Archive for the ‘CLASSIC ALBUMS’ Category

CRACK CLOUD – ” Pain Olympics “

Posted: November 10, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Vancouver art collective Crack Cloud have shared their debut album “PAIN OLYMPICS”, marked by album highlight and lead single “Ouster Stew.” It was self-produced and written and recorded in Calgary and Vancouver between June 2017 and December 2019. The group’s previous release was their 2019 single “The Next Fix,” which followed their exceptional 2018 self-titled EP. Earlier this year, Paste featured them in our list of 30 Canadian artists you need to know in 2020. In comparison to the tightly-coiled, guitar-driven post-punk of their self-titled release, “Ouster Stew” is more colorful and eccentric—adding synths and saxophone into the mix. Lead singer Zach Choy’s (the group are adamant not to call him a frontman, doubling down on their decentralized model) vocals are positively waggish as their guitars squawk with an art-rock-meets-funk vivacity.

Like Psychic TV before them, Crack Cloud have a philosophy, and one that they are not afraid to wear on their sleeves. While their anarchic, phantasmagorical visuals, heavy use of symbology, and seemingly never-ending cast of colourful collaborators have often invited cult comparisons, this really does the collective no justice.

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There is no apocalyptic death drive here; no cult of personality; no hierarchy of power. While frontman and lyricist Zach Choy is in many ways the face of the group, the collective is one founded on equality, and in his cryptic lyrical blending of poetics, polemics and personal experience, Choy is truly the mouthpiece of something far larger than himself. Nowhere else is this more apparent than on the album’s first single, ‘The Next Fix.’ What begins as a caustic, claustrophobic account of addiction swells into a sprawling, euphoric hymn as Choy is joined by a choir of seemingly endless celestial voices. Less a cult then; more a church. Listening to this song or watching its accompanying self-directed video is a truly spiritual experience, and in its building, jubilant movement it offers a glimpse of Crack Cloud’s most vital message: using community to turn adversity into hope.

This isn’t just bravado; its a story born of deep, personal experience. Crack Cloud operate on the frontline of Canada’s out-of-control opiate crisis, mobilising and organizing in Vancouver’s harm reduction programmes.

The group themselves have had their fair share of trauma, and the collective LP offers its members a vital vehicle for rehabilitation and recovery. As the tagline on the album’s back cover makes clear then, this is absolutely ‘based on true shit.

Part Three of the “Pain Olympics” 2020 series, made DIY by the Crack Cloud Media Collective

POZI – ” 176 “

Posted: November 10, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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“176” boasts five new tracks written and recorded over a fruitful five days at PRAH Studios, Margate. The band took a more expansive approach to the composition process, taking inspiration from the spatial and rhythmic sonics of electronic music and blending it with their existing unique sonic palette of drums, bass, violin, vocals…and no guitars. Taking its title from the eponymous London bus route that runs from Penge to Tottenham Court Road, 176 contains themes of paranoia, social anxiety, jealousy and the accompanying nightmares these can create. The band explain: “All five songs have quite grim, dark subject matter. Once we’d started exploring that paranoid, angsty kind of path, the floodgates seemed to open and we ran with it”

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Title track “176” finds the narrator sat on the top deck of the 176, feeling alienated from their surroundings and shell-shocked at the public’s decision to vote in favour of Brexit, whilst “While You Wait” is written from the perspective of a dog recalling happier times rolling in fields, as it waits to be put down at the veterinary surgery – penned while the UK waited to leave the EU, the metaphor couldn’t be clearer. Elsewhere, “40 Faces” builds on a Morricone-esque bass riff to depict a jealous human waiting at home, tormenting themselves with images of what their partner might be up to without them. “The Nightmare” employs jarring call and response-style vocals to construct a sonically disorientating sound, creating a feeling similar to how you might feel after waking from a panic stricken bad dream or the anxiety you feel when trapped in an unnerving social situation.

For fans of: Warmduscher, Pottery, Depeche Mode Original release: 3 July 2020  Limited Edition White 12″ Vinyl – 300 copies worldwide

PRAH Recordings Released on: 2020-07-03

MEADOW MEADOW – ” Meadow Meadow ” EP

Posted: November 10, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Meadow Meadow: Meadow Meadow: Signed Exclusive Translucent Green Vinyl EP in PVC Sleeve

Meadow Meadow is the debut collaboration from former Spring King members, James Green and Peter Darlington. After the breakdown of their previous band, their writing together became a meditative, healing process. Sharing demos between Manchester and London, the pair developed a distinct musical palette, using creativity as a “constant source of peace and catharsis”. Themes of childhood nostalgia and the natural world are juxtaposed with a sense of loss and dystopian malaise. “Memory is strange, it connects seemingly disparate experiences together to form a storyline that you then carry with you”.

Gently swaying, meditative pastoral indie from two former members of Spring King, their new name taken from a line in a Silver Jews song.

Tracklisting: Bonzo, Fireworks, TwoTwo, Neberdine, Sca

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Written, Performed and Produced by Meadow Meadow. From ‘Meadow Meadow’ EP – out 19/8/20 on Practise Music Limited run of 50 cassettes

  Bonzo  
2 Fireworks  
3 TwoTwo  
4 Neberdine  
5 Sca

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – ” Somebody To Love ” Live At Isle of Wight Festival 2016

Posted: November 10, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Queen and Adam Lambert have shared a live performance video of “Somebody To Love” from Isle of Wight Festival at Seaclose Park on June 12th, 2016. The performance initially appeared on the collaborator’s first live album and concert film, “Live Around the World”, which saw worldwide release on October 2nd.

While Queen has rocked festivals for decades, this 2016 performance marked the first time the band had played with Adam Lambert in such a setting, and the vastness of the crowd cannot be understated. Sitting at the midpoint of their set, between “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Love of My Life”, this high-energy rendition of “Somebody To Love” was impressive. Though nobody can compete with the raw showmanship of Queen’s original frontman Freddie Mercury, Lamberts stage presence is notable in this performance. He worked the crowd well, even having fun with a brief call-and-response section, while also proving his vocal prowess on some of the more difficult sections of the song.

“Adam has the ability to sing anything and everything we throw at him,” said drummer Roger Taylor in a press statement, “There’s nothing he can’t handle. Our songs are big and theatrical and Adam fits that easily. I think he’s the best singer around. His range is staggering.” Explained Lambert , “Some of Queen’s songs are just so vocally athletic and physically demanding. For example, ‘The Show Must Go On’ is certainly demanding, ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ goes from zero to 99. ‘Somebody to Love’ is really intense and big.

Their first ever Live album; Queen + Adam Lambert , ‘Live Around The World’

FOO FIGHTERS – ” Shame Shame / Times Like This ” Saturday Night Live

Posted: November 10, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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After an agonising long wait for new Foo Fighters music, we finally got a new single in the form of the surprisingly funky ‘Shame Shame’. There was a lot of teasing over the last week or so for what appears to be a new Foo Fighters album, yes, they have a new album coming called “Medicine At Midnight” and the first single off it is called ‘Shame Shame’, perhaps unlike any Foo Fighters single we’ve heard either as the band really go hard on the groove and funk with this new banger. Think of a poppy dance track but done with the Foo Fighters’ guitar-heavy aesthetic.

Since this was a new musical direction for the band, Chris Shiflett and Nate Mendel unpack what they were going for this time around. And as with most Foo Fighters songs, it all begins with Dave Grohl. During last night’s episode of Saturday Night Live, musical guest Foo Fighters took the opportunity to debut “Shame Shame” from their new album. The new record—also announced on Saturday—is titled Medicine at Midnight and is out on February 5th, 2021 via Roswell Records/RCA.

“[‘Shame Shame’] kind of stands out on the record, it’s definitely a little different than anything we’ve ever done before and it’s a little bit different than anything else on the record, although the record has a lot of songs that are, you know, groove-based like this one is,” says Chris. “Dave’s a drummer so he’s always coming up with rhythmic twists and riffs based on rhythms that he hears in his head.”

The lyrics reference feelings of shame and the music video, which will be released soon, is something we haven’t really seen from the Foos before. So were the band feeling shameful when writing ‘Shame Shame’? “That’s a great question to ask Dave!” laughs Chris. “He wrote the lyrics, I don’t really know what he’s referencing so I should ask him!”.

Ambiguous lyrics aside, the band went through a number of wildly different versions of ‘Shame Shame’ before settling on the final one we got. In fact, Nate says he originally wasn’t even supposed to play on the song. “For ‘Shame Shame’, it started of as just a bunch of clicks from Dave [clicks fingers], almost like flamenco, and it just grew out of that,” recalls Nate. “There wasn’t going to be any bass line originally, like, it just felt like it needed keyboards and I was fine with that.” The November 7th episode of SNL featured the venerable alt-rockers performing in support of host Dave Chappelle. In a fortuitous twist, Saturday was also the day that Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election, likely resulting in an increased viewership which made this the ideal opportunity for Dave Grohl and co. to share their new music.

