The Fat Angel Sings

Illuminati Hotties vocalist Sarah Tudzin has found the perfect solution to getting out their music: launching their very own label.

Illuminati Hotties announced their new label Snack Shack Tracks, which is an imprint of Hopeless Records. “I’m incredibly stoked to be partnering with Hopeless Records on my own imprint, Snack Shack Tracks! With everything that has brought me to where I am, I knew that the next time around I needed to seek support from folks who trusted me — who believed not only in illuminati hotties, but also in myself, and my curative vision as a creator at large. Hopeless is the perfect collaborator for IH and beyond. I am thrilled, grateful, and looking forward to an expansive future for the music that we’re all total nerds about!”

The official music video for the new single “Can’t Be Still” out now on Snack Shack Tracks/Hopeless Records!

On the heels of a year that found them releasing a new album “The Feminine Divine” and embarking upon a successful tour in support of the LP, Dexys are on the cusp of doing it all over again.

This time, however, the new album is a live effort that spotlights the aforementioned studio LP while also offering additional tracks from the band’s extensive discography, including such hits as “Come on Eileen” and “Geno.” And, yes, they’ll be touring behind this one as well, including a stop at Glastonbury.

While the band happily plays songs from their back catalogue, frontman Kevin Rowland has been – and remains – very vocal about his complete and total interest in taking part in nostalgia tours that involve falling back almost exclusively on the old hits.

“It’s all about the new stuff,” Rowland said of the band’s 2023 tour “I mean, we’re happy to play the old stuff, otherwise we wouldn’t play it. But it’s really all about the new stuff. Sometimes fans want to just relive 1980 or 1981 or 1982, and that’s not what we’re about. They don’t get it. But I understand they probably had some great time around then. It was a free time in their lives or whatever, but our job is to keep moving forward. You can’t recreate the past anyway, so why try?

“Even the old ones, the way we’ll be performing them is Dexys, as we are now, performing the old stuff,” Rowland continued. “We’re not trying to recreate 1982. We might change tempo a little bit, or few bits and pieces, lyrics, but we realize that, at the same time, people like those songs and they want to hear them, so we don’t massively change them too much.”

Scheduled for release on May 24th, “The Feminine Divine + Dexys Classics: Live!” was recorded during the band’s 2023 tour and features 19 tracks.

The first half of the LP features the entirety of The Feminine Divine, while the second half offers 10 songs from throughout the band’s back catalogue, including tracks from 1980’s “Searching for the Young Soul Rebels”, 1982’s “Too-Rye-Ay”, 2012’s “One Day I’m Going to Soar”, and 2016’s “Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul”.

Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour will release a new studio album called “Luck and Strange” in September. The guitarist and songwriter’s fifth solo long-player was recorded over five months in Brighton and London and is Gilmour’s first album of new material in nine years. David co-produced with ALT-J’s Charlie Andrew and Marika Hackman, with lyrics mostly written by Polly Samson.

Of this new working relationship, David says, “We invited Charlie to the house, so he came and listened to some demos, and said things like, “Well, why does there have to be a guitar solo there?” and “Do they all fade out? Can’t some of them just end?”. He has a wonderful lack of knowledge or respect for this past of mine. He’s very direct and not in any way overawed, and I love that. That is just so good for me because the last thing you want is people just deferring to you.”

“Between Two Points” is the latest single from David Gilmour’s forthcoming album, “Luck and Strange” (out 6th September). The track – a reworking of The Montgolfier Brothers’ 1999 original – features David’s daughter Romany on vocals and harp. Watch the track’s music video now and listen on streaming services.

Musicians contributing to the record include Guy Pratt and Tom Herbert on bass; Adam Betts, Steve Gadd and Steve DiStanislao on drums; Rob Gentry and Roger Eno on keyboards; and the string and choral arrangements are by Will Gardner.

The album features eight new tracks along with a beautiful reworking of The Montgolfier Brothers’ ‘Between Two Points’, which sees Romany Gilmour, who performs backing vocals across the album, on vocals and harp . The title track also features the late Pink Floyd keyboard player Richard Wright, recorded in 2007 during a ‘Barn Jam’ at David’s house.

