Artists
Rocket Kings Release New Album ‘Paving The Way’ with a Playful Video for Title Track
Studio CarryOnHarry : The vibrant indie pop ensemble, Rocket Kings, is back with their eagerly awaited sophomore album, ‘Paving The Way,’ featuring 12 original tracks that promise to be a delightful musical journey. The band has unveiled the album with a fun-filled video for the title track, providing a taste of what listeners can expect.
Formed in 2016, Rocket Kings comprises five talented musicians: Dave Stewart (ukulele, vocals), Bex Crossland (vocals, ukulele), David Heath (drums), Jess Tuthill (ukulele, vocals), and Yoshiko Nakayama (bass). United by their passion for music, the band exudes infectious positivity through their upbeat, original pop-rock compositions. With three ukuleles in their lineup, along with bass and drums, Rocket Kings have redefined ukepop, offering a unique sound that’s unlike anything else.
‘Paving the Way’ was recorded, engineered, mixed, and mastered at Creative Control Studio in Bracknell by Josh McCrohan, who has played a pivotal role in shaping Rocket Kings’ sound. Dave Stewart produced the album in collaboration with McCrohan, a seasoned producer known for his work with renowned artists like Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull, Echo & The Bunnymen, Squeeze, Paul Young, and Fairport Convention, among others.
Dave Stewart, a core member of the band, shared his excitement about the album, saying, “We are really excited to share this album with people. It is chock full of Rocket Kings signature sounds and, as with our first album, these 12 songs are laden with top tunes and harmonies. The overall sound is perhaps a little more rocky this time around, and we regularly use overdrive and phaser pedals. We even have trumpet on a couple of tracks.”
One of the notable aspects of ‘Paving the Way’ is the collaborative approach to song arrangements, reflecting the band’s growth and cohesion. Stewart added, “The song arrangements were more collaborative this time around, partly because we feel like we are all playing better than ever as a band and we feed off each other with creative ideas. Also partly because the band found themselves with time to meet up just after Covid without gigs to practice for. Amongst other things, there are songs about space (a regular theme for the band), yellow birds, missing museums, faithful dogs, tall tales and the Berlin Wall.”
‘Paving the Way’ is a follow-up to Rocket Kings’ 2021 album ‘Everyday Adventures,’ and it showcases the band’s diverse musical influences, ranging from Teenage Fanclub, Lou Reed, and The Kinks to The Wedding Present, Status Quo, and The La’s. The band recently treated fans to a series of demos from 2016, titled ‘Intense Whirlwind.’
The album ‘Paving the Way’ is now available digitally and on limited edition vinyl and CD via Bandcamp. Fans can also stream the album on popular platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
Album Tracklist:
- Fading Star
- She’s Going to Mars
- Damn Tired
- The Yellow Bird of Fortune
- Far From Home
- Dream Undream
- Paving the Way
- We’ve Really Got a Good Thing Going
- Say it with a Smile
- Tall Tale Teller
- The Time of Our Lives
- The Ballad of Caroline and Walter
CREDITS
All songs written by Dave Stewart except ‘Damn Tired’ and ‘Say it with a Smile’, which were written by Jess Tuthill
Recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered by Josh McCrohan at Creative Control Studio in Bracknell
Produced by Dave Stewart and Josh McCrohan
Bex Crossland sang, played the ukulele, piano and tambourine.
Greg Forys played bass.
David Heath played the drums.
Dave Stewart sang, played the ukulele, shaker and tambourine.
Jess Tuthill sang and played the ukulele.
Richard Vanryne played trumpet on ‘The Yellow Bird of Fortune’ and ‘Say it with a Smile’.
The choir on ‘The Time of Our Lives’: Ben Ash, Nicola Blair, Jude Brindley, Dawn Challis, Chris Clements, Anna Freshwater, James Gildersleve, Jason Helmore, Ruth Horbury, Alison Hull, Jane Jones, Stella Murphy, Barbara O’Donovan, Frances Osang, Zoe Robinson, Helen Savidge, Chris Taylor, Jayne Tricker, Alan Turner.
