The Fat Angel Sings

Peter Frampton’s 2022 homecoming concert in London has been released as a live album. “Peter Frampton at Royal Albert Hall2, featuring such favourites as “Something’s Happening” and “Do You Feel Like We Do?” arrived on September 1st, 2023, via UMe.

The concert was part of a brief European tour representing his first concerts in three years. The classic rock legend had cancelled the 2020 concerts due to the Covid-19 pandemic, of what was originally billed as his finale tour of Europe and the U.K. Frampton had completed the North American edition in October 2019 and at the time they were thought to be his final dates. Then in December 2019, news arrived of five 2020 shows in the U.K. as well as concerts in many European countries, though they were postponed to 2022.

“Great news!! I am continuing my PF Finale Tour across the continent,” Frampton wrote at the time of the 2022 European and U.K. announcement. “My band and I have been chomping at the bit to play and can’t wait to keep our promise to play for you again. “At the end of every Finale Tour show I did say, ‘Never Say Never’ and I am always full of hope for the impossible,” said Frampton in the 2023 tour announcement. “I’m very pleased to let you know that I am feeling strong and my fingers are still roaming the fretboard. Every note I play now has more meaning and soul. I love playing live and this fighter wants to stay in the ring for as long as he can. a few months before he turned 69, Frampton revealed in an interview that aired on CBS This Morning: Saturday that he has a rare and incurable muscular disease that causes the muscles to weaken slowly.

In November 2022, Grammy-winning artist and virtuosic guitar player Peter Frampton performed at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London to a rapturous sold-out crowd. The special evening was filmed, capturing stunning performances of Frampton’s finest songs. This album features 9 live performances with his long standing band of Rob Arthur, Adam Lester, Dan Wojciechowski, and Steve Mackey. 

“Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975)” is the latest entry in Rhino’s ongoing, Grammy-winning series exploring the vast untapped archives of rare Joni Mitchell recordings — a project guided intimately by Mitchell’s own vision and personal touch. “Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975)” will be available as a 4 LP with an accompanying book featuring photos and a conversation about this period between Joni Mitchell and long-time friend Cameron Crowe.

The collection begins with an early cut of “Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire,” one of two songs (along with “For The Roses”) test-driven during a visit to a Graham Nash David Crosby recording session at Wally Heider’s in Hollywood.

From there, listeners are treated to early demos and alternate versions from sessions from “For The Roses”, “Court & Spark”, and “The Hissing Of Summer Lawns“; historic live show recordings, including the entirety of Mitchell’s triumphant 1972 return to Carnegie Hall and a definitive gig with her “Court And Spark” backing band Tom Scott & the L.A. Express;.

The Set aIso ncludes Sessions with Graham Nash, James Taylor, Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers, Never-Before-Heard Demos, Early and Alternate Versions of Classic Songs, and Historical Performances. Plus A Gorgeous 40-Page Photo Book and Liners.

Joni Mitchell has released a never-before-heard song called “Like Veils Said Lorraine.”

The song was originally recorded in late 1971 and early 1972 at A&M Studios in Hollywood but has been shelved until now. It will be included in Mitchell’s upcoming box set,

According to Mitchell, she wrote the song based on a conversation she had with a real-life woman named Lorraine, a real estate agent who took Mitchell to see properties at one point. “She had a Marlene Dietrich kind of look,” Mitchell explains in the liner notes to “Archives Vol. 3”.

“She was a platinum blond and she was elegant. She had lived in China with her husband, so she was kind of worldly … and glamorous. It’s an account of our conversation. … Houses are important to me, and I know how to pick them.”

Fascinating document. It reveals Joni Mitchell’s singular genius; she worked out all the parts, all the harmonies, the concept for each song before bringing anyone else into the picture. The vision for this great album is hers and hers alone.

This era comes into even greater focus on Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975), out October 6th, 2023

Lauren Mayberry from the Scottish electro-pop trio Chvrches, shared her debut solo song, “Are You Awake?” Mayberry has been teasing her solo single in recent weeks and as previously announced some solo tour dates.

Mayberry had this to say about the song in a press release: “‘Are You Awake?’ is a song that started on a rainy day last December with Tobias Jesso Jr. I was thinking a lot about loneliness and homesickness, and as soon as Tobias started playing the chords, the lyrics and melody came to me really quickly. I finished the song with my friend Matthew Koma, who really understood what I was trying to say.

Mayberry co-wrote the song with Tobias Jesso Jr. and Matthew Koma. Koma produced the song, which was mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.

“For a long time, I couldn’t imagine doing anything outside of Chvrches, but I think some things that I needed to write had to be done from purely my own point of view. I never really thought I’d write a piano ballad, or a solo album full stop, so life really is full of surprises. I am really looking forward to this chapter and can’t wait for people to hear more of the music.”

Chvrches, meanwhile, recently announced a 10th anniversary reissue of their debut album, “The Bones of What You Believe”, and shared a previously unreleased song, “Manhattan,” from it. “The Bones of What You Believe (10th Anniversary Special Edition)” includes four previously unreleased songs and five live recordings. It’s due out October 13th via Glassnote.

