Welsh Alternative Psych Rock band 'Holy Coves' today release their brand new music video for single 'Grey' via their ever growing new YouTube channel. 'Grey' is the third in a series of five music videos created by award winning Ukrainian Filmmaker 'Taras Merenkov'. Merenkov's hazy cinematic style of direction really emphasizes the music and makes a formidable visual. 'Grey' is taken From the bands acclaimed new album 'Druids and Bards' which is out now via Welsh label 'Yr Wyddfa Records'.

Championed by Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London and playlisted on Amazing Radio's A List, Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music, with BBC Radio Wales support from Huw Stephens and Adam Walton, North Wales Psych-Rock Band Holy Coves had quite a year in 2022. Their acclaimed new album 'Druids and Bards' was very well received and is available now via North Wales record label 'Yr Wyddfa Records'.

Through long time friend and Producer David Wrench, 'Holy Coves' were put in touch with Texan Producer Erik Wofford (The Black Angels / Explosions In The Sky) and have built quite a magical working relationship, one where Wofford found himself on Mixing and Mastering duties for the 'Druids And Bards' album and it has certainly contributed to their new sound and ethos.

(scroll down for English)

Mae’n bosib mai’r ddau drac yma yw’r mynegiad mwyaf pur a chrisialaidd o brif thema’r albym – profiadau Bethan ac Ynyr o fod yn rhieni. Maen nhw hefyd yn ganeuon pop da – felly roeddent yn teimlo fel par o ganeuon addas am sengl ddwbl.

1,2,3
Fel nifer o’r caneuon ar yr albym, cyfansoddwyd y gân hon yn wreiddiol ar y piano gan Bethan. Mae Ynyr a Bethan yn chwarae’r utgyrn ac yn ymuno a hwy mae Ioan Hefin, y dyn sy’n gyfrifol am solo trwmped mwyaf eiconig cerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn Gloria Tyrd Adre gan Eryr Wen. Mae hi’n gân am gariad a’r teimlad o geisio amgyffred maint y cariad gallwch deimlo at rhywun. Mae’n berthnasol i unrhyw fath o gariad ond yn yr achos hwn fe’i hysgrifennwyd wrth i’w merch droi yn dri mlwydd oed, gyda Bethan gwneud ymgais i fynegi a deall y cariad roedd hi’n ei deimlo am ei phlentyn a mawredd rhoi genedigaeth; yr her, gorchfygu a gorfoledd a holl fregusdra amrwd y profiad.

Geiriau
Shwt gall rhywbeth mor bitw
Siglo’r ddaear, tanio iâs?
Pan fi’n teimlo fe’n curo,
So’ fe tu fewn nawr, mae e tu fas,
Un, dau, tri Menywod doeth oedd yn gwylio,
Fy nghyn-famau, rhowch i mi nerth.
Holltodd twll yn y nefoedd,
Dysgu gwers o beth yw gwerth.

Fflachlwch Bach
Teyrnged i’w plentyn cyntaf-anedig. Daeth yr ysbrydoliaeth wrth i Bethan geisio cyfansoddi rhywbeth ar y piano gyda’i merch yn ei chôl yn scriblo dros y nodau. Mae prydferthwch mewn normalrwydd a phethau dydd i ddydd, gorfoledd mewn diwrnod arferol gyda phlant bach. Mae seren y gan yn ymddangos gyda solo allweddellau a’i llinell;

‘Beth chi’n aros am? Cân neu beth?
Fi mynd i ddechre un nawr so agor eich clustiau!’

Rhwng ysgrifennu a rhyddhau’r gan, mae eu hail blentyn wedi dod i dynnu sylw a chreu anrhefn wrth y piano unwaith eto, gan ysgrifennu rhan i’w hun yn y gân o nawr ymlaen hefyd. Mae Llyr Parri ar y dryms, Elen Ifan ar y soddgrwth a Mari Morgan ar y ffidil yn ymuno â Bethan ac Ynyr ar y trac yma.

Fflachlwch Bach (Bach) yw teitl y fersiwn fyrhaëdig hon o’r gân, gyda’r ferswin lawn yn ymddangos ar y record. Roedd y dull hyn o enwi yn fwy diddorol na galw’r trac yn ‘(Radio Edit)’ er ei fod mwy na thebyg yn fwy tebygol o achosi dryswch.

These two tracks are possibly the most crystalline and pure expression of the album’s main theme – Bethan and Ynyr’s experiences of parenthood. They’re also good pop songs – so they felt like an appropriate AA-side.

1,2,3
Like much of the album, this song was initially composed by Bethan on the piano. It features Ynyr and Bethan on trumpets but also features Ioan Hefin, the man responsible for performing Welsh music’s greatest and most iconic trumpet solo in Eryr Wen’s Gloria Tyrd Adre. It’s a song about love and the feeling of trying to comprehend the magnitude of the love that you can feel for someone. It can relate to any form of love but in this instance it was written when their daughter turned 3 years old, with Bethan trying to articulate and comprehend the outpouring of love felt for a child and the hugeness of childbirth; the challenge, escalation, triumph, glory and the raw vulnerability of it all.

Lyrics:
How can something so small
Shake the earth, spark shivers?
When I feel it beating It’s not inside now, it’s outside
One, two, three Wise women were watching
My ancestral mothers, give me strength
A hole split in the sky
Learning a lesson about what value is

Fflachlwch Bach
An ode to their first-born child. The inspiration came as Bethan was trying to compose something on the piano with their daughter in her lap scribbling over the notes. There’s beauty in normality and the everyday, joy in an average day with small children. The star of the song also makes appearance with a keyboard solo and her self-penned line;

‘What are you waiting for? A song or what?
I’m going to begin one now so open your ears!’

Between the writing and release of the song, the arrival of their second child has brought fresh distractions, beats and chaos to the piano, thus writing himself a part in the song. Llyr Parri on drums, Elen Ifan on cello, Mari Morgan on Violin join Ynyr and Bethan for this one.

This shortened radio edit version is called ‘Fflachlwch Bach (Bach)’ whereas the full-length album version is Fflachlwch Bach - bach means small or little. Whilst it’s more fun than just calling it ‘(Radio Edit)’, it’s probably more confusing. 

Q & A with Mark

So Mark what about yourself? Have you ever experienced love at first sight?

Mark: Definitely, but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out for me yet. It is hard with my lifestyle. I am always on the road, travelling the world but it puts a lot of pressure on my relationships as you will hear on my new EP ‘Getaway’.. But these stories give me hope and you never know what is around the corner.I did see photos of Catherine Zeta Jones over the weekend on instagram of their beautiful family dancing. Just wonderful. Now apparently when they first met Michael Douglas said it was love at first sight and he just knew. He said he was going to be the father of her children and well the rest is history.

Is the song heartfelt about a true story?

Mark: Yes. When we were just 18, me and my friends went on holiday to France. On the first night, one of my friends saw a girl on the other side of the campsite bar and said ‘there she is, she is the one’. Of course we all laughed, but despite the fact they spoke different languages and lived in different countries they are now married and live happily in Wales with two children. He was right after all and this song is about them.

How did the idea come to you?

Mark: As with most of my songs, the music comes first and mainly from an acoustic guitar. I was away working on ship and sometimes when I arrive the guitar is out of tune form the travel. I remember the top E string being detuned to a D and it surprisingly sounded good, so I kept playing and ended up with this dreamy arpeggio guitar part that drives the song. The rest soon followed.

Do you think love at first sight is a real thing?

Mark: I believe so for many people. I read some statistics recently - Nearly 34% of people claim they have experienced love at first sight 41% of men 29% of women. And It’s a nice thought in a world where there’s so many break ups. But you still gotta work hard for it!

Have your written any other songs about love on forthcoming new ep?

Mark: I’ve written about being in love and it not working out, but always wanting to be there for that person. I couldn’t say it to her so I put it in a song. My last single was an upbeat summer song about Getting away from the struggles of day to day life. There’s also one about that moment you’re in love and you just want to shut out the world and make the world wait. All heartfelt stuff.

What’s next for you, more love and music?

Mark: Well, I’m still working on the love part, but my new ep will be out early next year so I’m looking forward to finally being able to share that with everyone.

28 December 2022 – Husband and wife duo BRRDS release their sophomore album, Soon Comes Forever on 03 February 2023 on Bungalow Ranch Records.

The album was inspired by 90’s compilation tapes. “We went to a car boot sale and took a punt on a cardboard box full of old cassettes” explains Dave.

One in particular caught their imagination. Labelled ‘Soon Comes Forever’, it had a range of genre-spanning tracks. “That tape was on rotation when we were writing this record” continues Kerrie. “It just had a real sense of adventure, hope and optimism”.

That spirit, sound (and title) cruises through BRRDS second album, which fuses the guitars and vocals of dream pop and shoegaze, with the programmed beats, analogue keys and found sounds which featured heavily on BRRDS’ first album, Liminal Space. The record was written and recorded at their home studio, Shaker Heights; and mixed by Alex Newport whose credits include Bloc Party and Death Cab For Cutie. 

The album also reunites Kerrie and Dave with former bandmate Lee Nicholson from electronic indie wanderers formula one on the final track ‘Is anybody coming out tonight?’. And what of the original mixtape? “Well, we tried to find out who made it, but we’ve drawn a blank. Who knows, maybe we’ll find them by releasing the album. That would be amazing, maybe someone can reclaim their box of tapes!“

Soon Comes Forever will be released on Friday 03 February 2023 on CD and cassette at www.brrds.bandcamp.com as well as all streaming services.

