True Tunes News: Forget the movie theaters, this week has been all about MUSIC. New tunes from The Hollywood Vampires, Sam Ashworth, The Alarm, The Ocean Blue, and Inhaler are actually just the tip of the iceberg. Oh, and it’s not too late to make your way to a farm in the Middle Of Nowhere for one of the sweetest little festivals in the world.

Breathe Deep

You might think Dublin band Inhaler would lean hard on the fact that front man Eli Hewson is Bono’s son. A quick listen to the group’s new single, “My Honest Face,” however, will assure you that, though the mus ical DNA is on clear display, this band doesn’t need any special favors from Dad. Currently on tour with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Inhaler is a perfect blend of classic 80s sensibility and millennial polish.

 

Like Father…

Another chip off another block, the well-established songwriter and vocalist Sam Ashworth just released an EP comprised entirely of songs written by his acclaimed artist, producer, songwriter father, Charlie Peacock. Songs Of My Father is an excellent addition to Ashworth’s impressive and eclectic body of work. Watch for a broad-ranging conversation with Peacock coming to the True Tunes podcast soon.

The Alarm Shines Again

Followers of the True Tunes Gallery Stage Mixtape will have noticed a new track from The Alarm that dropped a couple months back called “Blood Red Viral Black.” Now the second single from their forthcoming album, entitled Sigma, is available, and it’s a doozy. Inspired by co-founder Mike Peters’ wife, and current Alarm keyboardist Jules’ battle with breast cancer, “Brighter Than The Sun” channels all of the anthemic positivity that made The Alarm so powerful when they landed in the 1980s. In a recent Billboard feature Peters confirms that Sigma serves as a sort of sequel to last year’s Equals album. Billy Duffy of The Cult makes an appearance on the new album, as does original Alarm guitarist Dave Sharp. The new video is available now.

If you have not seen the documentary film that chronicles Peters’ own battle with cancer, and how he parlayed his fight into deep and meaningful service to others, you really need to check out Man In The Camo Jacket. They don’t bestow the MBE (Master of the British Empire) title on just anyone, you know.

 

There Is Nowhere Else I’d Rather Be

There’s still time (depending on when you read this) to get to what will surely be the coolest, most Gallery Stage-like festival in the world this Memorial Day weekend, when Over The Rhine’s Nowhere Else festival kicks off once again. This “Extended Musical Family Reunion,” held on Linford and Karin’s farm outside of Cincinnati Ohio, will feature performances by Leigh Nash, James McMurtry, John Paul White, Birds of Chicago, and more. Seriously… Wow.

The Ocean Blue Return

The Ocean Blue have dropped a dazzling new single, “Kings and Queens”, in advance of the release of their long-anticipated new LP Queens / Knaves and Thieveswhich is due June 21. Old school fans will fall in love immediately, but even if you haven’t heard this band, this is a great first dance with their dreamy, melodic sound. The video for Kings and Queens, which features a beautiful scene wherein our hero plays chess with Death, is available now.

And Now For Something Completely Different…

Our favorite shock rocker, Alice Cooper, just dropped a new single from the “super group” he formed with Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and actor Johnny Depp. The Hollywood Vampires debuted in 2015 with a scorching, (take that metaphor in as many ways as you want) collection of mostly cover tunes. This year they promise to release TWO new albums; one live and one a brand new studio set that tilts more toward originals than covers. While the concept remains unclear, the first song, The Boogieman Surprise is everything we want it to be.

ADVOCACY: ASCAP ON THE HILL

In the constant struggle for songwriters to be fairly compensated for their work, the Performing Rights Organization ASCAP hosted a special eventfor lawmakers in DC on May 22, 2019 dubbed We Write The Songs during which they explained both the insanity of forcing writers to labor under a “consent decree” that was crafted during World War II, and shedding some light on the misinformation being spread by streaming services. ASCAP President, and songwriter, Paul Williams, is a tireless advocate for writers, and seems relatively optimistic that the rates they are paid will rise based on market conditions and technological advances, especially in light of recent wins such as the Music Modernization Act that passed last year. The struggle is real, though, with services like Spotify fighting to pay as little as possible for the products they sell.

 

FOR THE RECORD: While True Tunes is committed to using every tool possible to help artists cut through the noise, including streaming services and playlisting, we whole-heartedly endorse ASCAP’s efforts here and hope that Spotify and the other streaming services pony up and pay a fair price for the songs they use. Without songs, there is no service. But fans, keep in mind, the best thing you can do to support the artists you love, is to buy their music, support them on platforms like Kickstarter or Patreon, and go see them in concert. Streaming is excellent for discovery and convenience. But let’s not forget that these folks gotta eat, too.