Irmin Schmidt: Week-End Festival mixtape

German avant-garde pioneer Irmin Schmidt contributed a mixtape to the Weekend-Fest series, handpicking compositions that struck a nerve and became part of his musical vocabulary.

1. Charles Ives – The Unanswered Question
2. Karlheinz Stockhausen – Gesang der Jünglinge
3. John Zorn / Kronos Quartett – Forbidden Fruit
4. John Cage & Sun Ra – Empty Words and Keyboard
5. Giacinto Scelsi & Michiko Hirayama – No. 1
6. Henry Cowell – Ongaku for Orchestra
7. Harry Partch – Cry from another Darkness
8. Koki Nakano – Train-train
9. Lennie Tristano – Turkish Mambo
10. György Ligeti – Atmospheres

» Irmin Schmidt on Wikipedia

Waterstrider: Sublimate

photo: Gabriella Hernandez

Singer Nate Salman sings about gender on the new Sublimate EP by his Waterstrider project. Recorded with the members of the St Francis Hotel he bares his soul on a bed of electronics, beats and strings.

Giving in to his uncertainties and questions was a process, but once he had made up his mind about embracing sexual fluidity, he came up out on top with a slew of beautiful songs that explore the outer regions of electro-pop. He allowed himself to dream, while taking a look at himself and his immediate surroundings.

Jo Carley and The Old Dry Skulls: "She Got Him (With Her Voodoo)" video

English old school blues trio Jo Carley and The Old Dry Skulls have made a video for She Got Him (With Her Voodoo), a track from their Voodoo Bones & Vaudeville Blues album: "Tongue firmly-in-cheek they provide a full set of old school entertainment, a sideshow where vaudeville, blues and skiffle conspire to get their audiences to dance their asses of. Singer Jo Carley is a powerhouse who can holler and whisper, with multi-instrumentalist Tim Carley and bass player James Le Huray pushing her to give it her all. Bigots will wave their fingers at this kind of music, but anyone with a mind of their own can't help but love this".

» olddryskulls.com

HCTF review of Voodoo Bones & Vaudeville Blues.

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: "Talk Carnage" on June 18

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis will discuss their new album Carnage during a live webcast on June 18 @ 7pm BST:

To submit a question use #talkcarnage on social media or comment on the official Nick Cave Instagram or Facebook before midnight BST 5 June.

» nickcave.com

Words about music (588): Stephen Malkmus

There's no point that an album should sound like a watered down version of another album.

Stephen Malkmus

Freyr: Nicotine Bunker

After releasing the memorable EP I'm Sorry and a couple of singles Swedish/Icelandic musician Freyr Flodgren felt confident enough to record a full album, Nicotine Bunker. Dreamy, acoustic songs a la Nick Drake (Permission to Lose), piano-driven triphop (Avalon) and experimental Americana of the Jim White variety (American Poster) are used to tell stories about loss, travel and longing.

Flodgren positions himself as an outsider who wants to belong, but does not quite know how. He should not worry about not fitting in. Going your own way can lead to a memorable musical statement. It is safe to step outside the safety of the Nicotine Bunker, not take the Modern Ages too seriously, and face the world on his own terms.

The Catenary Wires: "Face On The Rail Line" video

English band The Catenary Wires have made a video for Face On The Rail Line, the first track from their new album Birling Gap: "Getting older and not minding that so much is the main theme on this album that is quintessentially English: stylish pop that will appeal to fans of the Zombies, The Foreign Films and the Sundays. The Catenary Wires are as perfectly balanced as the mathematical curve after which they named themselves".

Phish: new archival release Great Woods '93

Another archival Phish release is available for streaming and download: 07/24/93 Great Woods Performing Arts Center, Mansfield, MA:

On July 24, 1993 Phish played their first headlining performance at Great Woods Performing Arts Center in Mansfield, MA, a modern amphitheater with a capacity of about 15,000. Reserved tickets cost $19.50 and the Saturday night show was sold out. This was a watershed moment. Phish had paid their dues around Boston from club dates at Molly’s and The Paradise to theater shows at the Strand, Somerville, and Orpheum, opening for Santana at Great Woods, and New Year’s Eve shows at World Trade Center and Matthews Arena. Unlike its predecessors, Great Woods ‘93 had a video feed that was captured on VHS tapes and kept in Page’s collection until being transferred for release - a rare full-show video from the legendary Summer 1993 Phish tour. On the heels of their latest album, Rift, Phish’s process of crafting live shows was evolving, incorporating new sounds including Page’s Yamaha C7 grand piano and the return of his Fender Rhodes. With a deeper catalog and instrumentation came expanded production, like the multi-panel Minkin backdrop and moving lights, and a growing devoted audience to enjoy it.

