Tag Archives: Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 11th May 2026

Ray Bull – All That You Are

I have been reading a lot in recent weeks about how there is an uprising in pop music of new young acts who are doing it right. They are leaning in to the performing and production aesthetics that gave the form such potency and variety in its sixties and seventies heyday, as well as placing emphasis on musicality, style and non-generic personality. In other words they are rejecting the formulaeric tropes that makes so much of the current chart music landscape a bland, uninspired and largely unloveable environment. That it is a young persons movement is welcome because, so often when similar groundswells of resistence have appeared, you look at the actual people involved and it always seems to comprise of former members of bands from earlier decades or seniors having a belated roll of the dice. Which is all perfectly valid and often delivers some magic, but that this latest unconnected collective appears to be populated by the youth, that does give me hope for the years ahead. The art of the pop song pioneered by the Beatles, Kinks and Rolling Stones etc will have a future if this kind of forward flow can still occur at ground level. America’s Ray Bull are one such example of a band that are treating the form with the respect and craftsmanlike quality it deserves. If you want to know more we have just published a review of their new album on this site and furthermore, you can get a copy of that album here: https://amzn.to/42Z18d1

Eel Men – When I Get Rich

In the UK the mod sounds of popular music as minted in the sixties, re-positioned in the punk years then persuasuvely re-sharpened by Blur’s British music manifesto ahead of the Britpop boom is another design classic that never dies out. Not that it troubles the charts much these days but all the same, it is exciting to come across a band like Eel Men and hear that the energy and the attitude, not to mention the thrill of a bangin’ new single with a snotty cutting edge, still exists among what is left of the grass roots music scene. They are a North London band about to release a 10″ EP called ‘Glass Hammers’ which includes this track. It is a middle finger to the ludicrousness of the never-ending quest for more, the thought that life might suddenly make sense once a certain threshold is reached, and the quiet realisation that it rarely resolves that way. Check out the forthcoming new release here: https://eelmen.bandcamp.com/album/glass-hammers-ep

Sharp Class – Faith In The Brakes

Drinking from a similar fountain of inspiration are Sharp Class who, with this driving slice of three minute perfection, are proudly wearing their allegiances on their made to measure sleeves. I have no issue with a band giving such an up front nod to The Jam because, ultimately, what they are showing loyalty to is an attitude and a lifestyle that has music high, or even top, on the list of priorities. That was all Paul Weller’s breakthrough band were doing and he did not hold back on proudly displaying the effects Steve Marriott and Pete Townshend had on his sound and look. ‘Faith In The Brakes’ is the first single and title track from the bands upcoming third album. It is said to be a song about someone stuck in an extreme tunnel vision mentality but whether or not it was insipred by personal experience, it is that very focus and assuredness in what they are about that makes Sharp Class such a hot proposition. Get ready to buy the album via this link: https://amzn.to/4uHoD6p

Kathleen Halloran – Showstopper

We are moving into a rootsier rock sound with this one as Kathleen Halloran shows some love for the scuzzy glam and decadence of the early seventies. It is available on her debut solo album ‘Nobody’s Baby’ which represents the moment she is stepping out of the shadows, having been an in demand touring guitarist, and finally forging a musical identity of her own. It is a debut built on clarity of purpose: sharp songwriting, unforced emotional weight, and a refusal to hide behind virtuosity even though she easily could. Roscoe James Irwin’s production gives the record its warm, lived‑in glow, but the spine is Halloran’s own. You can get the album via this link: https://amzn.to/435JCnr

The Black Keys – She Does It Right

This is a track from the new Black Keys ‘Peaches!’ album which sees them turning their hands to a set of covers. It was cut live in the room while Dan Auerbach was caring for his father during his final illness. What began as friends jamming to lift the weight off his shoulders hardened into a raw, unvarnished document of the band reconnecting with the blues that first lit the fuse. Across these reinterpretations (from George Thorogood to Junior Kimbrough) you can hear the duo shedding polish, chasing feel over finesse, and rediscovering the grit that once defined them. That is especially evident on this Dr Feelgood cover, a jerky stimulant fuelled thrash in its original form, it is now a “let’s spend the night together” piece of cranked up blues rock filth – and I mean that as a compliment. You can get yourself the album via this link: https://amzn.to/3OVurKt

Tidetied – First Of Spring

Finally this week another new band that I strongly urge you to keep an eye on. I featured their superb song ‘Valley’ in the third volume of our ‘Fresh Juice New Releases’ Mixcloud shows (see the Music Mixes page on this site) and now this newly available live performance further enhances the evidence that there might be something pretty damn good going on here. They came together a couple of years ago from the debris of Thomas Haywood’s post‑Blinders project Whitehorse, whilst John McCullagh and Nathan Keeble joined from other Sheffield loose fits. For now they have been finding their footing on the live circuit but the music coming out has moodiness, poetry, dynamics and some handsome melodic flashes so keep a watch in this direction https://tidetied.com/

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 4th May 2026

Gun Outfit – Teardrops (Classic Hell On Earth)

Soon to return on 8th May with a double album, ‘Process And Reality,’ that marks twenty years of Gun Outfit, this is a sneak preview of a track from the record that was made amidst the heat and uncertainty of wildfires. Something in the warm sounds capture that contrast of the familiar and the unknown, just as our senses open out like a valley appearing ahead evoke a sense of wonder and trepidation at the ever changing natural world. Of the song, the bands Dylan Sharp says it was “written in the wake of one of the endless iterations of fire, prior to the one that burned Altadena. It is not about the fires though. It’s about the futility of caring.” So, maybe this is the sound of a band retreating into their music if that be so, at least Gun Outfit appear to be in fine command of the one element in their lives that they do have some control over. The album can be found here: https://amzn.to/49n30Qp

