The Fat Angel Sings

M. Ward is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose to prominence in the Portland, Oregon music scene. In addition to his solo work, he is known as a member of She & Him and Monsters of Folk.

The renowned singer/songwriter M. Ward is announcing the new studio album ‘Supernatural Thing.’ His songs “luxuriate in a dream world conjured out of memories, shared stories, and flights of fancy,” Pitchfork says, and the album’s title track also lives in a liminal space in which Elvis comes to him with a message: You Can Go Anywhere You Please.

“Well, all my songs depend on dream-imagery to some extent,” Ward explained, “and this was an actual dream I had about Elvis, when he came to me and said that. I don’t know if it’s pandemic-related or not.” Summing up the emotional tone of the record, Ward also sings on this track: “you feel the line is growing thin / between beautiful and strange.”

After spending the last 3 years in studios in Vancouver, London, Los Angeles and Stockholm im thrilled to announce my new record will be released june 23 2023 on Anti-records

The record is called “Supernatural Thing” and features the talents of @firstaidkitband @nekocaseofficial @shovelsnrope @removador @pressonrecords @gabrielkahane @johnmorganaskew + many more

The first song is out now – “Supernatural Thing” – it started out as an elvis-encounter dream i had right around the time the war against covid was beginning to end.

releases May 5th 2023

produced by M. Ward
all songs written by M. Ward except 6 (david bowie) and 10 (daniel johnston)

“Rains” is an optimistic song about the possibility of renewal. As if encouraging openness to change, springtime points to an inevitable summer that seems unimaginable in a desolate winter. Rainfall ferries away last year’s leaves, reanimates colorless grass, and invites new life to emerge.

released April 27th, 2023
Written in 2021 by Peter Silberman and Michael Lerner

The bands latest single ‘ 1 : 18 ‘ is out now. Plucked from our upcoming EP ‘My Eyes, Brother!’ and released by Nice Swan Records. Stream it at this very moment wherever you and your algorithm cultivate each other.

Their flaming intensity/passion-loaded songs all get an enormously adrenalin injection on stage. All burners on. They jump from rock opera to scream-your-lungs-out chants (at times in one and the same song) to barb-wire funk pushed by a brill rhythm section. When they slow down and the lights dim you feel another storm coming. And, yes, the saxophonist and the trumpetist are really special, sonically and visually. Their towering play is a fundamental aspect of who/what Opus Kink is and they look cool as fuck.

Opus Kink high capricious quality song writing and staggering sonic execution. Post-punk exorcism heated up with saxophone and trumpet. Not in a Black Country, New Road way, but rather in a James Brown punk orchestra way. Horntastic awesome.

Besides being blessed with a knife-edged vox, frontman Angus Rogers leads the troops with his big heart, restless soul, and cast-iron determination to make a difference.

Nice Swan Recordings Released on: 2023-04-20

Offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at Jeff Lynne’s creative process and the incredible effort that went into making his landmark concert a reality, it’s a must-have for both ELO fans and music lovers alike.

On 24th June 2017, Jeff Lynne delivered an unforgettable rock ‘n’ roll performance at Wembley Stadium, featuring his 12-member band amid a stunning visual spectacle of pyrotechnics, lasers, and a colossal illuminated spaceship. Over two hours, Lynne presented his group’s most comprehensive setlist to date, encompassing vintage ELO hits like ‘Mr. Blue Sky’, ‘Evil Woman’, and ‘Livin’ Thing’, as well as ‘Do Ya’ from his days with The Move and ‘When I Was A Boy’ from his most recent ELO album, “Alone In The Universe”, and ‘Handle With Care’, which he recorded with the Traveling Wilburys. The concert, which spanned Lynne’s entire career, was performed before a packed audience of 60,000 fans.

