Words about music (728): Art Blakey

Music washes away the dust of every day life.

Art Blakey

Habitants: Alma

Dutch dreamy shoegaze quintet Habitants are a band searching for the meaning of life. Founded by René Rutten (The Gathering) they created a blend of orchestrated dark wave and alternative rock, a maze of textures and crystal clear guitars on top of a trippy rock back beat. It appeal to fans who can handle progressive twists and turns, with singer Anne van den Hoogen acting as a guide/chief soul searcher.

It is all done with very good taste, but the squeaky clean production has ironed out all the rough edges, that must have been present at first. The live shows will surely have more bite and risk taking.

Cover Me: The Weight

Watch the Molly Miller Trio perform The Weight . Filmed @ 1642 Beer and Wine in Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles. Guitarist Miller came up for a pretty good original arrangement for this classic by The Band. Joey Maramba on bass and Tamir Barzila on drums. The video was shot by Abby Linne and Bryce Gonzalese recorded and mixed the audio.

» mollymillermusic.com

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: "The Album Years" live podcast in London

English musicians and music geeks extraordinaire Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness take their good-natured bickering to the stage. On June 7th they will do a live version of their podcast The Album Years @ West Hampstead Arts Club in London. Tickets are available here. Free "school boy errors" (like London Town by The Clash), but the drinks - have one each time Eno or Robert Fripp is mentioned - are not included.

» thealbumyears.com
» stevenwilsonhq.com
» timbowness.co.uk

Custard Flux: tour dates

Before Chicago based neo-psychedelic rockers Custard Flux cross the ocean to play in the UK to tie in with the release of their new album Einsteinium Delirium (out on June 7th on Friends Of The Fish - a subsidiary of Fruits de Mer Records), they have two Stateside shows lined up. Changes are that they will be roadtesting some of the new material. The album's lead single Right Now Here In Time will surely be part of the setlist.

HCTF premiere - Ward White: "Continuity" video

Los Angeles based musician Ward White has made a visualizer video for his new single Continuity, a track from his forthcoming album about the movie business, Here Come The Dowsers: "(..) served up in a comfy blanket of swirling guitars, tinkling piano and a subtle rhythm section playing catch. White uses the upper reaches of his vocal register to tell the tale of hope and dreams. Being an art rock crooner is as far you can get away from what is popular right now, but his way of conjuring up an ace melody will be appreciated by fans of Sparks and David Bowie."

Gabriel Vicéns: Mural

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1
HCTF

New York based composer and guitarist Gabriel Vicéns has mastered the art of less-is-more on his new album Mural, a collection of modern chamber music pieces wherein the spaces between the notes are as important as the music itself. He plays a game of hide and seek with his audience, that will likely induce quite a bit of head-scratching, before giving way to being in awe for his bravado. Vicéns always seems to be one of two steps ahead as he urges his musicians to step on the tightrope and follow him to the other end, where - after a short stop on a platform - the next challenge is already waiting.

Vicéns avoided to use of any percussion instrument in his compositions, so there is no common ground for the orchestra to fall back on. By doing so, he created a tapestry of sounds without a safety net that can be as unpredictable as a bunch of leaves in the Autumn. Hanging onto a particular instrument may offer some kind of comfort, but it is the dance of all the players that makes Mural a mesmerizing work of art.

Dez Dare: "Josephine Says Explode" video

Darren Smallman has posted a no-frills video for Josephine Says Explode, a track by his one-man garage-punk band Dez Dare that can be found his Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin album: "a rollercoaster ride without any of the nasty side-effects (nauseau, dizziness and the like). He is shouting at the heavens, calling in physics as well as science-fiction to make sense of it all. It is an album that is bursting at the seems with fuzz and reverb, and it sounds like it might fall apart at any second. Smallman is walking the thin line between structured mayhem and chaos, but it is worth the risk. The best art offers a challenge for both the artist and the public".

Jeffrey Silverstein: The Lagniappe Sessions @ Aquarium Drunkard

Country musician Jeffrey Silverstein recorded four covers for Aquarium Drunkard's The Lagniappe Sessions: Chip Taylor's (I Want)The Real Thing (MP3), Steely Dan's Do It Again (MP3), Jim Ford's I'm Ahead If I Can Quit While I'm Behind (Jim Ford) ( (MP3), and Tom T. Hall's That’s How I Got to Memphis (MP3). About the latter:

We’ve been covering “Memphis” for the past year and change. Figured it was time to have a go at recording it. Natural Child put me onto this song around 2012 via For Love of The Game. Been obsessed ever since. Lots of great memories associated with one. A damn near perfect song and one I never tire of hearing or playing.

