Archive for the ‘CLASSIC ALBUMS’ Category

ELTON JOHN – ” Regimental Sgt.  Zippo ” Record Store Day 2021

Posted: April 7, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Elton John Regimental Sgt. Zippo

Amongst all of the many Record Store Day 2021 announcements, among the most exciting has to be Island/Mercury’s announcement of an unreleased Elton John album finally seeing the light of day: 1968’s “Regimental Sgt.  Zippo”, due on the June 12th, 2021 RSD Drop.

After the rapturous reception for Jewel Box, Rocket/UMC/EMI are honoured to announce a strictly limited one-off bringing together of Elton John’s fabled Regimental Sgt Zippo album that was slated for release in 1968, but ultimately shelved.

One of the best box sets of last year was Elton John’s “Jewel Box”.  Among its 8 CDs were three discs of rarities spanning 1965-1971.  Perhaps the most intriguing tracks included were those intended for an unreleased album entitled Regimental Sgt. Zippo.  Recorded at Dick James Studios in London in late 1967 and early 1968, the new partnership of composer John and lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote this group of songs under the influence of The Beatles but in their own unique and developing style.  A total of twelve psych-pop songs were intended for the album and it was given its title with a nod to Elton’s real name of Reginald, his father’s military service, and once again, The Beatles.  But for reasons lost to time, the album was shelved and the world would have to wait until 1969 to hear a full album of John and Taupin songs with Empty Sky.  Regimental Sgt. Zippo was largely forgotten about as the duo’s careers hit the stratosphere, other than some of the songs leaking out on bootlegs.  Cut to last year with the “Jewel Box” which published a track listing for the final LP and presented versions of most of its songs.

The songs from Regimental Sgt. Zippo were spread out among the CDs on Jewel Box and some of them were in demo form, not in the versions that would have been heard on the final album.  Now, the entire LP will be released as originally intended. The title track of an unreleased debut album, this track captures Elton and Bernie in full 60s psychedelic mode. Recorded and produced at the DJM studios, the same building that housed the Beatles’ publishing company, Northern Songs, the song is an affectionate nod to Sgt Pepper and the era. Within six years of this May 1968 recording Elton John would be a superstar the size of the Beatles, and close friends with John Lennon, something that would have been hard to predict at the time Regimental Sgt. Zippo was recorded.

This means that several of the songs will be heard in their completed versions for the first time.  (The press release indicates that five are in their finished versions for the first time, but there were only four songs labelled as demos in the Jewel Box: “When I Was Tealby Abbey,” “And the Clock Goes Round,” “Angel Tree” and “A Dandelion Dies in the Wind,” so it is unclear which other song will have a new version.  It could be the song “Nina,” which has a different title on the album’s track-listing, but that is just conjecture.)  Also, “You’ll Be Sorry to See Me Go,” the lone RSZ track not included in any form on Jewel Box, is making its debut here. 

 

If you would like to grab a copy of what would have been Elton John’s first album, head to your local record store participating in RSD on June 12tgh.  There’s no word as yet on a digital or CD presentation of Regimental Sgt. Zippo,

The LP will be limited to 7,000 copies and will have a flip-back laminated gloss sleeve.

Elton John, “Regimental Sgt. Zippo” (Island/Mercury, 2021)

LANA DEL REY – ” Chemtrails Over The Country Club “

Posted: April 5, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The last week belongs to Lana Del Rey. We were blown away by her last album. “Chemtrails” which only builds on her success we couldn’t be more pleased for her.

Though its release date has been delayed a few times now, all signs point to the acclaimed songstress’ seventh studio album surfacing soon, with the official pre-order and video for the title track . In the meantime, lead single “Let Me Love You Like A Woman” offers more than enough to whet our appetites for the new project, which its creator describes as “folky … beautiful … super different from Norman F**king Rockwell!”.

