Remy van Kesteren: new video series "Behind The Track"

Dutch harpist Remy van Kesteren has stared a new video series, Behind The Track. In the first episode he discusses the composing of nowhere left to run from his new album An alternative soundtrack to the motion picture The Red Turtle. He also posted a live version of the track. "He has found a way to support the images in a respectful, but fulfilling and compelling way. His soundtrack can be enjoyed as a standalone piece, a neo-classical suite of pieces that flow together seamlessly. There are not that many harpists around who write their own material, but Van Kesteren knows his instrument inside out and has the composing skills to make it sing and weep like very few people can".

» remyvankesteren.com

HCTF review of An alternative soundtrack to the motion picture The Red Turtle.

A $450.00 LP vinyl reissue that is faulty and sounds bad

Mike Esposito, the owner of The 'In' Groove in Phoenix, AZ, reviews a $450.00 vinyl reissue of the Sonny Rollins album Way Out West by the Electric Recording Company, a label selling limited runs (300 copies) of classic albums Spoiler: it is warped and it sounds bad.

Facing Mountains: Season's End

photo: Daniela Masterson

Dutch composer Xander Slikker hits the ground running with Season's End, the debut album from his Facing Mountains project. Using a mixute of electronics and classical music he goes in at the deep end with this exploration of melanchloy, loss, grief and hope. While the lyrics might seem a bit heavy-handed, the music itself tinkles and purrs.

He names Nick Drake as one of his heroes, sharing the English folk legend knack for tuning and soft-spoken melodicism. Changes are that he has spend many hours studying Robert Kirby's arrangments for Bryter Layter. Slikker wears his heart on sleeve and while he is he searching for the meaning of it all with his words he shloudl not loose ay sleep over his skills as a musician. Season's End is an album where genres meet and push each other forward to a level that very few debuts have reached.

DC: Take the Long Way Home

Italian avant-ambient duo DC captured different landscapes and moods in a long-form piece of music, Take the Long Way Home, a seamless improvisation divided into eight parts. Drums, guitars, radio static and bareley audible chatter were assembled and carefully stitched together to create a sprawling sonic experience. It gets quite harsh at times, with distorted noises and an eerie trumpet that floats on top of a musical maze that rubs shoulders with free jazz and post-rock.

Intriging, compelling and at times overwhelming it is a challenge for listeners with a short attention span. Persist and changes are that a consecutive listen to all its 48 minutes and 52 seconds is a great way to drift away and enter a secluded garden where ideas are allowed to grow freely.

Words about music (562): Nancy Sinatra

There are a lot of people who would laugh at the idea of me being a good singer.

Nancy Sinatra

Alice Cooper, Eddie Kramer and Billy Cox discuss "The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live in Maui" album

Wathc Alice Cooper discuss the Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live in Maui set with Eddie Kramer and Billy Cox on the Nights with Alice Cooper show.

» jimihendrix.com

Templo Diez: "Going Surfing" video

Dutch indie band Templo Diez have made video for Going Surfing, a track from their latest album Starlight: "[it] mixes dark Americana, dream pop and college rock. Five years in the making it is well worth the wait. (...) Soft-spoken, but packing a punch Templo Diez touches base with Bruce Springsteen in a mellow mood and the Velvet Underground on their third album".

» templodiez.com

HCTF review of Starlight.

Youth Sector: Teeth

photo: Dan Kendal

Brighton art rock quintet Youth Sector channel the Soarks and Talking Heads on their new single Teeth, a slice of catchy nervousness to keep social awkwardness at bay. Be prepared for the worst and the actual reality becomes a lot easier to deal with.

Steven Wilson: "Personal Shopper" video

Steven Wilson has posted a disturbing video for Personal Shopper, a track from his forthcoming new album The Future Bites: "a sprawling piece of electro prog, taking a swipe at rampant commercialism, with an on point spoken word interlude delivered by Elton John". The clip was directed by Lucretia Taormina.

» stevenwilsonhq.com
» thefuturebites.com

McStine & Minnemann: II

Randy McStine (Lo-Fi Resistance) and Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats) are quick to release another McStine & Minnemann album. They named it II and it is a big step up from their rather uneven self-titled debut record that came out earlier this year. They went for the darker side of electric (and sometimes hectic) prog this time. Sex is a big thing in the lyrics and some song titles - Girls At The Gig, Quarantine Sex Slave - guarantee that they will be labeled as explicit before even hearing a note.

The debut lacked focus - which could be blamed in on the haphaxard, prolonged recording process - but now they have nailed it. II is a raw album, its dirty sound has "come hither" written all over it, plus great hooks, solos and quite a bit of smokes and mirrors trickery with chord changes and challenging rhythms. The breakneck speed of Old Sparkey will frustate drum students in their futile attempts to replicate it. A must for prog fans of all ages.

mtf8: Too Much Time On My Hands

Way back in 2006 NYC Gothic rock act mtf8 considered recording a cover of Too Much Time On My Hands, a song by the rather uncool prog rock band Styx. It is seemed weird to do so, but fast-forward to 2020 and with the aid of his producer Charlie Nieland he transformed into a monolithic synth rocker that will be liked by fans of Nine Inch Nails and the Sisters of Mercy.

Trey Anastasio: "Harry Hood" live @ The Beacon Theatre, New York

Watch Trey Anastasio perform Harry Hood @ The Beacon Theatre in New York on November 20. He was accmpanied by the Rescue Squad Strings (Anja Wood on cello, Rachel Golub on viola, Katie Kresek and Maxim Moston on violin).

The final night of The Beacon Jams will be webcastes on November 27.

» trey.com

Marianne Faithfull: new album "She Walks in Beauty"

photo: Yann Orhan

A new Marianne Faithful album, She Walks in Beauty, is due for release in the Spring. She recites poems by William Keats, Percy Shelley, William Wordsworth, Lord Byron, Thomas Hood and Alfred Lord Tennyson. accompanied by musical arrangements by Warren Ellis, Brian Eno, Nick Cave and Vincent Sega. She fell in love with the 9th-century British Romantic poets when she attended t St Joseph's Convent School in Reading:

I had a wonderful, inspirational English teacher called Mrs Simpson. She introduced me to the English Romantics. I had to leave it all behind in order to be a pop singer, but I never forgot them." A couple of the tracks were debuted at the Chloe show during Paris Fashion week back in March, where she recorded verse by Louisa May Alcott, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Christina Rossetti, William Butler Yeats and Byron.

» mariannefaithfull.org.uk

The Luxembourg Signal: The Long Now

Dream pop band The Luxembourg Signal are quietly building a memorable discography. Their third full-length, The Long Now (named after a quip attributed to Brian Eno), is an exploration of jangling guitar pop and post-punk. Soul searching lyrics are plentiful, with a sense of loss and being adrift after being cut loose from their bearings. Feeling akward sums it up, really.

They are transatlantic bunch, with members living in San Diego, Los Angeles and London, but the overall sound is very English. They have the tendency to circumnavigate the issues they have to deal with, but they do so with elegance and grace.

Loud Life: Been Wondering

What if hiphop vccals would be combined with a bunch of kick-ass classically trained musicians who love jazz and fusion? Been Wondering, the debut single by Amsterdam based collective Loud Life, is a far cry from thin, beats driven sound that is all the rage. The band with members from the USA, Russia, and Lithuania, was founded at the renowned Conservatorium Music School.

With a vocalist channeling the phrasing of Ike Willis and a jubliant clarinet as an extra treat this mash-up of genres can be their ticket to the festival cirsuit, once the pandemic is a distant memory and people will be able to dance again.

Steven Wilson: 12 Things I Forgot

photo: Miles Skarin

Steven Wilson has released 12 Things I Forgot, the fourth single from his forthcoming new album The Future Bites. Melancholic yet deviant, with plenty of layered guitars and synths it is continuation of his love for the ssund of the Eighties. Not everyone is a fan of this turn to the mainstream, but it's actually nothing new for him. He cut his teeth writing music for commercials in the Nineties, long before he became a Prog God with Porcupine Tree and his early solo albums.

"Forgot what it was that I’m not
You can protest that I can’t make commitments
But it don’t seem to make any difference"

Johnny Dowd: My Special Place Rooty Toot Toot

Johnny Dowd posted a video of him playing My Special Place Rooty Toot Toot, a song he wrote for the paintings by his sister Jif for the online art show by The Cosmic Joke Collective.

» johnnydowd.com

Nick Cave / Peaches: "AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T.Rex" 7" Black Friday release

Two songs from the (disappointing) tribute album AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T.Rex will be released on a 7" single on Black Friday (November 27): NicK Cave's rather good interpretation of Cosmic Dancer and Peaches's clueless version of Solid Gold, Easy Action being relegated to the B-side. A curio release aimed at completists. 2500 copies.

HCTF review of AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T.Rex.

The McKenzie FIX: "Martin & The Artist" video

Ewan McKenzie has made video for Martin & The Artist, a song by his new outlet, the baroque pop project The McKenzie FIX. It is a track from the Pandora's Box album: "McKenzie doesn't shun grand gestures with his music, but his vocals ara always a bit restraint. He is the outsider looking in, wondering what all the fuzz is about. His perspective is devoid of any arrogance".

» The McKenzie FIX on Facebook

HCTF review of Pandora's Box.

Mandrake Handshake: Gonkulator

London collective Mandrake Handshake have hitched a ride with the Tardis and brought back Gonkulator, a psych pop single from the late sixties. Plenty of echo, a flute, slightly muffled drums, swirling guitars and vocals that sound like a cross between Grace Slick and Sandy Denny. Escapism at its finest that bring the glow of Summer to a gloomy Fall day.

Jumble Hole Clough: I Can Name The Un​-​named Boy

After immersing himself in mostly ambient instrumental musings Colin Robinson now returns to the off-kilter Captain Beefeart meets the guys from Can and Neu! at the Mad Hatter's tea party weirdness on I Can Name The Un-named Boy, the latest album from his one-man avant-garde project Jumble Hole Clough. Daredevils will try to dance to it, which will surely confuse people in no small way.

As a musician Robinson is always fully prepared to fully every whim and in this case he even tries to explain his modus operandi with spoken word and tongue-in-cheek singing bits. Dadaesque tidbits clash with funk and there is even a slice of jazzy gospel in The Harrying Of The North. The much missed late Richard Knutson can be heard during Insomniac. Fans of his skewed instrumentals will be pleased to have not one but two more of his Friday 13th pieces, so named because he recorded them on that date.

Enfant Terrible: L'Air du Temps

Alt-folkies Enfant Terrible wrap their concerns in gentle swaying songs. The Devon based quartet, led by mutl-tnstrumentalist and songwriter Matthew Street are genuinly worried about the numbing effect of the ubiquitous presence of technology. These are confusing times with shifting paradigms and fact-free politics. Their mixed emotions are the main theme on their new L'Air du Temps.

By using a haro and a forlorn sounding trumpet beides their glorious three-part harmonies Enfant Terrible sound deceptively pastoral. They don't provide any definite answers on how to cope, but asking questions in itself is a way to make a start to make sense of it all.

Words about music (561): PJ Harvey

I don't loathe interviews, I'm just one of those people who makes music because I find it difficult to talk.

PJ Harvey

I am Oak: "Horizon" video

Dutch musician Thijs Kuijken has posted a video of him playing Horizons, another track from his new album with songs reimagined songs from his back catalogue with his slowcore/alt-folk band I am Oak. He revisited 50 songs by the end of the project. A selection of these home recordings - plus one new song That’s That - were collected for a new album Odd Seeds, due for release on December 18th via Snowstar Records.

Steven Wilson: "Significant Other" (The Future Bites sessions)

Steven Wilson has posted the fourth of his live in the studio performances. Dubbed The Future Bites Sessions he performs stripped down versions from his forthcoming new album as well material from his extensive back catalogue.

Johnny Dowd: virtual band reunion for "Thanksgiving Day" video

Former Johnny Dowd band member Justin Asher got in touch with other musicians who have played with this musical maverick over the years. The virtual band reunion was a success - they shared a video of them playing of them playing Hideaway. Up next is a video of them tackling Thanksgiving Day, a song from the Wrong Side Of Memphis album.

» johnnydowd.com

The New Orland: 2

Visual artist Erik de Bree and interventional cardiologist Marcel Beijk wre both in the experimnetal guitar band El Camino. For their new project, the lectonic duo The New Orland, thye have ditcheed the six string and switched to synths and drum machines.

Waves of Dread: Stars (beach cut)

English indie trio Waves of Dread have revisited Stars, a track from EP II. While that version was a pastoral , acoustic excursion, this "beach cut" is far more darker, with a groundswell of bass and drums, topped with swirling shoegaze guitar. The band took the Pixies UK Surf version of Waves of Mutilation as a template, slowing it down to enhance the melody and giving way to another meaning of the lyrics.

» Waves of Dread on Facebook

HCTF review of EP II.

Middle Blue: Weird Funk in Small Bars

Live shows aren't happening during the pandemic and it will be long wait before attending a gig becomes feasible (and safe) again). Brooklyn avant-funk band Middle Blue, led by guitarist Brad Farberman, has just released a live album, Weird Funk in Small Bars, bringing the atmosphere a free-flowing club performance to your home, with even some of the banter of the crowd included.

They are about jamming and improvising and once they have settled on a theme to turn it upside down, stretch it out, whht band members stepping in and dropping out. The best kind of jazz is alwys sounds like it is created on the spot and Middle Blue's spontaneous approach to music enables them to groove, swing, and take twists and turns that keeps even the longst of jams entertaining and interesting. And with eyes closed it is almost of you are actually there, in one of those bars that serves good music besides the usual food and drink.

Daddy Lion: "Please Tell Me" video

Columbia, South Carolina, based indie powerpop band Daddy Lion have made a video for Please Tell Me, a track from their latest EP Dream Pop - "a bit of grunge and college rock, giving the material an edge that makes it clear that the dreams that were the inspiration were not necessarily very happy ones".

The band members went to a scrapyard to bond and eat raw vegetables. The clip was shot by Sheena Franklin.

» Daddy Lion on Facebook

HCTF review of Dream Pop.

Trey Anastasio: "You Enjoy Myself" live @ The Beacon Theatre, New York

Watch Trey Anastasio perform You Enjoy Myself @ The Beacon Theatre in New York on November 13. He was accmpanied by the Rescue Squad Strings (Anja Wood on cello, Rachel Golub on viola, Katie Kresek and Maxim Moston on violin), vocalists Jennifer Hartswick, Jo Lampert and Celisse and his. the core band - Russ Lawton (drums), Ray Paczkowski (keyboards), bassist Tony Markellis (bass) and Cyro Baptista percussion).

Two more nights of The Beacon Jams remain of the run: November 20 and 27.

» trey.com

The McKenzie FIX: Pandora's Box

Ewan McKenzie, formerly the driving force behind the psychedelic pop project Emporium, goes all out on his New Wave meets baroque pop outlet The McKenzie FIX. Unabashedly intellectual and with a deep love for literature he mixes Greek mythology, Gothic imagery of the wit of Lewis Carroll. If there is theme that ties the songs together it is "trust". He urges to take a leap of faith (The Shining) and the Visitors might actually be friendly. He pities the lonely soul at a party in Alone People can feel really lonely in a crowd and in this story of a girl feeling awkward at a party, not being able to partake in the inane banter and gossip of the other guests, is quite fetching. When Nobody Listens will sound familiar to owners of the Emporium EP Dead In Bed.

McKenzie doesn't shun grand gestures with his music, but his vocals ara always a bit restraint. He is the outsider looking in, wondering what all the fuzz is about. His perspective is devoid of any arrogance. It is said that after Pandora opened the jar (not a box actually, that is a mistranslation) only hope remained after if it was closed - amoing other bad things sickness and death had gotten out. He has latched on that classic myth and made an album that is offering solace, without the need to compromise. It's fine to be different. He does not want followers - Don't Feed On Me, but wants people to stay true to themselves.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Music, Money, Madness . . . Jimi Hendrix In Maui" excerpt

Watch an excerpt fron the Music, Money, Madness . . . Jimi Hendrix In Maui documentary about the weirdness surrounding the filming of the unwatchable Rainbow Bridge movie. No script, no clue, but thankfully The Jimi Hendrix Experience played two blistering sets that will be released on the new Live In Maui box set. Besides the aforementioned docuemntary all surviving footage of Hendrix and his handmates Biully Coc and Micht Mitchell is indluded as well.

Live In Maui will be released on November 20. Available as 2CD/Blu-ray and 3LP sets.

» jimihendrix.com

Tugboat Captain: "Day To Day" video

English baroque-pop quartet Tugboat Captain made a video for Day To Day a track from their new album Rut: "It's a tongue-in-cheek look at everyday chores and doubts about a relationship. They have set the bar pretty low for being happy, but somehow it's still too high. It builds up to a huge false ending, before anger and depression take over in the second half".

» Tugboat Captain on Facebook

HCTF review of Rut.

The Rev: Old New Borrowed Blue

Eric Meyers describes an eventful trip to London on Old New Borrowed Blue, the new single by his country rock band The Rev. Invited by a the wedding of a wonan he has a history with, he feels insecure and out of his depth. Trying to find a decent cup of coffee becomes a quest.

He does not fit in, but he finds plenty to like as well: tea, pubs and the big red busses showing him the sights. It's easy to picture him feeling self-conscious in his boots and wearing a borrowed suit. Meyers fell in love with teh city and it gave him the conifdence to play all the guitar parts on this one - and that is no small feat. Anyone who has ever been to London will want to revisit again soon.

Tanya Pearson: Women of Rock Oral History Project

Please Kill Me has a lengthy interview with Tanya Pearson, director of the Women of Rock Oral History Project @ Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She i s working on a book and a documentary:

I think it’s still really hard for women to achieve any kind of historical longevity because their stories don’t fall into that stupid ‘sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll’ narrative, which to me is really tired and boring and it’s not accurate.

I’ve learned a lot about myself. As someone who was a really depressed, drug addict with no self-esteem, I just didn’t think I could really do anything. But I feel very capable. People ask me all the time, “How do I start a project, what do I need to do?” It sounds really dumb, but anyone can do it. If there are other women who want to start a project like this, I’ll help you. It just takes a while to work, but the more the merrier. I wish we could saturate the internet, saturate Netflix with stories of women, stories of female-fronted bands, stories of queer women in music. That’s my dream.

Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon on The Talkhouse Podcast

Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke & Phish bass player Mike Gordon appeared on The Talkhouse Podcast to discuss their new album Noon, the need not to be predictable and much, much more.

» leokottke.com
» mike-gordon.com

Pocket Knife Army: "Dancing Like A Cobra" video

Dutch electronic pop duo Pocket Knife Army have posted a video for Dancing Like A Cobra as part of their "one new song each month" challenge. Desirée Coumans and Erwin Tuijl tell the story of a woman who intends to abuse and seduce while dancing the night away. The clip was filmed by Jesse Immanuel Bom.

» Pocket Knife Army on Facebook

HCTF review of Raincoat Rendezvous.

Words about music (560): Margo Timmins

It's not that we don't want to be all over the radio. I'd love to have a hit single. However, I also want to be in the business a long time and longevity is something that we all wanted. In order to have that, you have to be true to what you do and to each other.

Margo Timmins

Nick Leets' Figure Eights (A Music Podcast): Jody Stephens

Nick Leet, singer and guitarist of Minneapolis based power pop band High on Stress, had a nice chat with Jody Stephens from Big Star for his Figure Eights podcast. Topics: Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Andy Hummel, REM, the Replacements, Golden Smog, Those Pretty Wrongs, Ardent Studios and more.

» Figure Eights on Speaker.com

Cover Me: Oh No

Watch Fred Händl perform Frank Zappa's Oh No on piano. This version will be used in director Alex Winter's Zappa documentary (in theaters on November 23 and available on demand on November 27).

» nightpianist.com
» zappamovie.com

Steven Wilson: "Drown With Me" (The Future Bites sessions)

Steven Wilson has posted the third of his live in the studio performances. Dubbed The Future Bites Sessions he performs stripped down versions from his forthcoming new album as well material from his extensive back catalogue. He went back to the demo of the Porcupine Tree song Drown With Me.

Katie Basden: It Kills Me

Nashville based rock singer Katie Basden takes a stand on her new single It Kills Me . With more than just a little nod to the main melody of Bob Dylan's Ballad of a Thin Man she lays down the rules after a relationship hit a particularly rough patch. Accompanied with a dark, homemade video she makes it very clear that she will come out on top in the end.

» katiebasden.com

Phish: new archival release Auburn Hills ’99

Another archival Phish release is available for streaming and download: 12/2/99 The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI:

On December 2, 1999, Phish played The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, MI, a modern 23,000 seat basketball arena that was home to the Detroit Pistons. Phish made the most of this venue, squeezing in four plays at The Palace between 1995 and 1999 before it was demolished in 2020. The Palace was opening night of the 14-show December tour and the excitement was palpable.

Beesqueeze: It Won't Matter (Does It Edit)

Maltese alternative pyschedelic duo Beesqueeze are quick to release It Won't Matter (Does It Edit), the follow-up for their Lost at Sea single. Kriz Zahra (guitar, bass, synth, vocals) and Chris Mallia (drums, vocals, guitar, fx) mix elements of vintage psychedelic rock, new wave and dance. Weird stuff that will appeal to rockers and ravers with an open mind for off-kilter party music. Lots of pumpkins were harmed in the video.

Lou Reed & John Cale: free streaming of "Songs for Drella"

On December 4 and 5, 1989 Lou Reed and John Cale performed Songs for Drella: a Fiction, a requiem for Andy Warhol, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York for the concert film directed by Ed Lachman. The video is long out of print and was never released on DVD of Blu-ray. The film will be offered as free stream via the website of St. Ann’s Warehouse (November 13-19). The 2007 movie Lou Reed's Berlin is up next (November 20-29).

Sunflower: "Get Yourself Together" video

Australian melodic rock band Sunflower have made a video for their new single Get Yourself Together. They are incurable optimists - their previous single Better Days is further proof of that outlook on life - but it does not hurt in these weird times.

Ellen Shae: Caged Bird

Dutch country singer Ellen Shae is looking for a way out on her new album Caged Bird, searching for recogntion as a musician, albeit with some trepidation,. She does not have to worry about that - she has found her voice and sound. Her training as a classical acoustic guitar player allows her to colour her compositions with sharp eye for detail. Her storytelling capabilities turns the mainly autobiographical lyrics into songs with universal appeal.

Melancholy and resilience are both trying to get the upper hand. There is no clear winner, which is just as well. Real life does not do Hollywood endings. Backed by a smattering of American veterans Caged Bird is a full-blown country album that combines the best of both worlds. Rich DePaolo (bass, guitars, mandolin, banjo, keys) and Sera Smolen (cello), Bill King (drums), Doug Robinsonn (upright bass), Max Buckholtz (violin, viola) and Mark Karlsen (soprano sax) worked their magic, and Dutchman Gait Klein Kromhof (harmonica) came on board for a couple of choice bluesy parts..

Nancy: 7 Foot Tall Post-Suicidal Feel Good Blues

English garage rock act Nancy makes it personal on his new single, 7 Foot Tall Post-Suicidal Feel Good Blues. Wrapped in warped psych blues he deals with his mental health that got him close to ending his own life. It's dark, it's stark, but it's also goddamn catchy.

It is the title track from his first full-length. Recommended if you like Syd Barrett's solo stuff. The video was directed by Rik Burnell.

Amethysts: Imitate Me

English dream pop synth duo Amethysts make a plea to follow their lead on their new single Imitate Me. Mirroring the behaviour of a like-minded soul to try to make a connection is tricky, but when it does work it pays off in spades. The single will be included on their forthcoming debut album, out later this year via AWAL & Shy Cat Music.

» weareamethysts.co.uk

HCTF review of Alone.

Drive-By Truckers: "Plan 9 Records July 13, 2006" Black Friday release

A special show by the Drive-By Truckers comes to vinyl as a 3LP on Black Friday (November 27). Plan 9 Records July 13, 2006 captures them in Richmond, VA. It was the 25th anniversary of the store, so they played 25 songs. The show also served as a benefit for the Bryan and Kathryn Harvey Family Memorial Endowment, an initiative to provide music scholarships in the Richmond area.

Vacance: "Bord de mer" video

French synth New Wave trio Vacance have made a video for Bord de mer, the first track from their debut album Nos Futurs: "Irony can be a weapon to keep the world at arm's length and they put it to good use in their lyrics. The music sounds cheerful, with all the breaks, beeps and purrs from yesteryear stacked upon each other until it almost comes crashing down. Fans of Kraftwerk can relate to their production values, but it's not as stoic and impenetrable. Vacance make it sound like it is always Summer, but that does not mean that it has to be sunny and warm all of time."

Xander Naylor: Continuum

Brooklyn based experimental guitarist and composer Xander Naylor is always pushing himself further. His new album Continuum finds him going even deeper into jazz, post-rock and Indian music than his previous record Transmission. He transcends the boundaries of genres without blinkng an eye, leading his core band Sound Machine and choice guest musicians, through his unique brand of eclectic avant-garde music. Naylor is dead set on avoiding the beaten paths and to weave his own sonic tapestries, challenging himself, his fellow musicians and his listeners.

Continuum is an album that requires some time to get into. A working knowledge of what is going on in the world of avant-garde and world music is helpful. Naylor's use of dissonants, free-flowing chord changes and rhythmic risk taking are a joy for anyone who wants to be surprised and taken down roads that they did not even know were there. Woodwinds, brass and eerie vocals sit next to the "rock" instruments, not as competitors but as true collaborators. He has a vision and he is lucky to have a band that is able to play what he is hearing in his head.

The Bipeds: Bury the Light

The Bipeds, a dance company and rock 'n' roll band from Durham, NC, led by banjo player Curtis Eller and choreographer Stacy Wolfson, are back with a new single, Bury the Light. It is their most ambitious composition to date, an old school folk song about death and darkness. The video was directed byAlex Maness.

