By Chris Hillman
THIS year has got off to a flying start, with so much great music being performed, released and created.
If this is kept up across 2023, we’re going to give us a headache choosing which tracks to present to you each week. What a great problem to have.
As ever, we’re on a mission to champion and showcase great music from acts that have a connection to Reading and Wokingham (that’s the RaW in our Sounds Today name).
It’s a mixture that will help you discover something new. All you have to do is find it on Spotify.
To hear this week’s selection, simply head to https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday and enjoy the music.
There is also a Facebook page and group chat that bands and music fans can tap into. You can search for RaW Sounds Today and it will come up.
Gemma Rogers – The Great Escape
London-based Gemma came to Reading in November and performed a great show at The Facebar.
She is clearly a creative emerging talent and it looks like Gemma is going to get the recognition she deserves in 2023.
This song, from her new four-track EP The Great Escape, has even been playlisted on BBC Radio 6 Music and with its infectious melody and clever lyrics it’s not hard to see why.
Take the Great Escape but ‘don’t forget the toothpaste’ – https://www.gemmarogersmusic.com/
Lonely Robot – Lonely Robot
This is the brainchild of Reading producer John Mitchell.
A song from his latest Lonely Robot album, A Model Life, made our Top 10 of 2022.
On Wednesday, February 8, he has a rare live show at London’s Islington Assembly Hall where he and a band of musicians will be performing songs from his five Lonely Robot albums.
This promises to be a very special night and is a good excuse to remind ourselves of this anthem from the debut album Please Come Home – https://www.facebook.com/LonelyRobotband/
Tom Webber – I’m Yours
In the lyrics from this great single from last year, Tom states that he could ‘hitchhike straight from Reading’ but the good news is that he will actually be in Reading on Saturday, February 4, to headline at the Rising Sun Arts Centre.
It’s one of the Club Velocity promoted shows during Independent Venue Week and it’s well worth going along to see an artist that looks set to be a star of the future – https://www.tomwebbermusic.com/
Flutatious – Spacechick (Mitchell Mix)
Flutatious return to Wokingham Music Club this Saturday (January 27) for a double header Wassail event with Spriggan Mist. This live fave from their Fluctuations EP was mixed by Lonely Robot’s John Mitchell – https://www.flutatious.co.uk/
Cities In Dust – Tornado Road
Indie guitar pop from this Reading band who are at another of Club Velocity’s Independent Venue Week shows at Rising Sun Arts Centre on Friday, February 3 – https://linktr.ee/citiesindust
Adomania – I Always Seem to Break Something (At The Party)
They were No 6 in our best of 2022, and here’s their excellent new single – https://www.facebook.com/AdomaniaBand/
Marisa And The Moths – Pedestal
An alt-rock anthem with powerful vocals from a band that will be live at Reading’s Purple Turtle on Sunday, January 29, as part of a UK tour to support their forthcoming Damned If I Do EP release – https://www.marisaandthemoths.com/
Darcy Hope – Landslide
Darcy, from Fleet, released this beautiful version of the Fleetwood Mac classic in November. She will be playing at the Tom Webber Rising Sun Arts Centre show on February 4 – https://darceyhope.com/
Selina and the Howlin Dogs – Who’s That Girl?
They were No 3 in our Top 20 of 2022, and they released this new single in December which features their trademark blues rock sound combined with Selina’s distinctive vocals – https://www.selinaandthehowlindogs.com/
Jessie Smith – WKD
His voice is so good that he has been heard singing in the band on Strictly Come Dancing and now Jessie, who performed in his hometown of Reading at Third Lung’s Sub89 show, has released his debut solo single – https://www.jessesmithuk.com/