Mod Lang – Try Your Love

It feels strange but also rather pleasing that one of the bands being touted as the bright young hopes in the pop world are making music essentially identifiable as sixties flavoured folk-rock. Or jingle-jangle guitar pop, or even classic Britpop leaning indie but whichever way you identify it, this is pop music that would do the music world a whole lot of good if it became, well, massively popular. But lets not get ahead of ourselves and besides, when did becoming massively popular ever do any band a lot of good? The really promising thing is this, for all the retro signposting of their clothes and style, the feeling you get when listening to Mod Lang is that it is the music they are really throwing creativity into, which means they have their priorities bang on. Keep an eye on them, or jump right in immediately and get the ‘Borrowed Time’ album, available here today: https://amzn.to/4uqHT88

Khun Narin Electric Phin Band – Sut Sanaen

The Khun Narin Electric Phin Band are about to return with their first new album in a decade, ‘III,’ which is due out on 15th May via Innovative Leisure. These exotic psychedelia merchants are a multi-generational ensemble from rural Thailand whose ecstatic performances have quietly become a global cult phenomenon. This is their take on one of the foundational melodic patterns in the musical tradition of the Isan people from Northeastern Thailand. The band originated as a celebration ensemble for rural ceremonies, particularly pre-ordination fire rituals. What begins as a spiritual procession often transforms into something more transcendent, musicians of all ages locked into spiralling repetition, rhythms surging forward, the entire village pulled into a shared state of euphoria. Obviously to English ears psychedelia is a fairly loose musical reference point, but it is hard to argue that the hypnotic sound does not take you on a head spinning trip just as the best music falling under that general umbrella can often do. Find out more about the forthcoming album here: https://www.innovativeleisure.net

Jason Joshua – A Real Good Woman

The first out and out soul music I am offering you this week and it is a really great one. Jason is a Miami born soul singer with the appropriate nickname ‘The Golden Voice.’ His is a classic sound that is undeniably fine in the authentic way it combines Latin Soul, classic R&B, Boogaloo and a true funk heartbeat that has the patina of something matured and refined. This single arrives ahead of a forthcoming album from Jason called ‘Terapia’ and it is high on my list of future releases to make sure I do not miss out on. Find out more via the link: https://mangohillrecords.bandcamp.com/album/terapia

Joan As Police Woman – Anyone

The more Joan keeps drip feeding teasers for her 12th June release of the re-worked, re-imagined and newly recorded take on classic debut album ‘Real Life,’ the more excited I am becoming to hear it. It is so rare for any artist to revisit older material, especially in a recording studio, and produce something that can bare any comparison to the original but you know what, she might just have done it with ‘Real Life Evolution.’ And I absolutely love the original. It is hard to pinpoint exactly what is elevating these versions beyond a nostaligic re-run but I suspect a big factor is this, Joan still sounds wholly connected to the material emotionally. I will leave it at that for now as I suspect a full length review on these pages will follow nearer the time but still, you have got to admit this is gorgeous haven’t you? Pre-order via this link: https://amzn.to/3PgZGj0

Gabrielle Cavassa – Diavola

Let us conclude this weeks ‘Fresh Juice’ with some sumptuous Jazz on the ever reliable Blue Note label. Here Gabrielle is accompanied in a live take by Gabe Schneider on guitar and it is one of those hypnotic takes where two musical performers lock into an impenetrable zone and seem to play as one. This is the title track from the singers debut album that is produced by a couple of Blue Note heavyweights in Joshua Redman and Don Was. The album stands as a textbook calling card first release for an artist that a label clearly has high hopes for. It balances original material with re-arrangements of other titles that emphasise the artists range and individualist style. Redman’s part in Cavassa’s career runs deep, for it was his manager a few years ago who first came across her singing at a New Orleans wedding. That it should lead to a debut like ‘Diavola’ makes it one of those magical stories in music that is usually left in the hands of fiction. This could be the launch of something very real indeed. You can buy the album via the link: https://amzn.to/3QUDMT9

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 27th April 2026

Michael Stipe – The Rest Of Ever

This week’s half dozen new music recommendations seems to have settled around a theme of historically much-loved artists stepping back into the spotlight. I think it was sometime around 1991 when I first read Michael Stipe in an interview talking about how he was planning a solo album. Now, fifteen years on from R.E.M.s split he is still building up to releasing that solo debut. This might suggest to some he is not too worried about it or, equally, may point to his compiling a work of such high quality that there is no intention of putting it out until it is perfect. Luckily, the evidence available on this new TV performance speaks to a slow paced creation being more likely thanks to the latter. There is still no release date available other than Michael’s prediction it would come out before the end of 2026 and sharing that he is now in the “final stages” of the recording and writing process.