Fame and Del Rey’s disregard for it is a recurring theme on her seventh album ‘Chemtrails Over The Country Club’. On opening track ‘White Dress’, she explores her longing for a time when she was yet to find success; she delivers it in a rasped whisper so urgent it sounds like she’s trying to transport herself back there. “I felt free because I was only 19,” she sings of days and nights spent waitressing and listening to jazz, Kings Of Leon and “White Stripes when they were white hot”.

Perhaps it’s a case of the grass always being greener – pre-fame Lana surely wouldn’t have imagined achieving all she has and wanting to be back bussing tables – but she closes the song rationalising her desire to go back: “Because it made me fee… like a god/ It kind of makes me feel like maybe I was better off.”

The sublime, dreamy float of the title track is similarly nostalgic, calling back to a time where “there’s nothing wrong, contemplating God / Under the chemtrails over the country club”. It’s gorgeous and idyllic, distilling a scene of quintessential Americana into its most poetic form. Del Rey even manages to make the most mundane of chores and activities sound magical: “Washing my hair, doing the laundry/ Late night TV, I want you only”.

Conversely, on the romantic waltz of ‘Wild At Heart’, she’s in the here-and-now, evoking a scene of being chased by the paps, fingers on the shutter. “The cameras have flashes / They cause the car crashes,” she sighs, with an important distinction to make lest anyone get things twisted: “But I’m not a star.” ‘Dark But Just A Game’, which shifts from brooding trip-hop atmospherics to brighter folk licks, was inspired by a party at Madonna’s manager’s house and finds Del Rey explaining she doesn’t “even want what’s mine / Much less the fame”.

Later, she shares a lesson she learned from watching those who came before her: “We keep changing all the time / The best ones lost their minds / So I’m not gonna change; I’ll stay the same.” Rather than whinges about the privilege of being rich and successful, these are sharp observations on buying into your own celebrity and the impact of society’s thirst to know everything about our idols.

The LA-based musician’s last album, 2019’s ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell!’, saw her hit a career-high with a record that instantly cemented its place as an all-time great. Yet with ‘Chemtrails…’ Del Rey follows it with ease, riding that record’s creative high but looking further back into her past to tie her whole story together in one place.

On first listen – and especially after the more organic sounds of ‘NFR!’ – ‘Tulsa Jesus Freak’ might come as a shock. Del Rey’s voice is fed through Auto-Tune and vocal processors, aping the production of the mumble rappers she declared her love for on her last album cycle. Incorporating elements of hip-hop into her timeless pop is nothing new for Lana – she’s been doing it since her ‘Born To Die’ era – but it’s exciting to hear her invention and refusal to be restricted.

There are plenty of Easter eggs littered throughout the record, connecting it to past releases. On the title track, she sings, “You’re in the wind, I’m in the water”, harking back to ‘Brooklyn Baby’’s “I think we’re the wind and sea”. She repeats ‘Mariners Apartment Complex’’s assertion that she “ain’t no candle in the wind” on the quiet fingerpicked folk of ‘Yosemite’ and ‘Tulsa Jesus Freak’, while ‘Wild At Heart’ brings back the character of Joe, who previously appeared on ‘NFR!’’s ‘How To Disappear’ and her spoken-word poem ‘Never To Heaven’.

As well as paying tribute to herself, on ‘Chemtrails…’ Del Rey carves out space for her heroes and current favourites. ‘Breaking Up Slowly’ finds her swapping verses with country singer Nikki Lane. “I don’t wanna live with a life of regret / I don’t wanna end up like Tammy Wynette,” Lane sings at one point, before Del Rey references the vintage star’s third husband George Jones: “George got arrested out on the lawn / We might be breaking up after the song.”

The album ends with a poignant cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘For Free’, which features Arizona rising singer-songwriter Zella Day and Weyes Blood’s Natalie Mering. On the penultimate track ‘Dance Til We Die’, Lana sings, “I’m covering Joni and I’m dancing with Joan / Stevie is calling on the telephone.” It’s a reminder that, more than just being influenced by the likes of Joan Baez and Stevie Nicks, she’s now on a par with them. Lana Del Rey is at the peak of her game – just don’t expect her to come down anytime soon.