The album is available on vinyl, CD with two extra tracks and a blu-ray audio with four bonus tracks. All 13 tracks on the blu-ray are available in Dolby Atmos and 96/24 hi-res stereo.

The album’s cover image, photographed and designed by renowned artist Anton Corbijn, is inspired by lyrics written by Charlie Gilmour for the album’s final song ‘Scattered’.

“Luck and Strange” will be released on 6th September 2024 via Sony Music.

“Following the release of “Everything Harmony”, which garnered acclaim from Questlove, Iggy Pop and countless others, The Lemon Twigs — the New York City rock band fronted by brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario — have once again captured the attention of the music listening public. They are in their premature “comeback” stage, and coming back this early has its benefits; the brothers have the energy of 24- and 26- year-olds, plus the experience and songwriting chops of seasoned musicians, having recorded their first album, “Do Hollywood”, nearly a decade ago at ages 15 and 17.

Set for release less than a year after their last album, “A Dream Is All We Know” is a joyous affair. As the title suggests, it’s less of a sober look at the darker side of life, and more a hopeful sojourn into the realm of dreams. The tone has shifted away from dreary melancholic ballads and moody power pop. Brian and Michael are revisiting their 1968 sound. This album feels closely related to “Do Hollywood“, but their song writing and recording techniques have vastly improved over the course of five albums.”

The true test of originality for any musician comes when you hear an instrument being played and you instantly know who’s playing it. For electric guitarists, certainly Hendrix qualifies; Page and Clapton, too. Maybe Eddie Van Halen before the legion of imitators. You probably have your own list, but to us, standing toe-to-toe (or pick-to-pick) with those legends is Television guitarist and solo artist Tom Verlaine. His self-taught, jazz-influenced style, largely devoid of effects, and vibrato tone (oh, that tone!) makes any Verlaine solo unmistakably a Verlaine solo. That he was quite an accomplished, idiosyncratic songwriter is just a bonus. Real Gone Music is very, very proud to announce that we have arranged with the Verlaine estate to release Tom’s last three solo albums on LP, starting with his 1992 instrumental masterpiece “Warm and Cool”, which has never been released on vinyl in the U.S.

Swirling within this album’s 14 compositions are hints of rock, jazz, country, surf, and even a little bit of the guitar noir found on Angelo Badalamenti’s soundtracks for David Lynch, all given brilliant new life in a fresh mastering for vinyl by long-time Verlaine collaborator Patrick Derivaz, who also played bass on the album. Simultaneously avant-garde and familiar-sounding, “Warm and Cool” is as contemporary and forward-thinking as any music coming out today.

Tom Verlaine’s 1992 instrumental masterpiece “Warm and Cool” — first ever vinyl release in the U.S.! Swirling within this album’s 14 compositions are hints of rock, jazz, country, surf, and even a little bit of the guitar noir found on Angelo Badalamenti’s soundtracks for David Lynch, all given brilliant new life in a fresh mastering for vinyl by long-time Verlaine collaborator Patrick Derivaz, who also played bass on the album.

Simultaneously avant-garde and familiar-sounding, “Warm and Cool” is as contemporary and forward-thinking as any music coming out today, but—as the new liner notes by Verlaine’s life partner Jutta Koether point out—the album fits into a larger modern art and philosophical context. Indeed, reading Koether’s poetic love letter to her dear departed and listening to this gorgeous, daring music makes for a profound experience we are eager to share. Pink vinyl pressing to go with the artful choice of type hue on the front cover!

What do you do after being in the Libertines, one of the most notorious British bands of the early 21st Century? For Carl Barât, you form Dirty Pretty Things, something of an indie supergroup of their moment. Joining Barât was Libertines drummer Gary Powell, guitarist Anthony Rossomando, who’d stood in for Doherty, and former Cooper Temple Clause bassist, Didz Hammond.

Originally Released in 2006 after the messy disintegration of The Libertines, “Waterloo To Anywhere” was Carl Barât’s first solo statement.

Featuring the UK Top Five hit ‘Bang Bang You’re Dead’ and further singles ‘Deadwood’ and ‘Wondering’, it made no.3 in the albums chart and went gold.

