Anna Calvi - Hunter - Press Release

Photo Credit Maisie Cousins

Anna Calvi shares two new videos - a film for her current single "Hunter" and a performance video for a brand new track, "As A Man" - both taken from her much anticipated album, Hunter, due for release today, August 31st, 2018, via Domino. Both were directed by the Berlin-based filmmaker and photographer, Matt Lambert, much of whose work explores queer love and intimacy.

In the track "Hunter", Calvi celebrates the transcendent aspects of pleasure and finding a community and home in queer spaces. According to Calvi, it is about "exploring a more subversive sexuality, which goes further than what is expected of a woman in our patriarchal heteronormative society." The film for "Hunter", which was premiered via Dazed, was a chance to follow an ongoing theme of creating honest and authentic portrayals of intimacy. Lambert said the following: "The ritual of self-love and body-exploration for many queer individuals is the first step toward feeling confident intimate moments with others".

About the track "As A Man", Calvi said the following: "If a woman wants to be powerful she's expected to exhibit 'male' traits. The woman in the song is trying to understand a man by imagining becoming him, but as it progresses she asks the man to become more like her instead. There's been a lot of encouragement for women to become more like men if they want to get their voices heard, or be powerful. But there hasn't been enough effort to get men to become more like women. Men are brought up believing that to be feminine is to be weak. If there is to be equality, both sexes need to be able to move to the middle of the spectrum. This song is about finding freedom in the non-binary world."

Produced by Nick Launay (Nick Cave, Grinderman) at Konk Studios in London with some further production in LA, Hunter was recorded with Anna's band - Mally Harpaz on various instruments and Alex Thomas on drums - with the addition of Adrian Utley from Portishead on keys and Martyn Casey from The Bad Seeds on bass. It has a new rawness, a primal energy into which Calvi pushes the limits of her guitar and voice beyond anything she's recorded before.

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Albums - 2014

Damned to be one of the most underrated albums of the year, Stargroves' self-titled debut reads like a retrospective scrapbook of a life just truly beginning with an impossible air of maturity to it that's utterly infectious. "Hats In The Air" bares all without a care, "Half Awake in Reykjavik" shows off the impressively addictive piano riffs and heavy rhythms the band so easily intermingles with fluid melodies and sultry vocals, and "Within Me A Lunatic Sings" (featuring Abigail Breslin) shows off the fun and lighthearted side of the album. Grab Stargroves from iTunes for impressive lyrics and well-rounded productions you won't mind having stuck in your head. 

The Griswolds' debut full-length Be Impressive has all the qualities of a debut album - with the songs about not being able to wait for fame, losing yourself, and feeling that this is all happening just oh so quickly - but with none of the lackluster sound of a debut that too often leaves you wanting. The album's full with an authentic feel to the mature and balanced tracks and the gritty feel and always unapologetic lines stay true to the band's sound. Grab the aptly named Be Impressive from iTunes now and start listening to "16 Years", "Down and Out" and crowd favorite "Beware the Dog". 

An impressive year for debut albums as Sir Sly's You Haunt Me continues to round out the 'best of best' list. Full melodies mesh with unrelenting beats and every layered chromatic inflection speaks of someone who knows exactly what they're doing as they easily manipulate the music and twist it into its own genre, the music holding as much emotion as the lyrics itself. Throw in some break your heart lyrics, thoughtful choruses, and inspired hooks and Sir Sly's debut album offers up something that, with the help of favored singles "Gold" and "You Haunt Me" and all impressive "Nowhere / Bloodlines, Pt. I", "Leave You", "Too Far Gone", "Found You Out", won't fall to obscurity; get You Haunt Me now.

Watsky's achingly honest All You Can Do offers up a gorgeous mix of joy and sadness as the album simultaneously jokes about your twenties while facing depression and making social stands: "Whoa Whoa Whoa", "Tears To Diamonds", and "The One" offer up a well rounded, tongue in cheek overview of the album's sound. Catch the simply stated "Cannonball" (featuring Stephen Stills), always entrancing "Sarajevo" (featuring Dia Frampton), and the easy to fall for snapshot of a life "Right Now" (featuring Lisa Vitale) and wallow in the greatness of the cruelly put "they credit the pharmaceuticals for slaying the demons that they're running from... you get a prescription and you're thinking that it's pure, but baby maybe it's a problem when you got a problem and you get addicted to the cure". Grab All You Can Do from iTunes now.