Graham Coxon – Billy Says

When not tied up with Blur reunions Graham has spent a large part of his music life focusing on The Waeve with partner Rose in recent years. This forthcoming solo release does not indicate a shift back to working under his own name, it is actually from a previously unissued record recorded in 2011 and set for full release on 19 June, 2026; part of a comprehensive reissue of Coxon’s complete solo catalogue, spanning 9 studio albums and 3 original soundtracks, across the next 12 months. ‘Castle Park’ was recorded in 2011 as part of the ‘A+E’ (2012) sessions. Originally intended as a follow up to ‘A+E,’ the release was postponed due to Blur activity in 2012, before Coxon moved on to other projects. The album is a collection of 10 songs that lean into Graham’s classic mod sound, with lead single ‘Billy Says’ – a longtime feature of Coxon’s live set – already familiar to fans and now finally available for the first time. Get yourself on the pre-order list here: https://amzn.to/4eLro1H

Tift Merritt – Someone To Watch The Band With Me

Here is another falling firmly into the long overdue category. Back in the early years of the 21st century Tift was one of the most exhilarating, engaging and deliriously infectious performers on the Americana circuit. Then she put out world weary records like ‘Travelling Alone’ proving she was not limited to the rhythm and the sawdust but was also capable of writing in the country style with real emotional clout and authenticity. Put simply, she has long been one of the most dependably brilliant artists to come out of America in modern times and so with ‘Someone To Watch The Band With Me’ showing no loss of cutting edge, taken from the album ‘Sugar’ due out June 26th via One Riot Records, it already sounds like one of the releases of the summer is on the horizon. Pre-order here: https://amzn.to/4d8WNd6

Ringo Starr – Long Long Road

That Beatles magic still holds me under a spell in 2026, I make no apologies for that. Ringo Starr’s new album, from which this is the title track, is already out and it feeds into his long declared love of country music. I think the thing that I enjoy best is simply that this comes out because Ringo still has the hunger to make a great album. There is enough care and attention on display, an incredible array of modern Americana talent contributing and the whole affair is coated with that unmistakable Ringo, peace and love, personality that remains impossible to get cynical about. And for Beatles trainspotters this video, and indeed the album cover, has a real improbable gem of a detail. That purple ruffled shirt Ringo wears is the very same shirt that he is pictured wearing in the inner photos of ‘The White Album’ in 1968. This is a garment older than me that means. Altogether now, Ringo Starr is making Ringo sounding music and there are fresh Paul McCartney sounds just around the corner too. The dream may have been over yesterday, but with fading sunshine like this still pushing through the cracks in the concrete, perhaps there is something to be said for still treasuring a fantastic thing while we can. The album is available here: https://amzn.to/3R42ccT

Beth Orton – The Ground Above

This is the lead title track from a new album that is due to arrive in July. It should come as no surprise to anyone following Beth’s career over the past thirty years that she continues pushing boundaries with her sound and craft. From the beginning she was so much more than an acoustic troubadour, Beth was an alchemist fusing the rougher textures of organic sounds with forward reaching loops, electronics with an ear for the DJ wizardry of dance music. Beth has never been overly earnest or a muso and she instinctively avoids a comfort zone like the plague. And so it is right here, where we find her making music that is immediately of another plane. Not quite Scott Walker in the latter part of his career but this is a step towards it, the form is free and the singing a ghostly echo, the textures shift and it is hard to tell if we are moving towards a diffident dance motion or free jazz. But Beth always had soul too and in among the unsettling audio movements the human touch of her vulnerable voice cuts through. Should be an interesting album so get yourself a pre-order here: https://amzn.to/421arc7

Beck – Ride Lonesome

And so we wind things up this week with one more legend still proving they have the quality in their work to stay relevant. This is a taste of the mellow, introspective Beck that arguably has overshadowed his hip-hop tendencies this century, at least in terms of reception. Still, it is very exciting to hear that he can still do this so well and the man himself has described to DIY Magazine that it as the “first indication of a different yet familiar direction” for his music in the year ahead. The standalone new single is available via this link: https://amzn.to/4tBuOIU

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 20th April 2026

Tom Waits & Massive Attack – Boots On The Ground

New music from Tom Waits seemed to have totally dried up after his wonderful 2011 album ‘Bad As Me’ so anything fresh from the man was always going to grab some attention. Massive Attack too have been quiet since 2020 but here they are, both working together, on a song with subject matter that could not be any less a cause for celebration. Instead, these musical heavy weights are reacting in audio to the devastating emphasis our modern world has placed on waging war and disregarding the precious nature of human existence. At least they are picking up the baton visionaries like Bob Dylan previously carried in reacting to the horrors of the present time in song but typically for these artists, there is no sugar coating the terror of the situation. Luckily, Tom has not limited his resurrection to this one track, a twelve inch single of the release will follow that also has a new and exclusive Waits b-side entitled ‘The Fly.’ The man himself says this. “One day many years ago, I accepted an invitation from Massive Attack to collaborate. Their long release delay never worried me. Today, as in all of mankind’s yesterdays, guarantees this type of song will never go out of style. Man’s folly of fiascos is a feast for the flies. Hence, the b-side of Massive Attack’s upcoming 12 inch features my appreciation for the winged nuisance.” You can get yourself a copy of the record via this link: https://amzn.to/4sKPA7N

Johanna Samuels – White Limousine

Johanna Samuels has kicked off her next chapter with ‘White Limousine,’ a crisp, beautifully measured single marking her arrival on the Odd Man Out label. It is the first taste of a new album currently being readied for release, though specifics are still to come. If this track is any indication, Samuels is gearing up to deliver a record that will be getting a lot of the right kind of attention. For now, get going in this ‘White Limousine’ and enjoy an excursion that takes in suspence and an aching longing all wrapped up in warm hazy sounds that find room for sun-drenched guitar solos, yearning vocals and a Mercury Rev ‘Deserters Songs’ style eeriness. The video is pretty spectacular too, especially that fading in and out radio signal effect. Keep an eye out for the album, I am sure to be on it here at Fruit Tree Records upon arrival but for now you can download the single via this link: https://amzn.to/4tYcgCD

