The Fat Angel Sings

Beach House finished rolling out a whole double LP a year ago, but it turns out there was still more music left over from the “Once Twice Melody” sessions. The five-song “Become” EP will be a Record Store Day exclusive first, with digital release to follow six days later and worldwide physical release in May. According to the band:

Some bands, having left five studio tracks on the cutting room floor after their latest album, would tag those on a few weeks into the digital run and call it a deluxe edition. And maybe Beach House will get around to that eventually. But they’re our kind of band by having made a separate release out of those severed songs just for the purposes of a Record Store Day exclusive. We didn’t get a preview of this release, but fans can make up their own minds whether “American Daughter,” “Devil’s Pool,” “Holiday House,” “Black Magic” and “Become” should have made the cut for the “Once Twice Melody” album or if they comprise a fine stand-alone on their own.

We didn’t think they fit in the world of “Once Twice Melody”, but later realized they all fit in a little world of their own. To us, they are all kind of scuzzy and spacious, and live in the spirit realm. It’s not really where we are currently going, but it’s definitely somewhere we have been. We hope you enjoy these tunes, Alex and Victoria/Beach House.

“Become” featuring the songs “American Daughter,” “Devil’s Pool,” “Holiday House,” “Black Magic” and the title track, and was produced by Beach House, with mixing by Alan Moulder (track 1), Trevor Spencer (tracks 2, 3, 5), and Caesar Edmunds (track 4), and mastering by Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone at Sterling Sound.

“Become” will be available on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023 as a Record Store Day crystal-clear vinyl exclusive, with a worldwide digital release through Sub Pop and Bella Union (in the UK and Europe) on Friday, April 28th and a full worldwide physical release (LP/CD/CS) on May 19th, 2023.

“Become” promises to be a “scuzzy” outing from the Baltimore masters of texture and atmosphere. Any new music from Beach House is a treat and this crystal-clear vinyl exclusive is set to grant an insight into a side of the band that we rarely see.

1967’s Monterey Pop Festival was one of the first festivals to take place in a similar format to how we know and love them today. The bash was iconic for a plethora of different reasons but one set that often gets unfairly looked over is The Byrds’ masterclass set.

Of course, the backdrop for the festival proved a unique time in history itself: 1967 marked the beginning of the fabled “Summer of Love”; the rise of the “counterculture” and hippie movement; and a period of rising tensions in Vietnam. The Byrds were just one of a highly eclectic line-up, which included established psychedelic-rockers like Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, and Quicksilver Messenger Service; East Coast folkies Simon & Garfunkel; and West Coast pop acts the Mamas and the Papas, Scott McKenzie, and The Association. It would also mark one of the last great performances by soul sensation Otis Redding, who would die in a plane crash just six months later.

The Byrds set at Monterey Pop is left out of the larger conversation but it was one of David Crosby’s most important shows of his career as his onstage antics on the biggest of stages ultimately played a role in his departure from the group not long after. Crosby, to the irritation of his bandmates, decided to give lengthy in-between-song speeches on a bizarre array of topics. The somewhat rambling interludes acted as red flags for the band as he spoke on stage about the JFK assassination and the benefits of giving LSD to “all the statesmen and politicians in the world”.

“They’re shooting this for television. I’m sure they’re going to edit this out. I want to say it anyway, even though they will edit it out. When President Kennedy was killed, he was not killed by one man. He was shot from a number of different directions, by different guns. The story has been suppressed, witnesses have been killed, and this is your country, ladies and gentlemen.”

Crosby may have had a swell of support within the free-loving crowd but he showed a considerable disregard for his bandmates. Following their set, he then played with rival group Buffalo Springfield at Monterey, filling in for ex-member Neil Young—who he would have course link up within the not so distant future.

Despite talking on a number of no-go areas whilst on stage, Crosby was actually on fine form when he performed his songs rather than ranting, with the cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Chimes of Freedom’ being a shining example of The Byrds’ enormous talent.

The track featured on their debut album which was appropriately named after their more famous Dylan cover and lead single Mr Tambourine Man, but ‘Chimes of Freedom’ ended up becoming a stalwart of The Byrds’ live sets all the way up until their initial split in 1973 despite not being released as a single.

Judging by thier performance at Monterey, it’s not hard to understand why they enjoyed playing it so much. If there was one festival that has spawned the birth of the most incredible artists it has to be the Monterey Pop Festival. The famous event saw the introduction of the unstoppable Janis Joplin as the leading lady of Big Brother and the Holding Company and, with it, her fiery vocal performance, the voice of her generation, was finally given the stage she deserved. Joplin was one of many stars permanently discovered that day.

Monterey Pop Festival, Monterey County Fairgrounds, California (June 1967)

Following a year of taking it easy, Lana Del Rey returned at the tail end of 2022 with the title track to her upcoming ninth studio album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?” After throwing up a billboard in her ex’s home town, Lana is back to focusing on herself.

That well-placed billboard is the only public statement that Del Rey has made about the new album, but we do have a confirmed release date of March 10th and a whole host of collaborators that will appear on the new LP, including Jon Batiste, Bleachers, Father John Misty, Tommy Genesis, and SYML.

After dropping two albums, “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” and “Blue Bannisters”, over the course of 2021, Del Rey took a full year to craft her newest album. From the brief previews we’ve heard, it sounds like “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?” is going to be another album of lush and thorny music, which is all we could ask for from Lana Del Rey.

Lana Del Rey has said her ninth studio album will be “very wordy”, and that during recording she practised “meditative automatic singing”, whereby she’d record whatever came to mind as a voice note on her phone and send it to producer Drew Erickson to add orchestration. The album is set to feature collaborations with Jon Batiste, Father John Misty, Tommy Genesis, and SYML, as well as production from LDR regular Jack Antonoff, among others. As for its extremely long title? That’s likely a reference to the Jergins Tunnel in Long Beach, California, which once connected the city’s Downtown area to its beach. 

Lana Del Rey references her family in the title of the third single from her new album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd”.

‘Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd’ The New Album Out March 10th,

Gary Crowley and his mate Jim Lahat have been at it again, compiling a new 77-track ‘Punk & New Wave’ collection (Vol. 2). with Signed 4CD sets and signed 6LP vinyl boxes available.

Gary Crowley returns to curate a second volume of “Punk & New Wave“, his well-received 2017 various artists collection.

Co-compiled with Jim Lahat, the pair have once again mined their respective record collections for more gems from the likes of big names such as The Clash, Ramones, The Jam, The Cure and The Slits and lesser known bands such as Limit, Gary Valentine, The Wardens, Basement 5 and The Limps. Many of these incredibly rare tracks appearing here for the very first time on CD. 

These songs are collected together in a 4CD media book (limited Amazon-exclusive signed edition available) and a massive 6LP lift-off-lid box set (all of these include a signed print). Both of of these formats contain 77 tracks and come with a 32-page booklet, including extensive and track-by- track sleevenotes by Crowley and Lahat alongside anecdotes from the likes of Viv Albertine (The Slits), Damian O’Neill (The Undertones), Glen Matlock, Gary Valentine, Mike Sweeney (Salford Jets) and more. A 28-track 2LP vinyl package is also available. The audio has been newly mastered by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering.

This mega 77 track collection features tracks from the likes of The Clash, The Slits, The Stranglers, Rich Kids, The Jam, Magazine, Mo-Dettes among many as well as lesser known nuggets from the likes of The Limps, Moving England, The Wardens, The Nervebreakers, Gary Valentine and The Limit and many many more, some of which are appearing here for the very first time on CD. coming with accompanying booklets which include an introduction and track-by-track notes from myself and Jim plus there’s band anecdotes from the likes of Viv Albertine, Damian O’Neill, Glen Matlock, Paul Cook, Dennis Morris, Ramona Wilkins- Cartier, Rick Buckler, Mike Sweeney, Brett “Buddy” Ascott, Debsey Wykes and more. Completing the package is a selection of fascinating photos and memorabilia depicting this period of UK music culture.

Gary Crowley’s “Punk and New Wave Vol. 2” is released on 26 May 2023 via Edsel/Demon Records.

For two albums, Brighton quartet Black Honey – firebrand frontwoman Izzy Bee Phillips, guitarist Chris Ostler, bassist Tommy Taylor and drummer Alex Woodward – have been living in a glitter-specked, sepia-tinged magic kingdom of their own making. It’s undeniably served them well. Rising from cult underground favourites on their self-titled 2018 debut through to a genuine breakthrough success story on 2021’s Top 10-charting follow up ‘Written & Directed’, the band have amassed a legion of fans to their constantly shifting canon of fizzing, visceral indie and nostalgia-soaked pop – a following that, in the past year alone, has seen them handpicked to support Liam Gallagher, The Libertines, IDLES, The Vaccines and more, on top of their own sold out headline tour.

