Adding to their growing collection of produced music is up-and-coming indie/alternative rock group Lowpines with their newest single, “Parasite”. This track features dreamy synth sounds as well as hypnotizing vocals that speak truth and honesty. Like their other releases, the members of Lowpines have been able to put together a new single that will resonate with those who listen and is sure to be put on repeat. Check it out!
Amidst the release madness, we got a hot second to catch up with the artist behind it all. Those words can be found below.
Given your success among fans in the UK, do you have any intentions of reaching a bigger market or fan base in other countries?
Absolutely, it’s always fun to be invited to play in other countries, and I’m always looking to do more. I’ve played some wonderful festivals in Europe and Scandinavia and plan to do more later this year. A lot of my listeners are in the USA so we’re planning a first run dates there this summer.
While looking to expand your musical lexicon, do you ever find it difficult to create music that matches the same style palette that you have created in the past.
I think I have the opposite problem – I’m always experimenting with different sounds, styles, instruments, collaborating with different people and producing other people’s music. But as soon as I sing on something it sounds like me. Which is something I always used to find frustrating, but I’m starting to enjoy it. Someone once said to me, whatever it is you don’t like about your voice, exaggerate it – because that’s the thing that makes it you. And I can totally see that now.
Now that you have done a cover of “It’s Not Happening”, will you look to do more covers performed by other artists or is the focus to write music and lyrics that are all your own?
I did that version of ‘It’s Not Happening’ when I was just starting out as Lowpines, and I wanted to see what happened if I did a cover in the style of what I was working on. I did a few songs and only that one sat right. I was pleased with how it came out and I learned a few things about the sound I was going for. I’ve done a few other covers since, and I keep a long list of songs that I want to try. Most of them don’t sit right so I ditch them, but I always learn something from doing it. I covered Judee Sill ‘There’s A Rugged Road’ and it got picked up by the radio in the UK, and is still my most popular song on Soundcloud, so it’s interesting seeing what happens with a cover, even if it’s not an especially well known song.
Where do you see Lowpines in the near and distant future?
The new record ‘In Silver Halides’ is my first full-length with Lowpines so it’s exciting to get it out into the world and see what that does. It’s the first time I’ve taken Lowpines into a studio environment and worked with other people on the recordings. I’ve been very lucky so far that my lo-fi home-record Eps have picked up fans around the world and appeared in TV shows and films, which was beyond any expectation I had when I was recording them. Lowpines has always been a selfish place for me to do my own thing in my own way. I used to do it alongside other bands I was in and now I’m doing it full time. So long as it continues to feel like something I can do well and enjoy I imagine I’ll there’ll always be something I’m working on. Right now I’m just looking ahead to a new EP I’m finishing to follow up on the album.
Where do you find inspiration to write lyrics that have constantly been marked as honest, unique, and deep?
It’s always different places I think. I tend to write lyrics in bursts, sitting down with a million rough voice memos and writing down whatever sounds and half-words I hear in there until I think I have something. I think that way of working kind of taps into your state of mind at the time – perhaps your subconscious makes you hear what you want to hear, or need to hear. So when I start to flesh them out I start to see themes emerge and explore them further. Sometimes I realise I’m getting too close to something I haven’t really dealt with, and that can be unnerving. So I have to finish the song to see if it helps me come to any kind of conclusion. Then I have to decide if it’s any good.
I try to read as much as possible, and whatever I’m reading at the time of writing will probably influence some of the imagery. My last record was full of scenes from Raymond Carver stories as I’d imagined them while I read, but relocated to whatever narrative my song was taking. I’d been re-reading a lot of his short stories on tour so my head was full of these dark, charged situations and beautiful, nuanced imagery. So I’d try and take myself to those places while I wrote.
For this record, I actually wrote most of the lyrics very early in the morning, straight out of bed. I’d be half asleep and my brain still churning over whatever dumb shit I’d been dreaming about and start writing long streams of consciousness. Once I had the music coming together, I mined those streams to find things that fit and went together. Some, like the song ‘Chambers In The Canopy’ came out pretty much fully formed and fit straight into the song. I’ve never been good at setting out to write a song specifically ‘about’ something, I always enjoyed the discovery of figuring out the subject as I write it. So I guess that method leans toward a lot of personal experiences being woven into the words.
