These aren’t proper reviews, just some thoughts on a few excellent releases… I just got excited that so many great songs came out on Friday. We’ve got interviews with Leo Cosmos and Tranqua Lite and Leo Cosmos coming out in the next couple of days and have Tugboat Captain and Joshua Zero playing at The Hyde Park Book Club on the 28th of March… Come join us?
Joshua Zero – Barbed Wire Eyelashes
An incredible debut. This song captures the frustrations and tenderness of those weird relationships where you’re not sure what’s going on and aren’t even sure if you want it to work but hey, you’re here now so you might as well try and have fun? When the strings swell over a the swirl of distortion towards the end of the song my heart lifts and makes me want to put the song on repeat.
Tugboat Captain – Be Strong, Smoke Less
A gentle reminder that, it’s okay not to be perfect delivered with soothing vocals and some lovely spacey synths. There’s a Frank Turner lyric where he shouts “We can get better, because we’re not dead yet!” Tugboat here capture that same idea but with a greater degree of empathy for our failures and how they shape us as people even as we try to get better.
Leo Cosmos – Take My Chances
Another incredible debut. Coming from a wonky Jazz background Anthony Phelan is back with new music in the form of Leo Cosmos, infectious pop al-la Tom Misch and Rex Orange Country. Leo Cosmos brings together some of the best in Leeds. Jed Bevington on the violin stands out on this track but contributions from the likes of Mamilah’s Freddie Ricketts and Tight Lines’ Will Lakin help tie the whole thing together make this one of the most exciting projects to watch in Leeds in the next year. We’ve got an interview with Anthony coming out in the next couple of days so keep it locked…
Tranqua Lite – Hassle Heart
A softer outing from Tranqua Lite. This song takes a step back from some of the math-rock influences that can be seen on their earlier releases while still maintaining the complex rhythms that make them stand out. Polished, clean and easy to listen to without being basic: it’s a Tranqua Lite song. We’ve got an interview with the band coming out in the next couple of days so keep it locked…
If you like the Tugboat and Joshua Zero Tracks you can catch them at Book Club on the 28th, tickets here