Izzy, meanwhile, has become something of a Pied Piper for life’s outliers, for the people that resonate hard with her own memories of struggling through youth and desperately attempting to find connection and understanding in an often impossible world. You can see the results in the front row of any Black Honey show; dedicated fans presenting in all forms that embrace the band’s message of acceptance. But it’s not until now that the singer has fully, 100% bared her soul herself.

There’s a disconnect on the third album by Brighton rockers Black Honey. The music is rousing post-grunge indie rock, tuneful, full of vim, but the lyrics speak of someone deeply troubled. The mood is, perhaps, best summed up by “Rock Bottom” which states, “Rock bottom – but the floor keeps dropping.” The whole album is mired in similar mind-strife.

Singer Izzy Bee Phillips has said as much of the incongruously named “A Fistful of Peaches”, stating, “Most of this record is me trying to figure out where the line is between normal mental health and when you’re having breakdowns every day that then become part of normal.” The music, on the other hand, is immediate, catchy, and bounce-around upbeat. “I disassociate from the feeling/Kick the fuck off as you try to reach me/You open my hand and my palms are bleeding/And my head’s still reeling,” runs “Cut the Cord”, but the hefty ultra-produced guitar storm behind emanates pure fist-pumping triumph.

If you’re after musical originality, this is not the place. That’s not the point here. It’s an album catering to those after a well-worn, visceral guitar kick, who are attached to the idea that “authenticity” is a four-piece rockin’ out, treading a path somewhere between L7, Garbage and The Primitives but with production that pushes their sound to the epic (drummer Alex Woodward deserves special mention as he adds real roll to the rock). Because they’re deft hands at writing catchy pop songs, it’s no bad place to be, as is demonstrated by cuts such as “I’m a Man”, “Heavy”, and the aforementioned “Rock Bottom”.

In fact, they’re rightly so confident in what they do that they save two of the best songs for near the end of the album, the anthemic “Weirdos” (“This is a song for the weirdos/The anti-heroes/Won’t fit in if you tried”) and “Tombstone”, the one song that breaks the musical mould with a touch of Nine Inch Nails about it.

Phillips has implied the unhappiness that inspired this album is a thing of the past, which is to the good, but, whether despite, or because of it, Black Honey have nailed another set of contagious festival sing-along smashers.

Folk songsmith Nick Drake (1948-1974) was/is an inspiration for many singer-songwriters. His 3 LPs “Five Leaves Left” (1969), “Bryter Layter” (1970), and “Pink Moon” (1972) were and still are widely lauded. The trouble artist died following an overdose of amitriptyline, an antidepressant, aged only 26.

“The Endless Coloured Ways” is a collection of songs by legendary singer/ songwriter, Nick Drake, performed and recorded by over 30 incredible artists from a range of different backgrounds, genres, age groups and audiences. From Fontaines D.C to Guy Garvey, and Aurora to Feist, each artist has offered their own incredible take on a timeless classic.

Also included on this magical record are Let’s Eat Grandma, Bombay Bicycle Club, Aldous Harding, Emeli Sande, and Ben Harper, just to name a few more.

The official video for ‘’Cello Song’ by Fontaines D.C.

25 covers will feature on the compilation. Involved among others are Bombay Bicycle Club & The Staves, Ben Harper, John Parish, David Gray, Craig Armstrong, Liz Phair, John Grant and Irish post-punk heroes Fontaines D.C.

British dream-pop duo Lets Eat Grandma is also part of the tribute. They picked “From The Morning”. A characteristic Drake musing. It was featured on his 1972 “Pink Moon” album.

Jenny Hollingworth from Lets Eat Grandma: “I’ve always thought of it as the most hopeful song on “Pink Moon” and listening to its lyrics about nature showing us the beauty in the light and darkness and how life and death are connected helped me to find acceptance and comfort after loss. Thank you so much to David Wrench for working on it with me.”

Over the years there have been many versions of songs by Nick Drake recorded by other artists. Some versions hold Nick in such reverence that the new rendition brings very little to the original. Some seem to treat the song like a sport with tunings and pickings conquered rather than adapted; and some – often just a few – shed new light on the song by submitting to it, after which the new keeper makes it their own and thus, perhaps, a baton is handed on.

The National have shared another new song from their upcoming album, “First Two Pages of Frankenstein”. “Eucalyptus” comes with a music video directed by Chris Sgroi. The visual was shot at Long Pond by Sgroi and Matt Berninger’s brother, Tom.

In a press statement, Matt Berninger said of the new single: “‘Eucalyptus’ is about a couple splitting up their possessions after a breakup—like, ‘What are we going to do with the spring water we get delivered, what’s going to happen to all these plants?’ It’s about all those little things you end up having to think about when you’ve become so connected to someone.”

