Tag: Americana

Song of the Day Machete – Gena Perala

Canadian singer-songwriter GENA PERALA unleashes a bold, cinematic anthem with ‘Machete’ — a fearless blend of grit, glamour, and emotional intensity that cuts straight through the noise.

‘Machete’ wasn’t part of the original recording plan. “I already had more than enough songs,” Gena says. “But after our first day in the studio, I played a rough idea for the band. Within 20 minutes they had cooked up this killer arrangement—I knew right away the song had to be on the album.” That night, Gena finished writing the lyrics. By the next day, Machete had fully taken shape.

The track draws from a personal story of subtle but persistent bullying Gena faced as an adult in a sport she loved. “It wasn’t always overt, but the exclusion was real. One night I came home and thought, ‘Do I quit? Or do I fight for myself?’ I wrote this song. Needless to say, I fought.”

Sonically, Machete is a smoky slow burn—badass, brooding, and a little dangerous. With its spaghetti western swagger and femme fatale energy, it’s no surprise fans have said it sounds like it belongs in a Tarantino film. “I love the way it turned out,” Gena says. “There’s nothing else on the album—or anywhere—that quite sounds like it.”

The cover art adds another layer of personal history to the release — a photo taken by Gena’s father somewhere on the carnival in rural Manitoba. It features a young Gena, her brother, and the gypsies, capturing a moment that feels both timeless and dreamlike. “It’s wild how well it fits the spirit of the song,” she says. “Something about that image—the little girls with the guns. It’s a paradox: innocence armed with defiance.”

‘Machete’ follows the release of Gena’s first two singles, ‘I’m Gone’ and ‘Goodbye Friend’ offering a bold new glimpse into her upcoming album.

Connect with Gena Perala via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/GenaPeralaMusic/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/genaperala
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@genaperala
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@genaperala

Source: Gena Perala

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Sad Americana singer-songwriter Gena Perala looks to brighter horizon on single, ‘I’m Gone’

Every summer, we look for songs that transcend us to scenes of warm air amidst comfortable settings, a cool evening breeze with a drink in hand, memorable moments with loved ones, and of course, hitting the open road with the windows down.

This – and quite possibly – the prospect of fearlessly ending one chapter of our lives and beginning the next.

Enter GENA PERALA, who released her breezy yet courageous country-flaired single, ‘I’m Gone.’

Sweeping in like the impending summer breeze, ‘I’m Gone’ makes its introduction with a welcoming banjo lick and acoustic guitar that soon gives way into a mellow modern-meets-traditional country groove equipped with pedal steel and all.

Perala’s honeyed vocals swoon from verse to chorus, and create a call to action of simply moving on and looking ahead to brighter horizons. “I don’t like crying / It’s true / I really don’t like crying / Crying over you / I don’t like waiting / It’s true / I sure as hell don’t like waiting / Waiting for you,” she sings, drawing out the “I’s” with impressive vocal precision.

“’I’m Gone’ is about knowing when to walk away,” Perala states. “It’s about refusing to stay where you’re not valued and trusting that something better is waiting—even if you can’t see it yet.”

The track blends heartbreak with quiet strength, and speaks to anyone who’s had to choose themselves over comfort. With its raw lyrics, rich harmonies, and driving acoustic instrumentation, the track balances heartbreak and empowerment in equal measure.

‘I’m Gone’ is the lead single from Perala’s upcoming album, Somewhere New, and it sets the tone for a story rooted in grit, heartache, and self-discovery. Common themes include choosing yourself, trusting that there’s something better ahead, and appreciating the simple things in life. “I think underneath it all, the album is really about resilience, hope, and staying true to who you are,” Perala says. The album is slated for a fall release.

Connect with Gena Perala via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/GenaPeralaMusic/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/genaperala
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@genaperala
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@genaperala

Source: Gena Perala

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OUT TODAY: The Grand Cru share single, ’17’

If you were going to ask what songwriting team have individually toured the world  performing, written for The Korgis, Cliff Richard, Slash, Meatloaf, had their songs  played on BBC Radio 2, supported Celine Dion, played Jesus on the West End stage, performed sell out shows in theatres around the UK, have won some of the most prestigious songwriting awards in the world and now are writing a song about feeling 17 again! There would only be one name on that list… THE GRAND CRU!

International songwriting team The Grand Cru (comprising of Welsh and American talent) have a brand new single waiting to be embraced by the listeners entitled ’17’ (featuring The Grand Cru member Darren Parry on lead vocal duties) which comes from their 8 track album… ‘September 11 – Music To Heal Your Soul’.

This catchy, memorable, upbeat, Country/Americana influenced track was co-written between three well known Welsh male singer/songwriters and a sassy, female US (Floridian) songwriter.

The Grand Cru includes ex Jesus Christ Superstar lead, Steve Balsamo (who’s written for Slash, Meatloaf, Cliff Richard) and ex member of  The Story’s and Balsamo/Deighton. Also on ‘The Cru’ is multi-award winning Welsh singer/songwriter Darren Parry, who’s a former UK Songwriting Contest winner, Billboard, Unisong, ISSA and USA Song Of The Year award winner (who has co-written with The Korgis, Dan and Laura Curtis and others). The third Welshman is Rhondda’s multi-talented Lee Gilbert who is an acclaimed singer /actor. His 25 year career has spanned from theatre, radio and TV work which runs alongside his very busy music career.

