This EP from hard rockers Fire Red Empress serves as a not just a taster of what’s over the horizon for the UK band, but also a timely reminder that if self-released material can sound this good, the days of the major labels calling the shots are seriously numbered. Decamping to Denmark and hiring Jacob Hansen for production/studio duties, the band clearly made the right choice – even before taking note of how good these three songs actually are, it is almost impossible not to be floored by the actual sound. Having previously produced Epica and Evergrey, Hansen clearly knows the best way to get a big sound out of his clients. This is no exception – hard, loud and seriously well-rounded, it’s just perfect for the brand of hard rock on show.
FRANCIE MOON – Glass House EP
If ‘Free To a Good Home’ showed Francie Moon’s craft at its rawest – seven demo recordings of unreleased tunes – the ‘Glass House EP’ provides the perfect counterpart with four more polished recordings showing off the subtler side to her work. On this, Moon’s third release of 2014, the idea of subtle is relative; even in a setting that sounds far less “live” than before, she insists on drenching almost everything with a cloud of distortion. This, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing.
New video from Black Moth
Black Moth’s long-overdue second album is to be released on June 30th. Produced by Grinderman‘s Jim Sclavunos, ‘Condemned To Hope’ follows 2011’s ‘The Killing Jar’ with another selection of dark atmospheres and bone-crunching riffs.
Before the album’s release, you can check out the lead track ‘Room 13’ in the video clip below.
FRANCIE MOON – Free To A Good Home
Following a self-released digital EP in 2013 and split cassette with Darkwing in the first half of 2014, ‘Free To a Good Home’ brings more previously unreleased music from New Jersey’s Francie Moon (aka Melissa Lucciola). Released to tie in with a summer tour – and acting as a stopgap before the appearance of ‘Glass House’, a studio recorded four track 7” – its seven recordings are very DIY in origin, but there are still times where they provide an excellent example of the performer’s talents.
SUNRISE HIGHWAY – Windows
Sunrise Highway’s self-titled album (independently released in 2010) struck a chord with a few power pop fans. Although not a patch on the sole album from the sadly missed Oranjuly, it had a homespun appeal and some of the tunes (‘Life on Mars’, especially) showed great promise. Four years on, their ‘Windows’ full length was picked up for wider distribution by Kool Kat Musik (home of DIY singer-songwriter Stephen Lawrenson, Cleaners From Venus etc). For those expecting more of the lighter tones of that earlier record – particularly the jauntier Brian Wilson/Jellyfish inspired piano tunes – ‘Windows’ may come as a disappointment.