Cape Sleep: I Want To Be Your Friend

Cape Sleep is the new name for the band led Dutch indie musician Kim Janssen. Their new single I Want To Be Your Friend is a happy-sad song about the doubts that can creep in when everything appears to be fine and dandy. It has a very danceable backbeat, but the lyrics tell another story. With four band members pitching in for the vocals, they have ample opportunity to add textures and indulge into call-and-response tidbits. Smart pop with an electronic twist that brings a touch of Spring in the midst of Winter.

Mike Keneally and Marcelo Radulovich: Bask

Lightning never strikes twice, they say, but it does happen. Bask is the second collaborative album by multi-instrumentalists Mike Keneally and Marcelo Radulovich and it does not sound much like their first Monday. There is quite a lot of demented funk on it, thanks to bringing in drummer Bill Ray, and some decidedly weird vocals can be heard in each track, with guest Donna Ray in full-on freak mode a la Captain Beefheart on two of them.

Bask is a maze, a musical kaleidoscope that can induce dizziness but in a good way. It is a trip without any of the nasty side-effects, but once you're in, there is no way out. To be enjoyed in one sitting for maximum effect and enjoyment.

Mitchell and Redding estates can sue Sony over Jimi Hendrix royalties

The estates of Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding can go forward suing Sony over Jimi Hendrix royalties they hope to claim, despite signing off on those in the Seventies. London's High Court has ruled that the case can go forward. From the Guardian:

Aside from a tiny handful of Redding-penned songs, Hendrix wrote the group’s repertoire and earned the songwriting royalties alone, but the trio shared in royalties for the sound recordings they created together prior to Hendrix’s death aged 27 in 1970.

Believing there would not be any more Jimi Hendrix Experience music released – and with the lucrative CD-reissue and streaming eras still years in the future – the pair signed away their rights in the early 1970s. Redding received $100,000 while Mitchell received $240,000, with both signing documents that stated they would not be able to make future lawsuits over the earnings.

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 1977 Part #4A

English musicians and music geeks extraordinaire Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness have posted a new episode of their podcast The Album Years. They talk about 1977, discussing albums by Queen, Fela Kuti, Throbbing Gristle, and a whole lot more. This is part #4A of what will be 8 episodes about this year.

Whispering Sons: Walking, Flying

Belgian post-punk quintet Whispering Sons are still embracing the late Eighties sound on their new single Walking, Flying, a hectic track, reined in just a bit by the synths. It is a track from their forthcoming The Great Calm album, due for release on February 23, via PIAS. The video was directed by Heleen Declercq.

The Fierce & The Dead: headliners @ Sunday in September festival

English experimental rock quartet The Fierce & The Dead have been invited to headline the A Sunday in September festival at The Bedford in London on September 15th. Tickets are available here.

» fierceandthedead.com

HCTF review of News From The Invisible World.

Baby Scream & Eze Gruber: Loco Club 2023

Argentinian power pop musician Juan Pablo Mazzola has a soft spot for the intimate Loco Club in his place orf residence, Valenica. He has played there a lot, so it made that some of it was recorded for live EP by his Baby Scream project. He was joined on stage by keyboard player Eze Gruber for a set of originals and a couple of covers. Loco Club 2023 features three tracks from his latest album Castell de Pop.

With a healthy extra dose of reverb and echo, especially during The Hurt and the Weak, the tracks have an urgency that can only be accomplished in concert. They even managed to breathe new life into Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine, a song that has been tackled to Hell and back. The electronics driven make-over of The Cars' classic Drive will appeal to fans of Tears for Fears. The EP's closer, a studio version of Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime, ain't half bad either.

The Incurables: "When I Grow Up" video

Detroit garage punk quartet The Incurables have made a video for When I Grow Up, a track from their Inside Out & Backwards album: "If there is a fountain of youth, these guys have found it. Brace yourself for an invigorating half an hour of songs about wanting to be loved, sparkling lemonade, and having a ball in general. Imagine Cheap Trick having a hell of a party with the Ramones, with the Monkees and the Clash trying to get in".

