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Tom H
- Sep 20, 2019
- 13 min
Brook | Built You For Thought (debut album) - Exclusive track-by-track Interview
From my very first listen to Built You For Thought, the debut album from UK-based electronic duo Brook, I very quickly realized I was taking in something truly special and breathtaking. Comprised of seasoned soul and blues vocalist Beth Brooks and electronic musician Howard Rider, the duo's debut album is the product of two years of work and a collaborative songwriting process that began with Beth recording alone with an acoustic guitar before Howard began wrapping her vocals
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Tom H
- Jul 26, 2019
- 7 min
Morning Myth | Glass Sky (debut album)
From the very first notes of Glass Sky, the anxiously-awaited debut album from UK dream pop outfit Morning Myth, it's clear that you're about to embark upon a dreamy and magical journey that will transport your entire being to a utopia of musical enchantment. Lush waves of magnificent, shimmering guitars and exquisite, blissful vocals create a gorgeous and warm sonic fabric that delicately intertwines the ten tracks of this stunning album. A modern-day Cocteau Twins comes to
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Tom H
- Jul 19, 2019
- 5 min
The Hatchets | The Uncounted Blue Jillions (debut album)
"The world I've seen is alive and interesting, not because it's perfect and pretty and eternal. But because it needs fixing. I need fixing." The recited quote, an excerpt from one of the many letters written by the legendary Woody Guthrie, establishes the underlying theme and defines the inspiration and context for the songs that are about to follow. An expansive wall of electric guitars immediately transitions the listener into "Love Will Heal You," the upbeat, optimistic op
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Tom H
- May 10, 2019
- 4 min
DETER | Wither & Fade (debut album)
As I listen to the tracks on Wither & Fade, the debut album from Glasgow-based emo/post-hardcore band DETER, I’m immediately struck and impressed by the cohesiveness, depth and novelty of the band's sound. The quality of songwriting and production is far superior than anything one might expect on any debut album – let alone a band whose members teamed up to write their first song just over a year ago. The album's production credits go to Gavin Paterson, engineer and owner of
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Tom H
- Jan 17, 2019
- 2 min
Malin Andersson | Follow (debut album)
From one listen to the opening track of Follow, the debut album from emerging London-based, Swedish singer-songwriter Malin Andersson, you know you're about to embark on one mesmerizing and truly magical musical journey. The eleven reflective tracks that comprise this outstanding album paint an elegant and expansive soundscape that conjures up sensations and images of crisp ocean breezes, rolling waves and windswept clouds. Fingerstyle acoustic guitar, cello, and minimal, emo
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Tom H
- Jan 11, 2019
- 2 min
Heatmaps | Let It All In (debut album)
Let It All In, the debut album from indie folk band Heatmaps surfaces in the midst of winter and contains several lyrical references to snow, frozen lakes and the cold month of February. But musically, the songs that comprise this stunning release feel like nine warm, beaming rays of sunshine and hope. "Who is(are) Heatmaps?" you might ask. I first heard about the band in a recent Instagram post from Seattle-based indie band Silver Torches (a band that you might have read abo
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Tom H
- Dec 31, 2018
- 2 min
Stockholm Noir | DIV (debut album)
On this last day of 2018, the anonymous electronic music collective Stockholm Noir releases its debut album DIV. To be precise (according to the album's press release), it's been 619 days since their first appearance and a series of 13 single releases that all started with "Hopeless Dreams" in April 2017. While Stockholm Noir has frequently been noted as presenting a darker side of electronic music, the overall theme and feel of DIV undoubtedly elevates that assessment to a
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Tom H
- Nov 20, 2018
- 2 min
Fenne Lily | On Hold (debut album)
Bristol-based indie singer-songwriter Fenne Lily's debut album, On Hold, is one of those gorgeous, rare musical masterpieces that I could seriously listen to for hours on end. A thing of genuine musical beauty, the ten delicate and personal stories on this album speak directly to your soul and lightly tug at your heart strings. At the forefront, you'll immediately discover unpretentious and genuine songwriting adorned with Fenne's soft, smoky and velvety vocals and outstandin
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Tom H
- Sep 3, 2018
- 2 min
Lo Moon (self-titled debut album)
It was just two years ago that Los Angeles-based indie rock band Lo Moon released "Loveless" - their moving, epic debut single which has already garnered nearly 6 million plays on Spotify alone. Following a few similarly stunning follow-up singles ("This Is It", "Thorns"), the band released their self-titled debut album earlier this year. Consisting of members Matthew Lowell, Crisanta Baker and Samuel Stewart, the trio's first album is a sophisticated, moving musical masterpi
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Tom H
- May 25, 2018
- 2 min