» jeffreylewissilverstein.com

Native Sun: Too Late

NYC rockers Native Sun keep it simple on their new single Too Late, taking cues from the classic punk playbook to unleash their frustration about the downtrodden, who can't get a break. So they gave them a voice instead. The video was made by Tim Nagle & Conor Cunningham.

Too Late is released via Grand Jury.

STÄSJ: Building A Cathedral

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HCTF

Dutch electro-pop artist STÄSJ, nom-de-plume of multi-instrumentalist and singer Stefanie Janssen, mixes avant-garde, post-rock, synth-driven New Wave, and vocal pyrotechnics on Building A Cathedral, an album about the human condition. That is a big subject to cover, but she pulled it off by going all out within self-proclaimed boundaries: being adventurous like Kate Bush and catchy a la Depeche Mode.

The cathedral is not an actual building, but a metaphor for the human body and mind. She tries to make sense of her surroundings and thoughts by going in at the deep end to find out what is all about and how to connect or get away from the hustle and bustle, when it all becomes a bit too much. Grief and joy are equal partners. Janssen pulls it off with poetic lyrical imagery, draped as an extra layer upon the meandering soundscapes and crunchy beats.

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 2000 Part #2

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 2000, discussing albums by The Avalanches, At The Drive-In, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and a whole lot more. This is part #2 about this year. Also: the pair can be watched on YouTube now as well.

John Cale: new album "POPtical Illusion" in June; stream lead single "How We See The Light"

John Cale is quick to release a follow-up for his Mercy album. A new full-length, POPtical Illusion, will hit the shops on June 14 via Double Six / Domino:

Despite the album’s playful title, Cale’s second album in just over a year still contains the same feelings of fierce and inquisitive rage that were present in 2023 album MERCY. He remains angry, still incensed by the willful destruction that unchecked capitalists and unrepentant conmen have hoisted upon the wonders of this world and the goodness of its people. But this is not at all MERCY II, or some collection of castoffs, as throughout his career of more than six decades, Cale has never been much for repetition. His vanguard-shaping enthusiasms have shifted among ecstatic classicism and unbound rock, classic songcraft and electronic reimagination with proud restlessness.

The Second Summer: undertow

Chicago based power pop band The Second Summer are not afraid to sound big and emotional on their new album, undertow. With plenty of life experience they have the confidence - and more importantly, the ability - to capture the highs and lows they have met along the way. It gets a bit crowded sometimes, but the passion is real. It is a tug of war between vocals and guitars, with the rhythm section keeping it grounded with a tight but swinging backbeat.

Apparently, in some parts of the Windy City the Seventies never ended. The members of The Second Summer are keeping the flame of catchy melodic pop alive. Patrons of the Montrose Saloon may consider themselves lucky to hear them live on a regular basis, tearing it up on stage. Few things can beat the joy of hearing a band playing their hearts out for an appreciative audience. Go say "hi", and buy them a drink.

Pocket Knife Army: "Raincoat Rendezvous" video

Dutch electronic pop duo Pocket Knife Army have made a video for Raincoat Rendezvous: "It is a tale about an undercover meeting of sorts between a hopeful protagonist and a stranger, set to a dance meets Weimar-era cabaret backing. And yes, it's raining, because it always is when something like this goes down."

» pocketknifearmy.com

HCTF review of Raincoat Rendezvous.

The Silverbeets: Mr Brown Goes To The Cabaret

Tasmanian indie band The Silverbeets offer a special blend of psychedelic power pop on their new concept album Mr Brown Goes To The Cabaret. It follows the adventures of an enigmatic man trying to cope with everyday hassles, looking for answers in Eastern religions, trying to take it more easy, and falling in love to get away from the loneliness.

Mr Brown is obviously a troubled soul and a Hollywood ending is not in the cards. At times it seems to him that he is locked up in a prison of his own advice, craving for a bit of kindness. The Silverbeets are pulling out all the stops, hopping from one genre to the next, mirroring the protagonist's mindset by way of straight-out rock, vaudeville, surf, constructing a modern day rock opera that is filled to the rafters with smart hooks and adventurous harmonies.

