NATHAN EDWARDS – The Music of Stephen Foster

nate_fosterIn 2011, DIY singer-songwriter Nathan Edwards released his full-length album ‘New Season’.  While not always perfect, it featured music delivered straight from the soul, its pastel shades often gently uplifting.  For his second release, Nathan explores a few songs from the catalogue of Stephen Foster, a man credited as being the “Father of American music”.  Foster’s catalogue of songs is centuries old – and the weariness of age and the heartfelt nature of some of his lyrics are both well suited to Nathan’s own sense of warmth.

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DETROIT REBELLION – Detroit Rebellion ’67 EP

DR67In the first quarter of 2013, blues duo Detroit Rebellion (once again, not from Detroit) dropped a release that captured a real sense of energy and grit.  Across it’s four songs vocalist/guitarist Jeff Toste and drummer Mikey Lams proved themselves worthy of standing alongside other similar duos.  It’s more than fair to say – at least on the lion’s share of the material – with regard to their swiftly delivered follow up ‘Detroit Rebellion of ’67, those who loved ‘Fork In The Road’ will find more to love here, while those unmoved by lo-fi blues sounds remain equally unmoved.  You’re either with the Rebels or you’re not – and if two men tackling the lo-fi blues is your bag, man, you’ve come to the right place.

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II.II.II – A Conundrum On My Coffee Table EP

II.II.IIIn 2011, UK alternative metal band Mishkin released their debut EP ‘Row Away From The Rocks’.  Featuring some hefty guitar riffs and an impassioned vocal, the EP pointed the way towards great things in the future…and then the band broke up.  Mishkin’s vocalist Ben Davy subsequently joined art rock band II.II.II (aka 222), a band formed alongside his old bandmate Will MacGregor on bass.  222 pits their musical aptitude against ex-Tangaroa members Matt ‘Baldi’ Baldwinson and Si Blakelock on guitar and drums respectively.   The combination of talents from the two bands makes for a very tight – if a little scary – alternative/mathcore outfit.

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