This Chaotic, genre-busting four-piece capable of transporting you to another world What NME said:“Lip Critic are the band of the moment. A full-on, disruptive force emerging from their city’s underground scene – their music rides high on a bolt of infectious energy.”
Initially confined to whispers, Lip Critic has skillfully ensured that everyone is now immersed in their fast-paced world. This year, we announced their anticipated debut album ‘Hex Dealer’ with the exhilarating single ‘Milky Max’!
‘Hex Dealer’ was produced in collaboration by vocalist Bret Kaser and Connor Kleitz. Their eclectic sampling style is amplified by the infectious breakbeats and pingy snares crafted by drummers Danny Eberle and Ilan Natter. The singular mixture of classic punk/hardcore and electronic styles result in 12 frantic tracks of postmodern pop for the genreless future.
They’ve amassed critical acclaim in a short period of time with NME saying they’re “on their way to becoming the next great NYC band” and Paste Magazine calling them “an apocalyptic wasteland of NYC’s best underground punk”
The quartet of Lily Fontaine, Douglas Frost, Nicholas Eden, and Lewis Whiting began writing songs in university and quickly accumulated a devoted following based out of Leeds, UK. Wittily penned art-rock that’s not afraid to deconstruct modern Britain “What you have in ‘This Could Be Texas’ is everything you want from a debut; a truly original effort from start to finish, an adventure in sound and words, and a landmark statement.” ours with Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Parquet Courts, or their performance on Later… with Jools Holland After signing to Island Records, the band has just released their debut LP, “This Could Be Texas“
The songs on English Teacher’s debut LP “This Could Be Texas” mean so much to the band because they serve as a constant reminder of where they came from, as well as where they’re going. Formed in Leeds, the quartet consists of vocalist/guitarist Lily Fontaine, percussionist Douglas Frost, bassist Nicholas Eden, and lead guitarist Lewis Whiting. Many of the songs that make up their new Island Records effort are quite old—some are nearing a decade of existence—and reflect the group’s time in university as they flesh out ideas for compositions that were requirements for graduation.
It’s an album about being in between communities, with lots of Fontaine’s words reflecting her experience as a mixed-race person in an often inhospitable world. On “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab”—perhaps the most British song I’ve ever heard—Fontaine sings of all the worlds she encompasses, all the people she sees herself as: “I am the Pendle witches, John Simm / And I am Lee Ingleby / I am the Bank of Dave, Golden Postbox / And the festival of R&B.” This is kind of how English Teacher operates; an amalgamation of British post-punk both vintage and modern, but spiked with an equally potent dose of originality that makes their debut one of the year’s most original thus far.
“When I was writing a lot of these songs, I never expected them to be given this amount of a platform,” Fontaine tells me. “So it’s a really nice way of recognizing how far I’ve come personally. They’re quite special to me, and I’m so happy that people tend to agree.”
And people do tend to agree. Since dropping the “Polyawkward” EP in 2022, the band has toured with Parquet Courts and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, sold out a number of UK and European tour dates, and graced the cover on NME.On “This Could Be Texas”, they cash in on this hype by moving their influences into all sorts of exciting and new places.
On “R&B,” Eden’s bass provides a bouncy undertow for Fontaine to wax poetic about the world she imagines versus the one that’s in front of her. “I’ve been writing R&B for you / I’ve been making you a tea before you know it’s what you need / Tell me, is it too sweet for you? I’ve been writing R&B.” During the chorus, the drums play furiously with manic guitar squeals. Fontaine makes coffee, decides not to write R&B—despite appearances, she doesn’t have the voice for that genre she decides in one of the most clever lines on the album. It sounds like early Bloc Party’s vulnerability with the technical precision and experimentalism of Black Midi, a thrilling concoction proudly indebted to the UK’s rich and diverse tradition of rock music.
The album title, which is equal parts whimsical and rooted in reality, came while the band was walking through a neighborhood in Leeds that was full of concrete, reminding them of the “motorways” in the US. Guitarist Whiting muttered, unassumingly, “This could be Texas.” It made the rest of the band laugh, but it kept on lingering, becoming a mantra of sorts as they began to record their debut LP.