The Bablers: Psychadilly Circus

Finnish pop quartet The Bablers consists of incurable Anglophiles. They have been around since the late 70s and have been keeping the Merseybeat and power pop flags flying in a three separate eras - as a bunch of bratty teenagers who loved New Wave nearly as much as The Beatles, a short-lived comeback in 1998 when they were big in Japan for awhile, and the current third reincarnation. Led by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Arto Tamminen the new album Psychadilly Circus is a journey to the past when the sound of Swinging London ruled the airwaves.

Bookended by two versions of Love Is Everything! the band delivers a set of carefully crafted and superbly arranged songs about love, grief, getting older and, well yes, hope. The Bablers are old school, have mastered their instruments, and they can carry a tune without cheating software. Their days of being an Angry Young Man are long gone - they prefer Walking On A Sunny Beach nowadays.

Perpetual Groove: Dark Side of the Groove broadcast

Perpetual Groove will share their Pink Floyd set this weekend. It was recorded at Amberland IX @ Cherokee Farms in Knoxville, TN on May 25, 2008:

This Sunday, May 30th at 4 p.m. (EST), we are excited to share (for the FIRST TIME) our Pink Floyd set from Amberland 2008!

This set, quickly dubbed Dark Side of the Groove, also features Damien Perry on guitar and will be followed by more unreleased Amberland 2008 footage. All thanks to our good friends Gemini Productions LLC who were there with cameras rolling!

Still out on the water at 4pm? No worries, there will also be a 9 p.m. rebroadcast!

A pretty good SBD/aud matrix recording of the show can be found on the Live Music Archive.

» Perpetual Groove on Facebook

Ruben Block: Lights

Ruben Block, singer and guitarist with Belgian power trio Triggerfinger, has just released his first solo single, Lights. He does not stray to far from the band sound. The track is still rooted in blues, with less guitar and more electronics. The mix could have done with less muffled vocals, but that can be traced back to his love of eighties production values.

»Ruben Block on Facebook

St. Vincent: "Down" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; tour dates

Watch St. Vincent perform her latest single Down with the Down And Out Downtown Band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She will on otur in the US in September and October to promote her new album Daddy's Home.

Jack O' The Clock: Leaving California

West Coast quintet Jack O' The Clock plays a special kind of orchestrated progressive folk, wrapped in sixties psychedelica rooted in Americana. Their new album, Leaving California, came together in fits and starts - recordings started in 2018 - but it sounds like it was laid down in one truly inspired session. Damon Waitkus, the band's composer, leads the band through the tracks, a colourful journey that kicks off with the upbeat Jubilation and ends with blowing the doors wide open during the sprawling avant-folk closer Narrow Gate.

Leaving California is all about storytelling, with the music as the vessel for the words. The title track is about having second thoughts, after making what seemed a wise decision. The dreamy Fascination is a study in holding back to conjure up uncanny intensity - Waitkus plays all the instruments, with drummer Jordan Glenn coming in after a couple of minutes to play a single bass drum. The Weill/Brecht inspired pocket opera The Butcher has some wordplay that will make the listener think again, courtesy of the accusing delivery of singer Thea Kelly: "Take your kill to the butcher, // he will cut you a deal, // he will weigh it and wrap it in paper. // You will know from the moment // that you look in his eyes: // everyone else lies".

Ciel: Never Alone Again

photo: Ryan Deag

Brighton based trio Ciel go at in the deep end with Never Alone Again, with highly personal song written by singer Michelle Hindriks. Their blend of deceptive bubblegum pop and serious shoegaze is the kind of smart emo stuff that can sneak into happy Summer playlists of those who fail to take note of the words.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: More European Summer 2022 shows

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have added a bunch shows to their European Summer tour in 2022. More dates TBA.

Live dates:

• 06/04 Primavera Sound, Barcelona, Spain
• 06/06 Les Nuits De Fourvière, Lyon, France
• 06/07 Les Nuits De Fourvière, Lyon, France
• 06/15 Release Athens Festival, Athens, Greece
• 06/21 Inmusic, Zagreb, Croatia
• 06/23 Metronome Festival, Prague, Czech Republicc
• 06/27 Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany
• 06/29 Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany
• 07/01 Les Eurockéennes De Belfort, Belfort, France
• 07/07 Pohoda Festival, Trencin, Slovakia
• 08/03 Residenzschloss, Rastatt, Germany
• 08/05 Castle Clam, Klam, Austria
• 08/07 Arena Gliwice, Gliwice, Poland
• 08/08 Ergo Arena, Gdansk, Polan
• 08/11 Øyafestivalen, Øya, Norway
• 08/12 Way Out West, Gothenburg, Sweden

New shows are in bold.

» nickcave.com

Dave Keener: "Mmm" video

Singer-songwriter Dave Keener has made a video for Mmm, a track from his forthcomiMP3,Dave Keener,Single shots,Picture this,ng new album PTO. He sings about wanting to try his hand at meditation, but that does not work out.

» davekeener.com

HCTF review of PTO.

Mint Biscuit: Quitting The Biscuits

It turns out that Welsh guitarist Richard Thomas was not done after he had released a trilogy of homemade albums by his solo project Mint Biscuit. He went back to his collection of instrumentals and picked five of them that he particularly liked for an EP, Quitting The Biscuits.

After the short Boss Sounds Lady - basically an exploration of the capabilities of effects pedal he just got his hands on - Thomas takes the listener for a walk on Elva Hill in Cumbria, a place best known for an ancient stone circle that has been the source of many tales and speculations. On Elva is a beautiful piece of meandering, pastoral psych rock. Why he has been sitting on this one for so long is a mystery.

Bryan Beller: the No Treble interview

Bass player extraordinaire Bryan Beller was interviewed by Kevin Johnson for No Treble. He talks about playing with The Aristocrats for ten years and their new live album FREEZE! Live In Europe 2020.

» bryanbeller.com

Marianne Faithfull with Warren Ellis: "To The Moon" video

On her new album She Walks in Beauty Marianne Faithful recites poems by William Keats, Percy Shelley, William Wordsworth, Lord Byron, Thomas Hood and Alfred Lord Tennyson, on top of musical arrangements by Warren Ellis, Brian Eno, Nick Cave and Vincent Sega. Watch the lyrics video for Shelly's To The Moon.

» mariannefaithfull.org.uk

The Catenary Wires: Birling Gap

English indie pop band The Catenary Wires serve up a dish of nostalgia and melancholy on their new album Birling Gap, mixing the melodies of 60s psychedelica and 80s New Wave. Originally a duo comprising of Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey they are now a full band that can build intricate songs with spot on vocal harmonies. The songs are like hand-coloured postcards from their travels and adventures. Whether they are singing about feeling a bit lost (Liminal) or trying to make the first move at a dance (Mirrorball), they always find a melody that sounds both familiar and brand new.

Getting older and not minding that so much is the main theme on this album that is quintessentially English: stylish pop that will appeal to fans of the Zombies, The Foreign Films and the Sundays. The Catenary Wires are as perfectly balanced as the mathematical curve after which they named themselves.

Van Dammes: Finally There

Finnish punk rock band Van Dammes are looking forward to EURO2020, the first time that the Finland national football team has managed to qualify. The tracks on their new EP Finally There might be a little too fast for the crowd to sing in the stadiums, but sports bars should add it to their playlist post haste. The energy is quite endearing and the obvious fun they had recording it is irresistible. If anything it will make the listener root for the underdog this Summer.

Dave Keener: PTO

On his new album PTO singer-songwriter Dave Keener deals with everyday chores, appliances acting up, and craving for a relationship. The songs were "road tested" at his Songwriter Deathmatches appearances in Brooklyn. Getting up on stage and make people listen to a brand new song can be scary, but Keener can always rely on his way with words. He can cram a lot of them in a song, but somehow it never feels crowded.

He has a good eye for his surroundings, always on the look out for something (or someone) to write about, with compassion (Old Hero, Someone, Mmm), but also with a sense of humour (Labor Of Love Song). The oddball rhythm smothers the bubbling frustration about a "smart" toaster and a fridge with a mind of its own in Internet Of Things. It is actually quite hilarious and it will strike a chord with fans of Jonathan Richman and They Might Giants. Now that he is getting older he decided to try his hand at writing a ballad and the smooth 70s vibe Wait Till You Love Someone, with call-and-response vocals thrown for good measure, proofs that it can be done on a shoestring budget.

Words about music (587): Randy Bachman

You don't have to have a great voice to sing, just a distinctive one. But make sure you say the words clearly and tell a story.

Randy Bachman

William Denton Wilde: "My Heroin" video

One-man band William Denton Wilde has made a video for his latest single My Heroin, "about his failure to juggle two kinds of addiction. A lover who can never be fully his can be as devastating as a hard drug. Harsh, slow moving synth-driven neo New Wave, with an upfront electronic drum beat and a bass line for which Andrew Eldritch would have gladly handed over his firstborn".

» William Denton Wilde on Facebook

HCTF review of My Heroin.

LIJO: Glasshouse City

Dutch avant-pop singer LIJO has been lying low for awhile, but she comes out swinging with Glasshouse City, a mesmerizing excursion through stacked synths, trembling beats, and washes of cello provided by Mirthe de Jonge. It's dark and intense, and the feeling of being an outsider looking in is almost palpable.

The Chairman Dances: I Pulled The Sheet Back Over My Head

photo: Brooke Marsh

Philly indie folk rockers The Chairman Dances will release their new album The Strength of Your Arm on July 23. Lead single I Pulled The Sheet Back Over My Head is an upbeat, gentle song, with a recurring guitar motif that gets stuck in your head (but in a good way), gradually evolving into a full-on orchestral pop track. Singer Eric Krewson wrote it in the Fall of 2019 during his stay as an artist in residence in Washington state, in the remote Cascade mountains. Being alone most of the time inspired him to explore the need for human connection and also appreciating being left to his own devices.

Vazum: The Familiar

Detroit based deathgaze duo Vazum try their hand at harmonizing on their new single, The Familiar. At first Emily Sturm and Zach Pliskah feel a bit awkward about it, but it gets better as the track progresses. Plus they can always rely on their signature dense wall of sound, while singing about decay, aging in general, and betrayal.

American Culture: "1972" video

Denver's outsider lo-fi rockers American Culture have made a video for 1972, a track from their latest album For My Animals: "The quartet are not here to provide a good time as such - listeners have to work to find a connection, but once they have managed to do that the band's special blend of bubblegum pop, punk and leftfield garage opens up like a treasure trove of damn smart songs that celebrate the back alleys of music that are never advertised on Clear Channel. Drift away with the psych-pop of 1972 and Horoscopes or try to nod along with the shifting rhythms of I Like American Music".

» American Culture on Facebook

HCTF review of For My Animals.

Elton John: "Regimental Sgt. Zippo" for Record Store Day

In 1968 Elton John's first album, Regimental Sgt. Zippo, was shelved. Some of the songs - including the title track - made it onto the comprehensive Jewel Box that was released last year, but that was it. Until now. It will be released for Record Store Day on June 12. 7000 copies worldwide.

Boyracer: Bulletproof

English indie rockers Boyracer has been a vital ingredient of the English crashpop underground since 1989. Founder Stewart Anderson is still the driving force behind their upbeat material and with new member Christina Riley, who joined in 2019, riding shotgun on vocals and guitar, he has found yet another lease of life. The new single Bulletproof is an amalgam of pub and garage rock, a breath of fresh air that is very much needed in an era where everyone and their uncle is using autotune to mask the fact that they can't actually sing.

Moonchy & Tobias: "Delibo" video; new EP "Venus Mirror"

Watch the new Moonchy & Tobias video for Delibo, the lead single from their forthcoming new EP Venus Mirror, out on June 5 via Hidden Shoal and Tiny Room Records. Singer Pat Moonchy holds back on this one, her voice coming close to a whisper every now and then, with Todd Tobias supplying a comfortable bed of sounds, relying on the warm major sevenths of jazz for extra comfort. Shoshana Klein plays a bit of plays Oboe, a nice addition to the duo's musical palette.

ISLE: Waters

photo: Stefanie de Beurs

Dutch dream pop duo ISLE make a cause for staying calm on their new single Waters. Lise Low and Arjan de Wit are going with the flow, with crystal clear vocals on top of swirling synths. Nothing wrong with a bit of escapism every now and then. They provide the soundtrack for daydreaming, away from a world that is in tatters.

» aboutisle.com

The Wedding Present: "Seamonsters" 30th anniversary reissue + webcast

Seamonsters by The Wedding Present gets the deluxe treatment as a 2LP + CD set. The original album was produced by Steve Albini, who did a fine job capturing the band's energy, anger, and sense of humour. The set features the original album. The second LP contains the tracks from s tracks from the 3 Songs, Dalliance, and Lovenest EPs, plus the October 1990 BBC Radio 1 session for John Peel. Comes with a CD with the full album + the songs from the EPs. The set will be released on May 28 via Sony Legacy Records.

The band will perform the album in full as a pay-per-view webcast on May 29.

» The Wedding Present on Facebook

Late Aster: Dichotomy

Experimental quartet Late Aster once again succeed to get the listener on the wrong foot with their new single Dichotomy, a study in contrasts with elements of free jazz, dreamy soundscapes and left-field pop. At first it seems that the two sections of the song run in into each other blindly, but on repeat it becomes clear that they are carefully linked and that the sum is more than its component parts. The video was made by Harrison Atkins.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Summer 2022 European Festival Shows

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will be playing a bunch of European Summer festivals in 2022. More dates TBA.

Live dates:

• 06/15 Release Athens Festival, Athens, Greece
• 06/21 INmusic, Zagreb, Croatia
• 06/23 Metronome Festival, Prague, Czech Republic
• 06/29 Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany
• 07/07 Pohoda Festival, Trencin, Slovakia
• 08/03 Residenzschloss, Rastatt, Germany
• 08/05 Castle Clam, Klam, Austria
• 08/11 Øyafestivalen, Øya, Norway
• 08/12 Way Out West, Gothenburg, Sweden

» nickcave.com

The Bluebells: Sisters

Scottish indie pop band The Bluebells were very much in touch with the sound of the 80s during their first tenure as band (1981-86). With a knack to write smart pop songs that could be enjoyed by the mainstream their sole full-length album Sisters sold quite well, but they never got around to replicate that success - the next one with the rathing boring title Second only saw the light of day in Japan. Serious music lovers kept namechecking them over the years, singing the praises of their orchestral arrangements and vocal harmonies. In 1993 their song Young At Heart got some airplay again after it was used in VW commercial.

Fast forward to late 2020 when the folks at the Last Night From Glasgow picked up Sisters as the first album for their reissue series Past Night From Glasgow. They went above and beyond to make it something special, using and alternate version of Everybody's Somebody's Fool, the album's opener and adding Some Sweet Day and Aim in Life, two tracks that were produced by Elvis Costello. After being out-of-print since 1991 it is nice to have this lost gem available in the shops again. As a snapshot of an era where smart songs still could make the charts on a regular basis, Sisters can hold its own sitting next to The La's and the first albums of the Simple Minds.

Goldwoman: Hungover

Brooklyn based musician Goldwoman wrote the words and music for her single Hungover after she had played a show where her ex was in the audience. She got fiercely drunk because of that, but she did get a beautiful piano ballad out of it. Her training as a classical vocalist came in a handy to express all the mixed emotions. The song will be released on her self-titled debut album, due for release on June 11 (cassette, digital).

Echo & the Bunnymen: "Live in Liverpool" 2LP for Record Store Day

The Echo & the Bunnymen album Live in Liverpool album will be released as a 2LP for Record Store Day (June 12). Originally released in 2002 on CD and DVD it features original members Ian McCulloch (vocals) and Will Sergeant (guitar) plus session players Steve Flett (bass), Ceri James (keyboards) and Vinnie Jameson (drums). The songs were recorded during a 2-night stand (August 17-18, 2001) in their hometown at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

William Denton Wilde: My Heroin

One-man band William Denton Wilde sings about his failure to juggle two kinds of addiction on his new single My Heroin. A lover who can never be fully his can be as devastating as a hard drug. Harsh, slow moving synth-driven neo New Wave, with an upfront electronic drum beat and a bass line for which Andrew Eldritch would have gladly handed over his firstborn. Like his previous single, We Are The Virus, he recorded most of it at home, playing bass, and using a drum machine and a computer, with some help from his mate Alex @ Polestar Rehearsal and Recording Studios in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Words about music (586): Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

It is a mistake to think that the practice of my art has become easy to me. I assure you, dear friend, no one has given so much care to the study of composition as I. There is scarcely a famous master in music whose works I have not frequently and diligently studied.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Natalie Bouloudis: Ossian Sessions (virtual gig) May 18

English bluesy folk singer Natalie Bouloudis will be playing songs from her latest EP Devil is Doubt during a virtual gig on May 18: "Bouloudis is always sounding intense, a smoldering presence that is both alluring and a bit scary, especially for those on the receiving end of her wrath. She is not to be trifled with, with her lyrics acting as a scalpel, cutting away the lies and the bullshit."

Yoo Doo Right: Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose

photo: Stacy Lee

Naming your band after a famous Can song is a bold move. For one thing it will raise the expectation of music lovers who are familiar with the legendary Krautrock pioneers. Canadian post-rock trio Yoo Doo Right come close with the sprawling soundscapes on their new album Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose and they can play in the kind of time signatures that will appeal to prog fans.

Embracing complexity and repetition is not a foolproof recipe for adventurous music. Besides being precise there has to be a sense of abandon and spontaneity as well and that is missing from some of the material. When they cut loose, however, like they do in The Moral Compass Of A Self-Driving Car, or find a prog metal groove in 1N914, they let the music almost play itself. They have studied a lot, but now it is time to write their own stories.

Razorhouse: Hobo Stomp

Chicago based psychedelic blues band Razorhouse invite the listeners to loose themselves in their lowdown lo-fi new single Hobo Stomp, a passage way into a world where clothes and booze to keep you warm are the most prized possesions. The 12-bar format has produced a lot of memorable songs over the years and this one deserves prominent billing. Mark Panick's hoarse vocals are not aiming to please, but to drive home a point: dance away the night in a way they don't teach at school.

Hayseed Dixie: on tour in the UK and Ireland

Rock grass quartet Hayseed Dixie hope to take their good times music to the UK and Ireland again. These guys plays lots of irreverent covers plus not half bad originals.

Pearie Sol: Real Happiness

Pearie Sol, keyboards player for DC-area rockers Gauche, howls like a banshee with a bad cold on his single Real Happiness, a rambling post-punk garage track that comes out of the left of left field. He does not want to be happy, he want to be ecstatic with joy, but the world gets in the way every single time. With this gnarly, lo-fi excursion through anxiety and desperation he tries to find the middle way between Elliot Smith and Daniel Johnston.

Steven Wilson: Anyone But Me

Steven Wilson has released a new single, Anyone But Me, a ballad that could be mistaken for an ELO song. A demo of the track can be found on the cassette of the Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set version of his latest album The Future Bites. Wilson:

This song was a casualty of COVID-19. It was originally the closing song on 'The Future Bites', the album was even mastered and cut with it in place, but the delay in releasing the album gave me the chance to re-evaluate and I decided to replace it with the more laid back and atmospheric 'Count Of Unease'. I still love this song though. Lyrically it’s about how it’s now possible to present to the world a version of yourself via social media that may have no bearing on reality - photos of yourself in places you’ve never been, hanging out with friends you’ve never met. It’s becoming more important to create the illusion of a desirable life on social media than it is to actually live it.

» stevenwilsonhq.com
» thefuturebites.com

Cover Me: It’s a Sin

Watch Elton John and Years & Years tackle the Pet Shop Boys classic It's a Sin as part of the Brit Awards show. And yes, there is bit of Cat Stevens's Wild World in it.

» eltonjohn.com
» yearsandyears.com
» petshopboys.co.uk

Jumble Hole Clough: Trainspotting in Angola

It is OK to be jealous of Colin Robinson's unrelenting ability to come up with new compositions for his one-man avant-garde project Jumble Hole Clough. On his new album Trainspotting in Angola - "the idea of taking a futile and furtive hobby and turning it into an extreme sport" - his love for the forgotten heroes and inventors is in full swing.

Technology has always fascinated Robinson. As a former electrical engineer he is adamant to find out what is in the box, take it apart and reassemble it in a new way. His music is like a twisted computer motherboard that keeps acting up, spewing out unexpected results that make the listener reassess his thoughts about what can be done with sounds and rhythms. He puts the spotlight on a bloke who invented a robot that still works today with In 1950, an RAF officer and former spy built a robot that steered itself towards a beer bottle. The future of public transport on the Green Isle gets traction with The Irish are no strangers to monorails. Being tipsy can be a lot of fun (A tantalising gin, pronto!), and so can taking the piss on a genre - Prog Rock in 43 Seconds actually runs for 51 seconds. A Tribute to Laurie Johnson is lovely tribute to a composer who scored tons of tv series and films (including The Avengers and Dr. Strangelove).

Phish: Summer & Fall 2021 Tourdates

Phish will be back on the road for an extensive Summer & Fall tour. The Vermont jam band kicks off in Rogers, AR on July 28:

At long last, through this unusual and ever-changing landscape, we are excited to announce a combined Summer + Fall 2021 tour. Thanks for your patience!

The tour will begin in Arkansas on July 28. Many of the 2021 dates that were rescheduled from 2020 will play on their currently scheduled dates. For most of the shows that are not newly announced, a limited quantity of tickets are available now via Phish Tickets as a real-time sale (while supplies last), as well as at public outlets such as Ticketmaster. A limited number of Travel Packages have been released for George, Lake Tahoe, and Commerce City show dates. In Atlantic City, Foundation Tickets as well as Travel Packages are now available here.

Irmin Schmidt: interview in the New York Times

Irmin Schmidt is interviewed in The New York Times about the new Can live series. Thanks to English fan Andrew Hall, who stuffed the recording gear down his huge pants, the German Krautrock pioneers were preserved in full improvisational flight. Schmidt explains their modus operandi:

When we went onstage, we didn’t even know beforehand what we would play. We just reacted to the atmosphere, to the acoustics, to the public, to the whole environment spontaneously, and started playing something, which we had never played befor. We didn’t talk to each other onstage at all. Everything we had to say to each other, we did with our instruments.

Phish: LP On LP 01 & 02 Vinyl

Jam veterans Phish have launched a new vinyl series: LP on LP (Live Phish on Long Play). The first two will be released on June 18:

• LP ON LP 01 has Ruby Waves from Phish’s last show of Summer Tour 2019 at Alpine Valley
• LP ON LP 02 has Waves from Phish’s technical rehearsal the night before Summer Tour 2011 began at Bethel Woods

St. Vincent: "Down" video

St. Vincent has unveiled a video for Down, the third single from her forthcoming new album Daddy's Home, out on May 14th 2021. The freakishly funky and lopsided rhythms will baffle the dance crowd and ensure she will come out as a winner. The video was made by Bill Benz.

The Guru Guru: (in) snakes & ladders (stakes don't matter)

Belgian noise rockers The Guru Guru have made a video for their new single (in) snakes & ladders (stakes don't matter), a track from their new double EP It's a (Doggy Dog) World / Live in Antwerp (out on June 25). It is a slow burner that takes its time to show its full power. Psychedelic post-rock gives way to mix of pop and metal and vice versa. Intense but accessible. Imagine Triggerfinger in a bar brawl with Deus and De Staat.

Porcupine Tree: new YouTube channel; House Of Blues (live in Los Angeles) on vinyl

English prog band Porcupine Tree have launched a new YouTube channel with remastered promo and live videos, most of them in HD and some in 4K. The show in Los Angeles on 30th July 2003 was already available on Bandcamp, but it now comes to dark blue vinyl via Burning Shed:

In the Summer of 2003, Porcupine Tree teamed up with Opeth for a co-headlining tour of North America, performing 15 shows in Canada and USA. This recording captures the band's set at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on 30th July. The band went on first on this particular evening, playing a set of around 90 minutes. Mixed for the first time from the multitrack recording, this is the complete performance with the exception of second encore Trains which suffered from issues due to a guitar string break.

Recorded live at the House of Blues, Los Angeles on 30th July 2003.

Restored and remixed from the 24 track ADAT tapes in 2020. Original recording supervised by Ian Bond. Cut from 48k / 24 bit audio files. 33rpm.

» porcupinetree.com

Royal Mail issues Paul McCartney stamps

Eight albums and four photos in the recording studio of Paul McCartney make up a new series of stamps issued by Royal Mail in the UK. The stamps will go on sale on March 28.

» paulmccartney.com

Sarah Hickey: "Free" video

Irish singer Sarah Hickey has made a video for her new single Free: "a bold song about getting up after being knocked down. It's a powerful statement, an act of defiance enabling her to hit the open road again".

» Sarah Hickey on Facebook

HCTF review of Free.

Chang: Tinderella

Bristol based band Chang take on the shallowness of online dating, by way of indie, metal, a bit of dream pop, and a bunch of other genres all living together comfortably on their new single Tinderella. They can switch moods and modes without even blinking eye, proving that a bunch of fiercely DIY musicians can produce ace results. The video was made by their singer Alex Armagianitakis.

Words about music (585): David Sylvian

People are afraid to ask musicians to be involved in projects because they anticipate being turned down. Young artists hesitate before contacting me. People in my position don't get approached often enough.

David Sylvian

Vazum: Haunted House

Detroit based deathgaze band Vazum have a new single, Haunted House, written shortly after singer and bass player Emily Sturm woke up from a scream in the middle of the night. She went outside, saw nothing, but in the morning the porch's of her neighbour was taped off as a crime scene by the police. The woman and her child were brutally murdered. Ever since then she has been blaming herself, wondering if she could have prevented the tragedy. With her band mate Zach Pliskah she built a wall of sound as a kind of protection. Recommended if you like The Sisters of Mercy in their Floodland phase.

How I Became A Wave: Fading Out

photo: Brid O'Donovan

Irish folk musician Pat Carey, the former singer of The Hard Ground, has released Fading Out, the debut single by his solo project How I Became A Wave. He dreams about being able to fly to escape from the hassles of everyday life, and ultimately disappear all together. It starts out with just his voice and guitar, with other musicians joining in to create of slow moving tapestry of sounds. Dreamy and melancholic with crystal clear separation, thanks to the mixing skills of Brian Casey @ Casey’s Wavefield Studios in West Cork - he also plays keyboards on the track.

Real Estate: The Lagniappe Sessions @ Aquarium Drunkard

Brooklyn indie rock quintet Real Estate laid down five covers for Aquarium Drunkard's The Lagniappe Sessions: Parsley Sound's Ocean House (MP3), My Bloody Valentine's You Never Should (MP3), John Cale's Please (MP3), Roger Miller's Little Green Apples (MP3), Jawbone's Java Jelly (MP3).

William Denton Wilde: We Are The Virus

One-man band William Denton Wilde gives it his best shot to bottle the anxiety induced by the pandemic on his new single We Are The Virus. Bleak, neo New Wave with a hint of disco for the dressed in black crowd, who are in dire need of a fresh tune to dance to. He recorded it mostly at home, playing bass, cursing at his drum machine and computer, with some help from his mate Alex @ Polestar Rehearsal and Recording Studios in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Agender: Astro Tarot

LA quartet Agender channel the sound of the Au Pairs and the Stranglers on their new single Astro Tarot, a synth-driven, fast-paced unrelenting song. Post-punk and astrology are an unusual combination and in the end relying on free will is the right thing to do. Co-produced by lead singer Romy Hoffman and David Scott Stone (LCD Soundsystem, Unwound) it is a throwback to the sound of the early eighties - upbeat and dark simultaneously.

Robert Plant: "Live At Knebworth" EP for Record Store Day

Four songs from Robert Plant's appearance @ Knebworth on June 30, 1990 will be released on 12" vinyl for Record Store Day (June 12). Jimmy Page plays guitar on Wearing And Tearing. 4700 copies world wide.

Side A:

1. Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes On You)
2. Liar’s Dance

Side B:

1. Tall Cool One
2. Wearing And Tearing (featuring Jimmy Page on guitar)

» robertplant.com