When your followers and fans listen to your music, what would you like them to feel? How would you like your music to influence their lives?
If someone listens to my music it’s enough for me that they’re listening. I don’t try and create a certain mood or specific influence, but it’s always interesting, and at times very moving, when people write to me and tell me how a song of mine has helped them in some way, or is of importance to them. Whatever it means to the listener is so much more valuable to me than any intention I had in making it.
If you were to associate a mood with the songs that you have produced thus far, what would it be?
It’s funny, I always played in noisy indie-rock bands. So in my mind I still do. But from the beginning Lowpines was always wilfully quiet and intimate. I tell myself I’m still in a rock band, but it’s the quietest rock band in the world.
So I guess the mood that most people associate with Lowpines would be one of quiet, stillness, calm. For some that seems to be a melancholy, reflective place. For others it’s a just a chill, relaxing music. Someone wrote to me once that their dog always jumps around to music, but that when Lowpines comes on he just lays down in the middle of the kitchen floor and won’t get up. That sounds perfect to me.
Since his debut in the music world, singer/songwriter and solo ambient artist Tim Bettinson has changed the face of alternative pop and indie music. His most recent project Vancouver Sleep Project has literally taken him from bedroom dreamer to world class artist. Not only is he a highly decorated artist who has released several singles, albums and music videos, but he also had had countless opportunities to world with international artist in order to collaborate on his music. Along with his success in his ability to produce music, Bettinson has also had the opportunity to perform live throughout the world on highly coveted stages. However, now that he has returned from his now several headline tours, he has released his newest single “Closure” and it has fans raving.
Like much of his other music, closure features ambient sounds and dreamy loops and beats that is perfect for a night out on the town, or a night in. This single highlight everything that fans are looking for, which has added greatly to its success. Bettinsons ability to create an atmosphere is evident with this newest single that has fans looking forward to any new releases from this growing artist.
Now that she has dropped out of Berklee College and left Boston behind to pursue her career in music as an artist, STEEGS has burned a path of success in front of her that is sure to lead her where she want to go. Not only is this passion and enthusiasm for music shown in her actions, but also in the songs that he has produced. Looking forward, there is a lot of hype that surrounds her upcoming release of, “Come Through” which was released on February 8, 2018. What has been marked as a “tenacious,” this single packs a punch at every turn and ends with an explosive last chorus. The art behind this song, however, is deeply rooted in her raw-guitar work and honesty driven lyrics. Like she has shown in the past, holding back is not an option which is clearly expressed in her music and choice of words.
Although “Come Through” is one of the first singles that STEEGS has released to the public, it is not her first experience with performing and brining music to her fans. While participating in a dark pop-rock band with two of her three sisters, she was able to win over the hearts of those on the Santa Monica Pier as a street performer. Since then, this artist has evolved and grown into herself and is ready to take the music industry by storm, with nothing standing in her way.
Ships Have Sailed is an alternative pop-rock duo hailing from Los Angeles. Today, they released a new single titled “Let’s Just Dance”.Ships Have Sailed also plans on working on more music as 2018, so this is their year for creativity, a fact we found out when we got a chance to speak with them briefly. So check out the new track below, and read on for a little Q&A fun!
After releasing your new single “Let’s Just Dance” what are your next plans music-wise?
2018 is going to be a year of creativity! We’ve spent the last couple years pretty much out on the road, and so this year we’re going to be writing a lot and working in the studio…while we don’t have specific plans on whether that will result in an EP, an Album or more Singles, we do know we’re ready to make some more music.
How has your music evolved since your first EP Someday?
Well I think everything is an evolution, that’s just how life, experiences and time work together, so definitely our music has seen evolution. I would say we’ve become more attuned to our sound and creativity, and definitely my production chops get better and better every year, so while ‘Someday’ is near and dear to my heart, I would say it’s a little rough around the edges…which is great – it gives it its own character, but these days I’m much better at accomplishing exactly what I want sound-wise. With that said, I don’t like to hold us back creatively, so definitely we’re excited to continue to evolve as we continue to create!
Your new single “Let’s Just Dance” digs a little deeper when it comes to exploring human emotions. What do you think causes people to act upon their emotions rather than instincts?