“Wembley Or Bust” captures the meticulous production of the show and provides a rare glimpse into Jeff Lynne’s musical vision in an authorised book and vinyl set, taking its format from the playlist of that night with Lynne revealing the stories behind his hits. Limited to just 1,500 numbered copies worldwide, each hand-bound book is personally signed by the author, Jeff Lynne.

For the creation of this book, Jeff Lynne’s ELO was extensively photographed at Wembley Stadium from all vantage points throughout the iconic London venue. The outcome is a stunningly illustrated volume featuring hundreds of original photographs, from backstage to front of house, plus tour memorabilia and ephemera.

For half a century, the musical brilliance of Jeff Lynne has been striking a resounding chord with fans all over world. “Wembley Or Bust” is introduced and narrated throughout by Lynne. He tells the story behind the concert and reflects on each of the show’s songs, drawn from the catalogue of ELO albums that have sold more than 50 million records to date. The book takes its format from the playlist of that night and song by song Lynne reveals the stories behind his hits.

Kevin Morby has announced “More Photographs (A Continuum)”, which he’s billing as a companion piece to his 2022 album, “This Is a Photograph”. The release is due out May 26th via Dead Oceans. Morby has also shared two new songs, “This Is a Photograph II” and “Five Easy Pieces Revisited,” which are new versions of the original LP’s “This Is a Photograph” and “Five Easy Pieces,” respectively.

“If “This Is a Photograph” is a house that you have been living inside of,” Morby said in a press release, “then “More Photographs” is, perhaps, the same home just experienced differently. As if you, its inhabitant, have taken a tab of something psychedelic and now, suddenly, you’ve replaced your eyeglasses with kaleidoscopes.”

Kevin Morby writes (and records, and imagines) at an almost incomparable clip, and his most recent album, “This Is A Photograph”, studies life, time and mortality through myriad lenses. It’s a dynamic, buoyant record on big, heavy themes, so it only makes sense that Morby found he wasn’t quite done with it on its completion. “More Photographs (A Continuum)” finds new nooks, corners and vantage points. “If This Is A Photograph is a house that you have been living inside of,” says Morby, “then More Photographs is, perhaps, the same home just experienced differently. 

Morby continued, “With every collection of songs, I feel I have to cast them out of me before moving onto the next project, and here I knew that what I had begun with “This Is a Photograph” was not finished. Releasing this collection is me tying a bow on that time and place in my creative life.”

Earlier this year, Morby shared “Music From Montana Story”, his soundtrack contributions for Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s film of the same name starring Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague.

The companion piece to “This Is a Photograph” is out May 26 via Dead Oceans

Palehound has announced their new album and fourth full-length LP: “Eye on the Bat” is out July 14th via Polyvinyl. Ahead of its release, El Kempner has shared the lead single, “The Clutch,” with an aughts-inspired music video co-directed by Brittany Reeber and Adam Kolodny.

“Eye on the Bat” is Palehound’s first LP in four years, following 2019’s “Black Friday”. The new album also follows “Doomin’ Sun“, a 2021 album that Kempner made with Jay Som’s Melina Duterte under the name Bachelor. Palehound’s new album was co-produced by Kempner and Sam Owens, and features multi-instrumentalist Larz Brogan, a longtime member of the band since its early Boston days.

“The Clutch” was the first song Kempner wrote for “Eye on the Bat”, right around when their tour was cut short due to the pandemic. “We had an apocalypse road trip back to New York across the country from Oregon, where our next show had been scheduled for,” they recalled in a press release. “While that was happening, I was also having a triggering romantic experience with somebody I didn’t know too well, and by the time I got home my whole body seemed to be spinning in turmoil. Writing and producing this song grounded me and helped me process a new future and self that I hadn’t anticipated.”

“The Clutch” is taken from Palehound’s upcoming album, “Eye On The Bat” – out July 14th, 2023.