In praise of BRRDS:

‘Gorgeous future pop. They have the capacity to be one of the most exciting groups of next year’ - Graham Duff (Ideal/Alpha Papa/Totally Radio)

'Under the Orange Lights', is an utter delight, burnished with an illuminating carousel of synths and clicking beats house a jovous melody that captures the thrill of a night escaping to the bright lights of the city and the beats of the dancefloor’ – God Is In The TV ‘Gorgeous, microdosed, folktronica’ Slow Music Movement
‘Hypnotic melodies that capture your heart, soul and mind’ (A Musical Priority)

‘Like a widescreen cinematic Wire’ Adam Walton, (Radio Wales).

About BRRDS:

BRRDS are a husband-wife duo from rural South Wales , UK. Their name comes from an 80’s computer programme designed to simulate and predict birds’ flocking behaviour. They made their name in electronic wanderers, formula one; and have since racked up releases on over ten labels. They now record in their home studio, Shaker Heights; a barn full of wheezing synths, creaking computers, and masking-taped drum machines.

Email: brrds.music@gmail.com
Website: www.brrds.co.uk
Bandcamp: www.brrds.bandcamp.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/brrds_music
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brrds
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BRRD

Welsh Alternative Psych Rock band Holy Coves release their brand new music video for single " Grey " via their new YouTube channel. " Grey " is the third in a series of five music videos made by award winning Ukrainian Filmmaker Taras Merenkov. From the bands new album " Druids and Bards " which is out now via our Welsh label  Yr Wyddfa Records.

Watch & Subscribe via the link below

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXzQoxQKjVaSKi89rou7NkA

The angular, textured hybrid punk of Junior Bill is set to re-emerge into the spotlight this year. ‘ Boys From Jungle ’ is the first song released from their upcoming debut album ‘Youth Club!’. The track details the bleak fates of asylum seekers after their arrival in the UK. The song’s catchy new wave tunefulness makes for a juxtaposition to the incisive, cynical social comments that spill out as a collage of slogans and thrown away official observations. After airplay on BBC Radio Wales, Adam Walton said that Junior Bill have an “ability to cross pollinate cultures and musical styles but make them entirely their own … they’ve got their own spirit and defiance to them … they’re clearly brilliant”

Cardiff’s Junior Bill is the project of frontman and songwriter Rob Nichols. The band has been thrilling audiences through the small venues, pubs and festivals of the UK & Ireland since 2013. From teenage beginnings rehearsing in Cathays Youth & Community Centre, they have since self-released a string of EPs, singles and an ambitious, award-winning live concert film called 'Above Your Station' in 2017. In the live music scene they’ve made a lasting impression, opening for Supergrass during their reunion shows after a supporting tour with drummer Danny Goffey, then last year making their debut at Glastonbury Festival.

Much of Nichols's writing reaches into the lives of other people with an unusual intellect and an open empathetic spirit. Gigwise said "it's a political maturity set against a childlike honesty that makes Junior Bill so intriguing. " The band are also known for their well crafted concepts with artistic relish surrounding releases. 2017’s self-titled EP saw a guerrilla marketing campaign surrounding the fabled “Wolf In Grangetown” which ended up capturing the imagination through a series of national headlines.

" Boys From Jungle 's jolly sound is a smokescreen for the bleak realities expressed in the lyrics.” says Nichols “It’s a story about the depressing fates that often await those who’ve risked life and limb to make it to the UK. I wrote it years ago after reading a WalesOnline article exposing the grim conditions of an overcrowded hostel for asylum seekers near where I live in Cardiff. The lyrics were intentionally written with bad grammar to evoke a hastily written report." 

More singles from their brilliant new album ‘Youth Club!’ are set to follow, culminating in the album’s release later in the year. Pre-save ‘ Boys From Jungle ’ now at

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/juniorbill/boys-from-jungle

LYRICS

Omed said got boys from Jungle

Came through sleet and storm and thunder

Young, black skin and came on boat

Now have found a cold, hard sofa

One boy has got family down here

Waiting for mum to get visa

Paying for sister's education

What about mum well he can't just leave her

One got in a case needing legal aid

Two years now just going in circles

Only three of the boys got papers

Many waiting four years later

Round here people don't believe

Back home he used to be a doctor

Some will have to go to Swindon

Too much people, poor condition

Got to get a wristband if you wanna get fed

Keep your mouth shut for the council inspection

One boy tried to break away

No one else there spoke his lingo

Found him disappeared one day

Smashed the sink and the bathroom window

Omed said got boys from Jungle 

Came through sleet and storm and thunder 

Young, black skin and came on boat 

Now have found a cold, hard sofa 

Omed said got boys from Jungle