Lana Del Rey has been one of the most successful and influential artists of the last decade, without ever making a great album. Her brooding ballads, dipped in faded Hollywood glamour, have helped to shift the landscape of modern popular music 

CASSANDRA JENKINS – ” An Overview on Phenomenal Nature “

Posted: April 5, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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I’d never heard of Brooklyn’s Cassandra Jenkins before her latest album, but she’s well-credentialed. She was set to tour with Purple Mountains before David Berman’s suicide and has also worked with The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn and The Fiery Furnace’s Eleanor Friedberger. Berman is referenced on ‘New Bikini’ – “After David passed away/My friends put me up for a few days/”

“An Overview on Phenomenal Nature” sounds dubious on paper, an indie-folk record that celebrates nature, adds monologues about how men have lost touch, and incorporates the kind of new-age textures you’d expect on a 1980s Van Morrison record. But it’s lovely in practice, pretty and warm. Jenkins’ vocal is intimate and she’s a good enough lyricist to keep things interesting, casually dropping the word “panoply” into ‘Crosshairs’ and titling a song ‘Ambiguous Norway’.

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Jenkins’ main collaborator is producer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaufman. Kaufman’s a member of the amazing Bonny Light Horsemen and who has worked with The National, Taylor Swift, and Josh Ritter. The arrangements are often key with lovely woodwind parts, while the dual lead guitar parts on ‘Ambiguous Norway’ are gorgeous.

A gorgeous, shimmering set of songs that combines ultra-smooth pop sounds (recalling the softer moments of Destroyer’s “Kaputt”) with sweet ambient textures. Fantastic song writing work, as well. A joy to listen to, and a clear early contender for 2021’s album of the year. 

For UK Dinked special edition, go here: dinkededition.co.uk/cassandra-jenkins-an-overview-on-phenomenal-nature

The Band of Musicians:

Cassandra Jenkins– vocals, guitar
Josh Kaufman– guitar, voyager, harmonium, banjo, synth, bass, piano, organ
~and~
JT Bates– drums, auxiliary percussion
Eric Biondo– drums
Michael Coleman– synth
Stuart Bogie–  flutes, saxophone
Doug Wieselman– sax
Oliver Hill– violin, viola, string arrangement  
Annie Nero– bass
Aaron Roche– synth
Will Stratton– guitar
Ben Seretan– drone

All songs written and performed by Cassandra Jenkins
Produced and mostly engineered by Josh Kaufman
at The Boom Boom Room, Brooklyn, NY

Released February 19th, 2021

STEADY HOLIDAY – ” Take The Corners Gently “

Posted: April 4, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Steady Holiday is Dre Babinski and a large dog, “Take The Corners Gently” is the third LP from Steady Holiday, the musical project of Los Angeles songwriter Dre Babinski. Following up 2018’s Nobody’s Watching, Dre travelled to Nashville, Tennessee, to record the album with Blake Sennett, lead guitarist in the much loved Rilo Kiley, who helped bring these vibrant songs to life.

A document of complex, difficult times in her life, Corners is both buoyant and beautiful, a tight collection of smart, heartfelt pop songs that grow an inch taller thanks to the spiritedness with which Babinksi approaches them. Perhaps its key aspect is its vulnerability, however. There is real heart and soul in these songs, and the impulsiveness which always comes with such things is given centre stage, adding depth and warmth which radiates throughout the album’s eight songs.

Released into the world last week, you can stream the album at the bottom of this page, and be sure to listen along while reading this track by track guide written by Dre, for both us and for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Edb1JjPxAM

Take The Corners Gently was written during a period of turmoil in my family. The details aren’t mine alone to share, but the lessons learned from the experience are threaded throughout these songs. It’s an album about embracing uncertainty, relinquishing what can’t be controlled, appreciating small moments as they happen. Humility.

I recorded with those things in mind too. At least… I tried to. I went to Nashville to work with Blake Sennett, an old friend who understood. Our best intentions weren’t always aligned. But we knew it. Embraced it. And in a way, that was the point. I also dragged my friend Chiffon Myst along. He makes everything better. 

So that’s how we got here. That’s the quick version, anyway. I’ll probably try to thesaurus my way out of words like “acceptance” and “humility”, but that’s what I’ll be dancing around. 

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“Living Life” by Steady Holiday. Courtesy of Steady Holiday, 2020.

Written by Dre Babinski

Released February 12th, 2021

ALLIE CROW BUCKLEY – ” Moonlit and Devious “

Posted: April 4, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Allie Crow Buckley’s debut album “Moonlit and Devious” is intricate and powerful, her haunting melodies swirling around a heavy soundscape. Album opener “Nothing Sacred” makes a big first impression, with a blown-out bass carving out the song’s low end. Gnarly, fuzzy guitar licks embellish the singer’s alto stylings, making for a gripping listen. The album’s titular single shows Buckley’s talent as a songwriter and poet, with inventive verses like “Aloof and ambiguous / You deprive me of the sentiment / I love how you let me spin / Circles around you, dip in arabesque.” “Moonlit and Devious” also utilizes a subtle organ sound to add a huge, cinematic feel to the dark track. 

There’s something bewitching about the self-released debut LP from Los Angeles’s Allie Crow Buckley—deeply embedded in each of the record’s ten folk-infused chamber pop tracks is a certain strand of occult psychedelia familiar to fellow LA rockers like Death Valley Girls. Among the most explicit examples is the album’s title track, which pares Buckley’s sound down to a droning, organ-like keyboard and spacious drum and guitar, while the singer’s moonlit and devious vocals soar over the arrangement.

Allie Crow Buckley’s music is like staring at the moon through an open window, not in wonder but with understanding. Her songs carry within them both a grounding earth-bound quality and an expansive sonic universe. Having grown up so close to where the ocean meets the land, it’s not surprising that her music is imbued with such a strong sense of power and natural balance.  

The Los Angeles based singer-songwriter’s music is composed of Buckley’s lyrical use of imagery, her rhythmic structures and use of subtle sonic details accompanied by heavy, distorted guitar tones, layers of dreamy synths, soaring melodies, and deep low end. 

It’s this track Buckley chose to play for her “Neighborhoods” set, sitting at a keyboard in a very green backyard. Without the inclusion of percussion or raging backing guitar riffs, the song takes on a whole new eeriness, with Allie Crow Buckley’s vocals interweaving with minimal organ accompaniment. 

Official audio for the Moonlit and Devious single, performed by Allie Crow Buckley, taken from her debut album ‘Moonlit and Devious’, out 12th March 2021.

The Band:
Guitar | Dylan Day
Keys | Lee Pardini
Drums | Jason Boesel
Guitar | Mike Viola
 

PAUL McCARTNEY – ” RAM ” Half-Speed Remaster

Posted: April 4, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Paul McCartney had always been one for a homespun album, whether it be his 1970 debut “McCartney”, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard from 2005, or McCartney III, which he recorded in lockdown (or rockdown, as he called it). Last year, McCartney was the first of his albums to receive a half-speed remaster at Abbey Road, which was pressed up for Record Store Day. The Paul McCartney Half-Speed Remaster series continues with the indie favourite “RAM”, due May 14th to commemorate its 50th anniversary.

RAM saw Paul and Linda taking to the heart of the country and recording most of the album at his Scotland farm following some traditional tracking sessions in New York. This lo-fi approach practically created the “cottagecore” aesthetic routinely explored by today’s most prominent artists. And it’s said that any indie-pop musician who’s recorded an album out of their bedroom owes something to RAM. Indeed, with just one listen to “Dear Boy,” “Ram On,” “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey,” or “Back Seat of My Car,” it’s easy to draw the line through four-plus decades of indie-pop sounds.

But it wasn’t just Paul and Linda creating the music. The McCartneys also brought on Denny Seiwell, who’d go on to be part of the first incarnation of Wings, along with many other session musicians. As such, the album not only stands as a great piece of music, but also an important transitional piece in McCartney’s recorded history.

We’ll admit that other than the near-perfect track “Maybe I’m Amazed,” Paul McCartney’s 1970 debut solo album was pretty weak. However, his second attempt, 1971’s “Ram,” was unfairly grouped together with its predecessor. Jon Landau of Rolling Stone called it “so incredibly inconsequential and so monumentally irrelevant” and “unbearably inept” while trashing nearly every track. Elsewhere, Q described it as “frustratingly uneven,” Robert Christgau simply said it’s “a bad record” and NME settled on the term “mediocre.” Even Playboy wouldn’t recommend playing it. Fans had a different opinion. They helped the tune “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” become McCartney’s first No. 1 single as a solo artist, heavily supported the singles “The Back Seat of My Car” and “Eat at Home” and caused critics to re-evaluate their stances on the album. More recently, publications have not only cited “Ram” as a predecessor of indie pop but also as one of the former Beatle’s best solo works.

RAM has gone on to become one of the most beloved of McCartney’s albums. Upon its release it was panned by critics, though it reached No. 1on the U.K. Albums Chart and yielded his first post-Beatles No. 1 in the States with the whimsical mini-suite “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.” Now the album has been deemed “quintessentially McCartney,” a career highlight worthy of reappraisal.

For it’s 50th anniversary edition, “RAM” has been pressed from a new master cut at half-speed sourced from the original master tapes at Abbey Road. The LP is available to pre-order now, and will also be available on indie record stores’ shelves on the May 14th release date. 

Paul and Linda McCartney, RAM 

L7 – ” Wargasm ” The Slash Years 1992-1997

Posted: April 4, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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“L7 formed in Los Angeles in 1985 when Suzi Gardner (guitar, vocals) and Donita Sparks (guitar, vocals) joined forces with Jennifer Finch (bass, vocals). An all female band in a traditionally male-dominated, often sexist rock arena, L7 were happy to court controversy through spirited, occasionally infamous live performances, whilst playing songs often infused with humour as much as bite and bile. Having emerged from L.A.’s art punk scene, their music was a mixture of hard rock, alternative and punk, but they are arguably most synonymous with the grunge movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Packed with bonus tracks, artwork and memorabilia, “Wargrasm: The Slash Years 1992-1997″ includes new, extensive liner notes based on interviews with the band.”

From the L7 album “Smell The Magic”,

Through Rock For Choice they proved to be a band with a sociopolitical conscience too. Their music was a mixture of hard rock, alternative rock and punk rock, but they are arguably most synonymous with the grunge movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Releasing their self-titled debut on Epitaph Records (home of The Offspring and Bad Religion), their grunge credentials were cemented by the release of second record “Smell The Magic” released on Seattle’s Sub Pop, some-time home for many grunge lynchpins, including Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney, among many others.

In 1990, the classic line-up was completed by Dee Plakas on drums. Signing to Slash Records (Faith No More, Violent Femmes), they released their major label debut “Bricks Are Heavy” in 1992, produced by Butch Vig (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage). Lead single ‘Pretend We’re Dead’ gave L7 a massive worldwide hit, especially in the States, followed by the singles ‘Everglade’ and ‘Monster’. The expanded edition of “Bricks Are Heavy” includes ‘Pretend We’re Dead’ (Edit), ‘Lopsided Head’ (B-Side), ‘Used To Love Him’ (B-Side), a cover of the tongue-in-cheek Guns N’ Roses track and ‘Freak Magnet’ (B-Side).

Touring with Nirvana and Hole, as well as appearing on the main stage at Lollapalooza, L7 followed up “Bricks Are Heavy” with “Hungry For Stink” in 1994. Featuring the single ‘Andres’, this expanded edition features ‘Baggage’ (Live), ‘Punk Broke (My Heart)’ (B-Side), ‘Stuck Here Again’ (Edit) and ‘Interview’ (B-Side).

