We Speak Indie Artist
The Urban Tales Share Phenomenal Track “Hospital”
The Urban Tales is an alternative rock band from Tel Aviv, Israel that tells about life in the big city as a coming-of-age story. On the brink of their anticipated debut EP Two Pigeons in Straitjackets, the band share the blissful indie-rock dazzler “Hospital”, which is fun-filled, light-hearted yet understatedly hard-hitting and bold. They wanted to create the concept of being locked inside a psychiatric ward and transform it into a funny and grotesque musical, just like “The Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance which is also a huge inspiration for writing the song.
They have done it so eloquently and it’s brilliantly executed, by a band who have no boundaries sonically. You could hear “Hospital” as part of a ’90s rom-com film whilst also instilling it in the modern day, with the personality and vigour of The Urban Tales shining through in this euphoric indie pop-punk offering.
They say: “It’s about having an imperfect balance between sanity and insanity, and finding the brighter sides of it. It’s a twisted and wicked musical that’s occurring in a psychiatric ward.” It’s safe to say that you’ll be swept up with the raucous energy of The Urban Tales, as they set themselves to be the benchmark outfit in their homeland of Israel and beyond. ‘Hospital’ is a song for the ages, and that’s what makes this band such an intriguing and one-of-a-kind listen.
Plain Mister Smith returns with Bric-À-Brac Attack, a beautifully offbeat collection of indie-folk, pop and atmospheric songwriting. Released via Amelia Records, the album finds the Vancouver and London-based multi-hyphenate turning fragments of memory, relationships and everyday absurdity into something quietly cinematic.
At its centre is “Grindavik”, a shimmering, reflective track inspired by the Icelandic town shaped by recent volcanic activity. Bright acoustic guitars and steady drums carry a constantly shifting chord progression, mirroring the song’s central metaphor of a relationship under pressure and the hope that its fissures can eventually heal. Featuring Jordan Klassen and Kitt, the track captures the emotional tension that runs throughout the album.
Elsewhere, Bric-À-Brac Attack moves effortlessly between playful guitar-driven moments, lush arrangements and more introspective passages. “Miss Sunshine” brings infectious energy, while collaborations with Findlay Brown, Leeroy Stagger, Krystle Dos Santos and Tyson Mostenbocher add colour to an already eclectic record.
Former guitarist of Canadian darkwave band Moev and a cellist with the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra, Plain Mister Smith brings an unusually broad musical perspective to his songwriting. Yet Bric-a-Brac attack never feels overly calculated. Instead, it has the charm of something discovered rather than constructed.
Warm, strange, melodic and emotionally searching, Bric-À-Brac Attack is a record that rewards getting lost in its details. Plain Mister Smith may remain deliberately mysterious, but the music itself speaks with remarkable clarity.
Photo credit: Sandra Lockwood
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