PJ Harvey’s tenth studio album ‘I Inside the Old Year Dying’ will be released July 7th 2023 on Partisan Records, and is available to pre-order on gatefold 140g vinyl and CD, along with some newly designed merchandise https://pjharvey.lnk.to/iinsidetheoldyeardyingFA

PJ Harvey says, “After many years of work I am very happy to release this collection of new songs. It was a difficult album to make and took time to find its strongest form, but it has finally become all I hoped for it to be.” The new album is “a resting space, a solace, a comfort, a balm—which feels timely for the times we’re in,” Harvey said in a press release.

‘I Inside the Old Year Dying’ marks PJ Harvey’s first album in seven years, produced and mixed by her long-time creative collaborators John Parish and Flood.

Listen to the lead single ‘A Child’s Question”, August’ and watch the accompanying music video

Recorded with producers Flood and John Parish, her longtime collaborators, the album was inspired by Harvey’s epic poem, “Orlam”. Harvey said the album features improvisations with the two producers: “I think the album is about searching, looking—the intensity of first love, and seeking meaning. Not that there has to be a message, but the feeling I get from the record is one of love—it’s tinged with sadness and loss, but it’s loving. I think that’s what makes it feel so welcoming: so open.”

Polly Jean Harvey – vocals, guitar John Parish – drums, synth, piano, Rhodes Cecil – keyboards Ben Whishaw – backing vocals

With the first new album from Polly Jean Harvey of Dorset, England, in seven years. With her group, PJ Harvey, and as a solo artist, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist was one of the most galvanizing forces of the alternative era, and beyond. Consistently evolving on album, and mesmerizing onstage, Harvey has been an indispensable voice, and it’s been silent for way too long.

Never one to live in the past, “things have got to change,” Harvey said way back in 2001. “Music is in a dire position at the moment. The quality of the music that we’re getting to hear is just so mind-numbingly boring. It’s all the same thing regurgitated over and over again, but it sells millions.”

“I get quite despairing about it when I think, ‘Well, is this what people want to hear?’” Harvey continued. “And it must be, because it wouldn’t sell otherwise. From my own point of view, I feel I can just go on following my heart and hope that it will touch something in people. I live in faith and hope that things will change, but I have to say, it’s been looking pretty bleak for a long time now.”

Again, I don’t want to do a spoiler alert on our review, but yes, Harvey has changed, and absolutely, she is still following her heart and hoping her sounds will touch people. 

Harvey has been reissuing her discography, including “B-Sides, Demos & Rarities”.

Amanda Shires has announced “Loving You”, her new album with the late Bobbie Nelson, with a new cover of the George Gershwin standard “Summertime,” featuring Nelson’s brother, Willie. “Loving You” is due out June 23rd (via Silver Knife/ATO).

The new video was co-directed by Shires and Deren Ney and shot by photographer Joshua Black Wilkins and album producer Lawrence Rothman at Arlyn Studios in Austin, Texas. The studio is co-owned and operated by Bobbie Nelson’s son Freddy Fletcher, who also plays drums on the album.

“I think [Bobbie Nelson] related to the song because she was a mother and the family unit was important to her, whether or not she had the idealized version,” Shires said in a statement. “I first saw Bobbie playing when I was 16 or so at some festival somewhere in Texas where I grew up. I saw her perform many times over the years and always admired the way she played so effortlessly and with so much strength and confidence. She radiated music. Much of my path seemed possible because I saw a woman working and making a career of music at a young age, and that woman was Bobbie Nelson.”

Bobbie Nelson first recorded the song with Willie for their Grammy-winning album “Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin”. The siblings released a memoir called “Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of the Family Band” in 2020 via Random House. Bobbie Nelson died last year at 91. 