“Over time, we realized that the album’s kind of about displacement and home, the in-between of not belonging anywhere.”— Lily Fontaine
Lewis adds, “Leeds is kind of the spiritual home, but we don’t spend as much time there—except for Lily, [as it’s] where she still lives.”
For English Teacher, “This Could Be Texas” is an assertion that home is as much where your family is—chosen or inherited—as it is a place on a map.
The Breeders have shared a filmed live session, “Live in Big Sur”. The stripped-back impromptu session, which was recorded during a visit to the Henry Miller Memorial Library in Big Sur, California.
The footage captures the band at their most organic; artfully directed by James Brylowski with illustrations from animator Pedro Eboli. Tracks performed in the session include “Divine Hammer”, “Do You Love MeNow”, “Drivin’ on 9” and “Invisible Man”.
“Last fall at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur our show was rained out. The sky cleared just as dusk fell & someone said: let’s go into the forest. So in a grove of redwoods we played a few songs for the hermit thrushes and spotted owls. Thank you Mark Satterthwaite and crew for filming it.”
The Breeders performing stripped back versions of some of their classic tracks. Following the 30th anniversary edition of “Last Splash” that was released last year, the band are currently on the road for their UK
Tracklist: Do You Love Me Now? Divine Hammer Invisible Man Drivin’ On 9
As one of the most influential groups of the 20th century, there is a seemingly endless amount of discourse surrounding The Velvet Underground. Although much of the discussion centres around the partnership of Lou Reed and John Cale, the other band members that made up the Underground should certainly not be forgotten.
Maureen ‘Moe’ Tucker, for instance, was an essential element of The Velvet Underground and their signature sound. Drafted into the group in 1965, following the departure of Angus Maclise, Tucker became known both for her androgynous image and her unconventional playing style. Rather than playing with a traditional drum kit, Moe would play standing up with a simplified version of a kit. This allowed her drumming to take on a more experimental and impactful style, thanks in part to easier bass-drum access.
Independent artist Cam Forrester explores the career of legendary drummer Maureen ‘Moe’ Tucker; focusing on the origins of her unique style of playing, it’s development over the course of her time with The Velvet Underground, and the influence her sound has had on music over the years since the groundbreaking band were in their prime. Included are several demonstration scenes performed on Forrester’s own vintage drum kit, which is set up in the same fashion as Moe’s kits were back in the 60’s, plus rare footage, and photos of her and the band through the years.
Quotes/Introduction – 0:00 Background & musical beginnings – 3:50 “Tucker’s sister plays drums?” – 6:14 Andy Warhol, ‘The Factory’, and Nico – 9:07 The ‘Exploding Plastic Inevitable’ Shows – 12:46 A female drummer? – 15:09 ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ Sessions – 17:38 DRUM DEMONSTRATIONS – 21:22 Goodbye to Nico & Andy…hello to VOLUME! – 25:02 ‘White Light/White Heat’ & DRUMMING DEMONSTRATIONS – 28:18 John Cale leaves, and Doug Yule joins – 34:35 The third album & DRUMMING DEMONSTRATIONS – 37:07 ‘Loaded’, band breakup, and solo career – 43:09 Moe’s heroic return to the drums – 45:58 Retirement from the music business – 53:48 Influence & legacy – 54:28 “A natural drummer…” – 57:03 Researched, written, compiled & edited by Cam Forrester.
The Los Angeles punk legends X have announced their final studio album, “Smoke & Fiction”, arriving August 2nd via Fat Possum Records.Exene Cervenka assumes lead vocals for much of the track, with her lyrics recalling memories and vignettes from the early days.
The band also released the video for lead single “Big Black X,” a reflection of the band’s formative years in Hollywood. Exene’s iconic harmonies with singer/bassist John Doe kick in during the chorus, as Billy Zoom holds down slick rockabilly riffs alongside the steady rhythms of drummer DJ Bonebrake.
