The Fat Angel Sings

Plasticland is an American Neo-Psychedelic and Garage rock (revival) band, formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1980 with two members of Arousing Polaris, Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic.

Several guitarists and drummers would rotate in and out of the band over time, but Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic have remained the core of the band. Dan Mullen was the second guitarist for most of the 1980s recordings and live appearances. Brian Ritchie, later of The Violent Femmes, played guitar briefly with the band on early recordings. Multiple singles, EPs, compilation appearances, studio and live albums appeared in the 1980s and early 1990s. Several compilation CDs chronicle the band’s earlier years.

“Color Appreciation” (1984), their first album, was on the French Lolita label. Enigma Records in the US reissued the album in 1985, self-titling it, with track alterations and substitutions. Enigma subsidiary label Pink Dust released the next two albums, “Wonder Wonderful Wonderland” (1985) and “Salon” (1987).

For “Wonder Wonderful Wonderland” the label wanted the band to use Paul B. Cutler, a producer and guitar player with The Dream Syndicate, but the band “generally ignored his advice”. German label Repulsion issued their final studio album, “Dapper Snappings” in 1994, though it was recorded several years earlier.

Two very different live albums were also released. “You Need a Fairy Godmother” (1989) and “Confetti” (1990) were both issued by Midnight Records. The former was recorded with Plasticland backing one of their musical heroes, Twink, legendary drummer of The Pretty Things and The Pink Fairies. “Confetti” consists of various live performances edited together.

The duo of Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic, with new bandmates, are still performing, having opened for Blue Cheer last in November 2007. In January 2008, John Frankovic and Victor Demichei retired their services from the group.

The group has been sustained by Glenn Rehse and new guitarist Leroy Buth (previously of the legendary Milwaukee punk rock group The Lubricants). In 2024, Plasticland released “Spree”, which was recorded in 2006 and 2013. The 2006 session featured Frankovic and original drummer Victor Demichei. The 2013 session featured Andy Kaiser on bass and Mike Koch on drums.

In 2015, Plasticland were inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Hall of Fame, “Plasticland” (Enigma – 1984 – “Color Appreciation” French version by Lolita Records)

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Charlatans’ third album “Up To Our Hips“, comes an expanded edition of the album. The set features the original album in addition to 10 bonus tracks comprised of live session recordings, rare mixes and more, all curated by Tim Burgess. The special package has brand new reimagined artwork by Nik Void and the LP is pressed on petrol blue bio vinyl.

Released in 1994, “Up To Our Hips” was a new direction for the band. It leaned slightly away from the lighter pop songs of their previous two albums and is darker, heavier and organ led. At the time, they were listening to a lot of Small Faces, Beatles, and Dylan and watching David Lynch films all while navigating internal band stress, and many of the lyrics on the album reflect the stress of the band at the time. The tracks that have been added to the release include two live tracks recorded for the Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley Show, plus B-sides, alternate mixes and more.

On November 8th, Beggars Arkive will release a 30th Anniversary Expanded Edition of The Charlatans third album “Up To Our Hips”. The edition features the original album in addition to 10 bonus tracks, and it’s all been curated lovingly by Tim Burgess.

One of the truly special bonus tracks is “Don’t Let It Stand AKA Can’t Get Out of Bed (demo version)”

The Charlatans – easily recognized by their hallmark sound of driving Hammond organs, northern UK soul and house-influenced rhythms, swaggering guitars and Tim Burgess’ sunny yet yearning vocals – are one of the most consistent British pop bands of the past 3 decades. The band has released an album every few years since 1989, each of which landed in the top half of the UK music charts, 3 of them hitting #1 and spawning 22 top 40 singles. The band has over- come obstacles from nervous breakdowns to addiction to near bankruptcy to the heartbreaking deaths of two founding members, all the while adapting, transforming and producing new music in spite of it all.

The Sherlocks return with a brand-new album following the release of last year’s “People Like Me and You” – representing a bold evolution in their sound, the record was the best set of their career to date.

Over recent years The Sherlocks have become one of the most exciting live bands in the UK. Selling out tours across UK and Europe, the band have also achieved chart success with x3 Top #20 albums. Yorkshire brothers Kiaran and Brandon Crook joined up with band members Alex Proctor and Trent Jackson. With an incredibly passionate, loyal fan base, their fans have followed the band’s journey from pubs/clubs to selling out venues out all across the world, as well being asked to tour in arenas/stadiums with the likes of Liam Gallagher, Kings Of Leon, Kaiser Chief, The Libertines and many more.