» theincurables.net

HCTF review of Inside Out & Backwards.

ništa: ništa

Dutch post-rock quartet ništa are all about tension and release on their self-titled debut EP. With four longish, meandering tracks they have constructed a world of their own, a safe space of sorts to deal with strong emotions resulting in a mesmerizing play of light and shade.

By combining elements of progressive rock, shoegaze and stoner metal, they have erected a wall of sound that shows different colours during each play. Singer Ismena puts her folk leanings to good use as she rides the wave of intertwined soaring guitars, with the rhythm section acting a shifting foundation that never falls apart.

Words about music (719): Mick Jones

This is an important fact: People prefer to dance than to fight wars. In these days, when everybody's fighting, mostly for stupid reasons, people forget that. If there's anything we can do, it's to get them dancing again.

Mick Jones

Cover Me: Ring of Fire

In 1980 Blondie played a faux live concert in the truly horrible movie Roadie. Their version of Ring of Fire, best known as a Johnny Cash classic, is pretty damn good however.

» blondie.net

A Knife Ballet: Scattered Red, Blue & Black

English Jonathan Stolber's new project A Knife Ballet has all the trappings to become a post-rock meets ambient favourite. The Scattered Red, Blue & Black single is a sprawling, cinematic instrumental, wherein guitar, strings, synths, piano and noise strike up a hushed conversation about the crumbling healthcare services in Old Blighty and the idiocracy that is getting stronger by the day in the US. Headphones earcandy for anyone who loves Mogwai and the second side of David Bowie's Low album.

Jazz Is PHSH: tour dates

Jazz Is PHSH, the collective led by Adam and Matthew Chase, have announced three shows in February. As the name suggest they play Phish songs, reinventing them as jazz music, with nods to Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and John Coltrane thrown in for good measure. This works quite well on stage and their sole album He Never Spoke a Word is worth seeking out: "They show some restraint, perusing tension and release, to get low down dirty funky in Foam and 46 Days, while sticking closer to the originals during Camel Walk and Magilla. Jazz Is PHSH are able to switch from monochrome to full HD colour, making He Never Spoke a Word far more than just a tribute album".

Live dates:

• 02/01 Los Angeles, CA @ The Mint
• 02/02 TUSCON AZ,@ Gem & Jam Festival
• 02/03 San Diego, CA @ Winstons

» jazzisphish.com

HCTF review of He Never Spoke a Word.

The Incurables: Inside Out & Backwards

Detroit garage punk quartet The Incurables have been a racket for a couple of decades, playing a spicy mix of melodic power pop (When I Grow Up), hard-hitting psychedelica (Someday, Funhouse) and basic rock 'n' roll (Far Away). On their latest album Inside Out & Backwards they keep it short - none of the tracks is over 4 minutes, but they managed to fill nearly each one of them with choice breaks and their signature vocal harmonizing.

If there is a fountain of youth, these guys have found it. Brace yourself for an invigorating half an hour of songs about wanting to be loved, sparkling lemonade, and having a ball in general. Imagine Cheap Trick having a hell of a party with the Ramones, with the Monkees and the Clash trying to get in. To be played at top volume.

Nils Petter Molvær @ Norwegian Radio Orchestra: Certainty of Tides

photo: Andre Clemetsen

Norwegian trumpeter and composer Nils Petter Molvær does not like to be stuck into one particular genre. He has explored jazz, ambient and classical, but also dipped his toes in breakbeats and electronics. On his latest album Certainty of Tides, he went for a mellow sound that digs deep, with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra having his back to create a modern day symphony. The six movements flow as a continuous piece that should be listened to as whole as Molvær adds accents and colour on top of the orchestra's sometimes almost abstract music.

Certainty of Tides is ambitious, but accessible. He has obviously been taking cues from arrangers like Gil Evans and changes are that both Chet Baker and Hans Zimmer were in the back of his mind when he wrote the pieces. It is very melodic, but with enough twists and turns to keep it safe from the mainstream bracket.