Graham Parker: USA solo tour

English melodic garage rocker Graham Parker has announced the dates for his solo tour in the USA. He will be playing lots of songs of his latest album Last Chance To Learn The Twist: "Parker's knack to insert rhythmic shifts without missing a beat had made him a songwriter's songwriter. Add his deceptively less is more lyrical abilities as part of the equation and you have a fail safe recipe for an album that will appeal to both lovers and the disenchanted. He is the uncle who can offer advice, encouragement and a shoulder to cry on. He has been there, more than once. Who can argue that he is wrong when he states that "wicked is wicked, and not cricket.""

Dusty Stray: "Anymore" live @ Eik en Linde in Amsterdam

Watch Jonathan Brown perform Anymore from the new album Fire Place by his Dusty Stray project @ Café Eik en Linde in Amsterdam on February 11, 2024. With Mario Ramirez (bass), Jonathan Ramirez (electric guitar), Thomas van Nieuwenhoven (drums), Jesje De Schepper (backing vocals) and Maruja Bobo Remijn (violin). The clip was shot by Marc Driessen.

Words about music (727): Holger Czukay

Inability is often the mother of restriction, and restriction is the great mother of inventive performance.

Holger Czukay

Judas Priest / Michael Jackson: Billie Jean's Got Another Thing Comin'

Bill McClintock made a mashup of Michael Jackson and Judas Priest: Billie Jean + You've Got Another Thing Comin' = Billie Jean's Got Another Thing Comin'. O, and a bit of Denny Dias's guitar solo from Steely Dan's Do it Again is in there as well. Want more? His YouTube channel has lots of them.

Cover Me: Quadrophenia

A guy who calls himself FridayNightLullaby has covered The Who's finest album Quadrophenia in full. A true labour of love and it sounds pretty good. His vocals are no match for Roger Daltrey's range, but as a musician he comes pretty close to Pete, Keith and John.

» FridayNightLullaby on Facebook
» Quadrophenia on Wikipedia

John Cale: "See You Tuesday" teaser on Instagram

Something is coming... From John Cale's Instagram.

Dit bericht op Instagram bekijken

» John Cale on Facebook
» Fear Is A Man's Best Friend - John Cale

STÄSJ: "The Keeper" live video

Watch Dutch singer STÄSJ perform The Keeper, the opening track of her forthcoming new album Building A Cathedral, due for release on March 30, 2024. It starts out a glass harp, sparse percussion and eerie keyboards before turning into a dark synth rocker - guitars aren't necessary to play up a storm. With Rosa Ronsdorf on backing vocals, synths & electronics and Nina de Jong on drums & electronics. The clip was shot @ Studio 150 in the Bethlehemkerk in Amsterdam and made by Alrik Wiggers.

Live date:

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

» stasj.world

HCTF review of Pluto.

Iggy & the Stooges: "Live at Lokerse Feesten, 2005" for Record Store Day

Six tracks from the Iggy & the Stooges performance at the Lokerse Feesten in Belgium on August 6th, 2005 were picked for an LP for Record Store Day (April 20). 2500 copies worldwide on translucent blue vinyl. The full show was previously released on the Escaped Maniacs DVD set.

Tracks: Loose | Down The Street | 1969 | I Wanna Be Your Dog | T.V. Eye | Dirt

» iggyandthestoogesmusic.com

Mewn: Ask Me Now

Few bands are able to combine post-punk with grand gestures, but Mewn is surely one of them. The English quintet go against the grain by releasing a sprawling single. Ask Me Now has all the quiet desperation of Pulp, wrapped in layers of keyboards and sad guitars. Progressive indie that finds the middle ground between Steven Wilson-alike soundscapes, a seasoning of early Radiohead, and Northern soul. It is experimental, but you use it for a slow dance or cry in your drink if that's more appropriate.

Seth Walker: Take Me to the River

Guitarist and singer Seth Walker laid down his cover of the Al Green classic Take Me to the River @ at The Studio Nashville. He played it live, with bass player Rhees Williams and drummer Mark Raudabaugh. It became a hybrid of county, funk and gospel, with the slap of an old rubber bridged Kay guitar - owned by his pal Oliver Wood - as an extra layer of percussion. The track is part of a series of tracks honoring his musical heroes.

Megan de Kruijf: "Bird" video

Durch actress and singer Megan de Kruijf has unveiled a video for Bird, a track from her Once Upon a Time Something Happened and I Think I Was There. The clip follows her through the woods where she appears to searching for an animal that probably does not even exist, but serves as a metaphor for finding a safe place. It is a nice slice of indie pop and also a showcase for her impressive vocal range.

Live date:

• 03/21 Cinetol, Amsterdam

» Megan de Kruijf on Instagram

Daniël Tomàs: Pintures II

Dutch neo-classical pianist Daniël Tomàs offers a subdued means of getting away from it all on his new album Pintures II, a collection of soft-spoken compositions that were inspired by dreams, loss and historic events like the Battle of Arnhem in 1944 (Dirge, Ruin). He is doing a balancing act between romantic and more abstract pieces, like Hypnagogia, a term that is used to the transition between wakefulness and sleep, a state where hallucinations might look quite real.

Tomàs' has a gentle touch on this album and the electronics that are part of his live shows are absent, but he might decide to use them on his first club tour. If so, it will be a nice contrast and bring the audience back to earth after been lulled into a very relaxed state that can't be avoided after listening to this for nearly 40 minutes. After all, Halcyon has two meanings and it would be nice to see the longing for a glorified past turning into that mythical, storm calming bird as a short and harsh but efficient outburst of synths.

Tape Op "DISCussion" Episode 40: Mikey Coltun

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 40 bass player, producer, composer, and engineer Mikey Coltun, the singer and guitarist of metal band Neurosis, talks about Toumani Diabeté's Symmetric Orchestra's Boulevard De I'Independance album.

» tapeop.com
» mikeycoltun.com

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 2000 Part #1

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 2000, discussing albums by Radiohead, Coldplay, U2, and a whole lot more. This is part #1 about this year. Also: the pair can be watched on YouTube now as well.

The Cyrkle: Revival

Rekindling the magic of a band can go two ways: the former members look stupid and destroy their legacy. Or they pick things up where they left and proof that age is just a number. Fifty years ago, American pop band The Cyrkle got noticed by Beatles manager Brian Epstein and scored two sunny side up hits, Red Rubber Ball and Turn-Down Day. They broke up soon after this and got jobs that had nothing to do with music. Fast forward to 2014 when keyboard player Mike Losekamp started playing those songs as a member of The Gas Pump Jockeys. The audience loved it and it laid the groundwork for a couple of former members getting back together. But lo and behold, after another decade they are back with a new album: Revival.

Their voices have aged well, but don't try to go for the high notes anymore. Using a lower register enables to weave intricate harmonies that sound instantly recognizable. The Cyrkle still wants you to dance - in fact most of the new songs are about trying to get a lady to partake in this celebration of late 60s power pop. The 21st century versions of their hits from yesteryear are a nice touch, but it is songs like Dance With Me Tonight, We Were There and Center Of The World, an ode to San Diego that can serve as exhibits that they are not a just a bunch of men in matching suits once again chasing a dream that they woke up from a couple of decades ago.

Solitary Bee: Love Wakes Up

Solitary Bee is an off-shoot from English neo-psychedelic power pop band It's Karma It's Cool. They felt that the more electronic poppy side of their material deserved another monicker. They share a love for Death Cab for Cutie and sure enough some of that band's sound has rubbed off on them, but the trio's debut single Love Wakes Up is more likely to be labeled as an extension of the output of the Canterbury scene. Tailor-made for being streamed from a top-off-the-line bluetooth speaker set during a picknick in the Summer. By that time the debut EP Bloom will be available as well.

Dusty Stray: Fire Place

photo: Auke Vleer

There are countless songs about heartbreak, so it is quite a challenge to come up with something memorable. Alt-folk artist Jonathan Brown is one of those rare artists who have found new ways to write about it. On Fire Place, the latest album by his Dusty Stray project, he goes through all the stages of grief, realizing that his love is not that Special and that he does not want to be with her Anymore, but also compiling Lists with the things he liked about her. She started drifting away and he is left to his own devices, collecting his thoughts staring at the Fire Place - the heat offers a bit of comfort. And while he sure as Hell wants to be Loved again and getting into a fulfilling relationship again, he is not that desperate that will try anything. After all, Happiness Strikes when you are not expecting it.

Brown's superb way with words are emboldened by a subtle, mostly acoustic band. Five years have gone by since the release of his previous album Estranged - which also was about the matters of the heart. With Fire Place he tapped into the same source, but now that he is getting older he looks to future with a bit more confidence as he has realized that being with someone might not be the be-all and end-all for him, at least for now.

