Month: November 2021

17-time Grammy Award winning musician Sting’s new album, The Bridge, is available now via A&M/Interscope/Cherrytree Records and features the opening rock salvo, “Rushing Water” as well as the upbeat, whistle-driven earworm, “If It’s Love.”

The Bridge – Sting’s 15th studio album – showcases his prolific and diverse songwriting prowess. To explore the album, please visit the newly created interactive hub: http://thebridge.sting.com

Representing various stages and styles from throughout his career and drawing inspiration from genres including rock n’ roll, jazz, classical music and folk, the eclectic album features Sting’s quintessential sound. Written and recorded over the last year in lockdown, a coterie of trusted musicians beamed into his studio remotely including Dominic Miller (guitar), Josh Freese (drums), Branford Marsalis (saxophone), Manu Katché (drums), Martin Kierszenbaum (keyboards), Fred Renaudin (synthesizer) and backing vocalists Melissa Musique, Gene Noble, Jo Lawry and Laila Biali.

All songs on The Bridge are produced by Sting and Martin Kierszenbaum, except “Loving You” produced by Sting, Maya Jane Coles and Martin Kierszenbaum. The album was mixed by Robert Orton, engineered by Donal Hodgson and Tony Lake, and mastered by Gene Grimaldi at Oasis Mastering.

Fans can also get an intimate glimpse into the musician’s everyday life as he prepared to launch the new album on his weekly web TV series, ‘On the Bridge.’

Internationally recognised sibling trio Storm & Stone return with their new single ‘Fire & Smoke’. It follows on from their previous release ‘Town That Made Me’, which received extensive national airplay in Australia, garnering airplay in the US on stations including iHeart Radio Network, along with a billboard in New York’s Times Square.

Pitchfork Music describes the trio as having “finely crafted melodies, lush harmonies and a gorgeous chorus paired with heartfelt lyrics … with a laid-back country feel”. ‘Fire & Smoke’ brings these elements to the fore. It is a wistful, reflective song brimming with sweetness and light.

The track was a collaboration between Auriel, August, and Hallelujah, although the initial impetus came from Auriel, during a time of personal turmoil. August explains: “Auriel wrote it from a really personal space. It’s about a relationship that you know deep down isn’t right for you both, but because you truly love each other, you both choose to stay, even though your relationship is burning down around you. Every time I hear Hal sing it, I just tear up. It just hits me in the gut because it so perfectly sums up being in that place for me, and what I watched her go through.”

As with ‘Town That Made Me’, Storm & Stone once again teamed up with producer Matt ‘Xiro’ Fioravanti (Kwame, Phil Phresh, Jesswar, Rissa, Bread Club and Kymie) to produce ‘Fire & Smoke’. It was recorded at A Sharp Recording Studio in Riverwood, and Kiln Studios in St Peters, Sydney. The track also features local musicians Luke Herbert (Drums), Dominic Cabusi (Bass), Nikos Harpoulos- Smallman (Keys), Rosie Jackson (Backing Vocals and backing vocal arrangements), Lucia Neville (Backing Vocals), James Audet (Backing Vocals) and Liam Whelan (Backing Vocals).

The video for ‘Fire & Smoke’ was produced by Thomas Crnkovic of Cranky Dog Productions. Crnkovic who commented “Fire & Smoke is a song you hear and can’t help but feel a sense of impending, inescapable tragedy. For me, it was a feeling of being in a relationship, feeling deeply in love, but knowing that it’s not going to work out. That’s what I wanted to capture. It’s the story of adultery, of the pain of knowing what the other person has done and the melancholic nostalgia for how things used to be. And yet, despite all that, despite being in the house as it’s burning down around you, it’s still hard to say goodbye. It was a beautifully potent song to work with.”

As Sunburnt Country have stated “Storm & Stone are a band whose members are in sync with each other. And while sibling harmonies may come fairly naturally, it’s clear that the siblings are accomplished singers, and that’s what gives the track its sweet power”. ‘Fire & Smoke’ is a single that showcases these talented siblings at their best, and it shows they have a bright future creating trailblazing music ahead of them.