“First Two Pages of Frankenstein” is the band’s ninth studio album. The National have previously unveiled the singles “New Order T-Shirt” and “Tropic Morning News,” which was co-written with lead singer Matt Berninger’s wife, Carin Besser. The band recently performed the latter song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

The National will embark on a lengthy tour in support of the album this spring, traveling across North America and Europe. The band will stay on the road on through to October. Openers across the run include Patti Smith, Soccer Mommy, the Beths, and Bartees Strange.

“First Two Pages of Frankenstein” is The National’s ninth studio album. This 11-song collection signals a new chapter in the band’s discography. Anchored by evocative melodies and an enthralling lyrical narrative, “First Two Pages of Frankenstein” finds The National sounding more creatively energized than ever and poised to earn them even more fans. The album was produced by the band at Long Pond Studios in upstate New York and features guest appearances by Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens.

releases April 28th, 2023

‘Eucalyptus’ is taken from forthcoming album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’, out 28th April via 4AD Records.

The Heavy Heavy have released an expanded edition of their debut ‘Life and Life Only’ EP, . The physical release, pressed on coke bottle clear vinyl,  is due on May 19th.

Now spanning 11 tracks, like runaway hits “Miles and Miles,” “Go Down River,” and rapturous opener “All My Dreams,” the newly extended set also includes The Heavy Heavy’s hypnotic, harmony-laden takes on Father John Misty’s “Real Love Baby,”Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Guinnevere” and a previously unheard rendition of Jonathan Wilson’s “Desert Raven,” plus a roaring live recording of “Man of The Hills” and an acoustic arrangement of “Go Down River.” 

“We’ve loved “Desert Raven” since the moment Jonathan Wilson released it in 2011. We wanted to bring it into our sonic world, adding big vocal harmonies over the choruses and expanding on the instrumentation. It evokes the feeling of a fever dream…road tripping the American desert. The guitar-monies are stunning, and something you don’t hear so much in modern music. We had a lot of fun recording this cover.”

“Desert Raven” is from the new Expanded Edition of The Heavy Heavy’s EP ‘Life and Life Only.’

5/4 – London, UK – BBC Introducing Live at the Lexington
5/10-5/13 – Brighton, UK – The Great Escape Festival
5/17 – Manchester, UK – The Blues Kitchen
5/18 – London, UK – Omeara
5/19 – Bristol, UK – Rough Trade Bristol
5/20 – Leeds, UK – Belgrave Music Hall
5/21 – Glasgow, UK – King Tut’s

The latest issue – out on Thursday – Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey talk extensively and candidly about The Who live, and their past, present and future as a performing unit. Pauline Black tells us about getting a telegram from Marlene Dietrich and an MBE from the Queen. We go record shopping with Dan from The Black Keys. Peter Perrett relives the making of “Another Girl, Another Planet”. Lewis Taylor gives his first in depth interview for years/decades. Graham Gouldman reassesses 10cc’s mid-to-late 70s output. We reflect on the contribution made by Burt Bacharach. And we review new releases from Depeche Mode and Lana Del Rey.

On the cover of the magazine this month are The Who: Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, exclusively talking to Record Collector about their history of live performance. Roger talks us through 10 of the band’s greatest, most significant gigs while Pete more generally assesses the impact of The Who’s concerts, making the surprising admission that he doesn’t enjoy being onstage, and considers the past, present and future of The Who. Finally, we have a discography covering The Who’s official live recordings. You won’t want to miss it.

There is, of course, more. Pauline Black discusses the contribution made to British pop by 2 Tone band The Selecter and considers whether it was a good idea for her to accept her OBE. We go record shopping with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Lewis Taylor, the “lost boy” of 90s psych-soul, explains where he’s been this past decade and a half. We feature an extract from a book about The Only Ones, focusing on the new wave band’s perennially thrilling “Another Girl, Another Planet“. There’s a photo special about the life and career of ELP’s keyboard supremo Keith Emerson. We pay tribute to Burt Bacharach. We spend 33 1/3 minutes with Paul Jones, formerly of Manfred Mann. John McNally of The Searchers discusses the 10 key records of his lifetime. Lieutenant Pigeon are the band Under The Radar this month, Mike Vernon is the producer in the Engine Room and we nominate 10 Of The Best Trad Jazz records. And we have a bumper reviews section: albums by De La Soul, 10cc, Pink Floyd, Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach, Depeche Mode and Lana Del Rey are under inspection.