Custard Flux: show in London

Chicago finest underground psychedelic rock band Custard Flux have confirmed a show in London on August 1 at Half Moon. Singer and multi-instrumentalist Gregory Curvey will lead the band to the songs of his latest album Phosphorus: "As a composer, he allows the tracks to take their time, going through sonic hills and valleys using tension and release. This immersive music will be embraced by fans of King Crimson and Weather Report. Taking it all in one session is the way to go to fully appreciate the textures, but taking a little pause after each side on the first try doesn't hurt. Curvey is still growing as a musician, taking more risks as he moves forward, but he is already leaving most of the competition far behind".

Pierce Crask: Rising River

Chicago based Americana singer Pierce Crask had the bright idea to use Ron Haynes' impressive Flugelhorn skills on a couple of tracks on his latest album Rising River. It gives his songs an extra layer of emotional depth, as it blends with his husky vocals and melancholic slide guitar.

Crask has had his fair share of misfortunes and deaths, so he did what he knows best: turn it into storytelling songs that strike a nerve. Listeners who are not touched by tracks like My Baby Is Sleeping or Butterfly Song ("I’m just a caterpillar, munching on a leaf // But there’s one thing I believe // I’ll be beautiful someday // And I will fly away") should seek professional help. His cover of the Steve Earle classic Sparkle And Shine purrs like a contented cat, a sign that things might work out fine for him in the long run.

Oh Hazar: City Lines

Dutch art rock band Oh Hazar explore the night while dealing with grief on their new single, City Lines. With a funky bass leading the way the song is a journey that is exhilariting and a little scary.

Producer Simon Akkermans worked his magic with a smörgåsbord of loops and synths, creating a hectic backdrop for the band to add their textures, with Imke Loeffen and Stefan Kollee sharing duties for the vocals and guitars. It is a near seamless jigsaw puzzle. Musos will have their work cut for them trying to find the cracks.

Mike Keneally and Marcelo Radulovich: Monday

Multi-instrumentalists Mike Keneally and Marcelo Radulovich are a classic example of a meeting of like-minded musicians, who both have written "out-of-the-box" as the description for their art. The improvisations on Monday are left of left-field as they egged each other to keep the creative juices flowing (and boiling sometimes).

The album is a sonic adventure, on which they perused their instruments as machetes to cut through the dense yet familiar territories marked jazz, rock or electronic to find new pastures to roam. The free-flowing compositions can a clear a room pretty much instantly, without only the diehards remaining seated, while trying to nod appreciatingly to the challenges put up by a backbeat that refuses to stay put. It's music that is very much alive, without showing patience or compassion for people questioning its meaning. It just is.

The Fierce & The Dead: two shows in October

English experimental rock quartet The Fierce & The Dead have announced two additional shows in October:

• 10/05 Northampton @ Black Prince
• 10/12 Edinburgh @ Sneaky Pete’s

Tickets will be on sale at 10am on Friday 26th January here.

Ellur: "Satellites" video

English musician Ellur has made a video for her latest single, Satellites: "With a full-on orchestral treatment courtesy of her producer Tim Malkin enabling her to wrap raw emotions around a comforting backing track, she is getting out of the singer-songwriter niche and ready to step into the spotlight with regained self-esteem after being left out to dry in a relationship". The clip was directed by Sarah Oglesby.

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 1977 Part #3B

English musicians and music geeks extraordinaire Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness have posted a new episode of their podcast The Album Years. They talk about 1977, discussing albums by Fleetwood Mac, John Martyn, Billy Joel, and a whole lot more. This is part #3B of what will be 8 episodes about this year.

HCTF premiere - The Special Pillow: Three On A Sundial

photo: Mitch Rackin

Hoboken's underground psych rock quartet The Special Pillow show how it's done when a track is in need of some start-and-stop shehanigans. Their latest single Three On A Sundial pokes fun at true-and-tried time signatures like only seasoned musicians are able to pull off without things falling apart. Recommended if you like Frank Zappa in a demented power pop guise.

Steven Wilson: "Inclination (Ewan Pearson Remix)" video

Watch the video for Ewan Pearson' remix of the Steven Wilson track Inclination: "The vocals and the percussion are mixed more upfront than they are in the original version, making it fun to picture dancers going out on a limb on this". The clip was directed by Miles Skarin.

» stevenwilsonhq.com

The McKenzie FIX: Time Tunnel

Leave it to Ewan McKenzie to make a case for people who are in a bind. Time Tunnel, the new single by his baroque pop project offers an alternate timeline for those who want to avoid disaster and start all over. His voice takes center stage, albeit reluctantly. The message is far more important than the messenger.

It is a track from his new album Media Hack, due for release on his own label Platform Records.

The Clash covers for a cause: Hearts & Minds & Crooked Beats

It is fitting for a band like The Clash to have their songs reimagined for a good cause. The proceeds of Hearts & Minds & Crooked Beats will benefit the work of the International Rescue Committee, an organization that has helped the victims of crisis by providing health care, shelter and education. Most bands who signed up for a cover took the safe route by choicing the best known tracks, but there a few deep cuts like Hitsville U.K. by American singer Seán Barna and Deny by Dutch art-rock trio Labasheeda.

None of the bands tried to replicate the hurried energy of "the only band matters", but as a rule opted instead for slowed down reinterprations, taking cues from triphop, dub and shoegaze. Seattle’s Smokey Brights managed to make Train In Vain even more desperate than the original and Julia Massey appears to be taking a leisurely stroll exploring the merchandise at the market with Rock The Casbah.

Kristóf Hajós: "Imaginary World" video

Watch the Kristóf Hajós video for Imaginary World, a track from his Geography album: "[He] sings about feeling at home and being at a loss simultaneously (...) Now based in Amsterdam he has been all over the place and finding his bearings after yet another move can be time consuming and nerve wrecking. Resorting to build one's own Imaginary World can offer some solace and dreaming of exploring outerspace (...) might work as well". The clip was directed by Bemti.

» kristofhajos.com

HCTF review of Geography.

The Embryos: Desiree

The Embryos are back with a new track. The Chicago based powerpop quartet tackle the perennial theme of a girlfriend trading in the protagonist for another man. Apparently Desiree had enough of "living in this trailer by the bog".

Finn Swingley steals the show with an on-point lap steel part. It is the lead single for their new album Selling What You Want To Buy, due for release on May 10th via Kool Kat Music.

Words about music (718): Steve Winwood

If you call someone up on a mistake - if the drummer's put an extra beat in a bar or something - you have a lot more authority if you can show them how to do it right.

Steve Winwood

Labasheeda: Blueprints

Amsterdam based art-rock band Labasheeda are down to a trio, but that hasnt's kept them for a creating a fresh stack of gnarly songs for a new album, Blueprints. Firmly grounded in the post-punk meets noise tradition, they are not in it for the entertainment of their audience, but offering them a challenge instead with rhythmic shifts, choice feedback, and using string instruments as equal partners for the electric guitar as a lead instrument.

By writing about themes that are either close to home such as relationship issues (Closure, Procedure, Vanity), make them angry (Homeless) or a bit giddy (Sparkle) Labasheeda explores to sides of the coin: adventurous music for pretty straightforward matter. Blueprints is an apt name for an album that is a map to what is happening in the Dutch rock underground. It comes without a manual, but no one reads them anyway these days.

Tape Op "DISCussion" Episode 38: Thom Monahan

Tape Op has posted a new episode of their DISCussion podcast series. They get on the phone with an artist or producer to discuss an album they love. In episode 38 producer/engineer Thom Monahan talks about Polyphemus' Scrapbook of Madness album.

