Each week we like to champion the music scene with ten songs in our playlist that all have a connection to the RaW (Reading and Wokingham) area and sometimes beyond. This week we have three new tracks for you from acts with connections to Reading and Wokingham. As always, we have a wide variety of musical styles, but we think they’re all worth a listen and we hope you find something new to enjoy as well as maybe getting out to experience the thrill of live music.
1. Eddie Roxy and the Adjacent Kings – Billy Porter –
Back in 1980, the band Department S had a hit with the song Is Vic There? 45 years on, Eddy Roxy, the vocalist from Department S, is fronting his own band, the Adjacent Kings, with a mix of Department S and new songs. We saw them recently supporting The Vapors at the Face Bar, another great evening courtesy of Future Transmissions, and before that a couple of years ago with local legends, The Members, in Bracknell. This is his latest single, released earlier this year. https://www.instagram.com/eddieroxyandtheadajcentkings/
2. Selina and the Howlin Dogs – Black Dog –
Opening with appropriate howling, and a classic blues guitar riff (reminiscent of La Grange by ZZ Top, who in turn half-inched it from John Lee Hooker) this track from Reading’s blues purveyors Selina and the Howlin Dogs shares a title with a Led Zeppelin classic, but the subject is the black dog of depression, though the upbeat music gives hope that it can be overcome. Look out for the accompanying video and upcoming album, Third Time Lucky, and next month they’re supporting Brave Rival at Arlington Arts in Newbury. https://www.facebook.com/SelinaandtheHowlinDogs
3. Cephid – Promises Prelude –
As we hope you gather from this playlist, the Reading area has a lively music scene. One part of it is Reading Electronic Music Open Mic, run by the Readipop charity, which provides a platform for aficionados of vintage synths to perform their compositions. The next one is on 14th May at South Street Arts Centre, and one of the participants is Moray Macdonald, who performs as Cephid (we’ve also loved his work as part of That Joe Payne’s band), and this is his latest single. https:// www.facebook.com/cephid.world
4. Jack Foz – Can’t Be Easy to Love –
Jack Foz is based in London, but popped along to the Purple Turtle to headline the party celebrating 10 years of Dean Nelson’s Generation Studio. We’re glad he did, because his set was excellent, with great songs and a fantastic sound from his five-piece band; hear for yourself with his latest single! (Dean is a busy chap, as well as running the studio and doing sound engineering for bands, he’s also in charge of Wokingham Festival!) https://www.facebook.com/jackfozmusic
5. Cheap Suits – Half A Heart –
April 18th was Record Store Day, when various special vinyl editions are released, and independent record stores are celebrated. Pop Classics in Caversham had a very busy day, and the many customers were entertained by in-store performances from a couple of local bands, including Cheap Suits, who will have the honour of being the first band performing at this year’s Wokingham Festival! This is their latest single, which bodes well for the future. https://www.instagram.com/cheapsuits.band/
6. Adult DVD – Real Tree Lee –
This weekend is Are You Listening? Festival in various venues around Reading. One band we’re looking forward to seeing are Adult DVD from Leeds – we caught an interview with them on BBC 6Music recently, and loved their sound and sense of humour, and they are reputed to put on an electric live show. Hear for yourself with their latest single, or even better pop along and see them. https://
www.facebook.com/Adltdvd
7. Spriggan Mist – Faery Wood –
If you’ve been outside recently, you’ll have noticed that it’s bluebell season, with the woods around displaying a carpet of violet-blue. You’ll also be aware that wildflowers are protected and you should avoid damaging them; if that wasn’t enough, however, Spriggan Mist bring an additional warning that you should keep off the flowers otherwise you might find yourself trapped by the Queen of the Fae for a thousand years or more! Spriggan Mist complete their current UK tour of The Glare
album with a gig at The Butler on May 9th. https://www.sprigganmist.com/
8. Snayx – Strut –
Spring is here, and Festival season is upon us, kicking off with Are You Listening? this weekend in half a dozen venues around Reading. It’s a fantastic chance to catch a variety of great music, as
well as getting your step count up! This is the latest track from Snayx, which explores “the aspirational hustle of the digital generation”, a similar theme to that of The Paradox Twin. Catch them at Sub89 on 9th May as part of AYLFest, before they return for Reading Festival in August. https://www.facebook.com/SNAYX
9. The Dynatronics – Vibraphone –
The vibraphone is a sort of aluminium xylophone, once quite popular with jazz musicians (Lionel Hampton played one with the Benny Goodman band at the seminal 1938 Carnegie Hall concert). This latest single from The Dynatronics extols the joys of the instrument, though sadly doesn’t feature one. They played a great set at the Face Bar recently. https://www.instagram.com/
thedynatronics
10. The Paradox Twin – Null the System –
Danny Sorrell is the creative force behind The Paradox Twin, who have been been on the Wokingham-based White Star Records label since 2018. This track is from the recently released third album, A Romance of Many Dimensions, which explores the blurring between the real world and our digital existence. We look forward to seeing them live on the main stage at Wokingham Festival in August. https://www.theparadoxtwin.com/
You can listen to all the songs featured in our Spotify playlist at https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday
