Slaney Bay: The Long Way Home

London synth rock band Slaney Bay paint a picture of a night that looked promising at first on their The Long Way Home EP, but ended with making the trip home solo. Unreciprocated attraction once again proves to be a source for serious soul searching.

The tensions and emotions are captured in dark borderline goth music as singer Cait Whitley sings about the signs and events that gave her hope, only to land on Earth again with a soft thud, sitting on her own in a movie theatre that is almost empty.

Miynt: Rain Money Dogs

photo: Patrik Berger

Swedish psych pop singer Miynt likes to wrap her song in atmospheric textures. On her new album Rain Money Dogs she combines shoegaze and lo-fi bedroom pop to create a dreamy version of the Breeders during their Pod phase. Being a multi-instrumentalist enable her to follow her own vision, building her songs from the ground up.

The recording sessions helped her to get a grip on her feelings as she was going through some shit in a relationship, with Stranglers and Something In The Way You Move acting as two sides from the coin. It allowed her to look at things from a distance, as she leafed through a diary set to music.

Stick Men: tour dates

Avant-prog improv trio Stick Men have announced a bunch shows in California, before heading to Vancouver and Seattle. Fans of Tony Levin, Markus Reuter and Pat Mastelotto have mastered the art of playing tight and loose.

Live dates:

• 07/11 The Baked Potato (shows 8pm & 10pm), Studio City (Los Angeles), CA
• 07/12 The Baked Potato (shows 8pm & 10pm), Studio City (Los Angeles), CA
• 07/15 The Bornemann Theater, San Marcos, CA
• 07/17 Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA
• 07/18 Frank's Place, Fresno, CA
• 07/20 Mystic Theater, Petaluma, CA
• 07/29 Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC
• 07/30 The Triple Door, Seattle, WA

» stickmenband.com

Craig Benedict Valentine Badynee: "The New Richter Waltz" video

Film maker Larissa Zageris did some out of the box thinking when creating a video for Craig Benedict Valentine Badynee's The New Richter Waltz. Since the song is about Rossa Richter, the first female human cannonball, she could have gone for a setting in a circus or something like that, but that wasn't financially feasible. She picked dancer Taylor Hartman instead and filmed her on a hike in the woods, supposedly on an attention seeking mission with hopes on going viral on social media.

The Gatekeepers: Nostalgia for the Great American Monoculture

LA based director and composer Alex Wroten's pet project is a loose collective named The Gatekeepers, who turned his visions of a political psychedelic rock opera by way of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht into a self-titled album in 2022. Everyone who was involved loved the project and when he put out some feelers for the follow-up, Nostalgia for the Great American Monoculture, people jumped at the chance to become part of it. The notoriousle evasive The Residents said yes, as did singers Shawn Phillips, Alison Niedbalski, Molly Harvey and Aislinn Quinn to name a few.

The music is spread over three acts - "Strongman Privilege", "Plug and Prey", and "What Else Is New" (the bonus tracks are rounded up under the "Capital Surplus" banner). The storyline is not that difficult: clamouring for a guy to take charge and save the day, find out that people have been taken for a ride while being entertained ad nauseam with run-of-the-mill content as a diversion of the scheming by the powers that be, and the unevitable regret. The delusion that things were better in the past is taken apart with glee, as the music swerves from vaudeville and jazz to off-kilter avant rock and back. It is quite the opposite of a party record, but the joy of diving into it is far more rewarding and is likely to last much longer.

Pretty Windows: Is This Normal Behaviour?

Nottingham based electro post-punk duo Pretty Windows went back to the dark side of 80s alternative rock for their debut album Is This Normal Behaviour?, picking up a few trinkets from the decades that came after along the way. It sounds quite dense, but it is structured with utmost care. They stacked layer upon layer, but there just enough room between them to allow the elements to breathe.

Is This Normal Behaviour? is a late night album, especially for rainy nights when it is time to question one's life choices, but also contemplating dancing the night away, all dressed in black. Smart move to mention Robin Hood in the opening track Zimmerman Standing. It must be really tiresome that people bring will him up without fail once they learn where you from. So better get it out the way from the off, before serving up bangers like Twelve Pink Plectrums and Queen Punk Rock. Recommended if you like Echo and the Bunnymen, and Gang of Four.