Ward White: Continuity

Los Angeles based musician Ward White will release his new album Here Come The Dowsers on May 17. The art rock crooner will be taking a look at the movie business with his signature distanced wit. Lead single Continuity is served up in a comfy blanket of swirling guitars, tinkling piano and a subtle rhythm section playing catch. White uses the upper reaches of his vocal register to tell the tale of hope and dreams.

Being an art rock crooner is as far you can get away from what is popular right now, but his way of conjuring up an ace melody will be appreciated by fans of Sparks and David Bowie.

Words about music (726): Sun Ra

Music is a language, you see, a universal language.

Sun Ra

Rufus Wainwright: Perfect Day

Rufus Wainwright has made his cover of Perfect Day a late night lament, that is even more melancholic than the original. It will be included on the tribute album The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed, which will be released on Record Store Day (April 20).

» Lou Reed on Wikipedia
» rufuswainwright.com

Kate Bush: "Eat The Music" for Record Store Day

Kate Bush, who is this year's Record Store Day ambassador, will release a 10", Eat The Music. That song was supposed to be the lead single from the Red Shoes album in 1993, but the label went for Rubberband Girl. This vinyl version also features Lily and Big Stripey Lie. 3000 copies worldwide.

What a huge honour to have been asked to be Ambassador for this year’s Record Store Day. It really is a great privilege. Isn’t it great to see how the resurgence in vinyl has taken the Music Industry by complete surprise? It had decided to leave vinyl far behind, but it would seem that not everyone agrees! I love that! I know there are many, many artists who are just as excited to see the audience turning the tide.

In the same way that some people like to read a book on Kindle but also want to have a book as a physical object, a lot of people like vinyl and streaming. Both have different appeals. The added bonus of vinyl is that it encourages people to listen to albums. An art form that I’ve always thought can be treasured in a unique way. An album on vinyl is a beautiful thing, given a strong identity by its large-scale artwork. There’s a much more personal connection with the artist and their work.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: "The Wild God" European Fall tour dates

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds have announced a lengthy European Fall tour to promote the release of the new album Wild God, which will be in the shops on August 30. It has been awhile - the last tour was in 2017. Tickets on sale on Friday 22 March, 10am local time at nickcave.com.

Unproductive: untitled

Saskatchewan shoegazers Unproductive are not afraid to take a stand. On their debut EP untitled they rage about impending doom in an apocalyptic love song (Victoria), read the riot act to rampant money grabbers in the MLB, make a case for Roe vs. Wade and the Sega Genesis console within the same song (Hope You Don't, before embracing their softer side with the jangling closing track Maker.

Wilco: North American Summer tour dates

Wilco will be on tour in North America this Summer. The pre-sale code "COUSIN" might help.

Leah Callahan: Ordinary Face

Boston indie singer Leah Callahan inserted a bit of baroque pop into her new single Ordinary Face, making a case for a girl who tends to be overlooked. Average Joes and plain Janes don't get much recognition outside blue-collar rock, so Callahan is pushing her in the spotlights, making her feel a bit awkward and self-conscious when being questioned about where she would rather be right now.

Outer World: Who Does The Music Love?

photo: Shawn Brackbill

Richmond, VA based musicians Kenneth Close and Tracy Wilson made the most of it after COVID had worked havoc on Wilson's "big voice". They had been in cult post-punk band Positive No, but had to move away from that sound to find a new means to make music as a duo, naming themselves Outer World. They set up shop in their home studio and started tinkering with the instruments they had lying around and digging through the thousands of records in their collection. To call the mini-album Who Does The Music Love? that came all out of it this messing around eclectic would be a huge understatement. It is a truly dazzling bunch of songs, wherein psychedelic garage-pop can walk hand in hand with well-heeled dissonants, electronics, funk, space age sound effects, and trip hop.

Kicking off with The Drum the Beat, they channel early Throwing Muses, with a jangling 60s organ as an added bonus. Have starts out as a gentle excursion, a soft song coming out of battered transistor radio (static included), before yanking the listener out of the comfort zone with a few short bursts of loud guitar. The Message is the Message is a tribute to graffiti artist Keith Haring: don't overthink, but just create, because you want to. The public at large might catch up with you eventually. Outer World shares the same sentiment basically, repeating the mantra "I love the music" over and over. There could well be a hint to The Kiki Dee band's hit single I've Got the Music in Me in there. For now Outer World will probably have to settle for becoming an underground favourite, which tends to last longer anyway.

Eades: Fade Away

Leeds garage rockers Eades are back with a new single Fade Away.. The band members are a little older and a little sadder, now that settling down is part of the equation and dreams are just what they are: dreams. They take it in their stride, however, and went for "fuck it, we will do it ourselves and make it sound great on a shoestring budget". Having sense of humour plus a knack for a catchy hook and an ace melody does help, too. Don't be suprised to have the line "I feel I’m making my peace, I’ll fade away, I’ll fade away" stuck in your head for many, many hours.

Donna Blue: "Labyrinthe" video

Dutch retro-pop act Donna Blue have made a B&W video with old school splitscreen effects for Labyrinthe, a track from their new album Into the Realm of Love: "(...) carefully crafted love songs that could have been released in the mid-sixties when psychedelic rock took off. (...) At first it may seem that Into the Realm of Love offers more of the same, but by going in at the deep end, they have come up with so many gems that a listener may have missed a few the first time around. It is a slow burn that leaves no blisters, offering plenty of food for thought instead."

Mike Keneally and Marcelo Radulovich: "Aviarium" video

Marcelo Radulovich used quite a bit of AI to create a video for Aviarium. For some reason he ended up with a bunch of kids holding different bundles of vegetables - which did not make any sense considering the prompts he gave to the software. He decided to use it anyway.

It is a track from Monday, an album he recorded with fellow multi-instrumentalist Mike Keneally: "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.".

» keneally.com
» marceloradulovich.com

HCTF review of Monday.

Oh Hazar: "F.N.A.S.P." Booster Live Session

Dutch art rock band Oh Hazar were filmed performing F.N.A.S.P. ("face, name, age, sex, and picture") at a Booster Live Session @ Metropool in Enschede. It is a track from their debut EP Clair Obscur: "Big tech offers freebies to anyone, but it comes at a price: you have to hand over your face, name, age, sex, and picture. And yes, by doing so they are able to keep tabs on all your digital forays".

Mike Gordon: tour dates

Bass player Mike Gordon and his band will be on the road in June. After two headlining shows they will tag along with Vampire Weekend for a bunch of dates. Things might get weird, but in a good way.

Live dates:

• 06/13 Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA
• 06/14 Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
• 06/15 The Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley, Berkeley, CA*
• 06/16 The Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley, Berkeley, CA*
• 06/18 Deer Lake Park, Burnaby, BC*
• 06/19 Hayden Homes Amphitheater, Bend, OR*
• 06/20 Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA*

* supporting Vampire Weekend

» mike-gordon.com

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 1987 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 1987, discussing albums by Pixies, The Smiths, Guns N' Roses, and a whole lot more. This is part #2B, the fourth - and final - episode about this year.

Labasheeda: "Minus Minus" live in Berlin

Watch Amsterdam based art-rock band Labasheeda perform Minus Minus at the soundcheck for their show in Berlin, Germany @ K19 on February. They asked Nicolas Haumann to film them and they like it so much that they shared it without any further editing or cleaning up. It is a track from their latest album Blueprints. The performance features their new drummer Igor Plzak.

Jorma Kaukonen & John Hurlbut: "One More Lifetime" for Record Store Day

Acoustic guitar maestros Jorma Kaukonen & John Hurlbut will their new album One More Lifetime for Record Store Day (April 20), featuring eight down home tracks. Available on LP and CD (500 copies).

Tracks:

1. Angel Island
2. Drivin Wheel
3. Day in the Country
4. Pastures of Plenty
5. I’ll Remember You
6. Operator
7. Everybody’s Talkin’
8. Lazy Saint

» jormakaukonen.com

Mint Biscuit: When The Floodgates Open

Welsh guitarist Richard Thomas keeps it close to home on When The Floodgates Open, an album by his one-man band project Mint Biscuit, featuring songs for his niece (Annabelle's Driving Song), his wife, and people stuck in a dead end job. He sticks to country-tinged rock and blues mostly, his go-to genres for storytelling songs about love, missed opportunities, longing for the long gone days at university, and getting back on his feet again.