“X is a great band name; also a bad idea sometimes when it gets lost in print or on the marquee,” Exene said in the press announcement for the album. “Gotta have a sense of humour. We all did in the early days. Los Angeles was a carnival of weirdness back then, with left over traces of silent movie stars, long haired hippies, bikers, and brand new self-defined punks doing anything we wanted. When we started touring the country we found like-minded people everywhere, and somehow they all found us. Even if the X was lost on the old marquee.”
The old-school edits in the music video harken back to the excellent 1986 documentary about the band, “X: The Unheard Music”, and the clip was purposefully meant to evoke the old docs and videos of the classic punk rock era.
X will be supporting their final album with an extensive US farewell tour, X’s new single, “Big Black X,” is out now from the upcoming album ‘Smoke & Fiction’ out August 2nd on Fat Possum Records.
Tindersticks’ 14th album “Soft Tissue” showcases their exploratory spirit, mixing intimate songwriting with experimental soundscapes. The album evolves from their previous work, balancing introspective lyrics with innovative musical textures. Band members, including singer Stuart Staples, emphasize the collaborative nature of the creation process, fostering a dynamic dialogue that shapes their music.
Key tracks like “New World” and “Always a Stranger” highlight this blend of personal reflection and sonic exploration, underscoring the band’s enduring ambition and versatility.
There has always been a soulful quality to Tindersticks’ music and frontman Stuart Staples voice, but they’re really leaning into it on upcoming album Soft Tissue. “New World” opens with blasts of horns, and you might think you put on a Charles Bradley record by mistake, but then in comes Staples’ voice and you know where you are. It’s such a natural fit, especially in the chorus with its killer backing vocals, that you wonder why Tindersticks never went there before.
Taken from the new album ’Soft tissue’ released by Lucky dog / City Slang on 13th September 2024
Wednesday guitarist and singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman has announced his fourth solo LP. “Manning Fireworks”, the follow-up to 2022’s fantastic “Boat Songs”, is due out on September 6th via ANTI-Records. Lenderman played most of the instruments on the album, and he co-produced it with regular collaborator Alex Farrar.
The album includes last year’s “Rudolph,” and he’s shared a new single, “She’s Leaving You.” His partner and Wednesday bandmate Karly Hartzman sings backing vocals on the heartland rock-inflected track, and you can watch the accomapnying video, drected by Clay Tatum and Whitmer Thomas,
Lenderman will be doing some shows coming up in the US, Europe, and the UK;
UK singer-songwriter Naima Bock is following up her fantastic 2022 solo debut with her second album, “Below a Massive Dark Land”, on September 27th via Sub Pop.
Most of the writing of Naima Bock’s second album, “Below A Massive Dark Land” was a solitary affair. It may not sound it – it’s made up of strong, purposeful arrangements with a huge host of musicians; filled with cradling space and warm light. This will also come as a surprise to anyone who has seen Naima perform in the time since the release of her 2022 debut “Giant Palm”, undoubtedly a communal experience.
With a band of ten, three, or even just solo, when Naima plays there’s a rare bond between the musicians on stage and the audience. In their interview with her, The Quietus declared “after every song the applause and cheering is immense, so immense in fact that it seems to be coming from a different place than the usual formalities of a live show, a link between performer and artist forged somewhere deeper and more personal.”
It was in “Giant Palm’s” music too, a record that sweeps and swells, a chorus of voices and instrumentation that rises and falls as one alongside Naima’s own somersaulting voice.
It’s true though, most of “Below…’s” songs started life very simply; Naima alone, living in her grandmother’s shed in South London, writing just with her voice, guitar and violin. She’s no violin virtuoso but had taken it up as a songwriting exercise for its ability to draw melodies from her – a trick that undoubtedly worked, these are songs that drift into the back of your mind and settle there like fallen leaves, songs you wake up singing. The remainder was written on the road after those moments of audience connection, in the quiet that follows.