Michael Schulte's The Arising offers up slow builds and sweet lyrics with that ever present acoustic guitar and Schulte's pure vocals giving each track a sense of authenticity that's impossible to ignore. "Frozen Over", "Dear Doubt" and "The Maze" offer up a quick view of the album with its effortlessly catchy hooks and easy to fall into melodies, all while seemingly flawless vocals remain impressively unaltered. Catch a live show to fall for Schulte's pure talent and head to iTunes to get your copy of The Arising.

Sleeperstar dropped their first full-length since 2010 this year with a full story line running through the album, from the opening "Apocalypse" to the last "Live Forever" while tracks "Lost Without You", "Restart", and "Forget You Now" run through the middle, tying up all the loose ends. The band's ever addictive melodies are built off a solid rhythm and ever present piano riffs while less than polished vocals wrap it up in a perfectly put 'alternative rock' package. Grab Lost Machines from iTunes.

Milky Chance's Sadnecessary stands out if only because the band seems utterly unaware of their greatness. The duo effortlessly takes what should be lost in translation and turns into something that's entrancing and gorgeous. The harmonies are playful, with an innocence to their warped sound and the lyric lines come out as straight alternative, leaving all interpretation to you, and the entire album comes across as something hypnotic that'll grab your attention and not let go till you're done. Republic signed Milky Chance put forth a stunning album with the ease of their productions and the straight-forward lines so get your copy of Sadnecessary from iTunes now.

EPs - 2014

Halcyon Drive's Cruel Kids EP is doused in warm beats, hitting rhythms, addictive melodies, and lyrics that manage to run through your head for days, without getting old. "Blisters" is blessed with sweet lyrics and a fun melody, "Apart" manages to stay decidedly addictive and catchy, even with its slow build, and the ever impressive "Crusoe" is stuffed full of so much to rave about that its best to just listen and hear for yourself. Grab Cruel Kids from iTunes now.

The flawlessness of Halsey's Room 93 is no surprise after what we heard on singles "New Americana" and "Ghost", but songs "Empty Gold", "Hurricane", and the near physical ache of "Trouble" are so impressive it's downright awe-inspiring for a debut EP. Get Room 93 from iTunes and fall for the smoky vocals and pure piano riffs that drip with an understated soul.

The Honeyrunners effortlessly smooth mix of genres - self-described as 'sticky, sweaty, soul-drenched rock & roll' - is wholly addictive. Pressing rhythms lay under melodies so fun you'll miss how great the lyrics are your first time around and the whole thing comes out feeling invitingly warm. Get EP 2 from iTunes now for everything from the sweet with an edge "Under Control" to the unforgettable "Bones". 

Take your pick of James Bay EP's this year: with two EPs released this year - Let It Go and Hold Back the River - and a full length set to be released in March 2015 (Chaos and the Calm), there's no shortage of new tracks to fall for. Though Bay has a tendency to overuse chords and repeat some of his melodies, the raw style in which he writes and the rich vocals which accompany it make up for all of it and come out so entrancingly sweet that it's impossible to not fall for tracks like "If You Ever Want To Be In Love", "Hold Back The River", and "Let It Go".

Fairchild's Sadako runs steady, with an enviable self-restraint and a penchant for bare-bones lyrics that share all while remaining stubbornly interpretive. "Arcadia" will have you hooked on their sound, "Stay Young" will get you to sing-along, and "Running Bear" will have you ready to play it all again; easy to listen to without the songs becoming tired, it's not one to miss. Get Sadako from iTunes now.

Misterwives crashed onto the scene with their debut EP Reflections in early January 2014. Title track "Reflections" has garnered all the fame, but tracks "Vagabond", "Coffins", and "Imagination Infatuation" showcase the band's songwriting talent, their penchant for word play, and the ever impressive vocal range of lead-singer Mandy Lee. If you don't yet have the Republic signed band's EP, grab Reflections from iTunes now.

East of Ely's self-titled EP features their fluid vocals and ever changing dynamics while "Came Without" and "Waterfalls" are filled with such fresh beats you won't be able to help getting sucked in and "Proud" and "Easy Friend" hold it all together with a grounded feel and a solid sound. Grab East of Ely from iTunes now.

Zella Day's rich vocals and thoughtful lyrics make her self-titled debut EP a must have. Featuring already loved singles "Sweet Ophelia" and "East of Eden", it doesn't hold much surprise or new music for fans, but it does offer a promise of more great things to come. Zella Day is available on iTunes.