The fourth member and brainchild of ‘The Cru’ is Florida based Bonnie Skop, whose family has a long history in music; including her Dad managing Ted Nugent and Bob Seger in their early days! The Grand Cru get their name from the French words… meaning “a wine of the most superior grade”. These songwriters are certainly that!

Darren says of the latest offering: “Steve, Lee, Bonnie and I wrote “17” predominantly on Zoom over the last 6 months or so, we wanted it to have an all American kinda feel to it”. Darren continues: ”We wanted to write something that encapsulated the excitement and emotion of falling in love as a teenager, reminiscing about a time gone by when love captured your heart and the emotions of youth”.

’17’ is the second single from their album following on from single, ‘I Was There’, which was shown on the big screen for the National Guard (EANGUS) 9/11 Remembrance  Gala at The One World Trade Centre building in New York on 11th Sept this year  for a star – studded event, hosted by Kelsey Grammer (Frasier).

’17’ is was released today (8th November) on all good music platforms. Have a listen below…

Connect with The Grand Cru via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/p/the-grand-cru-61565108634490/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_grand_cru_songwriters_/

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OUT TODAY: The Far North Shares Debut Single, ‘This House Is Ours’

Consisting of singer /songwriter/guitarist Lee Wylding and drummer, Andie Packer, THE FAR NORTH shares their first single, ‘This House Is Ours’, out now via Red Lantern Records.

With the fleetingness of the guitar and drums creating a gleeful Americana tone, Lee described the brand new offering as “a joyous celebration of all the little things in life, an appreciation of the ones you love and remember to live in the moment, eschewing material possessions in favour of making memories with those you hold dear and love.”

The Far North are no strangers to the music circuit as Lee was the frontman of UK Americana band, The Fireflys for 12 years, where Andie was the drummer. Based in Runcorn, North West of England, the band has received a firm backing from major music tastemakers such as NME, Music Insider, BBC Manchester, BBC Liverpool and Amazing Radio.

Since the dissolution of The Fireflys in 2019, Lee has been in talks with noted UK producer/songwriter Nigel Stonier (Joan Baez, Robert Plant, Martha Wainwright, Lindisfarne, The Waterboys and Fairpoint Convention). After Demoing 25 songs, the pair began working on The Far North’s debut album, titled ‘Songs For Gentle Souls’, due for release 4th September via Red Lantern Records.

Influenced by the likes of Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, the album – recorded at Manchester’s Airtight Studios – delves into Lee’s rawest emotive songwriting, spanning from personal experiences. ‘Song For Gentle Souls’ features new renditions of Firefly’s singles, including ‘Branches’ and ‘When We Were Young’. Also a Firefly’s song, ‘This House Is Ours’, which originally adopts a rustic folkore feel, leads the album with a feathery light makeover, still retaining the message of appreciation for life and loved ones.

With their impressive track record on the alternative music radar, the embracing warmth of ‘This House Is Ours ’may place The Far North’s new journey in a very promising position.

‘This House Is Ours’ will be available on 24th July on all major download and streaming sites, including Apple Music, Amazon Music and Spotify

Connect with The Far North via:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefarnorthmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thefarnorthband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_farnorthband/
Website: https://www.thefarnorth.co.uk/

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New Music Video: Runaway Devil – House Above The Sun

Hailing from South London, HOUSE ABOVE THE SUN have released a rather interesting production for their brand new single, ‘Runaway Devil’, released on Friday.

‘Runaway Devil’ – taken from their forthcoming debut album, ‘Five Hours North’ – is a guitar-drenched offering which heavily draws influence from gritty roots/blues, folk and Americana.

This four piece have drawn comparisons with acts as diverse as First Aid Kit, White Stripes, Black Keys and Stone Roses, building on core influences from rock artists including Dylan, The Doors and Tom Petty and alt-country like Gram Parsons and Uncle Tupelo.

Currently they are building-up a burgeoning following around the capital’s folk and roots underground, including a triumphant appearance at the recent Merge festival on London’s South Bank. Their ever-growing following has earned these guys back-to-back live performances in London for the remainder of the year.

Have a listen to ‘Runaway Devil’… if you like sound of this band, go and show your support at one of their shows:

Saturday, Sept 9 – The Pack and Carriage, 162 Eversholt St, Kings Cross, London NW1 1BL
Thursday, Sept 14 – Biddle Bros, 88 Lower Clapton Rd, London E5 0QR
Saturday, Oct 7 – The Finborough arms, 118 Finborough Rd, Kensington, London SW10 9ED
Wednesday, Oct 11 – Fiddler’s Elbow, 1 Malden Rd, Camden, London NW5 3HS
Wednesday Oct 25 – Chalk Farm Folk, The Monarch, Camden
Wednesday Nov 8 – Mark Beaumont Presents, The Monarch, Camden
Wednesday Nov 22 – Chalk Farm Folk, The Monarch, Camden ‘The Last Waltz’ night

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