» tapeop.com
» Thom Monahan on Wikipedia

Martha And The Muffins: For What It's Worth

Canadian rock band Martha And The Muffins make their cover of the Buffalo Springfield classic about the rampant gun violence For What It's Worth. They wrapped the track in a blend of triphop, slide guitar and fuzzy percussion. NRA-card carrying members will hate it, but then again, they pretty much hate anything or anyone with half a brain. The video was directed by Jason S. Cipparrone.

» marthaandthemuffins.com

KATVALY: Stained but free

English funky electronic band KATVALY are optimistic in an age where it is not exactly fashionable on their new single Stained but free. Singer Glenn O'Halloran is well-versed in human rights and the need for protest to keep them safe and in the public's eye. Against all odds, he is convinced that love will persevere in the end. It is a heartfelt plea on top of a slow dance beat and swirling synths.

Maev: Better Day

Dutch indie band Maev deliver a melodic rock anthem with their new single Better Day. It sounds instantly familiar, taking cues from Fleetwood Mac in their "Tango in the Night" phase, augmented by a healthy of Nineties mainstream pop sensibilities. Lead singer Nikki Henskens's vocals offer comfort to insecure adolescents who try to fit in, but are also in need of a space where they are not being judged by their peers and grown-ups.

Written by the band's rhythm section, brothers Johan and Bram Brandts, the band have a songwriting team within their ranks that knows how to write a mainstream track that can cross over to the serious music lovers as well. Changes are that guitarist Chiel van Son will seize the opportunity to play a blistering solo when they perform it live.

La Faute: "Eraser" video

La Faute, nom-de-plume of Toronto based dream pop singer and mult-instrumentalist Peggy Messing, has unveiled a video for Eraser, a track from her Blue Girl Nice Day album: "It has a kaleidoscopic quality, twirling and captivating, a rabbit hole for the listener to dive into and end up in Messing's alternate universe where everything is slightly different. She has found a way to transform her health issues and other troubles into stepping stones to get on top of them".

Steven Wilson: Inclination (Ewan Pearson remix)

Ewan Pearson has remixed Steven Wilson's Inclination. The vocals and the percussion are mixed more upfront than they are in the original version, making it fun to picture dancers going out on a limb on this. Available on the usual digital services and as a limited 12", with an instrumental version on the B-side

James Brown / Rage Against the Machine mashup: Take the Soul Power Back

Bill McClintock made a mashup of James Brown and Rage Against the Machine: Soul Power + Take the Power Back = Take the Soul Power Back. O, and some snippets of Van Halen's Atomic Punk and I'm the One are in there as well. Want more? His YouTube channel has lots of them.

The Sweet Kill: Forbidden

Pete Mills is painting with broad strokes on the new single Forbidden by his one-man gothic post-punk project The Sweet Kills. The lure of indulging into things that are not 100% kosher to dive into continues to be a major source of inspiration. Nice touch adding an acoustic middle-eight as a contrast for the synth-heavy wall of sound.

Elephant Stone: Pilgrimage

Canadian psychedelic raga band Elephant Stone have released Pilgrimage, a track from their forthcoming new album Back into the Dream. It is a tale about travel, but if it is really happening is up to the listener to decide. Adam Kinner put on some choice saxophone parts. The animated video was made by Laurine Jousserand.

STÄSJ: Urtling

Dutch singer STÄSJ put her arranging skills to good use when she wrote five vocal parts for her new single Urtling, a heartfelt tribute to her mother who suffers from dementia. In trying to make clear what the disease means to mom and all those around her, she uses dissolving sharts of voice and a lone glass harp to capture the sense of love, loss and loneliness. It is the opening track of her forthcoming new album Building A Cathedral, due for release on March 30, 2024. The video was made by Auke Hamers.

Live date:

• 03/30 Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Brebl
  (album release show)

» stasj.world

HCTF review of Human Condition.

Jackie Rae Daniels: Stay A While

Saint Paul based singer, guitarist and violin player Jackie Rae Daniels is on the fence between Americana and strings driven orchestral pop on her Stay A While album. Her voice can be soothing, but make no mistake: there is a toughness in there as well. Also: she does not shun from throwing in a few harsh dissonants in Like You Say to yank listeners out of their comfortable slumber. As a whole this is record about tension and release, with the latter sometimes taking its sweet time to make an appearance.