That’s an interesting question…honestly I don’t think emotions and instincts are entirely separate from each other…just kinda different flavors of the same inner mechanism. But as far as leaning towards emotions or instincts, I think emotions often take the reigns because you can actually feel them, whereas instincts can be a bit more subtle, so you really have to pay attention to them.
Why do you think often times as humans we want more than what we already have?
This is something I ponder almost constantly! The honest truth is that I couldn’t dream of knowing the answer to why, but I often wonder if it started out as kind of a survival mechanism back in the very early stages of humanity. Think about it…we were not the top of the food chain, we didn’t have fire, tools, art, language, and over the course of time we developed all of those things…why? I think the progression of civilization (both the good and bad aspects) and technology can stem back to this gut feeling of wanting something ‘better’ …call it motivation or curiosity…regardless of whether this is really how or why this feeling originated, it’s a pretty fascinating topic to think about!
What was the influence behind “Let’s Just Dance” and what inspired it?
Well the idea itself just popped into my head at 2am one night and wouldn’t leave me alone until I sketched it out…it was just the main part of the chorus that kept repeating itself and wouldn’t quit, so I sketched it out really quick so I could get some peace and went to bed. The next day, I listened back and thought it was really good…but I didn’t want it just to be a shallow vapid love song, so I thought I would tie in the “Let’s just dance all night” theme into this fascinating topic of always wanting more that you asked about in your previous question. Through several collaborations including with co-writer Robert Gillies, co-producer Wally Gagel and the extremely talented team (Talkboy TV) who helped create the music video, these themes really developed themselves thoroughly, and the music morphed from something that started out to be a very circular, repetitive idea, to something that goes to all sorts of different places, sometimes unexpectedly…it was really amazing to watch it all come together!
How is “Let’s Just Dance” different from previous songs that you have released?
So, every song is different, but specifically I wanted this one to maintain the indie pop vibe that we’ve become known for, but to add a little edginess and also a bit of a classic vibe as well. People have compared the production to Walk the Moon (who I love, so that’s a huge compliment) but if you listen, you’ll hear a lot of classic influences in there as well…they’re just nicely blended, so I feel like there’s a little more depth to this track than some of our other singles.
What message do you hope people get from “Let’s Just Dance”?
Live your life…be happy, don’t be afraid to stay up a little too late, or have that extra glass of wine. Laugh with the people you love and enjoy every moment…I feel like we’re all distracted by the past and the future, regrets and anxiety and we generally don’t spend enough time in the present. It’s definitely something I personally try to do a little better at each day, month, year…and so, yeah, I think that’s the message behind this one. We’re human, imperfect, and beautiful…we were made to enjoy life moment by moment.
Former opera singer and Northern Irelander Claire McKeown is joined by Claire Boutelle, Aimee Jacobs, Danielle Mandell, Dayna Richards, Jacquelyn Sky, and Cynthia Zitter to create a unique chamber pop choir dubbed Honey Child — and you’ve never heard anything like it. With a backstory that is full-on movie material, L.A.- based Honey Child was birthed from tumult and talent. This ensemble is a one-of-a-kind musical experience, and one you’ll want to keep up with. Their self-titled debut album will be out February 9th, and we can’t wait.
We were excited to speak with Claire McKeown, the founder of Honey Child about her background, current projects, and creativity.
Honey Child is a much different project compared to your opera/classical background — what made you take a different musical path?
I was about ten years deep into my training as a Wagnerian Soprano and performing scenes from Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, and Die Walküre at The Orange County Performing Arts Center. There was a Q and A after the performance and I got to talk to my audience. They clearly loved me and were excited about my voice but it hit me hard that these are not the people that I want to spend my life pleasing. I wanted an audience of freaks like me! I wanted my peers.
I fell into a dark spot after turning my back on my Operatic dreams. I started partying way too much and had a complete nervous breakdown including a brief conversation with the devil. I had never written music before that and I haven’t stopped since.
What was the inspiration for the fun and eclectic “Gotta Wait Another Night” music video?
It’s the classic tale of a night and day in the life of a baroque goddess who takes her nun to the beach.