Parlor Greens – Eat Your Greens

This is a scorching live in the studio version of the lead track from the Parlor Green’s new sophomore album ‘Emeralds.’ The nuts and bolts of the band are Tim Carman holding down the beat on drums, Jimmy James who, in a heartbeat, can take us to funky town then back to soul city via his electric guitar and Adam Scone, who can spray paint the room in the most vibrant of moddish colours on that fruity organ and keys. The album is a soul-jazz joyride from start to finish and will be covered in greater depth on these pages very soon but for now, get some of the good stuff down with ‘Eat Your Greens’ and if this one tune is enough to convince, and why wouldn’t it be after all, you can get straight onto the new album via the link right here: https://amzn.to/4cuYXT2

Gorillaz featuring Sparks – The Happy Dictator

For over twenty five years now Gorillaz has proven to be the perfect situation for Damon Albarn to paint his musical visions and realize his bountiful supply of ideas and inspirations. Clearly he needed something fluid and widescreen enough to explore, without boundaries, his open eared approach to music with freedom and rather satisfying mainstream success. His feel for a commercial hook is beyond doubt at this point and the thing I enjoy the most is how he almost smuggles quite mature art-rock into the mainstream through the back door. Of course, Sparks were a band who did the very same thing, blessed as they were with a gift for timeless melody, eye catching presentation and a flare for absurdist, head scratching delivery in the way the Mael brothers performed. And here they are with an outstanding track from new album ‘The Mountain,’ working together and proving that this town actually is big enough for the both of them. You can get the latest release this way: https://amzn.to/41IIYvO

Fruit Bats – The Landfill

Fruit Bats make a welcome return on June 12th with ‘The Landfill’ album, the title track of which is presented here. It is a vibrant full‑band project released via Merge Records. The record finds Eric D. Johnson in a prolific streak following 2025’s intimate ‘Baby Man,’ expanding his palette with renewed energy. ‘The Landfill’ anchors the album’s central metaphor: surveying the future from atop the accumulated layers of personal and cultural history. The accompanying video, directed by longtime collaborator Adam Willis, playfully riffs on cult‑band mythology and the strange double life of an artist both celebrated and obscure. You can pre-order yourself a copy via this link: https://amzn.to/3OtaHO0

SPELLLING featuring Jean Dawson – Ammunition

And finally for this week, some rousing new music from an artist who has long been highly rated on these pages. SPELLLING continues to expand the world of her last album ‘Portrait Of My Heart’ with a new version of ‘Ammunition,’ this time reimagined as a duet with Jean Dawson. The track follows recent remixes featuring Weyes Blood and Turnstile’s Brendan Yates, extending the original album’s collaborative afterlife. Cabral recasts the song’s romantic R&B core into a darker, synth‑lit fairytale, leaning into the outsider sensibilities that define her latest work. It arrives as the release on which it originally appeared continues to draw widespread acclaim, praised for its raw self‑reflection and its bold, genre‑bending emotional clarity. Head to Bandcamp for more on the latest single and the original album is still available for purchase via this link: https://amzn.to/487Kc7l

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 13th April 2026

GALVEZTON – Roll To G-Town

The heritage behind the musical journey of Robert Kuhn is rich with iconic Americana singer-songwriters, names like Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen all filtering into the young Kuhn’s subconscious via the tastes of his father. But post pandemic, the GALVEZTON project, under which Robert creates his music, has evolved naturally into a territory that the mere troubadour characterisation can no longer contain. This is a helter skelter dive into a cosmic-Americana sound that is dizzy with the heat and punch drunk on ideas and expression. This track, an audio interpretation of bouncing back off the ropes, is from the new GALVEZTON album ‘Ocean Cabaret’ and you can find out more about the LP by heading this way https://www.galvezton.com/

Brother Wallace – Who Do You Love

This very tasty slice of hot buttered soul is taken from Brother Wallace’s debut album ‘Electric Love’, set to be released on the 8th May via ATO Records. The West Point, Georgia-bred singer, pianist, and soul revivalist is about to deliver a whole albums worth of the authentic, pounding and infectious, real-deal music that resoundingly kicks the doors wide open with ‘Who Do You Love.’ A new artist he may be to many, but this is the sound of a talent and a passion that has been slowly boiling for years and is about to overflow with a sonic territorial take over that should ensure the dancefloor is a wonderful place to be in 2026. The album was produced by Dan Taylor of The Heavy and recorded at Peter Gabriel’s studios near Bath, if this is the your first exposure thus far I can confidently predict it will not be your last. Pre-order the album here: https://amzn.to/4cjup6z

Ella Clayton – Please Me

Talking about new music that is authentically emotive, there is some fresh soulful folk just appearing on the horizon that also threatens to grab the attention of listeners with an ear for multiple genre mash ups and honest, heartfelt songwriting. Just taste the way Ella wraps some unforced, passionate soul-bearing around the lyrics of this, the opening track on her forthcoming second album called ‘Could It Be You?’ The record is set for release on April 24th with a launch show taking place at London’s 100 Club. Of the new album Ella says it “is a journey through longing and self-interrogation, the search for something or someone outside of myself to tell me who I am and what I want. I hope that people recognise themselves in these snapshots from my life and take comfort in the shared experience.” Check it out for pre-order here: https://amzn.to/4mnpc2e

Strange Fruit – Monopolar

The electronic / dreamgaze outfit Strange Fruit have just released their ‘Drips’ EP on Gentle Tuesday Recordings from which this hazy psychedelic space trip is taken. Fans of Stereolab, Kraftwerk or Broadcast, not to mention the head spinning loops and distortions of the original Shoegaze movement, are going to find much to love in the work of this Jakarta-based collective. They are futuristic and electro yet their sound still has the audible touch of the human hand to it, which brings the music a heartbeat that allows it to generate all the right kind of responses in our listening brains. And following eleven years of experimentation, the band themselves see this as a big leap forward step thanks to the involvement of world-class producers Hardway Bros. along with Tom Furse and Jonathan Kusuma. Get yourself a copy via this link: https://amzn.to/4mK2KRj

Aja Monet – Elsewhere

In its own way, this is a psychedelic melange as well, albeit with a far more urban, jazzy swagger. Featuring the jazz-soul talents of Meshell Ndegeocello and Georgia Anne Muldrow, this is a tantalising leap into a literary and spiritual space, a place where the consequential poetry of Aja Monet can breathe and let the dreamy, spoken words cast their spell and work their magic. It is not exactly rapping, Aja is far more hypnotic than that as she resists pushing her verses into a rhythmic pattern, more like letting them hang in the air for the mystic music to find a connection to gravitate towards. Either way, the effect is stunning and the forthcoming Aja Monet album, ‘The Color Of Rain,’ promises to be a stunner. Be sure not to miss out by clicking here: https://amzn.to/4sySFHY

Eggs On Mars – Shooting Stars

We finish this week with some liquid sugar in the hands of Eggs On Mars, playing a song from their latest album ‘Good Morning (I Love You).’ They are described as a soft-pop band from Kansas City, Missouri but I would argue there is a flowery melodicism to their music that sails closer to the psych-pop waters, drinking deep from them with good intent to achieve winning results such as this. The album is a collection of love songs infused with melancholia and an advanced facility for head-melting major-minor changes, it is out now via Enigmatic Brunch Records. The band themselves have said “through our midwestern lens we try to summon the sound of the Monkees if they were chosen over the Velvet Underground to be Warhol’s Factory band. We like Harry Nilsson, Foxwarren, and Chris Cohen a lot!” You can get yourself a copy of the album from here: https://eggsonmars.bandcamp.com/album/good-morning-i-love-you

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 6th April 2026

Teddy Thompson – So This Is Heartache

It must be tough being the son of a music legend, trying to establish a career and identity of your own. Teddy first emerged over twenty-five years ago in the shadow of father Richard, and for a while looked like he might be forever living in the shadows of his relative. But over the years Teddy has wrestled this problem to the ground in the best possible way, by repeatedly writing very good songs in a specific kind of UK Americana vein that, by this point in 2026, have seen him built up a very credible and explorable catalogue of his own. This exemplary take on the classic country heartbreak song, albeit through the filter of someone who has heard Wilco and The Byrds, appears on his forthcoming ‘Never Be The Same’ album which can be pre-ordered here: https://amzn.to/4cqqaaC

Little Barrie – More Bad Miles Of Road

This is totally infectious, a track that is set to appear on Barrie’s forthcoming ‘Gravity Freeze’ album on Easy Eye Sound. It makes me think about that second Stone Roses album, the one they got harshly knocked for at the time because it leant more into electric blues than indie-dance rock but, given time and all the noise around it having dissipating, now just plays like some of the sexiest, bluesy grooving music you have heard in your life. This taps into the exact same vibe which should not come as a surprise because, for many years now, Barrie has been the go to guy for anyone wishing to uncork that impossible to define, plugged-in energy he possesses. He is like a Ronnie Wood for the 21st century with many an act known for having a good ear (from Primal Scream and Paul Weller to Liam Gallagher and The The) calling upon Mr. Cadogan to sprinkle some of his uniquely electric dandelion seeds over their work. The album can be pre-ordered here: https://amzn.to/3PU1qPd

Jalen Ngonda – Doctrine Of Love

This is the title track from an album that is set to be released in June on Daptone Records. One look at the image fronting this clip coupled with all the great retro soul associations you might have with the label might lead you to assume you know what is being delivered here. And whilst there is a lot of truth in that assumption, you cannot casually anticipate just how superbly this is executed. Everything from the tone and energy of the production, that hard-to-nail vintage/modern avenue it exists in, to the “taking it to the bridge” impassioned vocal and craftsmanship that has gone into the writing of this brand new song, gives us a much needed springtime lift that should not be ignored. It was written by Jalen Ngonda himself together with Vince Chiarito and Michael Buckley and the full album can be pre-ordered here: https://amzn.to/48cANLG

Aldous Harding – One Stop

Aldous Harding returns with ‘One Stop,’ the first glimpse of her upcoming fifth album, ‘Train On The Island.’ Due for release on 8 May 2026, the record marks her follow‑up to ‘Warm Chris’ and once again pairs her with longtime collaborator John Parish. ‘One Stop’ sets the tone with a sparse piano motif and a gently shifting, if a little haunted by its own memories, offering which gives us a characteristically enigmatic entry point into the new album. The album can be pre-ordered here: https://amzn.to/3Q2DZmP

Low Cut Connie – Livin’ In The USA

I am pleased to find that it is not just the old guard of Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young (as great as they are) reflecting on life in America today with a critical, questioning eye whilst maintaining a hope that maybe a brighter day will come. That Low Cut Connie do it with such a natural, bluesy bar-band swagger only adds to the authenticity. Furthermore, the ease of the songs structure lends it really strong anthem potential in much the same way that ‘Born In The USA’ evolved but the big difference here is the tragedy of the tale is not deflected by fist pumping. No, with ‘Livin’ In The USA,’ this increasingly vital band are inviting us to share a lament over a cold beer before slapping us on the back and saying “OK, let’s keep going.” The new album is available for pre-order here: https://linktr.ee/lowcutconnieofficial