It’s perfect indie-pop from Australia: really catchy songs, great-sounding vocals. I don’t usually like music like that, but they make it work. There’s an honesty to their songwriting that feels very personal. They’re one of the new bands I got most excited about last year, and we booked them to come over before they were signed. I think this will be their first UK trip. ‘Painting of My Time’ encapsulates the sonic and personal progression of the group, masterfully showcasing the signature, evocative lyricism that the band is known for. It’s a journey of observations, reshaping views and identity, elaborating on themes of personal turbulence, self-exploration, and the Australian landscape as a form of escapism. ‘Painting of My Time’ conjures the rawness of rock ‘n’ roll through a soundscape of dynamic post-punk and art rock, whilst introducing trumpet, grand piano, violin and synth to the equation. A marked progression and musicality resulting in a sound rich in emotion.

Floodlights’ dynamic live performance is raw and intimate, intertwined with powerful outbursts and marching rhythms. Evocative lyricism lies at the heart of their song writing and is enhanced by their unique sound. Floodlights write honestly and poetically in the hope that it resonates with others.

Gaining global attention with 2019’s sold-out EP ‘Backyard’ and 2020’s critically acclaimed debut album ‘From a View’, Floodlights went on to play sold-out shows and festivals across Australia, performing alongside the likes of Amyl and The Sniffers and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. 

New album ‘Painting of My Time’

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets is a psych-rock band formed in 2014 in Perth, Australia. The band consists of singer-guitarist Jack McEwan, guitarist Luke Parish, drummer Danny Caddy, bassist Luke Reynolds (until 2020), and keyboardist Chris Young. Their music is a drug-induced grunge rock trip: biting synthesizer parts, expertly composed guitar riffs, and unique compositional elements elevate their music to the status of other popular psychedelia artists such as Tame Impala and All Them Witches. Their last release, “Night Gnomes”, is as vast and trippy as their others, and is a musical journey you’ll want to take again and again.

In 2020, Bassist Luke Reynolds left the group. He was replaced by Wayan Biliondana in 2022

releases November 10th, 2023

The return of Siouxsie Sioux to the stage this year was as welcome as it was unexpected. Her not performing in public for the past decade did not mean her fans had forgotten her. Some folk have never abandoned her signature look, and people born long after she had her biggest hits could be seen with that look in British cities and beyond during the interregnum. The music never went away, the originals on repeat and lots of cover versions. Cleopatra Records have assembled an outstanding list of devotees to pay homage in the well-timed tribute “Spellbound”.

There is a tendency to look at Siouxsie and the Banshees, driven by Siouxsie and Steve Severin, with dark purple lenses.  But that can neglect the breadth of their achievements. Siouxsie’s influence was very broad across genres and artists, and female artists have consistently expressed gratitude just for Siouxsie’s existence as a trailblazer and icon.  From her first recording, Siouxsie called the shots, rejecting her label’s choice of producer, and choosing one that better reflected what she wanted to do. That first single was a hit. Did that make it easier for the next generation of highly talented women to get their vision expressed? 

The female voice leads in “Spellbound“, but the music is highly varied. We have already expressed our enthusiasm for Night Club’s “Cities of Dust,” a dancefloor filler for the late evening. Vive La Fete pay tribute to Siouxsie’s Belgian heritage with a jaunty Gallic take on “Christine” and Black Nail Cabaret give a clear reading of “Happy House,” whilst retaining the element of threat that the song needs.

That the latest iteration of Nouvelle Vague make an appearance is not a surprise. Early ’80s electronic pop is their hinterland.  What is surprising is that their take on “Night Shift” is not lounge Bossa Nova with a hint of parody; it is something new and outside our experience of them, which is fantastic.

Longtime Banshee Jon Klein joins his post-pandemic collaborator Jah Wobble take on “Monitor” with industrial glee, managing to outmuscle Skold (which is unusual) who take “Peek-A-Boo.”

What about the covers? Here we have two covers of covers. Thankfully neither darkwave specialists La Scaltra, who take “Dear Prudence,” nor Xiu Xiu, on board with “The Passenger,” operate solely within the parameters that Siouxsie set, allowing them some freedom to come up with something new and interesting. They both take that opportunity.

Overall, “Spellbound” is a welcome augmentation to the Siouxsie and Banshees legacy, and covers a wide range of the bands moods, rather than just the purely dark ones.

“Spellbound – A Tribute to Siouxsie and the Banshees” is available released August 25th, 2023.

The Black Crowes have announced a deluxe reissue of their second album, “The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion“, featuring unreleased studio recordings, rare B-sides and a live performance from 1993 at Houston’s Sam Houston Coliseum. Released in 1992, “The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion” continued the Black Crowes’ winning streak following the multi-platinum success of their debut album, “Shake Your Money Maker”.

The original album, which included singles “Remedy” and “Sting Me”, topped the American album chart upon its release in May 1992, and peaked at number 2 in the UK.

