Hello all

It seems I wrote an email to send in January and then never pressed send….. how can you ever forgive me. Your Memorials of Distinction newsletter has been rotting in the drafts, and all the while you’ve had no idea about several bits of amazing music. Hopefully the addition of some more music to add will make up for it! But sorry about the super length of this in advance. But it will bear rewarding fruit, I promise you that.

Truthpaste will See You Around

First up, we have this amazingly sweet collective of musicians, formed in Manchester and now based between there and London, and their debut single See You Around. Some stunning guitar picking work, well crafted instrumentals, but also just a fundementally good vibe and catchy tune - we don’t get enough of that, especially not from me. It’s a little ray of sunshine, perfectly captured in their perfect music video.

It’s out today and it’s wonderful. Streaming it on the platforms here.

Isolated Youth: Gloomy romance from Sweden

Now, to something gloomier. The next album out on Memorials of Distinction will be 'miserere mei' by Isolated Youth out 4th of April. Produced by Faris Badwan from the Horrors and Max Hayes - it's the sound of a darkwave band from cold nowheresville Sweden sizing up to stadium ready bangers and sounding every bit the part.

Centred around brothers William (older, guitar, songwriting) and Axel (younger, singing, frontmanning) the band have been working on this record tirelessly for years, after releasing early EPs on the amazing Fabrika Records, and it's an honor to play a part at this point in their development.

Both 'Love Locked in a Dark Room' and ‘Miserere Mei’ singles out now - both with a lolloping swagger, full of seething love and hate. The sound these guys are making is just amazing - the drama, the darkness, the grandeur - i love it!

In other very big news… RIP Porridge Radio

The final Porridge Radio release has been released: The Machine Starts To Sing EP. It’s a really special EP… it’s all stuff that is perfectly formed, and would have been on Clouds In The Sky… if not for the fact that LPs need to be certain lengths… It’s golden material, some of their best ever.

Don't miss those tour dates.

End of an era. This band has obviously been my world for a long time! Wow.

Naima Bock

Naima Bock’s album Below A Massive Dark Land is still worth a listen. She has a special London show in July, and some other dates announced! Tickets here.

Grove

Grove is recovering from an injury, but will soon be continuing to play a slew of amazing shows while also cooking up something incredible. Upcoming EU/UK dates here.

Thanks all for listening, looking and paying attention.

Josh