During the recording of their third album for Slash record, Jennifer Finch left the band, eventually replaced by Belly’s Gail Greenwood. Their fifth record, “The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum”, was released at the beginning of 1997, and although their shift in direction received plenty of critical praise, it was their last album for Slash Records. ‘Off The Wagon’ was issued as a single, with the B-Sides ‘Guera’ and ‘Worn Out’ included as bonus tracks, alongside ‘Drama (Piss Off Version)’.

 L7 would record one more album during the 1990s before calling it a day in 2001. They would reform in 2014, touring extensively, and enjoying a creative renaissance, releasing their seventh album “Scatter The Rats” in 2019.

Packed with bonus tracks, artwork and memorabilia, “WARGASM – THE SLASH YEARS 1992-1997” includes a new, extensive liner note based on interviews with the band.

CHEAP TRICK – ” Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll “

Posted: April 4, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Cheap Trick have just unveiled the second preview from the upcoming album, “In Another World” which arrives April 9th. Produced by long-time associate Julian Raymond, Cheap Trick’s 20th studio album, The blistering new single, “Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll,” is a heavy-hitting love song set to distorted guitars, rock riffs and the sort of legendary monster hooks that make Cheap Trick such a legendary band.

In Another World will be Cheap Trick’s 20th album. The 13-track record LP also features the lead single “Light Up the Fire” and a previously released cover of John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth.” 

A statement about the album said: “In Another World sees Cheap Trick doing what they do better than anyone – crafting indelible rock ‘n’ roll with oversized hooks, mischievous lyrics, and seemingly inexorable energy. Trademark anthems like “Light Up The Fire” and “Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll” are countered by more introspective – but no less exuberant.”  Cheap Trick crafting indelible rock ’n’ roll with oversized hooks, mischievous lyrics and seemingly inexorable energy. Trademark anthems are countered by more introspective but no less exuberant — considerations of times past, present, and unknowable future on such strikingly potent new tracks as Another World and I’ll See You Again.
In Another World further showcases Cheap Trick at their most eclectic, touching on a myriad of distinct sounds and song approaches, from the swampy Chicago blues number Final Days (featuring fiery harmonica from Grammy-nominated Wet Willie frontman Jimmy Hall)

“In Another World” will be available in standard CD, black vinyl and digital formats, along with a limited-edition picture disc. The album is due out on April 9th

REDDENING WEST – ” Marjorie ” (Live Acoustic)

Posted: April 4, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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A live acoustic version of ‘Marjorie’ from our debut album ‘deltas’, originally recorded for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2017. We’re re-releasing this on April 4th, 2021 — what would have been Marjorie’s 96th birthday. “’Marjorie’ is a haunting, immersive folk track that manages to keep the endearing folk-pop melodies in the instrumentals and the vocals. There’s a lot of space here, as if it were recorded in a very tall building such as a church; that sort of grandeur gives the track a blend of the intimate haunting melodies of Blind Pilot and the sweeping expanses of the The Barr Brothers..”

The song was inspired by the disappearance of USAF Flight 2469 in 1950 (bit.ly/2juz78q​). Our singer’s grandfather was one of 44 passengers on board. The plane was never found.

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Reddening West is a band from Austin, Texas.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – ” Bills & Aches & Blues ” (40 Years Of 4AD Records)

Posted: April 4, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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4AD - Final Four 'Bills & Aches & Blues' Tracks Out Now

In 1980, a new British independent record label was christened Axis, but discovered after its first batch of releases that another Axis already existed, so a new name was necessary to avoid legal problems. New name: 4AD.

Now, 41 years after its inception, 4AD came up with the idea to celebrate the label’s glorious past with current artists covering a song of their choice from 4AD’s impressive catalogue of releases.