“Shame Shame” starts off sparing, with the song built around pulsating beats. For the first verse, Grohl is just focused on his vocals as the rhythm is controlled by his fellow guitarists Christopher Shiflett and Pat Smear. Along with the help of a pair of backup vocalists, the song takes a delicate and lyrical approach which displays an added layer of depth that is hopefully present throughout the band’s 10th studio endeavor. “I like the idea that you don’t need an electric bass on every single fucking song, and I ended up playing on it just to give it extra character on top of what was already there like a bit of extra added texture. So that was the plan, just to throw out the rule book.” There was a lot of talk about how Medicine At Midnight would contain a riff Dave has been working on for 25 years. So did we hear it on ‘Shame Shame’?,

Foo Fighters also performed “Times Like These” from their 2002 album One By One.

Stay tuned for more Foo Fighters coverage because we got a lot more from Chris and Nate about the Medicine At Midnight, dealing with COVID and lockdown, looking back on the Foo Fighters’ long career, and that 25-year-old riff coming very soon.

KEITH RICHARDS – ” The X-Pensive Winos – Live Hollywood Palladium “(Deluxe Boxset)

Posted: November 9, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Keith Richards has done a lot of great stuff over the last several decades and one of the most memorable solo projects is his work with The X-Pensive Winos. It’s been over 30 years since The X-Pensive Winos released their iconic “Live At The Hollywood Palladium” album and it seems like Keith is feeling a bit nostalgic because he’s re-releasing a special deluxe box set of that very record.

The restoration and reissuing of the storied solo album release catalogue from main guitar slinger Rolling Stone Keith Richards continues with this set featuring the solo hit “Take It So Hard”, Richards-led Stones classic “Happy” and previously unreleased performances of “You Don’t Move Me, Little T&A” and the Lennon/McCartney penned “I Wanna Be Your Man“.

For those wondering what exactly is in this special deluxe box set, it comes packed full of goodies including the remastered album on two 180g vinyl records and on CD, three unreleased bonus tracks exclusive to this box set, a DVD of the original concert film, a 40-page hard book featuring an essay written by David Fricke.

Recorded on December 15th, 1988, during the tour for Talk Is Cheap, “Live at the Hollywood Palladium” is a loose, groove-laden affair, featuring the best from Keith Richards’ first solo album as well as some Stones classics — mostly tunes he took lead vocals on. Opening with “Take It So Hard,” the first thing that hits the listener is the lack of the gloss that was probably the only drawback to Talk Is Cheap, which is a very good thing, because while the album was still leaps and bounds more real than, say, Dirty Work, this live collection is loose without ever getting away from the band, and has an organic feel not present in the Stones’ work since the early ’70s. Rockers like “Whip It Up” and “Struggle” swagger, while Sarah Dash shines on “Make No Mistake” and “Time Is On My Side.” Richards even manages to get into the reggae groove without sounding too clichéd on “Too Rude.” Live at the Hollywood Palladium is a solid live album that stands head and shoulders above most of the Stones‘ live records, and is easily a must-have for any serious Rolling Stones or Keith Richards fan.

Deluxe packaging. Remastered sound. Restored DVD video.

Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos – Live At The Hollywood Palladium tracklist:

LP:
1. ‘Take It So Hard’
2. ‘How I Wish’
3. ‘I Could Have Stood You Up’
4. ‘Too Rude’
5. ‘Make No Mistake’
6. ‘Time Is On My Side’
7. ‘Big Enough’
8. ‘Whip It Up’
9. ‘Locked Away’
10. ‘Struggle’
11. ‘Happy’
12. ‘Connection’
13. ‘Rockawhile’

10″:
1. ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ (Box Set Only)
2. ‘Little T&A’ (Box Set Only)
3. ‘You Don’t Move Me’ (Box Set Only)

Box Set Includes:
– The remastered album on 2 180g LPs
– 10” vinyl of 3 unreleased bonus tracks (I Wanna Be Your Man, Little T&A, You Don’t Move Me) exclusive to this box set only
– Remastered CD of original album
– DVD of original concert film
– 40 page, hardback book with David Fricke essay featuring a new interview with Keith, plus extensive rare and unseen photos from Keith’s archives

Reproductions of archival materials from the tour including:
– Tour press release
– Keith’s handwritten setlist
– Hand-drawn band dressing room sign
– Tour itinerary
– Press photos
– Ticket stub
– VIP & backstage passes
– Keith’s custom Hollywood Palladium plectrum
– Promotional wine label & bag given away at the show
… and more!

Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos – “Live At The Hollywood Palladium“. Released in 2020 via BMG Records.

RILEY PEARCE – ” Electricity “

Posted: November 9, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Riley Pearce tackles his current dilemmas head-on with the new single and visual for ‘Electricity’. Always one to portray working-class love and big picture philosophy over a magnetic alt-folk melody, Riley Pearce’s latest offering is another deep-dive into life’s uncertainties. Lifted from his forthcoming EP, “Love and Other Stuff”, out March 19th, 2021, Pearce says the song deals with a young couple faces as they pursue their passions and careers.

My girlfriend and I have these dreams of one day owning a home and starting a family, but there’s a lot of uncertainty involved and a lot of distance between ourselves now and reaching the eventual dream,” he says. “With that in mind, the song is about being happy no matter where we land, with each other’s presence and being in this journey together.”

Love and Other Stuff follows the release of Riley Pearce’s last EP, “Maybe I Can Sleep It Off”, released in September. His imitable self-reflection and ability to grapple with his own feelings in real-time has seen his trademark brand of storytelling resonate across the globe, with over 50 million streams to date.

Last year, Riley Pearce toured all through Australia, Europe and the United Kingdom before returning to live in Melbourne. His upcoming EP was produced by Andy Lawson, who loaned Pearce his Japanese Fender Jaguar for the recording. Coupled with a pedal Pearce found at a second-hand shop in London, “Love and Other Stuff” will speak to the times while also offering a reprieve from it.

Filmed by Riley Pearce from lockdown in Melbourne. WRITER / MUSICIAN: Riley Pearce

LOU REED – ” Live At Alice Tully Hall ” January 27th 1973 – 2nd Show ” Black Friday 2020

Posted: November 8, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Live At Alice Tully Hall - January 27, 1973 - 2nd Show (black Friday 2020)

“Live at Alice Tully Hall” January 27th, 1973 2nd show captures Lou Reed’s New York City live debut as a solo artist at the Lincoln Center venue during his “Transformer” tour. This show was billed as the emergence of Lou Reed (as separate from the Velvet Underground). VU had long disappeared and Reed had done little till one day there were stunning posters all over the New York subway. Reed was shown in white grease paint and close cropped black hair (very Dracula like). Under his image was the title “Where Will You Be When Lou Reed Emerges from the Underground on January 27th at Alice Tully Hall?,

The poster got the attention of everyone in the NY avante garde and glitter rock scence and foretold the coming of Punk. Just over a year later Television began playing at CBGB and a new scene was born.

He was backed by the Tots, a tight, funky twin guitar combo whose gritty, bar band approach offered an energized approach to Lou Reed’s material whether it was the Velvets (“Heroin,” “Sweet Jane”) or material from his first two solo albums (“Walk on the Wild Side,” “Vicious”). mixed from the original multi track tapes by Matt Ross spring, these 14 tracks are available for the first time. the recording will be released on two Lps pressed on burgundy vinyl and packaged with a new essay by ed mccormack, includes rare pictures and memorabilia.

The Tots: Bass – Bobby Resigno Drums – Scottie Clark Guitar – Eddie Reynolds, Vocals, Guitar – Lou Reed

FOUNTAINS of WAYNE – ” Welcome Interstate Managers ” Black Friday 2020 Reissue

Posted: November 8, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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WELCOME INTERSTATE MANAGERS (black Friday 2020)

Welcome Interstate Managers is the third studio album by the American rock band Fountains of Wayne. It was originally released by S-Curve Records on June 10th, 2003. 

Power pop favourites Fountains of Wayne made it big with “Welcome Interstate Managers”, which featured the inescapable hit “Stacy’s Mom” alongside plenty of other undeniably sharply crafted rock (check out, for instance, “Bright Future in Sales,” “Hey Julie,” or any of the album’s stellar 17 songs).  An instant classic, Welcome Interstate Managers now arrives on vinyl for the first time with a bonus track, the non-album B-side “Elevator Up!” It’s pressed on a “natural” colourway with black swirl” colourway. This means the base is actually uncoloured vinyl, with just a few swirls of black added to match the monochromatic album art. The discs are housed in printed inner sleeves within a gatefold jacket. Limited to just 3,000 copies, this is one to wake up early for – and a bittersweet reminder of the tremendous talent lost with the passing of Adam Schlesinger earlier this year to COVID-19.

it’s the most popular album by one of the greatest power pop bands of all time – and it’s never been on vinyl! ‘welcome interstate managers’ was hailed a classic from the day it came out in 2003, and featured Fountains of Wayne’s biggest hit with “Stacy’s Mom”. While their debut album had “Sick Day” and “You Curse at Girls,” and “Utopia Parkway” featured “Prom Theme” and “The Senator’s Daughter,” Welcome Interstate Managers introduces the song “Fire Island,” a plea to be left home alone when the parents go on vacation, and “All Kinds of Time,” perhaps the best (and first) musical interpretation of a slow-motion football replay ever recorded.

