rock sound. They were the only American band that the legendary Brian Epstein managed, and they went on to record two albums. They even went on a concert tour playing with The Beatles. But by 1968, it was all over… until now.Â
Fast forward to 2024, Don Dannemann connected with singer-guitarist Michael Losekamp, to record their reminiscences. Don has a contagious passion for the band’s legendary past. Songs like “Center of the World” and “We Thought We Could Fly” reflect the band’s astonishment at their precarious fame. The latter track includes the late Tom Dawes vocals, added much like the recent Beatles single “Now and Then,” and it’s the best new song here. It does sound strange when Cyrkle revives their early 60’s sound on “Goin’ Steady With You,” but its sure to appeal to their senior audience. Of course, they do a good job on updated versions of their hits as well as Paul Simon’s “59th Street Bridge Song.” Listen, if Sir Paul and Ringo can record a stroll down memory lane, why can’t The Cyrkle? It’s your grandpa’s music that deserves to be heard.
The Martial Arts‘ new album, is due in August of this year. The Martial Arts is Paul Kelly, who for over 15 years has been a mainstay of the Scottish music scene as a member of BMX Bandits (nice pedigree). “No Victory” is the first big single. Speedfossil is also back with a cool EP, all good songs, so check out “Magic Trick.” NYC’s own Goodman also returns with a new single, “Only Testimony,” from his 7th album. Vanilla continues to grow Pish Posh, and I enjoyed the yacht rock groove of “She Loves Me Not.” Another crunchy EP is Sad About Girls, check out the Keith Moon drum rolls on the epic “As Another Minute Passes By,” Finally, Melbourne kids The Fuzzy Berries will simply charm you with those melodies. Listen to “Clarence In Wonderland.” A great start to May!
Michael and Brian D’Addario aka The Lemon Twigs continue to impress with each new album, delving further into shimmering, explosive pop songs that evoke vintage power pop and rock. I was thrilled to interview these young power pop artists about the new album, A Dream Is All We Know. A review of the album is here.
🎸 Hear the album below:
