There Goes the Fear, a UK/US Music Web site | Live UK gigs, news, and events

Video of the Moment #2814: Leon Bridges

Soul singer Leon Bridges has provided details of his upcoming album out later this spring. ‘Good Thing’, which is likely to be a good description of his new LP, is expected in early May. In the promo video (which is a mini-film, really) for previously revealed album track ‘Bad Bad News’, Bridges himself takes to the floor to throw shapes. But what’s much more amazing about this video is watching the female dancer groove in the most uninspiring place: the drab underbelly of a subway station. It just goes to show that you can create beauty anywhere.

While there’s supposedly a bigger theatrical meaning that the woman is possessed by the beat and she and Bridges are essentially partners without knowing of the other’s existence, I’d rather believe that it’s the power of music that is driving both of them. As a single, ‘Bad Bad News’ is as smooth as honey, the instrumentation jazzy and super cool. Watch the video for the song below. Stay tuned for ‘Good Thing’, available from Columbia Records on the 4th of May. For more on Leon Bridges here on TGTF, follow this link.

Video of the Moment #2813: Jamie Isaac

The soulful Jamie Isaac released a new video yesterday. It’s for ‘Wings’, and its release coincides with the announcement of Isaac’s next album, ‘IDLER’, to be out on the 1st of June. The song itself has a slightly claustrophobic quality, which is mirrored in the promo with the usage of an inset of a video of Isaac singing on top of a larger one. Around the 3-minute mark, Isaac’s band joins the proceedings. Part jazzy, part hip hop, part soul, 100% smooth. Watch the video for ‘Wings’ below. For more on Jamie Isaac here on TGTF, go here.

Video of the Moment #2812: Kodaline

Look all around. It seems like everyone is eager to get cosy with the very popular genre for synthpop. The latest band to ‘turn’ is Dublin group Kodaline, who started their career hawking folk-infused pop, fully embracing beautiful four-part harmonies and going acoustic. Their sound has become more mainstream pop as time as gone on, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just taken some getting used to.

Kodaline fans, steel yourselves. Their latest single is described on the press release as “a slice of powerhouse pop”. ‘Follow Your Fire’ was also produced by hitmakers Steve Mac and long-time collaborator Johnny McDaid, the pair responsible for Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’. I’d be curious if this song ever got an acoustic treatment, because I don’t think the way it’s presented here does the band’s combined talents justice. Have a watch and listen to the upcoming single from the Irishmen below. ‘Follow Your Fire’ is expected to drop on the 4th of May. For more on the band on TGTF, go here.

Video of the Moment #2811: Rae Morris

Singer/songwriter Rae Morris released a new album last month, when we had our blinders on preparing for SXSW 2018. Which is a shame, because from what I’ve read, and from some famous friends (!), the pop artist’s ‘Someone Out There’ is quite the collection of ‘choones. She has now unveiled the video for the album’s title track single. In an amazing show of what is possible when you ring up all your relatives, the promo for ‘Someone Out There’ stars three generations of Morris’ family, a bevy of adorable dogs that you wish you could reach into the screen and squeeze their little cheeks and even members of Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service. Why fire personnel? Morris’ own father was a firefighter, so the video stars people Morris has known since she was a child. Filmed in Blackpool where Morris spent her much of her child, the promo for ‘Someone Out There’ is like a love letter to the place where she once dreamt of being a star. Doesn’t get any better than that, does it? Watch the video below. ‘Someone Out There’ the LP is out now on Atlantic Records. For more of our past coverage on Rae Morris, come through.

Video of the Moment #2810: L.A. Salami

The ubercool Lookman Adekunle Salami records under the ever cooler name of L.A. Salami. The man, not the cured meat in a rolled shape, began a North American tour yesterday in San Francisco that will continue through the first week of April, ending on the 7th of April at Washington’s DC9. These live dates are all in anticipation of Mister Salami’s sophomore album ‘City of Bootmakers’, scheduled for release on the 13th of April on Rob da Bank’s Sunday Best Recordings. Single ‘Jean is Gone’ from the LP is a fun one, and it’s got an equally fun video, shot on handheld cameras and capturing early spring sunshine in Paris. Filmed by Salami’s friend Diane Sagnier, the promo video is a series of clips featuring various Parisian landmarks and Lookman’s seemingly effortless choreography. Watch it below. For more on L.A. Salami, including my coverage of him at SXSW 2017, go here.

(SXSW 2018 flavoured!) Video of the Moment #2809: Frank Turner

English troubadour Frank Turner has become something of a fixture in Austin during SXSW. He came to Texas for SXSW 2018 with a fistful of new songs in his back pocket, all of which will presumably feature on his forthcoming album ‘Be More Kind’. I heard him play several of the new tracks at the Palm Door on Sixth in downtown Austin on the Thursday night of SXSW; stay tuned for a review of that show in the coming days. But one of the songs he notably didn’t play at that gig was ‘Blackout’, which was officially released the following day.

Having now had a listen to ‘Blackout’, I can see why Turner might have chosen not to play it in the acoustic set at the Palm Door. Laced with synth vibes and dance beats, ‘Blackout’ is a sharp left turn from his typical folk rock sound. Turner himself has described it as “new territory for me – a song you could even play in a club”. I’m not sure it goes quite that far, but it’s a definite change of pace: long time Frank Turner fans, be warned. Watch Frank take a stab at dancing in the promo video for ‘Blackout’ just below, and decide for yourself how you feel about the its pop-tinged sound. Frank Turner’s ‘Be More Kind’ LP is due out on the 4th of May via Xtra Mile/Polydor. TGTF’s extensive past coverage of Frank Turner is collected back through here.