Deadly Spirits – Can’t Take It

We finish this week with some scorching new garage rock on 7″ vinyl released on the Rogue Records label. There is nothing borrowed in the sounds these Swedish renegades are playing, for me it is the noise made by EDM and autotune fodder that instantly sounds dated, something played with this kind of intent just enters the realms of the timeless. That organ riffing alone, used so potently by the likes of ? And The Mysterions right through to the Inspiral Carpets, is enough to pin your ears to the wall; Deadly Spirits are paid in full members of the ‘Get Primitive’ form of rock/pop energy and they know exactly how to deliver. With a black vinyl record and Sixties Beat sensibilities all over the cover art, what is not to like? Do yourself a favour and get this one pre-ordered right here: https://roguerecords.bandcamp.com/album/cant-take-it

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 30th March 2026

Konyikeh – Mercenary

Let’s commence this week with a voice that is being touted as the next UK based soul star to watch out for. ‘Mercenary was released via FAMM in late February 2026, the single following the momentum of Konyikeh’s October track ‘Vulnerability’ and arrives just after her second sold‑out headline show at London’s SJQ. It opens with urgent guitar lines and drums that feel expansive yet tightly controlled. She threads in influences that sit outside her more immediately recognisable palette, drawing on Arabic scales, Gqom, and Amapiano to build a world that feels both cinematic and soulful. Her vocal delivery stays precise and poised, while the harmonies swirl with an eerie, filmic tension. You can find a download here: https://amzn.to/3NIRUOj

Diyet & The Love Soldiers – Give Me A Reason (Acoustic)

This is the first single from Diyet & The Love Soldiers new acoustic EP being released to coincide with their latest tour. ‘The Seeds Of Dreaming’ is a companion release to last year’s full‑band album of the same name. Due out on 17th April 2026, the EP gathers five re‑worked tracks from that 2025 record, presenting them in raw, single‑take performances that highlight the emotional grain of Diyet’s voice and the trio’s close‑knit musicianship. Diyet was born and raised in the Kluane region of the Yukon, she carries Indigenous, Japanese and European heritage, writing and singing in both English and Southern Tutchone. The music she makes with her band touches the meeting point between ancestral knowledge and contemporary life, shaped by her return home after years in Vancouver’s publishing world. Find out more via this link: https://diyet.bandcamp.com/

John Craigie – Dry Land

One of my favourite songwriters of modern times, John Craigie is captured here in a live clip performing a new track from his latest album ‘I Swam Here.’ He is exploring gentler tones on this album (which will be getting the full length review treatment on these pages very soon) as the troubadour from Los Angeles, often described as in the lineage of Woody Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, boldly broadens his song palette. His blend of wry humour, road‑worn narrative writing, and acoustic intimacy has become his signature but to put it in straight talking terms, John Craigie is a very fine songwriter and performer. Find out more and get a copy of the album this way: https://johncraigie.com/

Green-House – Under The Oak

This haunting, ambient-adjacent piece by Green-House is from the ‘Hinterlands’ album on Ghostly International. The album treats ambient music like a living ecosystem; lush, breathing, and quietly radical. Their sound folds field recordings, soft-focus synths, and a deep ecological sensitivity into a world that feels both restorative and subtly adventurous. Watch these pages over the coming days for a full length feature on the album, ahead of that you can get a copy of ‘Hinterlands’ via this link: https://amzn.to/4lTy3IK

Wooden Overcoat – Home

Based in Portland’s hazy melting pot of musical wonders, psychedelic pop outfit Wooden Overcoat unveil ‘Home,’ a shimmering, reverb‑soaked single that drifts like a sanctuary built from haze and heart. Its trippy visual companion comes from Italian multi‑arts visionary Francesca Bonci, framing Brant Hajek’s reflection on beauty that can’t quite hold; two people paired as naturally as elements in the wild, slowly decomposing, self‑destructing, and still reaching for each other in the glow. Find out more about this incredible debut release here: https://wooden-overcoat.bandcamp.com/track/home

The Maharajas – Just Drink Wine

Ending things with a bang this week, we have The Maharajas kicking the door in with ‘Just Drink Wine,’ a blast of pure Stockholm swagger that reminds you why they’ve been Europe’s most dangerous garage‑rock lifeline for three decades. Their formula is still lethal: fuzz guitars that snarl, drums that hit like a bar‑fight heartbeat, and vocals that sneer with the kind of conviction you can’t fake. They’re not trading on nostalgia, they are living the 1960s spirit in real time, turning raw R&B, beat grit, and high‑octane attitude into something that still feels volatile, stylish, and gloriously unpolished. It’s the sound of a band who never stopped believing rock ’n’ roll should be loud, sweaty, and a little bit reckless. You can get it right now by following the link: https://amzn.to/4s2mYXl

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Music Mixes

New Mix: Fruit Tree Records – Fresh Juice 2026 Vol. 3

It’s time for Volume 3 in our series of new music mixes for 2026, all multiple genre offerings and every one either a new release or featuring on an upcoming album. All our mixes are available on Mixcloud, just follow the link on the ‘Music Mixes’ pages of this site which will also give tracklistings and purchase information links for every title, so dig in and start digging out anything you like right away…

Tracks – Fruit Tree Records – Fresh Juice 2026 Vol. 3

Just Drink Wine – The Maharajas https://roguerecords.bandcamp.com/album/just-drink-wine