The collection is set for release on December 1st in a variety of formats, including “Super Deluxe” four-LP and three-CD box sets. These editions will also include a reproduction of the album’s original 132-page promotional hymnal containing the band’s insights about the album and a set of lithographs of photos taken during the album sessions from brothers Chris and Rich Robinson plus sheet music for the songs. The reissue has been overseen by the Robinsons and producer George Drakoulias. 

“Hadsel” is the first new full – length record since Beirut’s 2019 release, “Gallipoli”, and the first on Zach Condon’s own label , Pompeii Records. Recorded in the Norwegian island of Hadsel shortly after a physical and mental break forced Condon to cancel his 2019 tour, Condon was looking for a place to recover after being left in a state of shock and self-doubt. Working in isolation, Condon explains, “I was lost in a trance, stumbling blindly through my own mental collapse that I had been pushing aside since I was a teenager. It came and rang me like a bell. I was left agonising many things past and present while the beauty of the nature, the northern lights and fearsome storms played an awesome show around me. The few hours of light would expose the unfathomable be auty of the mountains and the fjords, and the hours – long twilights would fill me with subdued excitement. I’d like to believe that scenery is somehow present in the music.

The resulting is a collection of songs beautifully reflecting that vulnerability, sense of self-determination and belief that after collapse, one can learn to manage on their own again.

Singer Songwriter Katy Kirby has shared a new song, “Cubic Zirconia,” It’s her first single for ANTI-records. Emma Montesi directed the video. Kirby had this to say about the song in a press release: “I’ve been trying to write this song for nearly four years, but it only came into focus for me when I fell in love with a girl for the first time. It’s an attempt to say something that I don’t think I’m smart enough to articulate outside of the song—something about how much I admire when someone is unembarrassed of being explicit about the cosmetic and aesthetic choices they make for themselves. Why wouldn’t you love the little tricks of their trade—the way they wear makeup, the clothes and mannerisms that make them feel safest and most themselves—why wouldn’t these little tricks be the most endearing artifacts of their inner essence? If you loved someone, why would you not love those choices? It’s an honour to get that close to someone–close enough to see how they construct the image of themselves with which they move through the world as best they can (as we all do). Why wouldn’t that be enough?

“Cubic Zirconia! A lab-grown diamond. A salute to whatever the world looks down on as “artificial”—even a defense of artifice. It seems like naturalness is not only a dangerously vague and subjective concept, but that whenever those concepts get invoked, the invoker is almost invariably being manipulative or even malicious. Insofar as the line between authentic/fake, natural/unnatural, organic/synthetic artificial/genuine is hopelessly thin. Insofar as it’s a line that shifts constantly and doesn’t seem to be in anyone’s interest except the people who’ve decided that they’re the most qualified to draw that line. What a useless concept. What an extremely suspicious concept to leverage in assessing someone’s worth. What a sanctimonious little scam!”

Katy Kirby’s debut album, “Cool Dry Place”, came out in 2021 via Keeled Scales. 

Arcade Fire ex member Will Butler is releasing a new self-titled album with Will Butler + Sister Squares on September 22nd via Merge Records. The album’s latest single, “Stop Talking,” 

Butler had this to say about the album’s latest single, “Stop Talking,”  in a press release: “This is one of the ‘dream songs’ on the record. Emotion in dreams; dreams in reality; tired and confused. “Stop talking” there’s nothing to say;’ not sure if it functions as a dismissal ‘Stop!,’ or as a sign of love ‘You don’t have to say it; I already know;’ I think, like a lot of communication between people who love each other—a little of both? Like, this song is full of fear; someone expressing fear to their partner, and the partner being like, ‘There’s nothing to fear, and also, shut up, quit being crazy.’ That’s not exactly it, but there’s something of that here.”

When Will Butler + Sister Squares was announced, the first single, “Long Grass,” .They have also shared the album’s “Arrow of Time” and “Willows.”

Butler left Arcade Fire at the end of 2021 and had spent the preceding two years at home with his children. “I was waking up every morning and reading Emily Dickinson, until I had read every Emily Dickinson poem,” said Butler in a previous press release. “I was listening to Morrissey, to Shostakovich, to the Spotify top 50. I had unformed questions with inchoate answers.”

Sister Squares—who are Miles Francis, Julie Shore, Jenny Shore, and Sarah Dobbs all came together through familial word of mouth. “I met Jenny—my wife!—in college, the year before I joined Arcade Fire. When I needed a band to tour “Policy,” says Butler, referring to his 2015-released solo debut album, “I asked [Jenny’s sister] Julie to join because I trusted her musically. And I asked Sara, Jenny and Julie’s childhood friend, because I knew she was super talented.”

Butler initially had different intentions for his solo career and this album. “After “Generations” [Merge, 2020], I considered making a weird solo record. Me alone in the basement, etc., etc. Mostly I realized that what I wanted was the opposite,” he says.

He then turned to Sister Squares and asked Francis to produce the new album. “Will and I organically discovered our relationship as a production duo through making this album. We didn’t have to talk too much about things as they happened, because the music just flowed,” says Francis. “As a producer, working with Jenny, Julie, and Sara is the dream. They connect so innately. In one motion they can conjure a mood, or get at the root of a feeling.”