Front cover photo by Liz Pearmain
Powered by SgAiSolution
Related Posts
Canadian Blues Veteran Wailin’ Walker Sets New Album ‘Bluesmen’ for September 2026
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk Blues artist Wailin' Walker has scheduled the September 9, 2026 debut of his album Bluesmen…
Berlin Producer FANCI Steps From Behind the Boards With Debut Single “Funky Sexy Cool”
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk FANCI, a Berlin musician who has recently worked as a producer for other German artists,…
Two New String Quartets to Premiere at Pasadena Concert Spotlighting Latin American Composers
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk This fall, the Hispano String Quartet will debut two newly composed works as part of…
Nashville Newcomer Aron Orlando’s Debut Single “My Romance” Gets Wide Release Push
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk Aron Orlando, a Nashville recording artist, has debuted his single "My Romance" across major streaming…
Boni Jane’s ‘The Kissing Tree’ Transforms a Personal Moment Into a Story of Longing and Hope
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk Singer-songwriter Boni Jane has released a new single, "The Kissing Tree," built around a fictional…
Football League activity
FOOTBALL LEAGUE is a creative activity book for anyone who loves football and hands‑on art. Whether you’re a fan who…
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk
Blues artist Wailin’ Walker has scheduled the September 9, 2026 debut of his album Bluesmen via Jitterbug Records, according to the announcement.
The release comes almost exactly a year after Walker’s last album, Blues Lightnin’, which the announcement states reached the No. 1 spot on Canada’s blues charts within days of its September 2025 release. That back-to-back turnaround is notable for an artist whose catalog has otherwise been built over decades: Walker began his recording career in 1978 alongside The Houserockers and subsequently produced six independent blues records, according to the announcement.
Walker’s earlier records have had international reach. The Devil Made Me Play It, put out under the Amsterdam label Double Trouble Records, topped blues charts in the Netherlands, Spain and Australia, per the announcement. No Regrets and All Fired Up later topped blues charts in the United States and Canada. The announcement also credits Walker as a songwriter for Long John Baldry and Powder Blues, and lists a run as house band at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom for 78 shows, along with a stretch touring with the Jerry Doucette Band from 2006 to 2018. Walker’s music has ranked No. 2 on the Roots Music Report in 2014-2015 and No. 1 in 2024-2025, the announcement states.
Walker has said he was personally mentored by Buddy Guy, Pee Wee Crayton and Otis Rush, and has shared stages with Johnny Winter, George Thorogood and Stevie Ray Vaughan, according to the announcement. Such associations situate Walker within a dwindling cohort of contemporary blues performers who have worked directly with blues music pioneers.
No further details on Bluesmen — including tracklist, personnel or recording location — were included in the announcement.
Studio CarryOnHarry Perspective
At Studio CarryOnHarry, we see Walker’s mentorship lineage as perhaps his most significant legacy. In an era when direct connections to blues music’s foundational architects are disappearing, Walker represents a living conduit between generations—trained by Buddy Guy, Pee Wee Crayton, and Otis Rush, figures who shaped the electric blues sound itself. This isn’t merely biographical trivia; it’s cultural preservation. Each album Walker releases carries forward the accumulated knowledge and artistic sensibility of musicians who might otherwise fade into history as names in liner notes. With Bluesmen arriving in 2026, Walker has an opportunity to explicitly honor and transmit what those legends taught him, ensuring their influence doesn’t dilute through abstraction but remains tangible in contemporary recordings. For blues listeners and historians alike, Walker’s work functions as a bridge—proof that the tradition remains vital and evolving, not archived.
Read more People’s Choice stories on Studio CarryOnHarry. Reporting via Live News Vault.
Press Releases at Studio CarryOnHarry
Powered by SgAiSolution
Related Posts
Berlin Producer FANCI Steps From Behind the Boards With Debut Single “Funky Sexy Cool”
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk FANCI, a Berlin musician who has recently worked as a producer for other German artists,…
Two New String Quartets to Premiere at Pasadena Concert Spotlighting Latin American Composers
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk This fall, the Hispano String Quartet will debut two newly composed works as part of…
Nashville Newcomer Aron Orlando’s Debut Single “My Romance” Gets Wide Release Push
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk Aron Orlando, a Nashville recording artist, has debuted his single "My Romance" across major streaming…
Boni Jane’s ‘The Kissing Tree’ Transforms a Personal Moment Into a Story of Longing and Hope
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk Singer-songwriter Boni Jane has released a new single, "The Kissing Tree," built around a fictional…
Football League activity
FOOTBALL LEAGUE is a creative activity book for anyone who loves football and hands‑on art. Whether you’re a fan who…
CryptaBox Releases New Music Video “A Coded Sunrise” from Their Latest Album Digital Balance
Washington, DC, November 28, 2025 --(CarryOnHarry.com)-- CryptaBox, an independent electronic music project exploring the intersection of digital aesthetics, cyber-culture, and modern…
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk
FANCI, a Berlin musician who has recently worked as a producer for other German artists, has unveiled his debut single "Funky Sexy Cool." It’s the first taste of what’s described as his debut solo album, aimed at an international audience.