I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You – The Lemon Twigs https://amzn.to/41rnyTv

Settle Down – Irked https://amzn.to/40SlV1a

Livin’ In The USA – Low Cut Connie https://amzn.to/4lQqLoZ

Die Young – Kevin Morby https://amzn.to/41qkGWX

Destination – Young Fresh Fellows https://amzn.to/4rXdYTt

Valley – Tidetied https://tidetied.com/

Feline Bandits – Radhika https://amzn.to/4bMREWi

Heaven – ESYA https://esya.bandcamp.com/

Mercenary – Konyikeh https://amzn.to/4svvW06

Up For Soul – Tiwayo https://amzn.to/4dHQ9v6

Cardinal Star – Daniel Romano https://amzn.to/4uNWBXA

Edna Strange – John Craigie https://john-craigie.myshopify.com/products/pre-order-i-swam-here-lp

False Start – Bella White https://bellawhitemusic.bandcamp.com/album/a-sign-in-the-weather

Under The Oak – Green House https://green-house.bandcamp.com/album/hinterlands

Reflections – Jasmine Myra https://amzn.to/4uRxEKO

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 23rd March 2026

Skaracha – Stuck In My Head

If proof were needed that a classic music style can be revived and resonate with relevance today it is here, with Skaracha (the clue is in the name). This nine piece are the first home‑grown Jamaican ska band since the fabulous sixties, roaring out of Kingston with ‘Stuck In My Head,’ a belter recorded live at Tuff Gong Studio in 2025. These young bloods and seasoned pros steps forward to revive the grand tradition of Jamaica’s ska originators, fusing fresh compositions with hand‑picked classics. Though ska has travelled the world and sparked scenes far from its shores, Jamaica has long awaited a dedicated ska ensemble of its own and today, Skaracha brings the music proudly home. You can get yourself a copy of the single at https://www.tipatop.bandcamp.com

Sharp Pins – Popafangout

I am a little bit behind with this one although not as far behind as Sharp Pins are. They go all the way back to 1967 with so many period flashes (everything from Byrds electric jangle to Beatles harmonies and a lovely swish of ‘Itchycoo Park’ flanging to top it all off) this could easily be sold as a forgery passing itself off as original UK psych. What I actually mean by ‘behind’ is that the album from which this tune is lifted, ‘Balloon Balloon Balloon,’ was released back in November and I have only recently come across it. Still, after the ska adventure on our first song this stands as further evidence of older styles ongoing validity if delivered with conviction, honest spirit and a foundation of great song writing; which this music from Chicago based musician Kai Slater clearly is, so check out the album, if you feel so inclined, here https://amzn.to/4uHVCbk

The Lemon Twigs – I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You

As I have taken us back to a 1960s vibe why not step back a couple years more, away from the flowery multi-coloured days of ’67 and into the beat band era that brought us the first Beatles records. The Lemon Twigs are a New York born duo of brothers, Brian and Michael D’Addario, known for their virtuosic musicianship and a flamboyant blend of ’60s and ’70s‑inspired rock, baroque pop, and theatrical songwriting. Here, with a track from their forthcoming album ‘Look For Your Mind’ out 8th May on Captured Tracks, they really nail that early guitar pop period with aplomb. Not so much a Fab Four homage as a loving appreciation of the whole scene, there are just as many echoes of The Hollies or Hermans Hermits in this as anything and, again, it has a place. You want to write a good pop song about losing someone in 2026 and have a choice between sounding like The Beatles or Ed Sheeran, which way do you go? Personally, I am picking the former every time and happily I am not alone. You can pre-order the album here https://amzn.to/3PinYJi

Courtney Marie Andrews – Keeper

Having enjoyed some retro stylings with the opening three tracks you would be forgiven for expecting this country tune to have a similarly vintage feel. But modern country generally does not revive its original sounds from sixty or seventy years ago, even though a piece of modern country such as this retains a classic charm. So this number, ‘Keeper,’ finds Courtney Marie Andrews standing at a pivotal moment in her evolution, carrying forward the emotional candour that defined earlier albums like ‘Honest Life’ and ‘Old Flowers’ while stepping into a more expansive, quietly assured phase of her songwriting. As part of her latest release ‘Valentine,’ the track deepens her shift toward richer textures and a more panoramic sense of self‑reflection. It’s a song that bridges where she’s been and where she’s headed, capturing the clarity and vulnerability that continue to anchor her work. You can get a copy of the album here: https://amzn.to/3PdflQe

Paper Wings – Mountains On The Moon

Maybe I spoke to soon with the last track, the sound we enjoy here does actually recall the early bluegrass tones of acts like the Louvin Brothers or Bill Monroe, although with a far greater emphasis on melancholy and reflection. They are a duo made up of Wila Frank and Emily Mann who weave their knife‑sharp harmonies, clawhammer banjo, and Appalachian‑tinged folk into a just released fourth LP record, from which this is the title track. Across its twelve tracks, the album blends longing, resilience, and old‑world lyricism into a sound that feels both timeless and freshly carved, presented with quiet confidence and luminous craft. You can buy the latest CD here: https://paperwingsduo.bandcamp.com/album/mountains-on-the-moon

Julian Lage – Night Shade

And we end with some of the sweetest sounding jazz guitar around in 2026. The six new tracks that I have picked today kind of skirt around a belief at the heart of everything Fruit Tree Records champions. Namely, that the many sounds and styles in music that have evolved over the past seventy-five years, which often get tied to a specific period in time, are actually timeless when played with heart, passion and inventiveness. This is a great example, Julian Lage may not be breaking any new ground with this performance but does that take away just how beautiful a piece of music it is at all? Absolutely not. It comes from Julian’s latest Blue Note album ‘Scenes From Above,’ where it appears as the record’s seven‑minute centerpiece. You can buy the album via this link: https://amzn.to/4cZDfsi