Anna Renee's The Places You'll Go features soulful vocals, warm beats, and an impressive piano presence as striking as the honest lyrics, put forth by Anna herself. "Sharks" and "Guilty" are sure to be crowd favorites but "Pendulum" and title track "The Places You'll Go" feature the remarkable range of Renee's vocals while "Ready for Flight" and "Battle Cry" offer up a deceptively soft sound for their strong spirit, a theme which runs through the entire EP, holding everything together with strong lyrics and solid productions. Get The Places You'll Go from iTunes now.

Tech Noir

In a time when every artist/band is trying to mix multiple genres together to create their own unique sound, Julian Taylor Band has already figured out their niche sound: a deliciously weird fusion of jazz, funk, soul, rock/pop comes together on the band's Tech Noir and the homey sound fits like a glove for a band that only continues to get better.

Haunting piano riffs, sweet brass, solid guitar riffs, and pure vocals lend a satisfyingly full sound to the rich tracks, without sounding too overly produced, and allow the tracks to maintain an authentic and acoustic feel throughout as "Be Good To Your Woman" sinks into a slinking guitar riff and steady piano rhythm that drags you down into the alluring track and "The Other Side" features brass so big and piano riffs so soulful that Gulf Coast blues seem to drip from its every pore; each placing as much emphasis on the instrumentation and production as on the vocals and lyrics. 

Tracks ring out with an honest grace throughout, filled with sweet endearments and melancholy nostalgia, but never any hate. Even tracks that question your actions ring out with pure goodness, with lines "why would you do that? I thought you had my back" and "why does it hurt me so bad, you're just a memory of the past" being the most snarky among them ("Why Would You Do That" and "Hurt Me", respectively). Choruses "travel light and know that you're my hero, sail away to a brand new day, light comes and goes, still as stone, carry me home, where I will never be alone" and "do you remember way back when, we used to chill with all our friends, hanging out on those downtown streets, finding a way to beat the heat, we didn't have a care at all, do you remember way back when" ring out with gorgeous soulfulness and appreciation, rather than plaintive bitterness, offering a refreshing take on love and loss that feels so right on nostalgia filled tracks "Carry Me Home" and "Do You Remember". 

"No Guns!" takes a soft approach to a political issue while maintaining a bluesy feel and fun lyrics that lie far enough from the song's title that it just feels like good funk music here to make you dance, while the album's opening track, "You Say", reads like an introduction to the sound awaiting you on the rest of the album, featuring heavy brass, fun piano melodies, solid bass, wandering guitars, and a satisfyingly wide vocal range, all waiting to suck you into whichever song you choose. 

Of course, there's the band's inexplicably addictive "Never Gonna Give You Up" that has the same mental staying capacity as Rick Astley's own song of the same title, but so many times better that I've lost count. The track features a sweet organ, chiming horns, a fun chorus, and a rhythm that you just can't help but move to. The track's everything you want and will never grow tired of, all wrapped up in one. 

"Heatwave" feels like a trip back in time that focuses on that big brass band sound and the solid vocal harmonies of the '40's, with a playful guitar riff thrown in; while "Love Connection" goes for the bare bones feel of a softly played acoustic guitar, hesitant piano, and pure vocals that nearly overtake the instrumentation in an '90's alternative/soul "Fast Car" sort of feel (minus the soul crushing lyrics); and "Zero To Eleven" sinks steadfastly into a groovy funk feel, fun guitars and heavy horns included. The point is, the album cannot be pinned down to one genre, time specific influence, or even seasonal feel (summer vibes, crisp fall production, etc.); it's amazingly refreshing. 

Tech Noir feels like a sweet spot for a band that has been steadily making its move upwards in the business. Honest lyrics sound articulate, smart, and effortless, jiving perfectly with full productions featuring soulful melodies and pleasantly solid rhythms, perfect for relaxed listenings or dancing around. The album's impressive diversity gives it everything you could ever want and everything you never knew you had to be listening to, right now. 

Every track is spectacular but, if you don't have time for a full listen, make sure to give yourself enough time for "Do You Remember", "Hurt Me", and "Never Gonna Give You Up". Nothing is sweeter than a nostalgic jazz sound nonchalantly mixed with sweetly relaxed lyrics ("Do You Remember") and the steady down-strokes of "Hurt Me" offer up a superb support for lyrics that work to maintain their optimism. And "Never Gonna Give You Up" is just eternally great. 

Get Tech Noir from iTunes now and head to the sites below to find out more about Julian Taylor, the band, and their music. 

Julian Taylor Band             Twitter             Facebook             SoundCloud             YouTube