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    Joe Bourdet – “Mantra”

    This is the first post on Petal Motel about Joe Bourdet, but it won’t be the last. Joe’s putting out an instant classic of an album, Meadow Rock, on June 18th and I’ve been waiting impatiently since the moment I heard a pair of singles he’d previously released, “Seamist” and “El Capitan.” The full album is an aural tour of California – shooting you from sprawling meadows, to the pristine beaches of northern Malibu, to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the sparkling cities and back to the vast expanses of rolling meadows and super blooming wildflowers in between. Today, Joe…

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    Cameron Knowler – “Lena’s Spanish Fandango”

    Places of Consequence by Cameron Knowler It’s your lucky day because there’s a new Cameron Knowler track out. “Lena’s Spanish Guitar” showcases the musician’s versatility and unique adaptability to various styles although Cameron can probably tell you everything about the roots of every kind of music that ever was, where it came from, what it shares with contemporary music, who made the rules, the commonalities that destroy arbitrary delineations between genre, etc. etc. etc. He’s that kind of artist.  “I sourced this version from the great Missouri guitarist, Lena Hughes, scoring it with mandolin and a Casio synth guitar on “organ”…

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    Michael Cormier shares video for “Last Hurrah” from upcoming album More Light!!

    People in the music industry usually wear many hats – it’s not uncommon for label managers to also be in radio, or for publicists to also write for publications, etc. In this case, Dear Life co-head Michael Cormier is also a talented musician. Paired with the grotesque and funny visuals by Luisa Levine, and the solid, hymnal harmonies by our dear friend Lou Turner, “Last Hurrah” previews what you can expect from the album – a fascination with the overlap between the mundane and the transcendent. More Light!! is out June 25th via Dear Life Records and Oof Records. On…

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    Jeffrey Alexander & the Heavy Lidders share “Carousel Of Flowers” from upcoming S/T release

    Jeffrey Alexander is releasing his project with the Heavy Lidders on Arrowhawk Records on August 6th. The Heavy Lidders boasts a killer lineup of, well, heavy hitters Jesse Sheppard and Drew Gardner (Elkhorn) and Scott Verrastro. Ryan Jewell, Pat Gubler, Rosali Middleman, Marissa Nadler and more also make appearances The first single, “Carousel of Flowers” is available on Bandcamp now and you can watch the vivid, kaleidoscopic video with art by the awesomely talented Aubrey Nehring here. From our friend Mike Mannix’s notes on the album , “Jeffrey Alexander + The Heavy Lidders is a refreshing take on familiar sounds.…

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    Upupayāma shares “Hopsa-japapé” from upcoming vinyl release on Centripetal Force/Cardinal Fuzz

    At the very end of last year, Appenine forest-dweller, dreamer, and musical magician Alessio Ferrari released Upupayāma digitally. Now, Centripetal Force (North America) and Cardinal Fuzz (UK/Europe) are pleased to announce the upcoming vinyl release of Upupayāma’s self-titled debut. The album is being presented in a 350 copy vinyl pressing, 150 of which will be available on red and 200 of which will be on black. The record will be made available for preorder on June 11th, with a release date of July 13th. Alessio’s ideas for songs are so multifaceted and meta, and the sound reflects the somnambulist premise…

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    Subversive to Care – an AAPI Charity Benefit Compilation

    Paul is Dead Records is releasing a star-studded, bandcamp-exclusive compilation of contribution from over 50 artists who are close friends and family members of the label. The compilation aims to bring attention to the alarming increase in hate crimes and general animosity and racism towards Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, to call on others to actively stand in solidarity with AAPI people, and to do everything possible to combat racism in all its nefarious forms. Contributors include Jolie Holland, surferblood, wake up, Holland, birddog, ,spaceface, the natvral, eternal summers, and so many more. Paul is Dead head Evan Mui says, With…

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    Nyxe – “Love Me Destroy Me”

    LA native Pam Shaffer, aka Nyxe, is a podcaster, therapist, writer, and a musician who has just released the latest single from upcoming album, The Lovely Unknown. Listen here! Songwriting has been a way for her to process her own thoughts and feelings after delving into tricky emotional landscapes with clients. Her podcast, Why Not Both, is filled with conversations with artists who, like her, juggle a variety of careers, interests and passions. Her discussions with artists like Madame Gandhi, Aurora and Sudan Archives inspired many of the songs on The Lovely Unknown. Recorded alone at home, The Lovely Unknown features…

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    Ifeanyi Elswith – “Fefestyle”

    Last week, 22-year-old rapper Ifeany Elswith shared the music video for “Fefestyle” from last year’s Everything Festyle with Rosebud Allday. The video is the result of the need to create during pandemic-induced inertia. The video reflects the mood of Ifeanyi’s music as well – namely, cruising with your friends with good tunes blaring. Ifeanyi’s most recent album is a radically cool, elegantly produced vocal-forward R&B gem. Her voice takes center stage, smooth and sensual when she sings, laid-back and winking while she raps. Each track on Everything Festyle is sonically astounding, and her raw honesty and confident lyrics are aspirational. You…

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    Stevie Weinstein-Foner – “Give Me A Song”

    Stevie Weinstein-Foner shares the video for the gorgeous second single, “Give Me A Song” off upcoming album Wondering, out 6/18 on Wild Kindness Records. Stevie’s music is Californiana at its finest. With lovely, canyon-country acoustic strums, Blythe Gruda’s climbing complementary vocals, and a Bluebird-like picked coda, “Give Me a Song” is a cinematic marvel, and a promising taste of what to expect from the full-length record. “Give Me A Song” is a prayer, an asking, for the thing that the song itself is giving. As a songwriter, I sometime question the usefulness of my craft, like, what are songs good…