Todd Tobias: Ammon and Goam

Ohio based experimentalist Todd Tobias wrote the soundtrack for an imaginary dystopian Sci-Fi movie, Ammon and Goam, wherein a a man and a half-human are trying to survive on a planet where only a few scattered places are still inhabited. They happen upon an abandoned ship, try to decipher the meaning of pictures in a canyon and are stranded in the doldrums.

Tobias' capability to tell stories without words, but using softly percolating noises, drones and sculptured soundscapes, makes it easy to picture the duo making their way through hostile environments. Some movies don't need to be actually made - it's all there in the soundtrack.

Getner: Motorman

Manchester based rock quartet Getner sing about Operation Motorman, carried out by the British Army against the Republicans during The Troubles across various cities Northern Ireland on July 31, 1972. Two band members grew up in Derry, where the stories about that faithful day are still being told today. It is a loud and angry tune, riding the wave of an unrelenting riff, with a bit of self-deprecating humour as a relief for the tension that is the main driving force.

Opal Mag: Goodbye Lavender

photo: John Stanley

English singer Opal Mag tackles the perennial subject of relationship hassles on her Goodbye Lavender EP, alternating between hazy leftfield soft spoken pop and shoegaze drenched in soundscapes. She describes the implosion of an affair in slow motion with World End, with key lines "I wanna hit where it hurts" and "Kick me when I'm down", wants to be loved again against better judgement in Kiss Me, and contemplates travelling back in time when the shit had not hit the fan in Young Forever.

The songs are the opposite of Joe Jackson's quip that "happy loving couples have no stories". She has plenty of grudges to bear, raging against the dying of what was supposed to last, by way of slacker rock that wants the other party to hurt and quite possibly bleed.

Honey Blonde: European tour dates

Dutch-Cypriot pink-punk band Honey Blonde have added a couple of shows, including ones in Belgium and Cyprus, to promote their self-titled EP: "Semeli Theodosiou, Jade Bogaart, Valentina Charalampous and Eva Burger have an instant rapport, playing fast and loose, in sync with the second wave of riot grrrl sound."

Golden Alphabet: The Cormier Walkdown

Brooklyn based psych folkies Golden Alphabet have their songwriter's back on their The Cormier Walkdown EP, providing a subtle r accompaniment. It is obvious that Tommy Cormier wasn't in a particularly good place when he wrote the three songs, going through angry fits, trying to keep a brave face, but ultimately giving in to despair. Also: God is no help at all, something he has known for quite some time, but being disappointed once again still hurts.

Cormier chose his words wisely and economically, keeping it simple while caught in the midst emotional turmoil. It is a 101 for writing songs that cut to the chase, something that can not be taught in school, but comes from experience and been dealt a bad hand.