Daniels' music is a much needed shot in the arm into genres that are not exactly known for taking chances. With songs like the defiant upbeat Mind Slips and the multi-layered, melancholic vocals clashing with strings in the country-esque title track Stay A While she shows that an out-of-the-box approach can pay off in spades.

Phish: Mondegreen Festival in Dover, DE (August 15-18)

Mondegreen, a 4-day Phish festival, will take over The Woodlands in Dover, Delaware on August 15-18. It has been 9 years since Magnaball at Watkins Glen. The 2018 festival Curveball got cancelled due to severe weather conditions contaminating Schuyler County and turning it into a disaster area.

Pre-sale starts January 19at 11AM ET.

» phish.com

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 1977 Part #3A

English musicians and music geeks extraordinaire Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness have posted a new episode of their podcast The Album Years. They talk about 1977, discussing albums by The Beach Boys, Roy Harper, Randy Newman, and a whole lot more. This is part #3A of what will be 8 episodes about this year.

Ellur: Satellites

Emie Grimwood

Leeds based musician Ellur unleashes her inner torch singer on her new single, the piano ballad Satellites. With a full-on orchestral treatment courtesy of her producer Tim Malkin enabling her to wrap raw emotions around a comforting backing track, she is getting out of the singer-songwriter niche and ready to step into the spotlight with regained self-esteem after being left out to dry in a relationship.

Cam Forrester: Sister Ray

English multi-instrumentalist Cam Forrester played all the parts of his version of The Velvet Underground's Sister Ray. He made a matching video as well, using a backdrop of the band playing at the Boston Tea Party in 1967. Play almost as loud as the original.

» Cam Forrester on YouTube

Jumble Hole Clough: Auntie, why does your house smell funny?

English avant-garde musician Colin Robinson is into investigating generative patterns on the new album Auntie, why does your house smell funny? by his Jumble Hole Clough project. That might seem as a restricting method to come up with something worthwhile and interesting, but being some sort of musical Houdini enables him to steer the process to uncharted waters. Percussion is key on this release, grounding the swirling textures and keeping it tight as he veers into his signature literate lyrical universe wherein anything goes.

Robinson once again proofs that you can write a tune about pretty much anything, be it Leon Trotsky, the perspective of an eyewitness at the crack of dawn at the site of a battle in the English Civil War (6 am, Marston Moor), a bit of claustrophobia (Another dream about being trapped in a crowded, enclosed space), show respect for an early synthesizer (The Wonderous and Most Efficacious Electronium of Happy Valley) or a biblical character's wardrobe (Why did Noah have so many fur coats?).

Phish & Co: "The Spectrum '97" box set in March

It has been years since the last box set, but jam band Phish is back embracing the CD format with The Spectrum '97, six discs filled the shows recorded live on December 2 and 3, 1997 @ The Spectrum in Philadelphia, PA. Both shows are long time fan favourites. It will be released on March 4 via the band's own label JEMP Records.

» phish.com

Steve North: Dandelion Clockwork Faded

English sound artist Steve North was confronted by serious health scare after being diagnosed with cancer. He got better and whiled away the hours exploring the endless possibilities of a looper pedal. Pretty much to his own surprise some of his noodling was just begging to be turned into off-kilter songs that explore post-punk, ambient, jazz and spoken word, more often than not within the space of a single track. The result was a full album, Dandelion Clockwork Faded, that is filled to the rafters with weirdness and serious concerns about where Old Blighty is heading right now.

Some of the music is tailor-made for a documentary about brutalist architecture, but there is also plenty of room for skewed pastoral interludes. Rhythmic seizures sit comfortably next to drenched-in-echo guitar flourishes. His creativity is in full bloom and it requires repeating listening to fully appreciate this baffling yet highly entertaining collection of improvised songs. Avant-garde as a genre never aims to please, but in the long run it always turns out that the best things happen when the rule books are ditched aside. North is heading to new horizons and he doesn't care if anyone is actually following him.