W. Cullen Hart and Andrew Rieger: Leap Through Poisoned Air

photo: Jenny Campbell

Back in 1999-2000 W. Cullen Hart (Olivia Tremor Control / Circulatory System) and Andrew Rieger (Elf Power) were room mates. It was early days for waht would become a lenghty career as eclectic independent musicians, but four short tracks from their homespun recordings now see the light of day on an EP, Leap Through Poisoned Air. It offers a glimpse of their knack to come to the point really fast, in a little over a minute mostly, with Three Seeds as the best of the bunch.

There is a lot of tape hiss on the tracks, but it clear that the both of them hit the ground running as inventive composers and arrangers with a soft spot for lo-fi psychedelic pop and DIY shoegaze. Leap Through Poisoned Air offers a rare opportunity to be a fly on the wall as two musicians locked into a groove of their own invention. It is a shame that W. Cullen Hart will never hold this gem, as he passed away on November 29, 2024. He had been suffering from multiple sclerosis since 2008.

Wet Leg: CPR

English indie band Wet Leg have made a video for CPR, the second single from their forthcoming album moisturizer, due for release on July 11 via Domino (vinyl, cassette, CD, digital). It is a tongue-in-cheek relaxed take on death and love, and the thin line between those two.

The Aristocrats: Europe 2026 tour dates

Jazz fusion prog rock trio The Aristocrats have announced a massive European tour for 2026. Impressive chops from three top shelf instrumentalists and a wicked sense of humour. And maybe some brand spanking new tunes as well.

Magnolia: Omaha

Norwich based experimental post-rock band Magnolia took their time perfecting their craft. All in all it took them three years to finish the songs for their debut EP Omaha. With such a drawn out creative process two scenarios can happen: it can turn in to an overthought excercise, with all the kinks and weirdness carefully ironed. Or, spoiler alert, the music has been given the time to grow organically, with new sections added, some dismissed, and mess around with the running order to create the ultimate proper sequencing, only to find that there is no proper ending, so back to drawing board to write that.

On Omaha they paint with broad strokes as well meticulous attention to detail. Singer Adam Turner has a vast array of emotions: on the brink of hysterics, introverted, pleading, and brooding. What makes this band stand out however, is the tandem of Daisy Green (saxophone) and Matthew Cassie (trombone), who have been given carte blanche to jump in and fuck up ambient parts in a good way. The EP is envisioned as a Gesamtkunstwerk and should be enjoyed as a whole in one sitting. Dark stories are being told during a bumpy ride that goes through hills and valleys. Seat belts not included.

Kim Ware and the Good Graces: Wish I Would've Missed You

Folk singer Kim Ware wrote a bittersweet love song, shortly after the holiday decorations were taken down. Wish I Would've Missed You has a hint of country in it, but also the grit of indie rock after her trio Kim Ware and the Good Graces was done with the recording @ Union Recording Co. in Gastonia NC.

Kety Fusco: She (feat. Iggy Pop)

photo: Sebastiano Piattini

Classically trained harpist Kety Fusco never got around to properly record her first ever composition, She, and she did not think that Iggy Pop would get back to her after she had sent him the track. Well, he did, and he persuaded her to get a take that is worthy of release. O, and he made good on his offer to do the spoken word bit as only he can. The result: a brooding track about a fragile yet powerful creature that was inspired by the movies of David Lynch and Dario Argento, dark and captivating.

Sex Faces: "Feed Machine" video

Watch the Sex Faces video for Feed Machine, a track from their new album Bad Vibes OST: "There is plenty of distortion and feedback, but dig a little deeper and it turns out that can spin a catchy song. Imagine with Sonic Youth having a lot of drinks with the Bad Seeds and Sleater-Kinney, before heading to the studio to cut a full albums, using only a couple of takes for each song to get it right." The clip was directed by Jonathan Howard.

Les Lullies: Une Nuit à Leipzig

photo: Jason Sullivan

French garage punk band Les Lullies played fast and really fucking fast at their show @ ZXRX in Leipzig, Germany on June 25, 2024. Their live album Une Nuit à Leipzig comes close to the rush their audience must have experienced as they went to through their originals about the usual subjects that are part of the punk canon: boredom, having no regrets, and trying to remember what happened last night.