On the first single from the album, ‘Death Of Me’, The Sherlocks capture the excitement of their live energy. ‘Everything Must Make Sense!‘ continues to find them reaching for brand new sonic highs & capturing the excitement of their live energy. This album follows the release of 2023’s ‘People Like Me & You’, which represented a bold evolution in their sound.

The band – comprised of brothers Kiaran and Brandon Crook as well as Alex Procter and Trent Jackson

20 years of The Go! Team’s “Thunder Lightning Strike“, 20 years of lasers through tracing paper, orange tone oscillations, cable access hangover, music made through sunburnt circuits, a K-tel dream sequence, a haunted vision mixer, station wagon-core, straight to video, VHS in distress, something in the fog, fluff on the needle, chromakey constellations, a hovercraft on the fret board, maxing the minute maid, faxing a car alarm, a Morse code pep talk, etch-a-sketch jackknife, a daily Haley’s comet, light sound colour motion, a holiday from yourself.

This final reissue is a celebration of a record that sounded out of time in 2004, dripping in future nostalgia, and which twenty years on still sounds as unique and uncategorisable as it did when it arrived.

RT LP – Comes with an exclusive 7”, featuring new versions of “Hold Yr Terror Close” by The Pastels and The Orielles and a recreation of the original CD-R demo version of the album which stands up as a document of band leader Ian Parton’s unique method of working.

The LP – Comes with a recreation of the original CD-R demo version of the album that stands up as a document of band leader Ian Parton’s unique method of working.

Video to the track “Buy Nothing Day” featuring Bethany from Best Coast and The Girls At Dawn. From the album “Rolling Blackouts“

Indie folk singer Haley Heynderickx has shared a bare-bones, bluesy new track from her upcoming album “Seed of a Seed”.

Haley Heynderickx is back! Six years after her acclaimed debut album “I Need to Start a Garden” the folk singer-songwriter returns with a brand-new album. Known for her emotive voice and intricate guitar work, Heynderickx’s latest release promises to capture the same heartfelt storytelling and unique sound that won her a dedicated fanbase.

Haley’s musical journey continues to explore deep, personal themes with authenticity and grace.

The forthcoming album ‘Seed of a Seed’, due out November 1st, 2024 on Mama Bird Recording Co.

Since first forming in 2016, London’s High Vis have steadily polished their palette of progressive hardcore with shades of post-punk, Brit pop, neo- psychedelia, and even Madchester groove, mapping a middle ground between hooks and fury, melodies and mosh pits. Singer Graham Sayle describes their third album “Guided Tour” as an axis of competing forces: “It’s trying to be a hopeful record, while also being incensed.” Rounded out by drummer Edward ‘Ski’ Harper, bassist Jack Muncaster, and guitarists Martin MacNamara and Rob Hammaren, the band’s deep roots in the UK and Irish DIY hardcore scenes have kept them grounded but growing, inspired equally by restlessness and righteous anger. As Sayle puts it, “Everyone’s scratching, everyone’s working all the time, and their idea of relaxing is just getting fucked and avoiding reality. This album is an escape from that.”

High Vis’ anticipated third album “Guided Tour” comes out this Friday, and here’s its opening track and final pre-release single.

From its opening seconds of a cab door slamming, a car revving away, and a baggy rhythm swinging to life, “Guided Tour” sounds like a band reaching for new heights, bristling with energy. Recorded across a few weeks at Holy Mountain Studios in London with producer Jonah Falco and engineer Stanley Gravett, the results feel dynamic and dialed-in, like anthems burned into sense memory through sweat and repetition. Harper cuts to the chase: “We had a clear idea going in, every moment got used. Maybe when we’re 60 we can sit around and get a drum sound right, but for now it’s about getting things done.”

The album’s 11 songs span the spectrum of contemporary guitar music, sharpened by experience, camaraderie, and societal frustrations. From swaggering street punk (“Drop Me Out,” “Mob DLA”) to jangling indie sneer (“Worth The Wait,” “Deserve It”) to heavy alt (“Feeling Bless,” “Fill The Gap”) to shoegazey spoken word (“Untethered”), the group’s chemistry transmutes any style to their unique intensity. Sayle champions this evolving fusion: “For years coming from hardcore, we had pretty clear boundaries – other scenes were separate worlds. Now things are getting more blended, drawing from different places.”