Words about music (559): Bryan Ferry

You become acutely aware, if you're touring a lot, that you need new songs to invigorate the live show. And make it interesting for yourself, too.

Bryan Ferry

Brian Setzer: on writing "Runaway Boys"

Brian Setzer spoke to Guitar Player about writing the Stray Cats' debut single Runaway Boys:

It’s the first song I ever wrote. It really summed up everything I was trying to capture, which was my drive to write a new song in the rockabilly style, rather than just the same old I - IV - V thing.

Slim Loris: When Life Interferes

Swedish quartet Slim Loris are offering more of the same on their new When Life Interferes released EP: carefully crafted melodic pop songs with a sad undertone that sound cheerful nevertheless. They are looking for the bright side, even in the midst of winter (Flowers) and are sure that anohter outlook on life is a recipe for feeling better (Changed).

When Life Interferes serves as both a reality check and an invitation to keep the faith that will things will get better. This subtle clash of conflicting emotions is captured best in the final track Childish Mind, a powerpop anthem that is as close as they are going to get to write a rock song.

Steven Wilson: "Collapse The Light Into Earth" (The Future Bites sessions)

Steven Wilson has posted the second of his live in the studio performances. Dubbed The Future Bites Sessions he performs stripped down versions from his forthcoming new album as well material from his extensive back catalogue. He picked a special one, the first ever live version of the Porcupine Tree song Collapse The Light Into Earth.

I am Oak: new album "Odd Seeds" 12/18: + stream "Furrows"

Dutch musician Thijs Kuijken started recording songs from his back catalogue with his slowcore/alt-folk band I am Oak in the early months of the lockdown, a project that became exercise with 50 songs by the end of the project. A selection of these home recordings - plus one new song That’s That - were collected for a new album Odd Seeds, due for release on December 18th via Snowstar Records. Lead single Furrows is a new version of the track from the Ols Songd album.

Dead Pony: 23, Never Me

Glaswegian post-punkers Dead Pony take the point of view of a girl who always get overlooked or stood up by some guy who betrayed her trust once more on their new single 23, Never Me. She should have known better perhaps, but it still fucking hurts every time. Distorted guitar mayhem, an almost pleading middle-eight, and straightforward language that will earn them an "explicit" badge on streaming services. Which they will wear proudly.

Frank Zappa: Alex Winter "Zappa" documentary coming soon

Director Alex Winter has finished his definitive documentary Zappa. He spend years trawling through the extensive Frank Zappa vault. he had inlimited access. Hopefully it will include lots of unseen footage, besides the long list of talking heads. Gail Zappa, Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others. It will be in theaters on November 23 and available on demand on November 27.

» zappamovie.com

Louis Rive: 19:27 Saturday Service to Helensburgh Central

Scottish folk singer Louis Rive tells the story of a memorable train ride between Bathgate and Helensburgh on his new single 19:27 Saturday Service to Helensburgh Central. Riding high on pills a lady pressed the passenger alarm when she realized she had boarded the wrong train.

He started writing a poem about the ensuing brouhaha there and then and turned it into a sped up, hectic song. It became a stream-of-consciousness barrage of words, namechecking train stops and describing various passenger's reactions to the delay. Drummer Joe Cardle provided the beat, emulating the sound of the railroad ties.

Steven Wilson & Jesse Cope: creating the "King Ghost" video

Steven Wilson & Jesse Cope discuss the making of the video for King Ghost, the third single from his forthcoming new album The Future Bites.

» stevenwilsonhq.com
» thefuturebites.com

Rob Clarke and The Wooltones: "It's Only You" video

Liverpudlian psych pop band Rob Clarke and The Wooltones have made a video for It's Only You. It is a track from their latest album Putting The L in Wootones: "(They) keep the sound of the past alive, by giving it their all with original material. That is no mean feat among the countless cover bands that keep rehashing the classics, because they can't come up with something new themselves".

» Rob Clarke and The Wooltones on Facebook

HCTF review of Putting The L in Wootones.

Subterranean Street Society: Twelve Steps

Amsterdam based Danish folk singer and guitarist Louis Puggaard-Müller was a first-hand witness for his father's steady decline into full-on alcoholism. It nearly killed him, but he got sober thanks to The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The process became the source for the new album by his band Subterranean Street Society, a record with a song for each step. All and all it took them three years to complete.

