Words about music (639): Randy Newman

My music has a high irritation factor. I've always tried to say something. Eccentric lyrics about eccentric people. Often it was a joke. But I would plead guilty on the grounds that I prefer eccentricity to the bland.

Randy Newman

Have You Ever Seen the Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS?: Troglodyte

photo: Joona Paavola

Finnish trio Have You Ever Seen the Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS? name themselves a "flower-garage" act, which is some sort of accurate for their latest single Troglodyte, with a prominent role for a fuzzy sounding synth as the lead instrument. It is a late night retro-dance floor anthem that can hold its own when exposed to the daylight of a Summer festival. The track will included on their forthcoming album Maine Coon, due for release on June 23 via VILD Recordings.

Phish: Spring Tour webcasts

Phish will webcast the shows of their Spring tour via LivePhish in HD and 4K. Various bundles are available. The tour kicks off at with a 3-night stand in Orange Beach on May 27.

Live dates:

• 05/27 The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL
• 05/28 The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL
• 05/29 The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL
• 05/31 Credit One Stadium, Charleston, SC
• 06/01 Credit One Stadium, Charleston, SC
• 06/03 Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN
• 06/04 Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN
• 06/05 Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN
• 07/14 Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
• 07/15 Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
• 07/16 Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, ME
• 07/19 TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia, PA
• 07/20 TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia, PA
• 07/22 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY
• 07/23 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY
• 07/24 Xfinity Theatre, Hartford, CT
• 07/26 Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
• 07/27 Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
• 07/29 Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC
• 07/30 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
• 07/31 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
• 08/02 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
• 08/03 Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
• 08/05 Atlantic City Beach, Atlantic City, NJ
• 08/06 Atlantic City Beach, Atlantic City, NJ
• 08/07 Atlantic City Beach, Atlantic City, NJ
• 08/10 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON
• 08/12 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
• 08/13 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
• 08/14 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
• 09/01 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
• 09/02 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
• 09/03 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
• 09/04 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

» phish.com

Red Hearted Vibrations: Dead Girl Walking

Glaswegian rock band Red Hearted Vibrations filmed the video for their new single Dead Girl Walking in a prison in Inverary, telling the tale of inmate of death row. They went for a big guitar sound, with a country-tinged harmonica part to kick the ball rolling and set the stage for Laura Nelson's powerful vocals. They used a bit of North-American imagery for the cclip, like the orange uniforms worn by the band members.

The band's guitarist Ewan Driver used the stories from his grandma who grew up near HMP Barlinnie in the days when the death penalty was still part of the penal system in the UK (it was abolished in 1969).

Porcupine Tree: Herd Culling

Porcupine Tree posted a visualizer for their new single, Herd Culling, a return to their prog metal phase with guitarist and singer Steven Wilson describing the faux safety of a tree house in a post-apocalyptic world. Drummer Gavin Harrison brought his A-game for this one - note the syncopation. Richard Barbieri enters the party a little later, with tasty, percussive synths. According to the tracklisting for the new album Closure / Continuation, the full track will be a little over 7 minutes. The new record will beleased in a wealth of formats on 24th June 2022.