There’s power in the solitary too. “Giant Palm” was arranged with collaborator Joel Burton but going it alone in search of something truly hers, Naima found she was capable of more. “After me and Joel stopped working together”, she remembers, “it was an impossibility to even fathom doing arrangements myself but then I started learning violin. Playing it isn’t easy but writing melodies on it is”. Finding that she could go it alone was incredibly powerful for Naima, “I think I needed it, to be able to feel proud of something. Like, that’s me! That feels good.”
Once that writing portion is over though, this ends. The record is not a stark, stripped back affair. “Below…” still has that majesty that made “Giant Palm” so remarkable. Tugging the first record down from the skies and spreading it across the earth; there’s a newfound vocal power and confidence born from hundreds of hours on stage and the music sounds fuller, more tangible, but no less enveloping.
This can be found in the album’s lead singles. ‘Kaley’ feels fresh and surprising in its rug-pull choppiness but is distinctly Naima in its swinging, jubilant choruses. The accompanying ‘Further Away’ takes a different tack, drawing you irresistibly near in its simplicity. Finally, the hazy, luxurious beauty of ‘Feed My Release’ draws on the sepia-toned traditions of The Roches, John Prine and Loudon Wainwright III but imbues them with the kind of stark confessional song writing of Mount Eerie. Lyrically reaching deeper and darker than “Giant Palm“, these are ambitious, rich arrangements.
‘Kaley’ and ‘Age’ were produced by Naima herself and ‘Feed My Release’ was produced by Naima and caroline’s Oliver Hamilton who also helped in various places with arrangement. For the bulk of the record however, Naima brought her arrangement ideas into The Crypt Studios in London where she worked with Bristolian duo Jack Ogborne (aka Bingo Fury) & Joe Jones who were working together and producing for the first time outside of Ogborne’s own album, alongside a core band of Clem Appleby (Bass, Backing vocals), Meitar Wegman (Saxophone), Oscar De Guardans (Backing vocals, Electric Guitar, Harmonium) and Cassidy Hansen (Drums, Backing vocals) alongside and expansive choir, horn and string section. “I put my foot down slightly more this time but that’s not to detract from how much everyone put into it,” Naima says, “it shouldn’t be understated their contribution to the record”.
Having not gelled with slicker, more experienced producers, Naima found the duo a production team who were able to take her ideas and apply a boundless enthusiasm and meticulous attention to detail in executing them. They had a remarkable knack for knowing exactly how to record Naima’s less-concrete ideas and a flexibility in getting what she needed particularly when it came to recording her voice. “I do still struggle with singing in the studio”, Naima recalls, “we had to figure it out. I kept having to put myself in different places like in the hallway, or in another room just to be able to access something”.
During the release of “Giant Palm”, Naima spoke about how she left previous bands and went it alone due to difficulty enjoying touring. However, with headline tours including London’s EartH and support shows for artists such as A. Savage, J. Mascis, Squid, Rodrigo Amarente, Arab Strap, and This is the Kit,
Naima’s feet have hardly touched the ground since 2022. Instead, what she found is her place in touring, largely entirely alone. “I managed to find my favourite little safe spaces”, she says, “its nice compiling spots like that in every city, now every time I circle back to the place, there’s like at least five or six people I know”.
This is touring at its most romantic. “Traipsing around and playing music”, staying with artists, friends, or just friendly people and finding the artistic pockets in every city. Naima has always been slightly nomadic – living as a child between Brazil, Greece, and all over London – and that background has now led to a place where she’s truly fallen for touring and travel. This appears in the album title which comes from Olga Tokarczuk’s book Flights, a description of the view from an aeroplane. It’s a title that initially may sound imposing but in its context this vastness, dimpled with the weak glow of city lights, is a form of comfort.
These safe spaces bleed into the writing; songs written hiking the wide horizons of Tucson, Arizona or inspired by the residents of one particular Amsterdam hotel with a penchant for swimming naked in the canal behind. ‘Further Away’ meanwhile was written on a rare non-musical holiday in Greece, “after about four days without an instrument, I start getting itchy. So, I went to the shop and bought a tiny bouzouki and wrote it on that”. This became the album’s starkest moment, one of those rare songs that arrived so tender and fully-formed it didn’t need to be touched.