Sprung from the brilliant mind of the Director Dawn Carol Garcia (Kaputt by Destroyer, Mercy by TV on The Radio) and produced by Cheeky Films. I think the original concept was to mix the worlds of ‘A Clockwork Orange’ and ‘Sarah McLachlan’. We loved the idea of a performer that dressed up even more in real life than their stage life. The main characters are based on alter egos of mine from past music projects. I have played a nun (Suor Angelica, Dialogue of the Carmelites) on the opera stage and the powdered wig look is from my last band, Dirt Bird.
When casting the role of the Nun I had my hottest friend in mind for the cigarette smoking nun role. Dawn thought that was too predictable and suggested to go left field and cast a man. My friend Daniel Leland Crook (Crook) popped instantly into mind. I knew he could play this part with elegance and just enough of the madcap we wanted.
The video ends at El Matador Beach and yes plenty of “You Maniacs, You blew it up” (from The Planet of The Apes) were recited while there. We picked this place because it is usually filled with surfers and were hoping to ask one to swim on the board to break up a struggle between me and my nun in the ocean. It would have been hilarious but there was not one Surfer there that day. Instead we were gifted with this beautiful couple taking wedding pictures on a rock that allowed for the gloriously ridiculous moment in the video that I think would have made Fellini proud.
What’s been the most exciting part of forming Honey Child?
I love making videos, I love writing and arranging songs, I love performing, and I love recording but the true excitement of Honey Child is during our practices. Every Sunday night I make dinner for the 7 of us and we all gather around to eat, talk, and sing. It is the highlight of my current life and such a treasured time.
How do you bring elements of your Irish background to this project
I think that finds its way in through the collective unconscious pumping in my blood of my ancestors. I also have a soft spot of sweeping melodies and songs that tug at your heart like ones in Only Our Rivers Run Free, The Fields of Athenry, and As she moves through the fair. My voice is very Irish, too. We are blessed with clear voices and I am told that you can hear my dormant Irish Accent best when I sing.
Favorite part of being in an all-female group?
I get to make music with 6 of the best musicians I know and create a sound that constantly moves us all to tears.
Everyone is so kind, thoughtful, helpful, and respectful. I hope that Honey Child is creating this positive environment but I am pretty sure I also just lucked out and attracted good humans. I’ll never understand why women are portrayed as caddy in pop culture because I have worked with men and women and it is always the women who are the most integral and free of drama.
Honey Child, as a band name, has Southern/Americana vibes to it. Was this intentional, or is there a story behind the name?
I used to have a choir director back in Middle School that would always call me Honey Child …but not in a good way. I think I may have given her a hard time because she was always pissed off at me. One day she and I were alone in the choir room and she started laughing and said “I can’t wait for you to go to High School because you’re going to be a nobody”.
A normal person would have let this crush them but I took it as such a complement. She thought I was a somebody!! At least at that moment. So a couple of years ago when I was thinking of starting a choir project it made complete sense to call it Honey Child.
While the band appears to be straight out of a 1970’s psychedelic acid flashback, Krantz comes from the unlikely place of Nashville, TN. Best known for country, honkey tonk, and the grand ole opry, Krantz has cranked out a college alternative rock song “Run away with me”.
With a musical structure similar to that of the Killers yet an experimental flavor of The Muse, you will find Krantz has added fun to the mix with “Run away with me.” It has a sweeping back and forth medium paced beat that is fused with group vocals during the chorus and a guitar lead that provides good traveling music that will make the vast nothing of the road seem more like a runway for liftoff.
While the song itself sounds as if clean-cut and serious college kids created it, you will understand the “fun” description once you see the branded panties for sale in their “Merch” or the furry pink jacket worn by their singer in promo pics. Yes, even seasoned adult musicians can captivate a listener without taking themselves too seriously and draw a crowd by making people wonder,”whats going on over there with them?”
Like a potato chip, one song just isn’t enough to get the real feel for Krantz. “Run away with me” will spark a curiosity that will lead you straight through their SoundCloud playlist of music.
“Run away with me” is a catchy pop-ish alternative rock song, with softly sung parts that lead the way to an impressive strong note being held out while the guitar line answers back like a conversation between friends. The lyrical content begs to leave the cold weather behind and head out to a warmer location. I can’t blame them. I am here in Arizona and it’s 80 degrees of wonderful in January while the weather in Nashville shows a high in the upper 40’s. For all of you suffering in the bitter cold, time to pack it up with this hit the road anthem “Run away with me.”
