The Dunwells - Colour My Mind

1. Who are The Dunwells? 

The Dunwells are an indie folk/indie pop band from Leeds, England. They have been making music since 2009 and have two albums. Colour My Mind bursts off their latest E.P. Colour My Mind (Dec’17). The Dunwells combine elements of both American and British music traditions.

2. What kind of song is Colour My Mind?

Colour My Mind is an indie pop song that builds into a big, chest beating, chorus. With hints of gospel the song is saccharine, middle of the road pap, but ultimately irresistible.

3. Who do The Dunwells sound like?

Mumford & Sons, Bronze Radio Return, and Fleet Foxes.

4. What has the music press said about Colour My Mind?

“A band that blend together to deliver some stunning harmonies”- Indie Band Guru. 

“Stellar vocals” – Indie Obsessive. 

 “Pure joy” – Flick Of The Finger. 

5. Which bands have influenced The Dunwells?

Bob Dylan, Motown, Crowded House, Foy Vance, and Elbow.

6. Why should I listen to Colour My Mind? 

Because the song has an interesting blend of musical traditions. Because you love heart warming, singalong, indie pop with soaring choruses.

7. Do the band have any more bangers?

Hey Now, Fire Down and Battling Life.

8. Any more?

Nah.

The Family Crest are an orchestral indie folk/rock band from San Francisco, California. They have been together since 2008 and have recorded two albums. The Family Crest are similar to Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. Sparks is the lead single from the E.P. Prelude To War (April'17). Paste Magazine described Sparks as, “A thunderous opener with a galloping, racing pace.” The song is breathtaking and emotional.

The Avett Brothers - Ain't No Man

1.    Who are the men decked out in their finery? 

The Avett Brothers are a genre-hopping indie folk rock band from Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. Making tunes since 2000 they have four long players to their name. Ain't No Man is the lead single from The Avett Brother's fourth studio album True Sadness (June'16).


2. What have they served up? 

Ain't No Man is a folk pop knockout. A foot-tapping, hand-clapping, sing-along with a little bit of funk. Folk at it's beneficiant best and pop's finest right here. 

3. Who do The Avett Brother's sound like?

Ain't No Man sounds like Bronze Radio Return. The Lumineers are similar.



4. What have the scribes said? 

"Stomping new anthem" - Consequence Of Sound. 

"An uptempo, full-bodied, harmony-heavy song" - The Boot. 

"Foot-stomping celebration" - NPR.

5. Which bands have influenced The Avett Brothers?

The Avett Brothers blend rock, punk, bluegrass, folk and country. Their influences run a gamut from Nirvanna, Tom Waits, Pink Floyd and Rory Coltrane to Beethoven.

6. Why should I give Ain't No Man a listen?

Ain't No Man is rootsy tune radiating love that forces you to sing and clap along with it's good-natured effervescence. 


7. Do The Avett Brothers have any more bangers?

Another Is Waiting rocks a little and Live And Die winds the bluegrass whimsy up to a stomping wigout.


8. Any more words? 

The new album True Sadness is produced by Rick Rubin who has worked for Metallica, Rage Against The Machine, Joe Strummer, Johnny Cash, Kanye West and Jay Z to name but a few.

"There ain't nobody here who can cause me pain or raise my fear

Cause I got only love to share"

Half Moon Run are an indie rock band from Montreal, Canada. Playing together since 2010 they have two long players to pin to their flag. Turn Your Love (Sept'15) was the second single from their second album Sun Leads Me On (Oct'15). Turn Your Love is a song Exclaim felt showcases the band's "eclectic styles and influences."

"I don't feel the strongest singing my own songs

And I used to baby"

Great Caesar - Hey Mama

1.    Who are these lovelies?

Great Caesar are a socially conscious indie rock band with a brass section that sashay out of Brooklyn, New York.  Hey Mama (March’16) flows off the Great Caesar E.P. Jackson’s Big Sky (March’16).


2. What’s the tune like?

Hey Mama starts out a soulful acoustic song, vocal led and dripping in emotional resonance. The brass lightly brings up the rear and the instruments blend slowly in. No fear. The vocal only breakdown sends a frisson down your spine and then the band and brass dime out and Hey Mama becomes transcendental. Ticks all the boxes.


3. Who do Great Caesar sound similar to?
 
Operation Every Band have their finger on the pulse with The Decemberists, Bronze Radio Return and Hey Marsailles. Throw in The Lumineers if you must.


4. What is the good word from the press?

“An uplifiting ode” – Nerdist.

“A compelling emotional performance” – My Space.

“Simple and stark” – Ear Milk.

5. Who put the lolly in Great Caesar’s music?

Great Caesar are influenced by The Beatles, Paul Simon, Elton John, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons and The Dave Matthews Band and have sent some love to Sufjan Stevens. The band also have a background in ska.
 

6. Why should I give Hey Mama a crack?

Great Caesar have played prisons and talked to the folk in there and Hey Mama is the good oil from those visits. Compelling musically, spiritually and emotionally. Frontman John Parker has said the EP is “our first real statement.” Real is exactly what Hey Mama is.
 

7. Do Great Caesar have any more of these treasures?

Hey Mama stands head and shouilders above the rest. Don't Ask Me Why is popular.

 

8. More words fool?

John Michael Parker, band frontman, said the coolest thing about the difference between being a musician and a doctor in this interview.

 

“I wanna be where a boy can be free,

But I’ve got time that I owe the state”

It would be rude to go past The Lumineers for the second innings. The Lumineers are an indie folk rock band from Denver, Colorado by way of Ramsey, New Jeresy. They are crazy popular and their debut album The Lumineers (2012) went to number two in the Billboard Charts, sold a million half and the single Ho Hey (2012) topped the charts and sold two million plus. Cleopatra (March'16) is the second single from The Lumineers second album Cleopatra (April'16) and is a cracking tune about a woman The Lumineers came to know through “...a friend. “She drives taxis and is this badass lady – she’ll pick you up at the airport with a cigarette hanging out her mouth and a beer can between your legs.”

 

“Damn your wife, I’d be your mistress just to have you around”