It’s not all grand vistas and clear waters though. There were lonely, difficult moments and clarifying conversations in these places around things like depression, family and abortion, relationships and break-ups and growing old that melded with Naima’s own experiences, bringing them into view for her, working their way into her lyrics and finding release.
It’s these types of conversations that mean the lyrical content of “Below…” often yearns for more stability. ‘Gentle’ wrestles with ideas of settling more. “It’s something I’d like to do one day but my tendency is to move, I find myself unable to feel fully at home in the world”, she says, “I just feel like it would be difficult to bridge that gap”. The album elsewhere is often interested in the process of ageing. This comes in the reckoning that “gravity is just kind of slowly pulling us down” in ‘My Sweet Body’, a song where sweetness is gently tinged with a creeping unease as she sings “I cannot seem to look after this body”. “It’s beautiful” Naima says, “but emotional to think about and a burden sometimes”. The traps we can fall into as we age appear in the wry good time of ‘Age’. Naima saw this first-hand on a less pleasant touring experience staying with someone whose “things were better in my day” mindset consumed and warped otherwise well-intentioned beliefs.
This results in a record that may occasionally appear to contradict itself; communal but solitary, rooted in place but free, intimate but spacious. This, however, is what makes “Below…” comforting and familiar. Who doesn’t contain within them these contradictions, who doesn’t want things that are directly at odds with each other. Like the safe spaces Naima has found the world over, “Below…” doesn’t require all the answers, not yet, but provides a safe place to look.
releases September 27th, 2024 Sub Pop Records
She’s shared two songs from the album you can listen to now.
I’m thrilled to announce that I will be doing two solo tours this fall: Europe & the UK in September, followed by a run of dates in the USA in November.
This is an extension of the This is What It Looks Like tour I did earlier this year. I loved that tour so much I wanted to keep it going, update the show, and bring it to some new places. The shows will feature songs from my solo catalogue as well as the stories behind them. I’ll also be debuting some new songs that I’m very excited to share.
One of my favourite songwriters, Kathleen Edwards, will be joining the September UK and Euro dates as a special guest. This is super exciting to me. I’m a huge fan of Kathleen’s records.
During the tour we will visit the Nashville Nights festival in Odense, Denmark, my third time at this great festival. Kathleen and I will play together at this one, in a songwriter’s round. Also at Nashville Nights, I’ll be recording a live version of my podcast That’s How I Remember It, with Kathleen as my guest.
The vinyl reissue of Night Beats’ 2011 self-titled debut album is out now, There’s a splatter vinyl LP available from the Fuzz Club store with a fold-out poster, “LEVITATION” have an exclusive sunburst LP and the purple LP can be found in all good record stores.
An acid-drenched modern garage-rock classic this 12-track set is a reckoning, a shoot-out at dawn, the ear-splitting peel-out that leaves nothing but a cloud of red dust in its wake.
A modern garage-rock classic in the Texan thirteenth-floor tradition, Danny Lee Blackwell’s R&B-inspired Western Psychedelic sound on this 12-track set is a reckoning, Following early releases in the shape of the ‘H-Bomb’ 45 and a split 10” with UFO Club (a collaborative project between Blackwell and The Black Angels’Christian Bland), the ‘Night Beats’ LP was the first full-length introduction to the band and propelled them to the forefront of burgeoning contemporary psych scene in a blaze of scuzzy rock’n’roll release.
Heavy touring immediately ensued and hasn’t let up in the years that followed, and the definitive NightBeats hit ‘Puppet On A String’ has since clocked up millions of streams and become the soundtrack to an underground, fuzz-worshipping generation.
Looking back on the record and upcoming reissue, Danny Lee Blackwell says: “Turning stones, looking for a sound. In bloom, or right before. Looking back on this first album I see a band with ideas that committed early on. I see where things will be built from, ideas that set up the groundwork for sounds to expand far beyond while honing a classic sound. I ventured with my voice and guitar and glad I did because there’s self acceptance and experimentation on this album. I’m proud of it and very glad it’s getting a long overdue repress.”
