Ex Norwegian: Spook Du Jour

Roger Houdaille is never out of ideas for another record by his Miami based neo-psychedelic power pop project Ex Norwegian. Spook Du Jour is his 13th album, a musical journey touching base with a wealth of genres. There is the swagger of glam rock, a nod to the accessible branch of Krautrock, and alternative and straight up rawk playing catch. Carefully sequenced it is basically like tuning into a radio show that offers half an hour of goodies that sound both familiar and fresh.

He treats synths and guitar as equal partners, picks his effects like a kid in a candy store, while never letting the groove getting out of his sight. As a producer Houdaille knows his fair share about dynamics and clarity. When he pushes the fuzz pedal he somehow manages to make it sound jubilant. Picking songs to highlight from this an embarrassment of riches is next to impossible. All killer, no filler.

Phish 2022 Summer Tour SBD + torrents: Toronto 2022/08/10

Toronto City poster by Miles Tsang

Phish
2022/08/10
Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON

Set 1:

1. Sigma Oasis ->
2. Blaze On
3. Steam
4. My Sweet One
5. Theme From the Bottom >
6. Wombat
7. Stash
8. Sand

The Special Pillow: Mind Wipe

Hoboken psych rock quartet The Special Pillow are having fun with modern day nuisances, first world problems and technological possibilities lurking around the corner on their new EP Mind Wipe. They are trying to cope with websites asking visitors to prove that they are not a robot (Access Denied), seriously considering to start with a clean slate - the title track - and fearing that the environment will be fighting back (Organic Panic) wearing the cloak of a sunny side up wordless chant (and flamingos making a racket). It is all done with tongue-in-cheek lyrics, culminating in the self-deprecating closing track Another Tragic Chorus.

They have been part of the underground scene for longer than they care to remember, releasing a steady flow of high-grade, melodic pop albums that have gained them a following that will stick by them. Relying on word-of-mouth has made them a critic's favourite and maybe someday the rest of the world will take notice and get them their well-deserved recognition.

Ruben Block: solo album "Looking To Glide" in September

Ruben Block, singer and guitarist with Belgian power trio Triggerfinger, will release his solo album Looking To Glide on September 30 via Pias (coloured and black vinyl, CD, digital). The tracks were recorded in Antwerp and Santa Monica, California, with American musician and record producer Mitchell Froom acting as his partner in crime. It was a prolonged and cumbersome process for obvious reasons. Awake, one of the album singles, "is a slow burner, a mix of blues and a bit of Pixies-inspired guitar".

Cover Me: Here Comes The Flood

Watch English singer SuRie tackle the Peter Gabriel classic Here Comes The Flood. Recorded live @ The Cockpit in London on December 3, 2016.

» surie.me
» petergabriel.com