All mayhem aside, this band is extremely tight. It takes a lot of hard work to be able to play like this. Also: nice touch adding a cover of Dead Moon's Black September into the set. These four guys know their history and have a bright future ahead of them.

Words about music (788): Craig Blundell

I was very lucky because I've always been obsessed with time, so to hear odd time signatures now for me is very natural. I actually hate the word ‘odd' time signature, whether it's four, five or six, its just another time signature. For me, taking the theory to one side, it's only odd because someone isn't familiar with how it feels or it feels un-natural to groove in a number that isn't four.

Craig Blundell

Todd Tobias: Blue Mansions

Ohio based experimentalist Todd Tobias wrote 14 gentle "aeriform vignettes" for his new album Blue Mansions. It is a dreamy excursion with elements of minimalism, ambient and softcore. He did not bother to come up with titles - the numbers are there to mark the transistions between the compositions. It is a very relaxing effort, not to be confused by made to order New Age-y stuff that is taking up shelf space at drug stores.

Tobias is a master of lo-fi sound, being careful not to keep polishing the tracks until they loose all personality and urgency. The tracks on Blue Mansions were built with care, but it is not that hard to figure out where the scaffoldings were before he labeled them as good-to-go masters.

Dez Dare: Light Touch Of The Man Spreader

Darren Smallman found himself on a bus ride he did not enjoy at all. He turned his predicament into a song for his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare. Light Touch Of The Man Spreader is a hectic slice of loud electo-punk that hits the listener over the head for two minutes. What the fuck just happened? Better listen to it again then.

The Fierce & The Dead: "Show Me Devon: Live At Kozfest 2019" on CD

Experimental avant-garde prog quartet The Fierce & The Dead are reissuing their Show Me Devon: Live At Kozfest 2019 album, which will now also be available on CD for the first time: "It was a special moment for guitarist Matt Stevens, They were booked to perform on the 2018 edition, but on the day they were were scheduled to play he was being treated for cancer. This might explain the added level of intensity that is apparent during this show as if they were making up for lost time. (...) They left the in-between songs banter in place this time, making it a real-time snapshot of the band who finally got their long overdue recognition as a major player in prog loving circles."

Blue Bayou: Hide & Seek

English chamber pop quintet Blue Bayou get funky on their new single Hide & Seek, with bouncing keyboards and guitar setting up a conversation that is uncannily catchy. There is a bit of vintage Pulp in there, sans the sardonic wit of Jarvis Cocker, but endearing innocence is the way to go for this cheerful tune about the push and pull of two people trying to find out if the other party is interested.

Custard Flux: tour dates

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux will be opening for Gong in Portland and Eugene. They go out on their own too, promoting their new album Enter Xenon, due for release on June 1.

Curtis Eller's American Circus: "Goddamn Loser" video

Neo-vaudeville folk outfit Curtis Eller's American Circus have made a video for Goddamn Loser, a track from their Another Nice Mess album. All of the band, except drummer Andy Lyth who was in the UK in Manchester, had a lot of fun at the Bull Tiki speakeasy in Durham, NC. They made the best of the absense of their band mate, by inserting footage of him making a call from a classic phone booth in England. Filmed by Graham Wolfson (Durham) and Saffy Lyth (Greater Manchester).

Crossword Smiles: Puppets

Detroit indie pop duo Crossword Smiles tried their hand at covering Depeche Mode's Puppets. For an outfit with an optimistic outlook on life, this must have been quite challenge. It shouldn't have worked, but it did. Their power pop take on the tale of a rather scary guy being in control turned the song into twisted love song. It would be cool if they play it as a surprise at the record release show for their Consequences & Detours album.

Sex Faces: Bad Vibes OST

Something good coming out of Washington, DC, is rare nowadays, but there are still people fighting the good fight. Punk band Sex Faces are loud and abrasive, and they have an above average need to pay tribute to their influences (The Smiths, Iggy Pop, Anthony Burgess). There is plenty of distortion and feedback, but dig a little deeper and it turns out that can spin a catchy song. Imagine with Sonic Youth having a lot of drinks with the Bad Seeds and Sleater-Kinney, before heading to the studio to cut a full albums, using only a couple of takes for each song to get it right.