The song craft and lyrical wit of Chris Collingwood and the late, great Adam Schlesinger have never been sharper; there’s not a bad song on this record and lot of them (e.g. “Bright Future in Sales;” “Hackensack”) rise to the same lofty perch as “Stacy’s Mom.” real gone music presents this landmark album in a 2-lp set inside a gatefold jacket with two printed inner sleeves featuring lyrics, with a natural with black swirl pressing limited to 3000 copies that beautifully matches the monochromatic cover. also included as a bonus track: the non-LP B-side to the “Stacy’s Mom” single, “Elevator Up!” exclusive to record store day/black friday.

Fans waiting for Fountains of Wayne to finally quit goofing around and release a sonically experimental, brooding collection of “serious music” are just going to have to keep waiting. Luckily, the number of their listeners hoping for anything besides another infectious batch of sunny singalong numbers from Adam Schlesinger, Chris Collingwood, and company is probably about the same as the number of people waiting for the White Stripes to record a smooth jazz record.  While they reinforce their reputation as the reigning deities of uptempo, big-guitar pop/rock with feel-good anthems.

FRIGHTENED RABBIT – ” The Winter Of Mixed Drinks ” 10th Anniversary Reissue

Posted: November 8, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Image may contain: text that says 'キ FRIGHTENE RABBIT THINGS!'

Frightened Rabbit’s “The Winter Of Mixed Drinks” turns ten this year and in order to celebrate, FatCat Records will release an Anniversary Edition of the LP. Boasting Limited Edition Ice Blue Vinyl, the Anniversary Edition will also feature an additional bonus 7” featuring two previously unreleased live tracks, remixed and remastered for this release.

“The Winter Of Mixed Drinks” was written over seven weeks in the isolated but beautiful coastal town of Crail in Fyfe, Scotland, following heavy touring in support of the band’s second album The Midnight Organ Fight.

Grant Hutchinson, drummer, stated “the location had a big impact on the songs. There’s definitely a nautical theme to a lot of the tracks and a feeling of testing yourself to the limit which the sea plays a big part in.” The album was primarily recorded at Castle Sound Studios in Scotland, with additional recording and production taking place at Tarquin Studios in Connecticut, alongside their trusted producer Peter Katis. Upon release in March 2010, the album was greeted with widespread critical acclaim, with Drowned in Sound praising frontman Scott Hutchison, describing his performance as having “the same tremble in the voice, the same elegance in the guitar tone, the same march of the Military Tattoo in the rhythm – but a renewed purpose.”

The Fly also praised Scott, claiming him to be “one of the most underrated voices in rock,” and going further stating, “what more could you possibly want from Frightened Rabbit’s third album? They’re hurling themselves fearlessly at the bright lights, and coming back all the stronger for it.” The Guardian praised the album’s “sharp” song- writing, stating, “most of their songs – with themes of escape, freedom and reinvention – have huge impassioned choruses that are made to be shouted from the nearest available mountain,” whilst the NME maintained the album to be “stunning,”and further wrote “for every song of heartache (“Yes, I Would”) and self-loathing (“The Loneliness & The Scream”), there’s one of redemption (“FootShooter”) or hope (“Swim Until You Can’t See Land”). The album deviates from their previous alt-folkish sensibilities: the fuzzed-up shoegazing of “Things” and the anthemic chorus of “Living In Colour” herald an exciting new bullshit-free dawn.”

This is an album that all of us here at Fat Cat Records and all of those involved in its creation are immensely proud of, as relevant and striking today as it was upon must listen back at the dawn of a new decade ten years ago.

Frightened Rabbit’s The Winter Of Mixed Drinks turns ten this year and in order to celebrate, Fat Cat Records release an Anniversary Edition of the LP. Boasting Limited Edition Ice Blue Vinyl, the Anniversary Edition will also feature an additional bonus 7” featuring two previously unreleased live tracks, remixed and remastered for this release.

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