Jacob Aranda | Great Highway (debut album)
Great Highway is the impressive debut album from San Francisco-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Jacob Aranda. Hailing from the Midwest and relocating to the Bay Area in 2013, Jacob's talents span beyond songwriting and performing. In particular, he is a skilled luthier who handcrafts quality guitars using only hand tools, unlike some factory-made practices typical of mass-market instruments. He is also a current member of San Francisco-based indie band Paula Frazer & Tar
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Tom H
- May 1, 2018
- 3 min
Bryde | Like An Island (debut album)
Let me start out by stating that is one album release I'm truly thrilled to share with you. The stunning debut album, Like An Island, by London-based indie singer-songwriter Bryde (a.k.a. Sarah Howells) has been a masterpiece in the making for some time. It was just three years ago that Sarah's then musical project (Paper Aeroplanes) had just released their album JOY, when the duo decided to go on hiatus. It was during this break that Sarah's solo project Bryde was born. From
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Tom H
- Feb 25, 2018
- 2 min
Holy Motors | Slow Sundown (debut album)
Hailing from Tallinn, Estonia, Holy Motors is a five-piece twang and reverb band consisting of three guitarists (Lauri Raus, Hendrik Tammjärv, Gert Gutmann), drummer Kaspar Kiinvald, and Eliann Tulve on vocals. I first heard about the band when their debut album, Slow Sundown (Wharf Cat Records) was featured as 'album of the day' on Bandcamp. The fiery red album cover and album description caught my interest, and upon first listen, I immediately fell in love with the unique,
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Tom H
- Feb 21, 2018
- 2 min
Marcus Alexander | Journey (debut album)
Today, we're heading across the Atlantic to the town of Gothenburg, Sweden, for the music of singer-songwriter Marcus Alexander, who is about to release his forthcoming debut album, Journey, on March 25. I first discovered Marcus' music last year when I heard his impressive, original composition "Supernova" on Spotify. This song alone was enough for me to make a mental note to keep check on new music from this emerging, talented singer-songwriter. Marcus comes from a family o
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Tom H
- Jan 23, 2018
- 2 min
Day Wave | The Days We Had (debut album)
Formed in 2015, indie rock band Day Wave is the moniker for Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Jackson Phillips. After releasing a series of impressive singles and EP's that attracted the attention of listeners and press alike, Day Wave released his brilliant debut album, The Days We Had (Harvest Records), in May 2017. With a sound that's reminiscent of bands like The Cure, early Radio Dept, and even a few hints of Joy Division, the eleven tracks on The Days We Had perfectly
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Tom H
- Oct 29, 2017
- 2 min
Erudite Stoner (debut album)
Erudite Stoner is the instrumental musical project of Brazilian composer and classical guitarist Matheus Novaes. His stunning, self-titled debut album is one of the most refreshing listens I've taken in recently - this is music for the ears, mind and soul that will transport you to another time and place, where the weight of the world seems to lift from your shoulders, the further you wander into Erudite Stoner's captivating musical landscape. Erudite Stoner's Bandcamp page n
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Tom H
- Jun 4, 2017
- 2 min
Share Lions | Keep Close (debut album)
Los Angeles-based, indie rock duo Share Lions is the collaboration of guitarist/singer Alex Walker, and drummer/producer Elias Diaz. Their impressive debut album, Keep Close, was released in late February, with ten outstanding tracks that boldly and proudly present the band's fresh, energetic musical style that blends gliding, melodic guitar riffs and solos with elements of fierce, gritty alternative rock. Alex's edgy, driving vocals are the perfect icing on the Keep Close ca
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Tom H
- May 19, 2017
- 3 min
Watching for Foxes | Undone Bird (debut album)
It was just a few years ago in late 2013 that Michigan-based indie folk band, Watching for Foxes, was formed by a group of friends from Fremont, MI, that started practicing songwriting and performing in the math classroom of their vacant high school. Fast forward a bit, along with a move to Grand Rapids, and the release of two impressive, self-released EP's (The Watchmen (2014) and Until the Winter Comes (2015)), the band has recently released their stunning debut album, Und
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Tom H
- Apr 6, 2017
- 3 min
Dot Allison | "Afterglow" (1999 debut album)
I can still remember anxiously awaiting the release of Dot Allison's debut solo album, Afterglow, back in the late 90's. It had been several years since the Scottish alternative, electronic trio One Dove released their impressive first (and last) album, Morning Dove White (1993), and I'd fallen in love with everything about it - the chill, downbeat, lightly electronic atmosphere it created, the sequencing of the tracks, the juxtaposition of vocal, pop-oriented tracks (e.g., "
267 views0 comments
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MUSIC STITCHES US TOGETHER
SOUNDTHREAD
Music reviews, commentary, interviews, and insight about music you really ought to hear.