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 16th March 2026

Elles Bailey – Better Days

This rousing slice of modern Americana is taken from Elles latest album ‘Can’t Take My Story Away,’ an album that oozes a sense of catharsis and healing. It was written by her late friend, Matt Long, the singer, guitarist and songwriter for the award-winning band Catfish. Matt tragically passed away in October last year, 18 months after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. He and Bailey emerged onto the UK blues scene around the same time, crossing paths at festivals and on tour. “It felt like we were climbing this wild musical ladder together,” she said, “and then he got diagnosed with cancer.” During that time the whole community came together to help raise funds for his treatment. When he died, his parents showed her a song he’d written, ‘Better Days,’ which Elles gives the full on conviction the song deserves. As well as finding the tune on our latest ‘Fresh Juice’ Mixcloud show https://www.mixcloud.com/dannyneill714/fruit-tree-records-fresh-juice-2026-vol-2/ you can also grab yourself a physical copy of the album here: https://amzn.to/4brtznX

Howling Bells – Sweet Relief

When this band originally appeared on the scene with their self-titled debut in 2006, they had plenty of stiff competition for attention within the guitar pop world. This was, lest we forget, the time of ‘Landfill Indie,’ as wave upon wave of edgy, arch, angsty and sardonic four or five piece groups with second hand attitude filled the declining CD store racks with miles and miles of mostly uninspired, generic yelping produce. But Howling Bells always had a little something that pushed them above the general pack, a music that their singer Juanita calls a “kind of narcotic, bluesy, dreampop.” The band had a good initial run of nearly a decade before life and other projects took them quietly, although not permanently, out of view. Now they return with new music in 2026 and are clearly still as tight a unit as before, especially on ‘Sweet Relief’ which, in its own way, passionately resurrects all the energy and fire they first broke out with twenty years ago. This too features on the latest ‘Fresh Juice’ Mixcloud show https://www.mixcloud.com/dannyneill714/fruit-tree-records-fresh-juice-2026-vol-2/ and you can get a physical copy of the album here: https://amzn.to/4rx7FWo

Pokey LaFarge – Arkansas

I hope Pokey LaFarge enjoys the kind of national treasure status he deserves in the US because he certainly can make you long for a country that, in other ways these days, can come across like a place to avoid. He remains a prolific and dependably authentic purveyor of Americana roots music played with a style and swagger that has been time vortexed from around 100 years ago. His latest release is a six track EP on Boxer Boy Records entitled ‘Travelin’ With Poley LaFarge: Voice And Guitar Vol.1.’ As well as ‘Arkansas’ it also features intimate performances with his wife Addie Hamilton adding to the overall shift towards some more personally reflective sounds after 2024 album ‘Rhumba Country.’ You can get yourself a copy of the EP via this link: https://amzn.to/4bbjOeK

Josienne Clarke – Katie Cruel

Josienne is back on the road right now reviving her successful Sandy Denny show from 2025. It is that same Denny-like pure yearning in her voice that she brings to this bold re-interpretation of a traditional arrangement possibly best known, to me at least, via Karen Dalton’s recording. Playing to her strengths, Josienne takes an already heavy‑hearted song and drags it into even darker, more turbulent waters, drawing out every last drop of the lyrics’ harsh, irreconcilable truths. Not only that but she also honours the folk tradition of re-interpretation by writing some new verses of her own. Of the accompanying film, director Alec Bowman-Clarke says he “explores how time distorts our sense of self. We see the ‘young’ and ‘old’ Katie existing in the same physical spaces, separated by a veil of memory. This symmetry suggests that the song is not just a linear journey of decline, but a circular trap where the ghost of who she was constantly haunts the reality of who she has become.” You can get yourself a copy of the new ‘Katie Cruel’ single here: https://josienneclarke.bandcamp.com/

Melissa Aldana – La Sentencia

This easy and sumptuous, soulful jazz is the lead track from Melissa’s latest release on Blue Note Records entitled ‘Filin.’ The whole record is a study in the style of the records title; a romantic, harmonically rich Cuban song form that bridges bolero, trova, and jazz. Playing alongside pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, she shines with a simmering, minimalist intensity that pushes melody and subtle textures into the foreground. Aldana is a Chilean-born, Grammy-nominated tenor saxophonist known for her deep tone, introspective improvisation, and lineage‑driven approach to jazz. She grew up in a family of saxophonists, studied at Berklee, moved to New York, and has since become one of the most respected modern voices on the instrument. The album is available to buy here: https://amzn.to/40uwKpU

ESYA – Heaven

I am concluding this weeks ‘Fresh Juice’ feature with another stylistic jump, this time into some dense electronic shades built on percussive momentum that conjure bleak industrial landscapes of the mind. ESYA is a brand new musical direction for Savages bass player Ayse Hassan who has a debut album on the way in April called ‘Chasing Desire,’ out on AOK Records. It features appearances from Sharon Van Etten, Laura-Mary Carter, Jessy Lanza, Algiers’ Lee Tesche and more. This track is a rousing, uplifting and propulsive piece of dance-floor ready music but lyrically is rooted in anxiety and retreating from a difficult situation. Ahead of the albums release the title track is available here: https://amzn.to/3P9UMEe

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