The Hot 5

Show Intro Music

This is a no-nonsense to the point podcast helping you discover brilliant new independent music!

Links to the artists on the show today that are available on Apple Music & Bandcamp are provided in the show description Other links to the artists can also be found on our social media channels

That’s the boring bit out the way let’s get to what you came here for .… Listening to great Independent music!

So getting us going today at number 5 is For Us All by Asgard Raven

Asgard Raven is an Indie-rock artist from the south of England, UK and The track For us All was released in March of this year.

Producing songs based on his experiences during deployments with the Army, as well as drawing on his many musical influences including punk, rock, blues and indie music, Asgard Raven produces a unique landscape of sound reminiscent of early 90s brit pop and rock records!

The track For Us All is an energetic rock’n’roll song, which highlights the challenges, barriers and loneliness, that people can often face when trying to get on in the world, especially if they don’t conform to the ’norm’.

It also looks at how we as humans can’t always see when people are struggling, and how by being there we can support those we care about!

This is one of my favourite artists as there is definitely an oasis influence, which being one of my favourite ever bands is always a good start with me!

Here is For Us All by Asgard Raven

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That was For Us All by Asgard Raven

Next up at No 4 is Out Of Sight by Emerald Falls

Emerald Falls are a fantastic 5 piece country rock band from the South of England, proving that America isn’t the only country that does this genre well!

If you know your country music, then one thing you’ll take from this track is the Eagles type sound combined with a Luke Combs / Toby Keith type guitar driven riff style which to me is a perfect combo!

Their 5 track EP titled The Debut and 3 previous singles has seen the guys rack up over 30,000 streams, and the one thing I have noticed about these guys, is how much better the production and songwriting has got since the first release, showing me these guys are going places!

They have previously featured at festivals such as Victorious, OffTheHook Fest and M Fest to name a few, now in 2024 will see them release 3 new singles and showcase at festivals like Chickenstock, Sheb Fest and many more.

If you love a bit of country rock, you’re gonna love this one!

Here is Out Of Sight by Emerald Falls

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That was Out Of Sight by Emerald Falls

Next up at No 3 is Anytime By Laura Musgrave

Laura Musgrave is a singer songwriter from Leicestershire in the UK, who is making confessional lyric writing her trademark, blending personal lyrics into her pop rock style!

Laura says a lot of her songs are about love and relationships or overcoming challenges in life & says that she want to give you the that feeling you’re living and breathing the emotions in that song.
She has had extensive airplay on radio, locally, nationally & worldwide, won numerous awards in the last couple of years and when you hear this track, you’ll know why.

Anytime is the latest release from Laura and is an emotional chilled pop track about having unwavering support for someone you care about! if you like this one, check out Rent Free & Almost which are previous releases from Laura, which if I’d heard of her before this one, they’d probably been on the show too!

Hear is Anytime By Laura Musgrave

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Right, back to the good stuff! So before the Ad break, I played Anytime By Laura Musgrave

Next up at No 2 is White Spade Symphony by Derek Smith & The Cosmic Vultures

These guys are a 4 piece alternative Rock band from Boston, Massachusetts and White spade symphony was released in April of this year.

They’ve had two back to back nominations at the New England Music Awards for “Artist of the Year” and “Rock Act of the Year” in 2022 and 2023, & Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures are an absolute mainstay of the fabulous New England music scene.

White Spade Symphony first came about in 2017, and appeared on the bands debut EP Black & White, but as the band has evolved over the years, the song has too.

This track is an absolute Gem! I love the chilled, but rocky nature of this one, Derek’s vocal is fantastic & the lead guitar played by Michael Strakus is absolutely electrifying and gives this track it’s real edge and completes it!

Hear is White Spade Symphony by Derek Smith & The Cosmic Vultures

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That was White Spade Symphony by Derek Smith & The Cosmic Vultures

Before we get to No 1, here’s a quick preview of the next episode of the hot 5!

Next Episode Music clips

So that’s what’s on the next episode, now back to todays top song!

No 1 today on The Hot 5 is Stranger by Michelle Forziati

Michelle is a singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and dancer from Massachusetts in the States and Stranger was released in April of this year!

A former ballroom dance instructor, helped her get the role of Jilly Hurley in the 2017 biographical drama film Stronger, about Jeff Baumanʼs recovery, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing.

In 2023, with music being a longtime passion, she finally took the plunge venturing into music, releasing 2 singles Echo To Me & Familiar Face. Stranger at the time of recording is her first single of this year.

Michelle says that message in her music is that it's okay to be a human. It's okay to feel, it's okay to regret, it's okay to move forward through the pain.” And Amen to that!

It was a combo of the atmospheric music and Michelle’s voice that got me hooked on this instantly and this should be on everyones playlist!

But before we listen to todays No 1 why not follow the hot 5 on your preferred podcast platform and make sure you never miss another episode and consider leaving a review if you like the show! You can also listen the latest episode on the Pod Duck Website!

Remember links to the artists on todays show that are available on Apple Music & Bandcamp are in the show description Other links to the artists can also be found on our social media channels so you can really show these guys some love!

The No 1 closing out the show today is Stranger by Michelle Forziati

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