The odd one out is a song about a fictional poisonous toad, Arthur, It Is!. Maybe that creature sprang to mind as he remembered watching his town Cockermouth being knee-deep in water in 2009. Thomas once again proofs that he is an avid chronicler, whose prolificness enables him to capture it in words and music.

KATVALY: Beeta V

BEST OF 2024
6
HCTF

English funky electronic band KATVALY is a family affair, with three O'Hallorans teaming up with bass player Lee W Smith for a journey through Krautrock, jazz, dance and post-punk. Their debut album Beeta V is all about textures, a throwback to the 80s when technology began to supersede the use of "proper" instruments. It is a logical step singer and multi-instrumentalist Glenn O'Halloran who had already cut his teeth on this kind of music with the Petals Nails album by his Dogzen Zendog project.

Taking of the constraints of music genres and mixing them up to create something fresh yet familiar, is no mean feat. Beeta V is an album that is way over the head of casual listeners - althought they might enjoy it as such - while hardcore music geeks have their work cut for them to dissect what is going on. It is a puzzle you can dance too, a kaleidoscopic trip into a dream land where music is allowed to roam free.

Momsname: Blossom

Dutch indie band Momsname have bottled hurt and anxiety on their debut EP Blossom. Carefully mixing elements of art rock, post-punk and shoegaze, they give a voice to suppressed emotions that can take over at any moment. Breakups, unrequited love and the knowledge that you can fuck up any moment again after making amends or reconciliation.

There is a thin line between passion and pathos, but singer Esmee Thiescheffer runs a tight ship. Joep Veugen has a great guitar tone - he can soar and hold back within the space of just a couple of bars, with the brooding Subliminal Hurt as his finest moment. Neil Arts' less-is-more approach to drumming is a 101 for "being in the pocket" pretty much all of the time, while he finds a spot to commandeer the spotlights when the song requires it. Blossom is a small taste of where they are going to, but it won't take long for them to reach full bloom after this.

Words about music (725): Chris Difford

The Velvet Underground are an essential part of the kit. If you haven't listened to them and haven't immersed yourself in the beauty of the songs, you haven't come very far.

Chris Difford

Steven Wilson: new Bass Communion album "The Itself of Itself" in May

Steven Wilson has announced The Itself of Itself, a new album by his ambient-drone project Bass Communion. It will be released in May:

The Itself of Itself, the first all new Bass Communion studio album in 12 years, and a very experimental one, will be released in May on Fourth Dimension Records sister label Lumberton Trading Company. I’m also pleased to announce that the entire Bass Communion back catalogue (apart from Ghosts on Magnetic Tape and Loss, those are coming very soon!) is now available on Spotify, Apple Music and all the other major digital/streaming platforms. I’m also doing a short set to launch the new album at Cafe Oto, London on Saturday 18th May as part of a bill of Fourth Dimension artists, more info/tickets here.

» stevenwilsonhq.com

Penblwyddyn hapus i chi! Happy Birthday, John Cale!

Penblwyddyn hapus i chi!
Happy Birthday, John Cale!

» John Cale on Facebook
» Fear Is A Man's Best Friend - John Cale

Seeroy: I've Seen The Future

Belgian singer-songwriter Joris Vergaert is seriously worried. I've Seen The Future, the debut single by his new Seeroy project paints a world that is quite dark and foreboding. He uses a falsetto and his "normal" voice for a soft-spoken warning, with just a tiny bit of funk thrown in to save it from a 100% emo bedroom pop tag.

Vergaert made sunny-side up music with ONS, but he feels that it does not make sense to play happy-go-lucky songs right now, so he made an about face and is now concentrating on a soul-searching solo career.

Kristóf Hajós: "Everybody Loves Somebody Else" video

Watch the Kristóf Hajós video for Everybody Loves Somebody Else, 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 Ab al Tamimi.

» kristofhajos.com

HCTF review of Geography.

Donna Blue: Into the Realm of Love

photo: Philine van den Hul

Dutch retro-pop act Donna Blue stick to their winning formula on their new album Into the Realm of Love: carefully crafted love songs that could have been released in the mid-sixties when psychedelic rock took off. Bart van Dalen and Danique van Kesteren take turns at handling the lead vocals, with Van Dalen working a double shift playing guitar, using old school effects that sound warm.

They allow each note enough time to reach its full potential, making it the perfect soundtrack for a glorious Spring day. With lyrics and English and French, the duo can pick the language to set the mood: dreamy psychedelic soundscapes for Fantasy Girl, yé-yé pop for for Mains De L'Amour (with plenty of ah's and recurring keyboards motif) and Labyrinthe, and baroque pop for Aphrodite.