Words about music (717): Al Kooper

At the end of the playback of the take of "Like A Rolling Stone", or actually during the thing, Bob Dylan said to the producer, turn up the organ. And Tom Wilson said, oh man, that guy's not an organ player. And Dylan said, I don't care, turn the organ up, and that's really how I became an organ player.

Al Kooper

Amigo the Devil: The Mechanic

American singer-songwriter Danny Kiranos, who goes by the stage name Amigo the Devil, is trying to fix things some relationship issues on his new single, The Mechanic. He sounds like he is close to tears on this acoustic excursion as he tries to navigate back to what he has lost.

Tiny Wine: "Archer" video

Chris Milton and Vertro Ubretl of New Hampshire duo Tiny Wine have shared a video for Archer, the title track from their 2020 EP: "For those who remember the tape trading circles of the Nineties Archer the static and warbles of a 2nd or 3rd generation copy will sound utterly familiar, but all the flaws only add to listering experience. Homemade post-punk goodness for fans of Guided By Voices and Daniel Johnston". The clip was made by Alex Keown.

» Tiny Wine on Facebook

HCTF review of Archer.

Dez Dare: Got a Fire In My Socket

Darren Smallman is sounding pretty intense on Got a Fire In My Socket, the new single by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. It is fast and fuzzy, as if he was in a hurry to get it out from his system before having second thoughts. Dare's vocal delivery comes pretty close to shouting on this one, which is quite fitting for a song about trying to stay ahead of things blowing up in one's face.

State Street: Clearest Blue

New York indie quartet State Street get quite emotional on their take of the CHVRCHES song Clearest Blue. While the original sticks to a catchy steady beat, they opted to go for shifting rhythms which is actually better, because it follows the mixed emotions of the lyrics pretty much accurately. It sounds big and intimate at the same time.

Phish: new archival release Sacramento '96

Another archival Phish release is available for streaming and download: 11/30/96 Arco Arena Sacramento, CA:

On November 30, 1996, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Phish played at ARCO Arena - a 15,500-capacity basketball arena opened in 1988 for the Sacramento Kings. This was the 31st show on a 35-date national tour following the release of ‘Billy Breathes’ that stretched from Lake Placid in mid-October to Las Vegas in early December. Fall 1996 tour included the Atlanta Halloween ‘Remain in Light’ show that catalyzed a shift to more extended funk jamming over the coming year. Sacramento fell among the ten tour-ending shows in the West. The tour was already heated up with strong outings dotting the landscape and Sacramento continued to elevate, deploying the extra element of special guests to the elixir, as they had done elsewhere along the tour. This was their only play at ARCO Arena and tickets cost $22.50.

Record Store Day 2024: April 20

Record Store Day will be celebrating its 17th anniversary on April 20. Mark your calendars and start saving for the interesting stuff, not the major label reissues of albums that can be found without too much trouble on the secondary market. O, and picture discs tend to sound like shit. Frame them, don't play them.

» recordstoreday.com

The Aristocrats: Hey, Where's MY Drink Package?

Jazz fusion prog rock trio The Aristocrats have posted a visualizer video for Hey, Where's MY Drink Package?, a track from their forthcoming new concept album Duck:

It is the story of a web-footed Antarctic Island native fleeing a penguin policeman all the way to New York City… where considerable misadventure and danger await. We’ve always been writing with a storytelling aspect in mind, and our live shows always include our stories behind the songs… But the stories had mainly been about us. Then Marco came into the studio with a song about a duck, and we all looked at each other and said, ‘What if all of stories for the songs on this album… happened to a duck? What’s that story about?’ And suddenly we had a concept album on our hands.

Oh Hazar: tour dates

Dutch art rock band Oh Hazar will be on the road in The Netherlands to promote their debut EP. Prepare for well-crafted rough around edges New Wave with meaningful lyrics.