Melbourne band, The Engagement have returned with their second single of 2021. ‘Wonderland’ is a pop/synth track touching on themes of escape and desire and marks a fresh sound for the now established band.

With their previous single ‘Heaven So Close’ getting picked up by MTV and reaching number 4 on the Triple J unearthed charts, the band look to build on the momentum with another timely track.

Collaborating with NYC based producer Brent Kolatalo – who has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry – the band have managed to capture all the qualities of the catchy and meaningful electro-pop that has allowed their previous singles to garner close to a million streams on Spotify.

‘Wonderland’ is now available on all streaming platforms worldwide followed by the release of their music and lyric videos.

ABBA, one of the most successful pop groups of all time, will release their new studio album Voyage on Friday 5th November, their first album in nearly 40 years with more tickets for their concert ABBA Voyage on sale now.

Details of Voyage were announced early September, along with ABBA Voyage, the revolutionary new concert that will see Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid performing digitally with a live 10-piece band, in a purpose-built ‘ABBA arena’ at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London from 27th May 2022.

Following the announcement of the brand-new album, ABBA broke Universal’s record making it the fastest ever pre-order of all time in the UK in just three days with over 80K copies. The concert sold over 250K tickets in the first three days of going on sale and will see the digital versions of ABBA perform a set jam-packed with some of their greatest hits and much-loved songs, along with new tracks ‘I Still Have Faith in You’ and ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’.

The band commented at the time: “It’s been a while since we made music together. Almost 40 years, actually. We took a break in the spring of 1982 and now we’ve decided it’s time to end it. They say it’s foolhardy to wait more than 40 years between albums, so we’ve recorded a follow-up to “The Visitors”. To tell the truth, the main inspiration to record again comes from our involvement in creating the strangest and most spectacular concert you could ever dream of. We’re going to be able to sit back in an audience and watch our digital selves perform our songs on a stage in a custom-built arena in London next spring. Weird and wonderful!”

Voyage will be ABBA’s first studio album since The Visitors, which was released 30th November 1981, hitting the #1 spot in the UK, Sweden and five other countries. The album was one of the earliest albums in history to be pressed on CD format. Voyage also comes nearly five decades after the band’s debut album Ring Ring, released in 1973.

As with all previous ABBA studio albums, Voyage was written and produced by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, their arrangements and lyrics complemented through the unmistakable and timeless vocals of Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Much of the programming and mixing was undertaken by Benny, with the album also featuring the Stockholm Concert Orchestra.

The new album saw the four members of ABBA head back into Benny’s studio Riksmixningsverket in Stockholm over a four-year period to record the ten songs that feature on the album. These include ‘I Still Have Faith In You’, and ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’, the first two songs to be recorded in these new sessions.

About the album release, Benny Andersson says: “We knew if there was a show, we would need a couple of new songs to go with it…When we got into the studio after 39 years it was like no time had passed…we had a great time. I speak to Frida and Agnetha, and know they’re extremely happy having done this.”

Anni-Frid Lyngstad continues: “Those first sessions back in 2018 were such fun and when Benny called and asked if I’d consider singing some more, I jumped at it! And what songs!! My respect and love go out to these exceptionally talented, truly genius songwriters! Such joy it was to work with the group again. I am so happy with what we have made, and I dearly hope our fans feel the same.”

Agnetha Fältskog adds: “When we got back together in the studio, I had no idea what to expect…But Benny’s recording studio is such a friendly and safe environment, and before I knew it I was really enjoying myself! I can hardly believe that finally, the moment has come to share this with the world!”

Björn Ulvaeus ends: “…So now we have ten songs – a whole album, called Voyage – because it’s been a voyage, into uncharted territory…There must be something with the combination of Frida and Agnetha that makes that unique sound – when they started singing, it was ABBA.”

Scott Fleetwood hails from Southern California and enjoys the sunshine, surf and beach culture of that fabled place. A lover of all things guitar, Scott also acts in TV and film in Los Angeles. Cruise on down PCH with his new release: “Blaze Through The Change”!