Leading “Waterloo To Anywhere” was the infectious UK Top 5 hit “Bang Bang You’re Dead” (better known in recent years as live favourite for The Mighty Olafs), which set the tone for the fabulous collection of rock, punk and ska. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Dave Sardy and then later in Glasgow with Tony Doogan, the album showed the strength of the group’s writing. Away from the standard high-octane indie of “Gin & Milk” and “You F*cking Love It”, “The Gentry Cove” was particularly captivating, marrying Barât’s fascinating wordplay with robust Clash reggae/sea shanty interludes.

Two years later, it was all over; Barât and Powell re-joined the Libertines (and Rossomando later going on to win an Oscar for co-writing “Shallow” from the film A Star Is Born).

“Waterloo To Anywhere” was the debut album from the short-lived, briefly adored Dirty Pretty Things – Originally released on Vertigo Records in May 2006, the album reached No 3 in the UK charts and spawned three Top 40 singles.

This recording features the Pixies in their fullest form with the original line-up present and correct (David Lovering on drums, Joey Santiago on guitar, bassist Kim Deal, and Charles Michael Kittridge, Frank “Black Francis” Thompson IV).  This has never previously been available on vinyl and it’s now pressed on orange/red splatter 140g vinyl.

Just as they shed yet another bassist it’s time to remember Pixies as they were on their first comeback tour. 2005 was the year and we were still basking in the glory of their comeback single ‘Bam Thwok’. Kim Deal seemed happy, Charles Michael Kittridge “Frank Black Francis” Thompson IV seemed happy as presumably were the other two guys. It would all eventually go horribly wrong but not before they performed this twenty seven song extravaganza recorded live at Red Rocks in Denver 

Demon Records are proud to present Pixies “Live from Red Rock Amphitheatre”. Recorded in 2005 at the legendary venue in Denver, an iconic venue where a number of legendary live recordings have taken place over the years from likes of U2, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Depeche Mode, The Grateful Dead and Neil Young.

This recording features the Pixies in their fullest form with the original line-up present and correct (David Lovering on drums, Joey Santiago on guitar, bassist Kim Deal, and Charles Michael Kittridge “Frank Black Francis” Thompson IV). The epic 27-song set features all of the Pixies classic material including “Here Comes Your Man”, “Where Is My Mind?”, “Hey and Debaser”. This recording has never previously been available on vinyl and it’s now pressed on orange/red splatter 140g vinyl.

The fifth studio album from English singer-songwriter Lucy Rose, arriving nearly five years on from her last outing “No Words Left” back in 2019 and which includes the 2023 single ‘Could You Help Me’. Although written primarily on the piano, “This Ain’t The Way You Go Out” fits very neatly into Rose’s existing oeuvre, a jazz-pop fusion like its predecessor that tackles themes from new parenthood to gaslighting.

I was genuinely been blown away by the response to “Could You Help Me” – thanks for all the lovely comments and hello to the new people who have found their way here via the song. I’ve had some messages asking for the track stems to create your own remixes with, so if that’s something you’re interested in then head to the link here http://eepurl.com/iE0fDE and you’ll be able to grab the vocal and piano stems from the song. I’d love to hear anything you create so tag me in if you post them!

My fifth album ‘This Ain’t The Way You Go Out’ is out now. So much has happened since my last album, life is one hell of a ride, even though so much of this album is spawn from a really difficult time, when I think about the songs and the music, it fills me up with so much joy. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it. Lucy x

Cloud Nothings, a home-based solo project for its founder Dylan Baldi turned full-time working band, have become one of America’s most consistent and underrated outfits of the last couple of decades. “Final Summer“, released via the band’s new label Pure Noise Records, is their eighth album and finds Baldi and co. in reliably loud and compelling form, featuring the singles ‘Final Summer’ and ‘Running Through The Campus’.

Cloud Nothings Cleveland’s loudest export with their new album, “Final Summer” via Pure Noise Records. Over the past 15 years Cloud Nothings have become part of the fabric of modern indie rock with a steady run of reliably fantastic records, and this streak continues unabated with “Final Summer” – an album that’s so assured, so instantly satisfying, that it forces you to pause and realize you’re listening to one of the great American rock bands in their prime.