The songs on Twelve Steps do not preach, but observe and support. It is an album about despair, setbacks, reconciliation and hope, steeped in blues and folk, switching from elecrric to acoustic with an intensity that can be overwhelming at times. Puggaard-Müller made this album for himself and his father, but its universal message should resonate with anyone who has been confronted with addiction. Plus it is a joy to listen to a band that is on firing on all cylinders.

Black Francis & Steve Albini on recording "Where Is My Mind?"

The Guardian spoke with Pixies frontman Black Francis and engineer/producer Steve Albini about the recording of Where Is My Mind?, a song that those day provides Francis with a nice yearly income. After the song was used for the ending scene of Fight Club it has been used countless times in commercials and what-not.

Tomer Krail: Held In Quiet Parenthesis

photo: Carys B Photography

English musician Tomer Krail swings quietly on his new album Held In Quiet Parenthesis, a collection of folk-rock songs with a jazzy dressing. Without mentioning the culprit by name it is obvious that a relation has ended rather badly. His anxiety is bareely contained in the dark jazz funk of Try (A Little Honesty).

As a subject matter for an album that's nothing new - any serious collection of music has at least one shelf for "breakup" albums, but Krail has turned his anger and pain into a fetching batch of tunes. He pulls out all the stops in the superb Summer Solstice (Blue Fish Wailing) - he is stuck on a cruise boat and he needs both a Zappa-esquet and a borderline hard rock solo to deal what that. By using the same motifs for Held, In Quiet and Parenthesis, the three tracks that gave the album its title he tied the music together to make clear that this is a record that should be enjoyed as a whole.

Jim White: "The Divided States of America" video

Country noir musician Jim White has made a video for The Divided States of America, the final song from his new album, Misfit's Jubilee. White is genuinely worried: "I'm typically not the political type but these times we're riding out here, they're anything but typical. At this moment in our collective history it makes sense that voices normally content to remain silent should be lifted in outrage, howling, exhorting our minds and hearts to focus on a singular goal---higher ground for all, not just the rich folks."

HCTF premiere - Brec: "Patience... or Whatever" video

Richard Dudley started his Brec post-rock project as a solo outing, but is quickly evolved into a collaboration with former moyamoya bandmate Scott Madgett. Debut single Patience... or Whatever finds them exploring repetitive guitar textures and drones. Recommended if you like The Fierce and The Dead.

The video was made by Zane Hall. Patience... or Whatever will be released via Fort Lowell Records. Release date: November 13.

» Brec on Instagram

HCTF interview: It's Karma It's Cool

English upbeat power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool are working on the follow-up for their Woke Up In Hollywood album. Lead singer James Styring kindly answered some questions via email about the recording sessions and the belated release show in their hometown.

Woke Up in Hollywood was very well received when it came out in May, but you were not able to catch the momentum with a release show at the time due to the pandemic. The show finally went ahead in October. How was it to be able to play live again?

"Yes, our plans were put on hold, along with everyone else's. The album's official release should have been at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, as part of the International Pop Overthrow festival. We were obviously very disappointed, but we've put the time to good use, writing the next album. It was good to play our home city of Lincoln to a fully booked/sold out crowd. Even with covid rules and regulations, everyone had a great night."

Lou Reed: "Live At Alice Tully Hall - January 27, 1973 - 2nd Show" Black Friday release

An early Lou Reed show comes to vinyl as a 2LP on Black Friday (November 27). The songs on Live At Alice Tully Hall - January 27, 1973 - 2nd Show has been making the rounds on bootlegs for years. Reed is backed by the Tots, a garage bar band who could not believe their luck that they got the call. Vinny Laporta (guitar), Eddie Reynolds (guitar, backing vocals), Bobby Resigno (bass) and Scottie Clark (drums) were left by the wayside soon after this when the tour to promote the Berlin album got underway.

Side A: “White Light/White Heat”, “Wagon Wheel”, “I’m Waiting For The Man”, “Walk And Talk It”, “Sweet Jane”
Side B: “New Age”, “Vicious”, “I Can’t Stand It”, “Satellite Of Love”
Side C: “Heroin”, “I’m So Free”, “Walk On The Wild Side”
Side D: “Rock And Roll,” “Sister Ray”

5000 copies on burgundy vinyl, with liner notes by Ed McCormack.

» loureed.com

Words about music (558): Ginger Baker

I have never had a great love of the music business, I never have.

Ginger Baker