Flaws and bum notes are welcomed with open arms. Narrow minded Carly Simon fans make get mad about Special-Lame, a frankly hilarious update of her You're So Vain classic. And yes, S.C.U.M. is about Valerie Solanas, who came to haunt guitarist Sal Go in a chemically enhanced dream. Bad Vibes OST is a feelgood album, albeit a very twisted one. 47 fans will hate it, anyone else with half a brain will love it.

St Johns Wood Affair: 2

English psychedelic rock band St Johns Wood Affair turned some heads when their released their self-titled debut album in 2023. Had their members crawled out of the woodwork where they had been hiding since the late Sixties? Their analog approach touched a nerve, but could they do it again, now that the cat is out of the bag? It turns out they can and then some. The rather unimaginatively named album 2 has all the swagger and rawness - they call it happy accident themselves - that made rock such a powerful force.

Band leader Keith Smart must have listening to Traffic and The Move religiously, and maybe someone also handed him a copy of smart pop band Spygenius' sprawling Man On The Sea. This band can switch between pastoral (Secret Garden) and industrial (Follow Me To The Stars) without missing a beat. For those who are wondering if they sneaked in a Steppenwolf cover, they didn't. Magic Carpet Ride is brand new and a fun trip to the heavens to boot. Is 2 retro? Hell, yes, but standing on the shoulders of giants makes for a great view.

Matching Outfits: Cold Sea

Berlin-based indie trio Matching Outfits bridge the gap between twee pop and folk with Cold Sea. Swedish frontwoman Linnea Mårtensson looks back on a breakup and, although the scars are still sore, there is also room for a bit of humour, like having first world problems such as realising she has only one bikini.

Her band mates Rachel Glassberg and Leah Corper have her back, their voices following her lead as she strays from the main melody to keep it interesting and challenging. Marlene Bellissimo supplied the choice notes and drones with her violin. Recommended if you like Kate & Anna McCarrigle.

Oh Hazar: shows in Hengelo & Hamont-Achel

Dutch art rock band Oh Hazar have announced a couple of shows to promote their debut EP Clair Obscur: "They have the hooks, the words, the breaks and the ability to string it altogether to create something very special indeed. They play with light and darkness, making it personal or political and - as a whole - pretty intense. They shun the easy routes, sprinkling dissonants, feedback and unexpected rhythmic shifts in each track."

Beth Gibbons: Tiny Desk Concert

Watch English singer Beth Gibbons and her seven-piece band play four songs for a NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

Setlist:

1. Tell Me Who You Are Today
2. Floating on a Moment
3. Lost Changes
4. Mysteries

» bethgibbons.net

The Wedding Present: North American "Bizarro" tour

English indie darlings The Wedding Present are playing their Bizarro album in full during their North American tour. Like minded Welsh band The Tubs is booked as the support act. Tickets are available here.

Live dates:

• 05/19 Atlanta, GA @ Earl
• 05/20 Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
• 05/21 Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
• 05/22 Washington, DC @ Black Cat
• 05/23.Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg
• 05/24 Cambridge, MA @ Sinclair
• 05/26 Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz
• 05/27 Toronto, ON @ Great Hall
• 05/28 Cleveland Heights, Oh - Grog Shop
• 05/29 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
• 05/30 Chicago, IL @ Do Division Street Fest
• 05/31 Saint Paul, MN @ Turf Club
• 06/03 Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou's
• 06/04 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
• 06/06 Sanfrancisco, CA @ Chapel
• 06/07 Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room

» The Wedding Present on Facebook

Peter Hall: Move On Sunshine

English musician Peter Hall tries his hand at baroque pop with his new single Move On Sunshine. He did a fine job acting as his backing vocalist, stacking layer-upon-layer, acting as a flowing cloak for his guitar playing. The latter may come off as simple, but good luck figuring out what he exactly did there.

Words about music (787): Keith Richards

I don’t like to go into the studio with all the songs worked out and planned before hand … you’ve got to give the band something to use its imagination on as well. That can make a very ordinary song come alive into something totally different... the X-factor – so important in rock and roll – which is the feel.