In 2020, 4AD Records turned 40 years of age. Never one to be on time for a party, the label is commemorating that landmark this year with the release of “Bills and Aches and Blues”. The compilation features 18 of its current artists covering a song of their choosing from 4AD’s past: a creative experiment rooted in the spirit of collaboration and a snapshot of 4AD, 41 years after its inception.

Bills and Aches and Blues’ includes 18 recordings contain fascinating connections between artist and track. The earliest song chosen (by U.S. Girls) is The Birthday Party’s Junkyard, from 1981; the most recent are the two Grimes covers (‘Genesis’ and ‘Oblivion’, respectively by Spencer. and Dry Cleaning) from 2012. Suitably, for the one band that bridges 4AD past and present, The Breeders are all over Bills And Aches And Blues. They’re covered three times – ‘Cannonball’ by Tune-Yards, ‘Mountain Battles’ by Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and ‘Off You’ by Big Thief, whilst The Breeders cover ‘The Dirt Eaters’ by their ‘90s contemporaries His Name Is Alive.

Bills & Aches & Blues features 18 of the label’s current artists covering a song of their choosing from 4AD’s past: a creative experiment rooted in the spirit of collaboration and a snapshot of 4AD . 

From 4AD’s 40th anniversary compilation Bills & Aches & Blues, SOHN does a double cover, taking on This Mortal Coil’s iconic, Liz Fraser-powered version of Tim Buckley’s “Song to the Siren” and doing so in a very reverential manner.

Landmark songs such as ‘Cannonball’, ‘Song To The Siren’ and Pixies’ ‘Where is My Mind?’, will feel comfortable to casual fans, however by contrast, much joy can be found in the album’s surprise choices, such as Air Miami’s ‘Seabird’ and the Lush B-side ‘Sunbathing’, covered respectively by new signings Maria Somerville and Jenny Hval.

Bills and Aches and Blues is named, arguably (as Elizabeth Fraser never published the lyrics) after the opening line of Cocteau Twins ‘Cherry-Coloured Funk’. Perhaps too unique and uncoverable in their own right, their legendary take on Tim Buckley’s ‘Song To The Siren’, under the name This Mortal Coil (along with Buckley’s pre-Starsailor acoustic version) informs SOHN’s cover.

Some tracks unearth hitherto hidden shared DNA, such as Future Islands’ and Colourbox’s ‘The Moon Is Blue’; other tracks are more akin to reinvention. Aldous Harding distils the melodic essence of Deerhunter’s ‘Revival’ and recasts it in her own uncanny image. U.S. Girls’ future-disco ‘Junkyard’ and Bing and Ruth’s neo-classical instrumental ‘Gigantic’ are even more radical interpretations. Leading off the album, Tkay Maidza brings both her Art Rap and R&B game, but also an unexpected ‘80s synth pop template, to Pixies’ ‘Where Is My Mind?’, a perfect title for these chaotic times.

TRACKLISTING:
Side 1:
01 Tkay Maidza Where Is My Mind? (Pixies)
02 U.S. Girls Junkyard (The Birthday Party)
03 Aldous Harding Revival (Deerhunter)
04 The Breeders Dirt Eaters (His Name Is Alive)
05 Maria Somerville Seabird (Air Miami)
Side 2:
06 Tune-Yards Cannonball (The Breeders)
07 Spencer. Genesis (Grimes)
08 Helado Negro Futurism (Deerhunter)
09 Efterklang Postal (Piano Magic)
10 Bing and Ruth Gigantic (Pixies)
Side 3:
11 Future Islands The Moon Is Blue (Colourbox)
12 Jenny Hval Sunbathing (Lush)
13 Dry Cleaning Oblivion (Grimes)
14 Bradford Cox Mountain Battles (Breeders)
Side 4:
15 SOHN Song To The Siren (Tim Buckley)
16 Becky and The Birds The Wolves Act I and II (Bon Iver)
17 Ex:Re Misery Is a Butterfly (Blonde Redhead)
18 Big Thief Off You (The Breeders)

Beggars Group Digital Ltd.

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