PowerPopSquare

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Bleu - Where the Colors Bleed

The new Bleu record is coming in early 2025 - listen to the new single "Where the Colors Bleed" (and the official video):

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Ivy - Long Distance (25 Year Anniversary Edition - Vinyl)

Ivy have announced a vinyl reissue of their seminal 2000 album Long Distance, available via Bar/None Records on November 1st, 2024.

Formed in 1994, the trio includes Andy Chase, Dominique Durand, and the late Adam Schlesinger, who together achieved critical success with their singular brand of disaffected, nuanced pop. To kick off the announcement, the band have shared a brand new, unearthed single entitled “All I Ever Wanted.”

The track was produced by Lloyd Cole in 1997 while the band were recording their album Apartment Life. It was shelved and has gone completely unheard until now.

Originally released in November 2000, Ivy’s third studio album Long Distance is considered by many to be their breakthrough album. It’s heavily influenced by trip hop and new wave while maintaining the blend of indie pop and rock they had become known for. Long Distance includes some of Ivy’s most recognizable songs like “Worry About You”, “Undertow” and their hit song “Edge of the Ocean”.

On the new single Chase explains “Dominique and I searched through the Ivy archives for any unreleased Apartment Life-era songs we might be able to use as bonus tracks. We put on one of the 2” 24 track reel-to-reel tapes we unearthed that had the title “Stupid Cat” scrawled across the outside of the box.
This song started playing. It was so familiar to Dominique and I that we Shazam’d it, to see what it was called and which album of ours it was on.
But when Shazam came up high and dry, we started remembering more and more of this song’s foggy, unresolved history. Back in 1997 the great Lloyd Cole had co produced a few songs for what would be Apartment Life. We released one called “I’ve Got A Feeling” and, for reasons lost on us today, we shelved the other one - this one - never even doing a rough mix of it.
So the master tape sat in our storage locker for the next 24 years, fully forgotten from our memories.
After its reemergence, we had it transferred to digital and I finally was able to do a proper mix of it in my studio in 2024. And yes, Lloyd is even playing some guitars on this song!”

This 25th Anniversary edition marks the first time that Long Distance will be available on vinyl, with a limited variant of 700 copies being pressed on frosted blue and frosted green vinyl.

The reissue features newly remastered audio by Scott Hull, as well the unearthed single “All I Ever Wanted,” a remix of “Edge of the Ocean” by Duotone as well as an original demo of the song.

The vinyl will include a track by track breakdown for each song by the band’s Andy Chase.

You can buy it here:

Vertigovinyl (coloured version, just 700 copies)

Bandcamp

Bar/None-Records

Mike Viola - Death Speed Stay Teen

The new record of Mike Viola ("Rock of Boston") will be released on September 20, 2024.

The second single is called "Death Speed Stay Teen" - and it's an OUTBURST! I LOVE it!

Man at Sea

Man at Sea is the moniker of Bristol based singer-songwriter David Hewson.

Often compared to the likes of Rufus Wainwright and Thom Yorke, Hewson has been praised for his distinctive blend of introspective songwriting and soaring melodies. His songs intertwine sparse arrangements with captivating melodies, underpinned by lyrics that explore existential themes and the contemporary loss of spirituality.

Recently he released "From the Morning" (a wonderful Nick Drake cover) and "Icarus".

Give it a try - you won't regret it!

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Owsley - Like Father, Like Son

There is a new podcast about Will Owsley from Stories & Sounds called "Like Father, Like Son"- I really recommend to listen to it. It's fabulous!