Amanda Shires released her last LP, “Take It Like a Man”, in 2022. In February, she performed the track “Take It Like a Man” track “Hawk for the Dove” alongside her husband and frequent collaborator, Jason Isbell, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Rufus Wainwright’s forthcoming album, “Folkocracy”, is an album of folk classics that features a number of notable collaborations, including John Legend, Brandi Carlile, David Byrne, Sheryl Crow, Nicole Scherzinger, Chaka Khan, Andrew Bird, Anohni and many more. Praised by the New York Times for his genuine originality Rufus Wainwright has established himself as one of the great male vocalists, songwriters, and composers of his generation. The New York born, Montreal raised singer songwriter has released 10 studio albums to date, 3 DVD’s, and 5 live albums, including the Grammy nominated “Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall”.

“Down In The Willow Garden” feat. @BrandiCarlile is out now! As well as the music video that features the making of the song together in the studio.

The singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has shared another single, ‘Heading For Home (feat. John Legend)’. ‘Heading For Home’ heralds Wainwright’s eagerly awaited new album, “Folkocracy”, a star-studded collection of folk music reinventions arriving Friday, June 2nd via BMG.

Speaking on the collaboration with Legend, Rufus Wainwright said: “John Legend has arguably one of the most beautiful voices in the world, and listening to him singing is pure joy. I am now one of the few who can say that it can get even better, and that is when you sing with him. Thank you for coming on this folk journey with me and singing Peggy Seeger’s ‘Heading for Home’ with me. It was an effortless flight, an elegant glide, a fulfilling soar, not just a mere walk home.”

“I’ve been a fan of Rufus for quite some time, and it was a true joy to sing with him on this beautiful song,” says John Legend.

“Folkocracy”, which follows Wainwright’s most recent studio album, 2020’s Grammy and Juno Award-nominated “Unfollow The Rules“, sees the critically acclaimed artist celebrating his upcoming 50th birthday by revisiting his roots, of childhood summers spent at folk festivals and watching his famous family on stage.

Produced by longtime collaborator Mitchell Froom (Paul McCartney, Crowded House), on “Folkocracy”, Wainwright is joined by a spectacular line up of friends, family members, and other special guest artists 

I am excited to announce that this will be a part of my upcoming album ‘Folkocracy’ which will be released June 2nd!

Back in July 2021, Bob Dylan livestreamed a concert film called “Shadow Kingdom”, which was available for a limited time. Filmed on a soundstage over a week, the film blended videos directed by Alma Har’el with black-and-white footage of Dylan performing with a cast of backing musicians that included Buck Meek and Shahzad Ismaily.

Drawn from his 2021 film of the same name, the album features reinterpreted classics like “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and “Forever Young” “Shadow Kingdom” presents Dylan performing revelatory 21st century versions of songs from his storied back catalogue – including fan favourites like “Forever Young” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” and deep catalogue gems like “Queen Jane Approximately” and “Wicked Messenger.”

Originally reinterpreted for an exclusive streaming film event, which aired in July 2021, “Shadow Kingdom” will now be available on vinyl, CD, and streaming platforms for the first time.  The album’s setlist includes 13 original songs handpicked by Dylan for his “Shadow Kingdom” performance plus the closing instrumental, “Sierra’s Theme.”

“Shadow Kingdom“’ is an album of reinterpreted tracks from Bob Dylan’s vast back catalogue, originally selected for a 2021 live-streamed concert film following the pandemic-induced shutdown of Dylan’s famous Never Ending Tour. Thirteen classics, including ‘Forever Young’, ‘Queen Jane Approximately’ and ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’, are performed with Dylan’s impossibly husky, eighty-something baritone. Absolutely spellbinding.

Bob Dylan will release a live album drawn from the same concert as his 2021 film, “Shadow Kingdom”. The film will also be available to rent and download from June 6th. Below, see the tracklist and listen to the “Shadow Kingdom” version of his 1971 single “Watching the River Flow.”

In January, Dylan released the latest in his “Bootleg Series, Fragments – Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996-1997)“. A new Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet is in the works.

The film will be available for download and rental, and there will be a live album that includes the arrangements of the songs that were featured on the setlist, pulled from throughout Dylan’s career.