top of page
Writer's picturephotogroupie

This week's round-up: New music from Samantha Fish, Finger Eleven and Maxïmo Park








Samantha Fish is gearing up to release new live performance recordings on Rounder Records, starting with a powerful rendition of “Better Be Lonely” on August 23rd.


Originally featured on her 2021 chart-topping album Faster, the alternative version of “Better Be Lonely” captures the raw energy and magnetic stage presence that Fish is known for. These upcoming releases follow a banner year of touring, where Fish shared the stage with legends like Slash, Eric Clapton, and The Rolling Stones, solidifying her place as a modern guitar hero showing no signs of slowing.

“Better Be Lonely” was recorded in Nashville during a live performance video shoot. This live track captures the essence of the album's themes—taking control in both relationships and life, with a focus on empowerment. Fish's rebellious energy pulses through “Better Be Lonely,” a loose and freewheeling track driven by a blistering guitar solo.



About performing live, Samantha declares, “Making albums is one of my favourite things to do, it’s an opportunity to reinvent myself and my sound… but the stage is where we go to really bring the songs to life. I feel like I connect the most with my audience from the stage. There is something so special about that kind of energy. It’s raw, no frills… no big fixes or edits. It’s what you can do with the moment, so I think it’s important to attempt to bottle that.” 

Fish, an award-winning singer/songwriter and guitar powerhouse, teamed up with Outlaw Country icon Jesse Dayton to record 2023’s collaborative album Death Wish Blues. The Grammy-nominated record debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart and stayed there for three consecutive weeks, marking Fish's fifth chart-topping album.


2024 has been another standout year for Samantha Fish. She kicked off with a high-profile performance alongside Eric Clapton at his Crossroads tour stop in Los Angeles, followed by a triumphant return to the New Orleans Jazz Fest, where she captivated 30,000 fans. Fish's momentum continued as she joined Slash on his S.E.R.P.E.N.T. tour, and later opened for The Rolling Stones during the final show of their North American tour. Her relentless touring schedule rolls on with more U.S. dates before she joins the 'Experience Hendrix' tour in September, and in October, Fish will take her band across the Atlantic for a month of shows in the U.K. and Europe. 

Having graced the covers of Guitar World and Vintage Guitar, Samantha Fish has become a favourite of the music press. No Depression effused, “Samantha Fish can take you for a ride in the country, blow your blues away, or body slam you with some raucous rawk from her oil-can guitar,” The New York Times declared, “For the last decade, she has been one of the most promising young blues performers working, a punchy singer and a rowdy guitarist. Variety Magazine called her “a badass, slide-guitar wielding female from Kansas City lobbing some blues wailing rock and roll,” and Offbeat Magazine stated that Samantha was, “Well on her way to becoming an international star.”


Not just stunning but a whirlwind too, touring at least 250 days a year and playing to sold-out crowds in the U.S., U.K., Europe, and Australia. With live tracks like "Better Be Lonely," she's bringing the concert experience to more listeners than ever before.





5X Platinum-selling and Juno Award-winning rock outfit FINGER ELEVEN reveal the music video for their latest single “Adrenaline”--a rousing, intense anthem about banding together, even in tough times, to push forward--released digitally earlier this month via Better Noise Music. Watch it streaming below or via YouTube HERE



Adrenaline” was one of the Most Added tracks in the U.S. and is quickly climbing up the Active Rock charts. In Canada, it achieved the #1 Most Added spot for two consecutive weeks and is currently in the Top 10 at #9on the Canadian Active Rock chart,  making it the most-increased song this week. Listen/download “Adrenaline” at https://fingereleven.ffm.to/adrenaline.


One of the best-selling Canadian bands of all time, FINGER ELEVENScott Anderson (vocals), James Black (lead guitar, backing vocals), Rick Jackett (rhythm guitar), Sean Anderson (bass), and Steve Molella(drums)— recently crossed 1 billion overall career streams, averaging 5 million streams per week. The Toronto-based band have released a series of consecutive hit albums and chart-topping singles including “One Thing,” “Paralyzer,” and “Together Right,” which topped the radio charts for five weeks in a row at #1.   


FINGER ELEVEN is currently on tour across North America with rock icons Creed on their “Summer of ‘99” tour which features additional interchanging support from Three Doors Down, Daughtry, Switchfoot, Tonic,and Big Wreck. The band will make a stop at Louder Than Life festival during the jaunt and will also appear as direct support to Creed back in Canada for two arena shows in November.  See dates below. Tickets are on sale now at http://fingereleven.com/.





 Maxïmo Park are today sharing new single 'Quiz Show Clue'. It's the latest new music to be taken from the band's forthcoming album Stream Of Life, which lands on September 27th via Lower Third.


The band have so far introduced the new album with the lean and direct lead single ‘Your Own Worst Enemy’, and the brisk power-pop of 'The End Can Be As Good As The Start'. Having explored in those songs the cyclical nature of mistake-making and the strength it takes to hold onto faith in the future, 'Quiz Show Clue' looks at how we ascribe value to ourselves.



Lead singer Paul Smith had the following to say about the new single: "This song is a tongue-in-cheek take on being left behind or ignored by society, It mirrors my own working-class art-school background, but surely everybody feels like a nobody at some point?!"



Also announced today are a run of album launch shows set to take place on top of the album release in September, in conjunction with local independent record shops. Tickets will be on sale from 10am on Tuesday 20th August here.


Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating
bottom of page