Keith Richards

Lower Slaughter: Take A Seat

Sussex noise rockers Lower Slaughter use their abrasive sound to raise awareness for mental issues on their new single Take A Seat, with a chugging lead guitar motif as the backbone of the track. They play up a storm, but they make sure that Barney Wakefield's vocals are always able to raise above the din.

John Martínez: My Little Symphony

John Martínez was born in Birmingham, grew up in Paris and he has been living in Valencia for many years now, so it is no wonder that some of the sounds of French and Spanish pop have found their way into My Little Symphony, the lead single for his forthcoming album Le Fan Club de John Martinez.

While the music is a quite tender excursion through melancholic acoustic indie, the lyrics tell a different story. He uses his art as a means of escape from a brutal and violent world, inviting an undisclosed other to join him and get lost into a musical retreat where it is safe.

» John Martinez on Instagram

It's Karma It's Cool: Crashability

English neo-psychedelic power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool have unveiled the first track from their forthcoming One Million Suburban Sunsets album. Lead single Crashability ask a pretty serious question: if things go terribly wrong, will you be able to deal with it and survive a clusterfuck? Hold on to each other and hope for the best.

La Cerca: tour dates

photo: Chris Carpenter

Tuscon based alternative rockers La Cerca will be on the road hroughout May, playing their smart version of Americana meets indie rock.

Live dates:

• 05/16 Wooden Tooth, Tucson AZ
• 05/18 Fanny’s, Lockhart TX
• 05/21 Kirby’s, Wichita KS
• 05/22 Lucia, Lawerence KS
• 05/23 The Ship, Kansas City MI
• 05/25 Color Club, Chicago IL
• 05/26 The Comet, Cincinnati OH
• 05/29 The Spot, Lafayette IN
• 05/30 Cloudland, Minneapolis MN

» lacerca.net

Naïm Amor: on tour in France

French guitarist and violinist Naïm Amor will lock the door of his home in Tucson, Arizona, and fly to France for a string of shows to promote his Stories album: "He lets the instruments do the talking. As an an in-demand film scorer he can tell a tale without using hardly any words. Ry Cooder, Link Wray and Hank B. Marvin can all be traced back as major influences. Some of it is quite polished, but Amor throwns in some rougher sounds as well. Blissful and wistful."

HCTF premiere - AJ Rosales: Leitmotif

Chicago based musician AJ Rosales does not need an electric guitar to rock out. His new single Leitmotif does what is says on the tin, and then some. Recurring musical phrases? Check. Subtle changes by adding different textures? Check. But there is more. The song's title can also refer to a false narrative or a rhetoric trick to get inside people's heads. No bonus points for figuring that one out. Suffice to say that he is no particularly happy about what is going on in the States right now. Hint: when he speeds up and it gets more loud, that is when the righteous anger can no longer be contained.

Midnight Rodeo: Daisy

Nottingham's finest psych-pop band Midnight Rodeo take a swipe at rigid etiquette rules and outdated role models on their new single Daisy, with its protagonist freeing herself from being boxed in. The video was directed by Ciaran Grant, who choose a setting in a 18th Century mental institution to show the absurdity of limiting one's possibilities. A golden cage is still a cage.

Dirty Nice: "Another Life" live video

Quirky pop act Dirty Nice have posted a video of them performing their Another Life single, a track from their new album Planet Weekend, due for release via Chiverin on May 23rd.

UK live dates:

• 05/25 Liverpool @ BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025
• 10/02 Leeds @ Hyde Park Book Club
• 10/03 Glasgow @ Nice n Sleazy
• 10/04 Manchester @ YES
• 10/08 Brighton @ Hope & Ruin
• 10/09 Southampton @ Heartbreakers
• 10/10 London @ Lower Third
• 10/11 Bristol @ The Louisiana

» dirtynice.com

Crossword Smiles: Consequences & Detours

Detroit indie pop duo Crossword Smiles finally made the plunge in 2022 with the release of their Pressed & Ironed album.Tom Curless and Chip Saam bonded over their shared love for power pop and melodic college rock. For their follow-up Consequences & Detours they made baroque pop part of the equation,, culminating in the stand-out track Millicent, a crash course for how to get it right when writing a truly sad love song.