Nowhere is this sentiment flexed more boldly than on “Mind’s A Lie,” a dance- punk anthem inspired by Harper’s love of house, garage, and pirate radio. Stabs of sampled female vocals (by celebrated South London singer and DJ Ell Murphy) build into a razor wire rhythm of low-slung bass, tense drums, and sparkling guitar before Sayle’s staunch voice starts barking harsh truths (“Face to face with all I’ve known / I can’t call these thoughts my own”). After a sudden breakdown, the track regroups and takes off, cruising into the horizon in a haze of chiming guitars and Murphy’s ascendant voice, from the streets to somewhere beyond.

Silverlites are a new supergroup featuring Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Barrett Strong (Screaming Trees), Rich Robinson (Black Crowes) and singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur. The band’s self-titled debut album will be out November 15th. Martin revealed how the album came about: “Hi everyone, I’d like to announce a new recording project called SILVERLITES, which I recorded and produced during the pandemic and is soon to be released. “It started in a Nashville hotel room in 2019, where I recorded the initial acoustic guitar tracks, and it features some truly exceptional musicians: Joseph Arthur on lead vocals, Peter Buck on acoustic guitars, Rich Robinson on acoustic and electric guitars, and myself on drums, upright bass, vibraphone, and backing vocals.

This is the first single  ‘Don’t Go, Don’t Stay’ is out now on all digital platforms, and the entire album can be previewed and preordered as well. We hope you like the songs, as we spent the pandemic years doing various recording and mixing sessions, and we used a classic song writing form, which is often forgotten in this day and age. That is, acoustic guitars (with a little electric guitar in there),with superb lead vocals, catchy backing vocals, and a soulful backbeat in the rhythm section. It’s old school song writing, just like us.”.

“Don’t Go, Don’t Stay” will be included on SILVERLITES‘ upcoming self-titled debut album, which is due on November 15th via Sunyata Records. And the full length, self titled debut comes out November 15th

With another single “Dark And Magic Sky” due November 1st The album cover was made by Rich And the utmost concern was invested in making sure that we all weren’t wearing sunglasses.

Dehd have covered “Mr Grieves,” a “weird ass deep cut” from Pixies’ 1989 album “Doolittle” (which has also been covered by TV on the Radio). Dehd dropped the cover of The Pixies’ “Mr. Grimes” today, so I downloaded it on Bandcamp for a dollar. When I opened it, it is in-between to other songs, “Go” and “Without You,” which have previously been released on a 7″ single. The single was originally released prior to “Flower of Devotion”, and contained a card with seeds inside. I suppose other folks on here have said single, if so, then did you plant the card and grow the flowers? (I couldn’t bear to part with the card.) If you have, then what kind of flower(s) was it? Devotional, I suppose. If you don’t already have it, then three songs for a buck can’t be beat.

released October 16th, 2024
Produced by Jason Balla.
Written by Frank Black.

Emily Kempf – vocals and bass
Eric McGrady – drums
Jason Balla – guitar and backing vocals

“’Beautiful Child’ has been turned into a minor key song because, well, it really should have been one in the first place!” So says Bill Callahan of his cover of Fleetwood Mac’s classic, recorded as part of a Smog Peel Session which is officially coming out as “The Holy Grail” on December 10th via Drag City.

December 2001, Maida Vale: Bill Callahan’s “Smog” perform with demonstrative zeal for their British witness at the BBC, shimmering and hissing with a Lynchian vibe of U.S. darkness in the invariable shadows of the fallen towers. Callahan & band (Jessica Billey, Mike Saenz and Jim White) cover Stevie Nicks, Lou Reed and Smog with grey, ashen resolve and tour-torn flexibility, amassing a bruised, plaintive essence of humanity with their efforts.

Chelsea Wolfe has announced a stripped-back, acoustic EP and the first single is this sombrer piano version of “Place In the Sun.” Chelsea Wolfe‘s stripped-back, acoustic side has always been one of her most appealing sides, so it was exciting news when she recently announced a run of “stripped-back” shows for this December, and it’s exciting that now she’s announced “Unbound”, an EP with acoustic versions of four songs from this year’s electronics/trip-hop-infused “She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She” plus a cover of Spiritbox‘s “Cellar Door” that she performed for BBC Radio 1 earlier this year.

It follows her recent remix EP “Undone” and it comes out November 15th via Loma Vista Recordings

The EP features Chelsea with either just her guitar or piano, and the first single is the piano-fuelled version of “Place In The Sun.” It’s a gorgeous rendition