Austin, TX rock/pop/r&b/guitar/soul artist Jackie Venson is coming off an an exciting national solo tour for her EP, Transcends, which was released in September of 2017. It was highlighted by shows with Gary Clark Jr. She has also dropped the music video for her song “Mysterious” off of Transcends.
With confidence and phenomenal guitar skills, Jackie brings a mix of genres to the table. After attending Berklee and playing piano for most of her life, Jackie took up guitar in 2011, and has been performing for over five years. She brings authentic, soulful feels to every song, at times with a playful twist. Her latest EP, Transcends, is teeming with talent-filled tracks. Be sure to check out Transcends .
Recently, Venson curated a playlist exclusively for Imperfect Fifth. Check it out – and the inspiration behind it – below!
Folks always ask me ‘what do you listen to Jackie?’ and I can never answer their question. I don’t believe in genres, I believe in great music and I think confining oneself to playing or listening to only one genre is dooming oneself to a life of monotony. Here is my super random playlist of songs I love that I have listened to all throughout my life.
africa – toto
come around – marc broussard
maggot brain – funkadelic
multiply – jamie lidell
soul rebel – bob marley
shade of a shadow – teitur
addicted – amy winehouse
unthinkable – alicia keys
defying gravity – Wicked
young blood – the naked and famous
to zion – lauryn hill
retrograde – james blake
waltz between eva and che – Evita
We wanted to speak with the voice behind this wonderful music, so we caught up with Jackie, who answered a few questions from us about her musical career, fears, and inspirations.
What’s your biggest fear? – Getting pregnant anytime within the next 5 years. It would impede on goals I have for sure which horrifies me because I have worked so hard.
How was your tour with Gary Clark Jr.? – it was really fun, exhilarating, and eye opening. It was cool to see how things work on that level.
Who would you call your favorite biggest musical inspiration? – hmm pretty impossible to narrow it down to 1. It’s a mixture of Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, and Disney.
How much does social media affect your musical journey? – tremendously. It is responsible for about 90% of the opportunities I get as well as the fact that folks even show up to my shows on tour.
Do you prefer to be put in a genre, or make your own type of genre? – I like hybrid genres, I consider myself rock/r&b/soul.
Favorite song on “Transcends”? – gotta be Flying. We were able to capture the groove so well, it feels like how we play it live.
Favorite instrument to play? – definitely the guitar by a long shot. It feels like it’s a part of my body.
Copenhagen-based Mattis – a musician whose voice is a reflection of soul and pop with a mixture of gospel R&B and jazz – garnered a lot of attention with his debut single “Loverboy”, and Mattis plans to build on that success with his next single “The Chain”. This track allows Mattis to showcase his soulful vocal range while he dazzles us with the instrumentals and sings of breaking away from an unhealthy relationship.
“The Chain” is a track about enjoying life and all that life has to throw at you. The song is telling the listener to celebrate life instead of allowing every curve ball life throws at you defeat you in every way. Mattis is advising the listener to enjoy life and party your sorrows away.
Yep, thanks. did. Indie pop duo Steve Pagano and Mario Borgatta of thanks. are celebrating their signing to Highland Park Records by re-releasing their debut single, “Your World”. Psychedelic yet approachable is a succinct description of the song. If the vocals of Bad Suns and the upbeat vibes of Bakermat mashed with the psychedelic aspects of Glass Animals, it’d almost make thanks. Key word there is “almost.”
Thanks. is able to distinguish themselves from other indie artists by their flexibility within a single track. LA-based thanks. brings something new to the indie pop scene, with an accessible sound for the pop-loving people that is still alternative enough to be enjoyed by those who rebuke the mainstream. With fantastic lines like “Why sit down when you want to dance/Let’s change the way we look at the world,” Pagano and Borgatta are already impressing us, both lyrically and musically. “Your World” is the perfect windows-down, carefree tune to blast on your stereo.
Our eyes are on thanks. as they begin to bless our ears with amazing tracks like “Your World”, and all we can say is “thank you” to thanks.
