With thanks to Shauna at Shameless PR our attention was pointed to a clutch of singles which may have been of interest. What they all proved to be was the source of increasing pleasure and each a teaser to bigger and bolder things.
Firstly as their debut album looms ever near, Los Angeles hailing psych rockers Tombstones in Their Eyes have released a rich temptation for it in the shape of new two track single Open Skies.
The band’s sound is a thick blend of psychedelic and shoegaze bred textures soaked in atmospheric density but offers a further array of flavours in its creative breath. The quartet has already unveiled its attention luring potency through earlier releases and only breeds greater anticipation for that first album, Maybe Someday, with their latest proposition.
Released through Somewherecold Records, Open Skies takes shape from within dark shadows, its fuzzy breath soon enveloping ears with an inviting trespass of sound and intimation. The lead vocals of guitarist/keyboardist John Treanor swiftly bring their magnetic resonance to the melodically cacophonous encounter as the rhythmic stroll of drummer Stephen Striegel and bassist Mike Mason provide a controlled yet tenacious incitement. It is a dense cloud of captivating enterprise, crawling over the senses with sonorous dexterity within a haze flooded soundscape skilfully shaped by the craft of guitarist Josh Drew side by side with Treanor.
The song comes with an alternative version of Dreams, the closing track on that forthcoming full-length. It too embroils ears in suggestive smog, one fuelled by caliginous light and seductive radiance. A siren of temptation the song prowls as it glides across the senses, wrapping the imagination in a post rock/psych rock ambience as physical as it is somnambulistic.
Together both tracks make anticipation of Tombstones in Their Eyes new album a touch on the keen side.
Another band with an eagerly awaited release ahead is Italian rock band Elizabeth The Second and they too have provided a rather tasty appetiser for it in the shape of a new single, the reason 
for that keen intrigue.
No One Cares is the Padova based trio’s debut single and comes from the Two Margaritas at The Fifty Five EP released this November. Formed in 2018, the band’s sound has already drawn references to the likes of Blur, The Libertines, The Strokes, The Clash, and Franz Ferdinand but as their first release reveals there is plenty of individuality involved in its contagious character.
From the first strum of Ben Moro’s guitar No One Cares has a rousing breath to its catchiness, its swing driven by the lively beats of Luca Gallato and the great moan of Michele Venturini’s bass. Moro’s vocals are soon adding to the infectious proposal on offer, the track’s garage rock toning across a punk ‘n’ roll bounce instinctively anthemic. Every subsequent riff, hook, and roar only accentuates its contagion, the song a striking and easy to devour introduction to Elizabeth The Second and spark for an already impatient wait for their first EP.
Another artist with an album poised to be unveiled is Sebastian Straw, an Italian based musician/songwriter creating a sound with a certain nineties Brit pop edge to its alternative rock breeding. My Friend is the latest single taken from Welcome Yesterday, a track which provides an infectious lure to artist and album.
Keys and guitar caress ears from the start, rhythms soon adding their moody touch before Straw’s distinctive tones spark the heart and more volatile instincts of the track. Already the song is a manipulative incitement with something akin to Richard Ashcroft meets Gaz Coombes to its songwriting and character while strings and keys only add to its contagion and fiery drama, emotion lining every moment.
Straw has been making music since a young age and if My Friend is a potent clue to the endeavours within his first album will be finding some sure attention coming his way.
Finally we have the song Dancing With Death to recommend. It comes from British outfit Noctorum, a duo comprised of guitarist/singer-songwriter Marty 
Willson-Piper (The Church, All About Eve, The Saints, Anekdoten) and producer Dare Mason. The pair was one of many who severely suffered through the bankruptcy of PledgeMusic with an estimated $15,000 through pledges owed to them. They still honoured all those pledges for the album, The Afterlife released earlier this year, out of their own pocket. Now the band, in order to recoup those funds, are releasing The Afterdeath EP through a GoFundMe campaign, a four track digital encounter with two new tracks and two covers exclusive to pledgers.
Dancing With Death is the teaser for the release, a treat of rock magnetism wrapped in gothic shadows. There is something of The Mission to the song, its quick ear grabbing dexterity fuelled by melodic enterprise and rich imagination. Guitars alone offer a drama which just got under the skin, their twists and turns fluid within that shadowed melodic rock landscape.
The track is superb and reason alone to treat yourself to The Afterdeath EP but potently backed by the other new track in The Mermaid and Noctorum’s covers of The Sound’s I Can’t Escape Myself and Buffalo Springfield’s Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing.
Open Skies from Tombstones in Their Eyes is available now @ https://tombstonesswc.bandcamp.com/album/open-skies with Maybe Someday released through Somewherecold Records on November 15.
https://www.facebook.com/TombstonesInTheirEyes https://twitter.com/tombsinthreyes
The Elizabeth The Second single No One Cares is out 15th October with the Two Margaritas at The Fifty Five EP released November 9th; available @ https://elizabeththesecond.bandcamp.com/album/two-margaritas-at-the-fifty-five
https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.the.second.band https://twitter.com/Elizabethe2nd
Sebastian Straw’s My Friend is out now with Welcome Yesterday released 18th October via Seahorse Recordings.
https://www.facebook.com/sebastianstrawofficial https://twitter.com/SebastianStraw
The Afterdeath EP from Noctorum is available until October 31st @
https://www.gofundme.com/f/noctorum
https://noctorum.band/ https://www.facebook.com/Noctorum https://twitter.com/noctorumband
Pete RingMaster 17/10/2019
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