As the album's title suggests, there are no actions without consequences when skirting the choppy waters that can take a relationship by surprise. Curless and Saam tackle the good and bad times with a sense of humour, wrapping their short stories in multi-faceted shiny pop songs, wherein melody is king.

shortstraw.: dot cotton

Erin West, who goes by the stage name shortstraw., is connecting the dots between dance, punk and grime subcultures. The new single dot cotton is a manic description of being really bored and angry, while trying to have a good time against all odds. Disgruntled kids of all ages surely can relate to that outlook on life. And it is damn catchy too.

Golden Alphabet: Doozy Soup

Brooklyn based psych folkies Golden Alphabet have every right to be pessimistic about the current shit show in the USA. Is there a glimmer of hope for the people who are getting crushed right now? Melancholy supersedes anger on their new single, Doozy Soup, with no sign of light at the end of the tunnel for now: "Forever born in a world of forms // Where many gorge on the fruit of the poor // We are here to disappear // Thinkin' 'bout voting? // In contrast, it pales to money-men bloating // deflate the floaty where I've been storing my exhales"

Courtney Barnett: two songs on KCRW

Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett stopped by American radio station KCRW in Santa Monica to perform Neil Young's Lotta Love and her own original Before You Gotta Go. The studio version of the former can be found on the Heart Of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young Vol. 1 album.

» courtneybarnett.com.au

Chris Church: "Sit Down" video

Watch the Chris Church video for Sit Down, a track from his new album Obsolete Path: "He almost never goes for a straightforward radio-friendly song, sneaking in unexpected breaks and diversions to ensure that the listener keeps paying attention."

» Chris Church on Facebook

HCTF review of Obsolete Path

Alien Chicks: Forbidden Fruit

photo: Yza Pauw

London-based progressive power-punk trio Alien Chicks willl surely raise some eyebrows when they treat their audience to the jazz-tinged Dairylea and I've Become A Palm Tree, the admirable odd ones out on their new Forbidden Fruit EP. Lucky for them their fans are used to the quiet-loud-quiet approach that pops up in most of their songs, but not reaching the "loud" part will take them by suprise.

If anything, this trio is about taking risks, with Donkeyhead handed out as a business card to open minded music lovers, channeling the Dead Kennedys, Rage Against the Machine and Primus in one big swoop. Punk as a genre laughed at the rules, so throwing in anything that took their fancy is in perfect sync with that attitude.

Words about music (786): Rhian Teasdale

When I was younger, I'd always try to sing really complex thing. I got a bit older and realized what you can put across with something that's very simple and doesn't require any effort or energy at all.

Rhian Teasdale

Hanging Hearts: In the Garden

photo: Cory Dewald

Chicago avant jazz trio Hanging Hearts have released In the Garden, another track from their forthcoming Where's Your Head album. This one has "late night" written all over it, with Cole De Genova's synth bass channeling the sound of car tires, sometimes rumbling and sometimes squealing, the latter in tandem with Chris Weller's saxophone. Quin Kirchner acts like the traffic warden, gently steering the others back to landing on the theme after taking a short but sweet solo.

Ismena: tour dates

photo: Maaike Ronhaar

Dutch folk singer Ismena has announced a lengthy tour, playing shows in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland: "Her crystal clear voice is the guiding light to reach the end of the tunnel. What comes after that is unclear, but at least the journey now has a soundtrack".

Brian Bilston and The Catenary Wires: Sounds Made By Humans

photo: Simon Robinson

So, if British poet Brian Bilston and indie band The Catenary Wires join forces for an album, will the old adage that the sum is greater than its parts stand up in court? The answer is yes, it bloody well does. Sounds Made By Humans is a record that is filled to the rafters with wit and smart hooks, the words and music playing hide and seek and having a whale of a time together.

Whether it is taking the piss out of the dread trying to land a new job (The Interview), inserting a bucket load of song titles and lyrics snippets into Every Song On The Radio Reminds Me Of You, the arduous task of picking the right songs for a Compilation Cassette, where the only certainty is that there will be no country & western on it, Bilston and The Catenary Wires always find the right words and music to get the message across. If anything, this is an album that takes pity on the shy wallflowers at a party and people trying to cope with a world that has turned into a shapeshifting mess, but there is also room for satire. 31 Rules For Midlife Rebellion proclaims "add more syllables to haiku" and "never wear Ramones T-shirts" and: wait for it: "don't listen to songs in the forms of lists".