The move to a solo release follows a career that started well before FANCI worked behind a mixing board. His musical foundation started at age six with piano; he later studied guitar with Rudy Stevenson, who has worked with George Benson and Nina Simone. Stevenson also mentored FANCI as a songwriter. Diana Music & Vision Publishing signed him after hearing his early demos, leading to the release of two tracks on Wemby Records under the Gemini moniker. — releases the announcement credits with regional success, though no specific chart or sales figures are cited.
From there, FANCI moved into production work for other artists while separately writing toward a full album under his own name. The music blends rock, soul, pop, new wave and funk, drawing inspiration from artists like Jamiroquai, Prince, Curtis Mayfield, Peter Gabriel and David Bowie. Other coverage of the artist has referred to him as FANCI FUNK, suggesting the funk influence extends to how he’s being branded, not just how he’s being described.
No release date has been given for the full album "Funky Sexy Cool" is drawn from, and the announcement doesn’t specify how the single has performed since release.
In association with Radio Pluggers
Studio CarryOnHarry Perspective
At Studio CarryOnHarry, we recognize that FANCI’s emergence as a solo artist represents something often overlooked in debut narratives: the quiet power of mentorship across generations. Rudy Stevenson’s fingerprints on this story matter because they connect FANCI directly to a lineage of musical sophistication—the same hands that guided George Benson and Nina Simone’s artistry are now shaping a new voice. This isn’t merely credentialing; it’s DNA. When FANCI channels soul, jazz-inflected guitar work, and lyrical depth, he’s inheriting lessons from two masters who understood how to balance technical mastery with emotional authenticity. For listeners, this context transforms "Funky Sexy Cool" from a promising debut into a continuation of a mentorship tradition that prioritizes craft and character over trend-chasing. In an era of algorithm-driven discovery, FANCI’s path—rooted in human instruction and artistic lineage—stands as a reminder that the most durable artists are often shaped by those who came before.
Read more People’s Choice stories on Studio CarryOnHarry. Reporting via Live News Vault.
Press Releases at Studio CarryOnHarry
Powered by SgAiSolution
Related Posts
Canadian Blues Veteran Wailin’ Walker Sets New Album ‘Bluesmen’ for September 2026
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk Blues artist Wailin' Walker has scheduled the September 9, 2026 debut of his album Bluesmen…
Two New String Quartets to Premiere at Pasadena Concert Spotlighting Latin American Composers
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk This fall, the Hispano String Quartet will debut two newly composed works as part of…
Nashville Newcomer Aron Orlando’s Debut Single “My Romance” Gets Wide Release Push
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk Aron Orlando, a Nashville recording artist, has debuted his single "My Romance" across major streaming…
Boni Jane’s ‘The Kissing Tree’ Transforms a Personal Moment Into a Story of Longing and Hope
Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk Singer-songwriter Boni Jane has released a new single, "The Kissing Tree," built around a fictional…
Football League activity
FOOTBALL LEAGUE is a creative activity book for anyone who loves football and hands‑on art. Whether you’re a fan who…
CryptaBox Releases New Music Video “A Coded Sunrise” from Their Latest Album Digital Balance
Washington, DC, November 28, 2025 --(CarryOnHarry.com)-- CryptaBox, an independent electronic music project exploring the intersection of digital aesthetics, cyber-culture, and modern…
-
Interviews6 days agoTagore Almeida discusses the deeply personal journey behind SALIGIA
-
Editor's Choice4 days agoSpider-Man: Brand New Day Dethrones Avatar 2 as 3rd Highest-Grossing Film Ever
-
Artists6 days agoBerlin Producer FANCI Steps From Behind the Boards With Debut Single “Funky Sexy Cool”
-
Books6 days agoCan Machines Study the Mind? New Book Uses AI to Examine Consciousness Fundamentalism
-
Artists4 days agoCanadian Blues Veteran Wailin’ Walker Sets New Album ‘Bluesmen’ for September 2026
-
Books6 days agoOrdained Minister Publishes Memoir on Addiction, Faith and His Mother’s Prayers