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, Cloud Nothings went back to basics in ways that brought out the best in their music. Since shows were off the table and their recording sessions were constrained by social distancing and file sharing, 2020’s “The Black Hole Understands” and 2021’s “The Shadow I Remember” concentrated on the thoughtful lyrics and hooky tunes at the heart of the band’s music, and quickly became standouts within their body of work. Even though Cloud Nothings were able to tour the world several times and return to the studio as usual in the years between those albums and “Final Summer”, their approach is similar. Packing these concise songs with surging emotions and melodies is still their first priority, and they still excel at it: The regret Dylan Baldi conjures when he sings “I was on the edge of another life” over a half-swaggering, half-staggering rhythm on “Daggers of Light” feels bottomless.

While “Final Summer” has its fair share of eloquent heartache, Baldi and company spend more time seeking out peace and contentment in a world that isn’t inclined to either of those things. In their hands, self-care is punk rock, whether it’s achieved by ending toxic relationships on the revved-up “Thank Me for Playing,” going for a head-clearing jog on “Running Through Campus,” or becoming shatterproof on the gloriously crunchy anthem-in-the-making “I’d Get Along.” Cloud Nothings bolster this resilient mood with “Final Summer’s” sound, which is both heavier and smoother than their pandemic-era output. Propelled by analogue synths and a turbocharged Motorik equally at home on the Autobahn and in the pit, the album’s title track turns Baldi’s simple statement of purpose (“I need to be happy with what I’ve got for me”) into a manifesto with cinematic flair.

The band may have recorded the album as a trio (with former guitarist Chris Brown taking over the low end for departed bassist TJ Duke), but you’d never guess they’re down a member based on the ’80s and ’90s college rock-worshiping din of “Mouse Policy” or the radiant ruckus they kick up on “Common Mistake” and “The Golden Halo.” Final Summer” is another strong album from a remarkably consistent band, but it’s the wisdom, maturity, and joy Cloud Nothings bring to it makes it an especially satisfying listen.

After forming in 2016, Pillow Queens released a series of singles, honing their craft and working towards their first album, “In Waiting” (2020). Along the way there has been acclaim from UK and American press, many sold-out gigs and an appearance on James Corden’s Late Late Show. After signing with Canada’s Royal Mountain Records, they released a follow-up album, “Leave the Light On” in 2022, touring the UK, US and Europe extensively, including shows at Austin’s SXSW and supporting Phoebe Bridgers in Glasgow.

A third album in under four years from Dublin-based indie rock sensations Pillow Queens. Holing up in Northern Ireland to write, the quartet engaged in a bit of instrument swapping to aid creativity, and the band’s established strategy of quiet/loud Pixies-influenced alt-rock combined with heartfelt lyrics is perfected on “Name Your Sorrow”.

With their new album “Name Your Sorrow” they stuck to a strict schedule. They showed up every day from 9-5, in a windowless Dublin room to just play, swap instruments and experiment. From there, they decamped to a rural retreat in County Clare along the Atlantic coastline of Ireland, to immerse themselves further. “ The palpable shift in sound and tone is possibly the result of working with a new producer, Collin Pastore from Nashville, who has produced boygenius, Lucy Dacus and Illuminati Hotties. The band holed up for three weeks at Analogue Catalogue studio in Newry, and quickly noticed that the change of scene and personnel impacted on the record. 

The result of combining new experimentation, heartfelt lyrics and a sound that pinballs from quiet and loud offers a kind of catharsis. Of picking through the shrapnel to find slivers of hope. Previously, the band have road-tested new tracks live, playing them to an audience and reworking them based on the crowd’s reaction. They haven’t done that this time, because the songs already feel fully formed. The band also had to unlearn the process of questioning whether a song sounded like “a Pillow Queens song”. There are definite links to the last two albums, but “Name Your Sorrow” feels like a triumphant step in another direction.

‘Name Your Sorrow’ out now on Royal Mountain Records.