Taking a break from listening to a stack of essential fall releases and reissues by the likes of Rancid, Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, Suzi Quatro (read Popdose’s brand-new interview here), Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood), Delta Spirit and David Corley, here are highlights from the Popdose inbox: 2 world premieres from some fresh new voices, two welcome comebacks from all-time favorites and one interesting new project from a guitarist who’s already having a very good 2014:

Pam Steebler “¢ Help Me Out

Born in Canada, raised in Brazil, schooled at Berklee College of Music with stagecraft honed at gigs all over Boston, Pam Steebler is set to take the national stage with her debut EP due later this winter. The first single, ‘Help Me Out’, provides a monster chorus for this belter to let her voice soar to the heavens. Steebler’s pipes get the big, soaring, Adele-esque pop treatment here but the song is just begging for a dubstep remix (if dubstep is even still a thing) — imagine the EDM hook that could accompany the word “out” on the chorus…


Connect with Pam Steebler on facebook.

Michael Persall “¢ Twice

Michael Persall is another one of those “here comes the smolder” lads you swear you’ve seen on The Voice or America’s Got Talent, but he’s working the clubs on his way up to super stardom, His old school approach is enough to bring a tear to Dave Grohl’s eye (in case you did not hear, Grohl f*ing hates American Idol). Persall has amazing pipes, so don’t hold his “Could Be Harry Styles’ Cousin” good looks against him. Based on his song craft, he could just as easily open for Jack Johnson on tour as he could One Direction. Persall’s full EP is available to stream right here; grab a first listen to the soulful first track, ‘Twice’ below:

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Michael Persall This and That

Connect with Michael Persall on facebook.

Erasure “¢ Reason (Parralox Remix)

I am a freakin’ idiot, Erasure’s latest album, The Violet Flame, has been out for months and I have yet to hear it. Sounds like a return to form potentially eligible for the next edition of Popdose’s “Best New Wave Comebacks Ever” list.

Remixes tend to bore me but this one packs a punch:

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This track is pulled from the Reason Remix EP (out November 24) which will boast some other stellar mixes and an exclusive b-side, ‘Die 4 Love’.

Erasure Violet Flame Deluxe

Buy Erasure’s 2xCD Deluxe Violet Flame.

Buzzcocks “¢ It’s Not You

Speaking of comebacks: The Way,  a new album by evergreen UK boy band, the Buzzcocks, is out on the 18th. Hell the F. yes. Pete Shelley is in fine form, as just about always:

Buzzcocks The Way

Head to your local record store and buy The Way on November 18th.

Big Noble “¢ PEG

Interpol  is already having a banner year with the comeback, El Pintor. Now guitarist Daniel Kessler steps into the spotlight — well, that might be over-selling it, how about — “steps into even darker shadows” with the release of Big Noble’s debut album First Light (Out digitally 2/3/15). Think Exit Music for a Film. This ambient, beautiful and alluring project is the culmination of a 15 year (and counting) friendship and collaboration between Kessler and sound designer Joseph Fraioliu who describes the band’s sound this way: “immersive and perspective-changing…sonically a lot of the arrangements feel technically vast, but there’s an intimacy that I hope listeners will find addictive to escape within.” What better way to shake off a day of over-indulging in Taylor Swift’s addictive 1989

Big Noble

Connect with Big Noble on facebook.

About the Author

Keith Creighton

Keith is a music correspondent for Popdose and an advocate on women's empowerment, gender identity, and gender liberation issues. He is a monthly new-music contributor to the Planet LP Podcast and is a marketing writer by day for Sudden Monkey.

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