“He Was A Man” by Kings of the Brushwood Thicket

Mysterious Jamaica, Queens outfit Kings of the Brushwood Thicket has premiered their debut single “He Was A Man” via Austin Town Hall. The publication noted the Bowie-esque acoustic number offers “an extremely pure glimpse at the nostalgic sounds of glam rock. Strip it down a bit, remove modern context, and you have a generous pop tune that will reward listeners from all backgrounds and styles.”

Kings of the Brushwood Thicket’s debut album, The Lies You Leave Behind, will be released on May 5. The album contains a lot of heavy material dealing with death and loss, shrouded in digital ambiance.

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“He Was A Man” by Kings of the Brushwood Thicket

KOTBW The Lies You Leave Behind

Image and mp3 courtesy of Jennifer Thorington & Samuel Markus of Working Brilliantly

“Take Me Home Tonight” by Helena Johnson

Liverpool-based, singer-songwriter Helena Johnson fronts an eleven piece band, yet her captivating vocals are never in danger of being overshadowed. Her performance on her new single “Take Me Home Tonight” is effortlessly beautiful.

Soulful and slick, Johnson has created and mastered a unique and powerful sound. She has impressed audiences and critics alike with her stunning live shows, complete with the comedically-named horn section “The Horn Supremacy.”

Since joining The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts in 2011 to study, Johnson has grown from a talented musician to a potential international singing success, with recent interest from a major label. 2015 promises to be a year to remember for the rising star. She is definitely one to watch.

Have a listen via SoundCloud.

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“Take Me Home Tonight” by Helena Johnson

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Image and mp3 courtesy of Andrea Lynch of Blue Soap Music Professional Radio Plugging and Music PR

“The Eye and the Storm” by Joshua Fletcher

On May 26, Nashville-by-way-of-Atlanta singer-songwriter, Joshua Fletcher, will release Ready, Aim, a ten-track collection of honest, beautiful pop songs produced by The Damnwells’ Alex Dezen, on Portland, Oregon-based In Music We Trust.

Fletcher’s songs are about relationships. They’re about our loneliest hours; surrounded by the buzz of a city or alone in an empty house. They are about the moments we share with the ones we love, about turning something brief into something eternal.

Besides production duties, Dezen also appears on nearly every song, along with an impressive cast of musicians including singer-songwriter Madi Diaz and Whynot Jansveld (of Mosco Rosco).

Writing the majority of the songs alone at his house, on an acoustic guitar, some came to him quickly, while others took months to flesh out. Prior to recording, though, Fletcher played the songs out live, just the way he wrote them, with just his voice and a guitar.

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“The Eye and the Storm” by Joshua Fletcher

Joshua Fletcher Ready Aim Cover Art

Image and mp3 courtesy of Alex Steininger of In Music We Trust PR

“Change” by TJ Doyle

TJ Doyle is a man who sings about the changes and challenges of our generation. His retro vibes convey an authenticity that harks back to the great work of the 60s. His new album, On The Horizon, is available today, April 8.

The Vinyl District premiered Doyle’s new single “Change,” and compared his sound to Neil Young and The Byrds, noting that “the star of the track is the vulnerable way in which TJ exposes himself—his brother’s death and the resulting feeling of alienation are palpable in his bittersweet delivery of the lyrics.”

In addition, Bearded Magazine describes the full album as, “hard and honest, never once wavering.”

You may stream the full album via SoundCloud.

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“Change” by TJ Doyle

TJ Doyle On The Horizon

Image and mp3 courtesy of Jennifer Thorington & Samuel Markus of Working Brilliantly

“It’s Alright” by CommonUnion59

Folk singer-songwriter duo CommonUnion59 is made up of Steve McKenzie (vocal, guitar, banjo) and Laura Malasig (vocal, piano, glockenspiel). They write and perform original music that is both personal and universal, expressing the emotions and experiences of life in an intimate lyrical and melodic style. Kevin Hayes lends drums and percussion. And Jake Leckie plays bass.

Songs of love, hope, dreams, happiness, and heartache, inspired by their
own lives and the world around them. The results of their musical union can be heard on their debut release, Magnolia Waltz. 2014 has been an exciting year for CommonUnion59. As they continue to write songs and perform live, they have recorded brand new songs for their latest release, Heartbeat Serenade. It was released on February 11. You may stream the full album via Soundcloud.

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“It’s Alright” by CommonUnion59

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Image and mp3 courtesy of Matt Bacon, Intern at Independent Music Promotions