Flower Show: "The Macerator" video

Liverpudlian queer six-piece indie band Flower Show have made a video for The Macerator, a track from their Painted Nails & Silver Bells album: "the people they write about go through quite a few bad patches - getting drunk is on the bottom of the list - while having a good laugh. Love is found, love is lost, but as long as their a couple of friends around who will have your back no matter what, it is all good."

» Flower Show on Instagram

HCTF review of Painted Nails & Silver Bells

Blue Bayou: December Flowers

English chamber pop quintet Blue Bayou may not realise it themselves, but the instrumental break in their debut single December Flowers is a serious contender for this year's best example of tasteful musical prowess, wherein indie leanings team up with trumpet and violin. The song deals with the hassle and sense of loss when moving to another abode, always a moment for reminiscing and having doubts that it is wise to do so.

Kaki King: Tutto Passa

In the Summer of 2010 guitarist Brooklyn based Kaki King worked on some demos with multi-instrumentalist Dan Brantigan. Shortly afterwards she was in bad place @ alcoholism and illness took over her life and the project got shelved, while Brantigan looked after her. Fast forward to 2022 when the recordings were unearthed and enhanced with contributions from other players that are close to her. And now the world can finally hear Tutto Passa, an EP that touches base with jazz, post-rock, and post-modern avant-garde.

The basic tracks have aged as fine wine, with a side order of small bites. King has always been a master of singular notes to take center stage, and on this EP they act like markers on the soundscapes created by her fellow musicians.

Triggerfinger: tour dates

Belgian power rockers Triggerfinger have come out of hibernation and are on the road again with their high energy rock, playing shows in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France.

Miynt: Something in the way you move

photo: Patrik Berger

Swedish psych pop singer Miynt wrapped her new single Something in the way you move in atmospheric textures. It may sound soft and dreamy, but the message is clear: being an equal partner in a relationship. It is a track from her forthcoming new album Rain Money Dogs, due for release on May 30th via B3SCI Records.

John Cale & Maggie Rogers: "Barracuda" on Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney

Watch John Cale and Maggie Rogers performing Barracuda on the Everybody's Live With John Mulaney show on April 30. This was recorded after the show's broadcast had ended as a web exclusive.

» John Cale on Facebook
» John Cale setlists

Johnny Dowd: show in Ithaca

Johnny Dowd will be playing at Deep Dive in his hometown Ithaca, NY on May 10. Show time coincides with happy hour, so it is a win-win occasion. Tickets are available here. Expect lots of stuff from his latest album Is Heaven Real? How Would I Know album: "His special blend of trashcan Americana is wrapped in a cloak of bluesy, jazzy and soulful music, fulfilling a lifelong dream of his: get a honky-tonk version of the Stax/Volt records vibe going".

» johnnydowd.com

HCTF review of Is Heaven Real? How Would I Know.

The Happy Somethings: A Kind Of Loving

English twee trio The Happy Somethings have made a song about a one-sided love affair waiting to be reciprocated. In those early stages everything is fine and even the yet unnamed annoyances - "I'll take you as you are." - are welcomed with open arms. There is a bit of Simon & Garfunkel melodicism int there as well, so this one is tailor made for unfettered daydreaming.

Slug Comparison: A Battle to the End Fought on the Edge of a Knife

Doug Harrison, the singer and guitarist of Canadian rock band Fen, launched a solo project in 2014 named Slug Comparisonto go in at the deep end of metal-tinged progressive rock. His new album A Battle to the End Fought on the Edge of a Knife is a journey through darkness, with only the aid of drummer of Flavio Cirillo (Art of Dying, Puddle of Mud) to bring the tracks to life. Harrison's skills as a guitarist and bass player, plus a way above average knowledge of programming, enabled him to make the songs sound like a full band having a blast.

Whether he goes fast (Outta the Jam) or takes it down a notch in the self-deprecating title track when he describes his job as punching in numbers into a blue screen with the great line "I want to die with only minor regrets". The highlight is a twisted power ballad about to having much too much of a good thing (Too Much Love).