Live dates:

• 01/27 Merleyn, Nijmegen
• 02/01 Hedon Zwolle
• 02/24 Kelderfest, Deventer
• 02/25 Podium Gigant, Apeldoorn
• 04/19 De Vorstin, Hilversum
• 05/10 Groene Engel, Oss (w/ Hiqpy)
• 05/23 Luxor Live, Arnhem (w/ Femme Fugazi)

» ohhazar.com

HCTF review of F.N.A.S.P..

The Fierce & The Dead: An Introduction To The Fierce & The Dead

English prog experimentalists The Fierce & The Dead have compiled another collection of songs from their back catalogue. An Introduction To The Fierce & The Dead. No live versions or different edits on this one like they did on last year's picks for the TFATD Sampler, but is a pretty nice summation of 14 years of creating original and adventurous music that is slowly making its way out of the underground.

The Special Pillow: Fond And Foggy

Hoboken's finest underground psych rock quartetThe Special Pillow come out swinging on their new single Fond And Foggy. The band's songwriter Dan Cuddy knack for coming up with a rollicking melody is augmented by jazzy baritone saxophone courtesy of Cheryl Kingan and Steven Levi working a double shift on cornet and valve trombone. It is the perfect soundtrack for a boring grey day turning into something way better as the sun pokes through the mist.

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 1977 Part #2B

English musicians and music geeks extraordinaire Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness have posted a new episode of their podcast The Album Years. They talk about 1977, discussing albums by Peter Gabriel, Jethro Tull, 10CC, and a whole lot more. This is part #2B of what will be 8 episodes about this year.

Phish: full "Gamehendge" at MSG video

Phish has posted a video of them playing Gamehendge at Madison Square Garden in New York on Decemeber 31, 2023. Quite a few theatrics were added to the story. The previous outing of the saga happened on July 8, 1994.

» phish.com

Wilco: in-studio performance @ KEXP radio

Watch video of the October 18th, 2023 in-studio performance by Wilco on The Afternoon Show @ KEXP radio in Seattle. It can be watched on the station's Youtube channel. They played four songs from their new album Cousin.

Can: "Live In Paris 1973" drops February 23rd

On February 23rd the fourth installment of the official series of CAN live bootleg recordings Live In Paris 1973 will be released on via Spoon Records (2LP, 2CD, digital) and distributed via Mute. It captures the band @ L'Olympia on May 12, 1973. The German inventors were keen improvisers and during concerts by the Krautrock ensemble anything could happen.

The Armoires: Music & Animals

The core of Californian power pop band The Armoires is always busy with running Big Stir Records, a label that is home to a wealth of melodic jangling music, but Christina Bulbenko and Rex Broome finally found some time to come up with a new single for their own band, The Armoires. Music & Animals is a slice of optimistic pop about the joy - and comfort - that can those two things can bring to one's life. It is a first taste of their forthcoming new album, Octoberland, due for release in Autumn.

Vocal harmonies have always been the band's forte since their formation ten years ago. Producer Michael Simmons (sparkle*jets UK) created an environment wherein they could lay down an ace backing track as the foundation for a sunny-side up excursion through a couple of decades worth a jangling music reference points. Albert Schweitzer was right when he said that "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats".

Words about music (716): Adrian Belew

I borrowed a guitar at age 16 and taught myself to play because I wanted to write songs.

Adrian Belew

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 1977 Part #2A

English musicians and music geeks extraordinaire Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness have posted a new episode of their podcast The Album Years. They talk about 1977, discussing albums by Rush, Yes, Utopia, and a whole lot more. This is part #2A of what will be 8 episodes about this year.

Phish 2023 NYE run SBD + torrents: New York 2023/12/31

Official MSG 2023 NYE poster by Maarten Donders

Phish
2023/12/31
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

First full performance of Gamehendge since July 8, 1994.

Set 1:

1. Everything's Right
2. Tube, Ether Edge >
3. Reba
4. Taste
5. Ruby Waves
6. A Life Beyond The Dream
7. Character Zero