Dave McLean: Faintly Blowing

Dave McLean, member of London based neo-psychedelic band The Chemistry Set, has covered Faintly Blowing the title track from Kaleidoscope's second album. He stayed close to the original, but also added extra mustard by extending the track and choice effects. A quite frankly, he is actually a better singer.

The Black Crowes: "Wanting and Waiting" video

Blues rockers The Black Crowes have unveiled a video for their Wanting and Waiting single. The track will be released as limited 7" (2000 copies worldwide) for Record Store Day (April 20), with the non-album track Morsels for Mongrels on the B-side. The clip was directed Chris Acosta & Chris Phelps.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: new album "Wild God" in August

A new Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds album, Wild God will hit the shops on August 30. The title track is up on all the usual digital streaming services. They go all out, with the Seeds acting as a choir:

I hope the album has the effect on listeners that it’s had on me. It bursts out of the speaker, and I get swept up with it. It’s a complicated record, but it’s also deeply and joyously infectious. There is never a masterplan when we make a record. The records rather reflect back the emotional state of the writers and musicians who played them. Listening to this, I don’t know, it seems we’re happy.

The Primitives: new single "I Won't Care" in May

English indie pop band The Primitives will release their new single I Won't Care on May 17th. It is quite fuzzy, which makes for a nice contrast for vocalist Tracy's relaxed delivery. Guitarist Paul Court handles the vocals on the B-side, Everybody Needs Somebody to Hate, with guitar and percussion straight from the Buddy Holly playbook.

Holiday Ghosts: Big Congratulations

photo: James Sharp

English indie quartet Holiday Ghosts peddle upbeat garage rock to get their message across. Their new single Big Congratulations may sound joyous, but it deals with the constant need for amassing stuff in order toe keep up appearances. And by the end of the day it is not really worth the trouble getting all stressed out, because materialism does not equal happiness.

It is a track from their forthcoming new album Coat of Arms, due for release on March 29th via FatCat Records (vinyl, digital. The video was made by Ben Nightingale. Recommended if you like Rat Fancy.

Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness: The Album Years 1987 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 1987, discussing albums by Roger Waters, Yes, Pink Floyd, and a whole lot more. This is part #2A, the third episode about this year.

Black Country Communion: Stay Free

Hard-hitting blues rockers Black Country Communion are back with Stay Free, the lead single for their new album BCC V, due for release on June 14th via Mascot Records. Joe Bonamassa lays down a rock solid guitar part that has "fist-pumping anthem" written all over it. And yes, Glenn Hughes can still hit those high notes.

» bccommunion.com

English Teacher: R&B

Leeds based pop noir quartet English Teacher delve into bleak post-punk on their new single R&B. Lead singer Lily Fontaine can't get over the fact that her voice isn't suited for that particular genre, but it is actually a blessing in disguise, because her almost spoken word phrasing fits like a glove with the upfront bass, in-your-face drums and shimmering guitar. Anger is always a fertile base for creating a memorable tune and this one ticks all the boxes. It is a track from their debut album This Could Be Texas, due for release on April 12. The video was directed by Sarah Oglesby.

The Black Crowes: "Wanting and Waiting" single for Record Store Day

Blues rockers The Black Crowes will release Happiness Bastards, their first album in 15 years, on March 15. As a treat for Record Store Day (April 20) lead single Wanting and Waiting, which had their signature Stones-alike swagger all over it, will be released as a 7", with the non-album track Morsels for Mongrels on the B-side. 2000 copies worldwide.

murkla: Leviata

Swedish musician Mattias Lagerkvist goes lo-fi on Leviata, the new album by his murkla project. Seven murky drones lead the way to Eulisis, home of the mysteries for an initation rite to become an adult in Ancient Greece. He recorded it on a beat-up four track recorder, making the tape hiss an integral part of the process. He honours the old adage that repetitions only work when it seems to go on forever, in order to induce a trance-like state (and leaving the ones who can't handle it behind).

With a mangled bass as the foundation he added field recordings and seemingly random bits of percussion. And while it is not as forebidding as the Theatre of Eternal Music or Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, it is a definitely an acquired taste to fully appreciate. He reaches a level that bands like Sonic Youth shied away from.