Zela Margossian Quintet: Indifferent World

The Zela Margossian Quintet covers the middle-ground between jazz and neo-classical on their new single Indifferent World. Led by pianist and composer Zela Margossian her band provides a comfy blanket for the lonesome trumpet played by Phil Slater. It is smooth, but not slick, sending out a wordless message to the world to look after one another.

Custard Flux: Icy Tranquility

Detroit based psychedelic rock band Custard Flux don't do love songs often, but their new single Icy Tranquility can be labeled as such, as frontman Curvey describes getting in from the cold to be greeted by a woman handing him a couple of serious beverages to feel warm again. Nice weaving and call-and-response with his fellow guitarist Vito Greco, portraying the chilly winds.

Words about music (785): Hester Chambers

It's ironic that we found the most success we’ve had from making music once we decided we weren’t going to try really hard.

Hester Chambers

Danzig / Chic: Twist of Freak

Bill McClintock made a mashup of Chic and Danzig: Twist of Cain + Le Freak = Twist of Freak. Want more? His YouTube channel has lots of them.

Primus: Little Lord Fentanyl

Experimental avant-funk metal trio Primus have released a new single, Little Lord Fentanyl, their first new studio track since the release of their Conspiranoid EP in 2022. Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer) helped out with the vocals. Some of the psychedelic leanings of The Claypool Lennon Delirium have found their way into it, which is a good thing. Also: this is the first song with John Hoffman, the band's new drummer.

Flower Show Painted Nails & Silver Bells

photo: Simon Gabriel

Liverpudlian queer six-piece indie band Flower Show are trying to have a good time against all odds. On their Painted Nails & Silver Bells album the people they write about go through quite a few bad patches - getting drunk is on the bottom of the list - while having a good laugh.

Love is found, love is lost, but as long as their a couple of friends around who will have your back no matter what, it is all good. Their infectious blend of Northern soul, a bit of ska, and lead singer Craig Sinclair's soft spot for crooning, make this album that can be played as a whole, without people leaving the dance floor. Or maybe just for a quick dash to the bar to get a refill.

John Cale: MiXology (volume 1)

A new John Cale album has hit the streaming services, MiXology (volume 1). Vinyl (500 copies) and CD versions will be released via Domino Records on August 8.

It is a companion piece for his Mercy and POPtical Illusion albums, with remixes and a few tracks that did not the make the cut for those albums. Of particular interest is the inclusion of Long Way Out of Pain, a new song that was played during his European tour this year. Note: Invention of Language can also be found on the Japanese CD version of POPtical Illusion.

Jumble Hole Clough: From a Broom Cupboard in Marseille - music for imaginary puppet shows volume 4

Between 2016 and 2017 Colin Robinson released three albums by his one-man project Jumble Hole Clough with "music for imaginary puppet shows": This Salty Armada, Moth On A Staircase Window. Elmet By Moonlight. Maybe it was the release of his long-form compositions on Up the Wooden Hills to Heckmondwike to try his hand again on short instrumentals.

Volume 4 in the series is called From a Broom Cupboard in Marseille, and it features songs about man-made flooding (The Inundation of Dunwich), the Roman god of war as the speaker for a condition (Mars, the Harbinger of Diabetes) and brollies that won't work (Our umbrellas are made of flannel).

Conan The Accountant: Witch

NYC musician Ben Fitts is best known as the guitarist for War Honey. Being in a band always come with some constraints and comprosises,, so maybe that is why he needed an outlet wherein he could anything he pleases. As Conan The Accountant he explores the outer regions of noise rock, wrecking havoc on electric guitar, banjolele, ukelele, white noise machine, and metronome.

His new album Witch burns all the rules of regular rock at the stake, using his effect pedals in ways that never are discussed in the manual. It is pretty damn intense, the soundtrack that Gotham needs now that the crazies and fascists are having the upper hand. The music swirls like the smoke in back alleys late at night. It will clear the rooms of hipsters and jocks, as the afficionados will stick around, with their jaws on the ground, before hitting the repeat button to be knocked down by the groundswell of glorious noise again.

John Cale & Maggie Rogers: "Shark-Shark" on Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney

John Cale and Maggie Rogers performed Shark-Shark on the Everybody's Live With John Mulaney show on April 30.

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