Archive for the ‘MUSIC’ Category

MINUS THE BEAR – ” Farewell “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Minus the Bear will release the “Farewell” live LP, later this month on October 29th via Suicide Squeeze Records. The album features previously unreleased live versions of fan favourites and deep cuts from throughout the band’s 17 year history, recorded at various dates along their 2018 farewell tour. The band have already shared one track from “Farewell“, a recording of “Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse” that Brooklyn Vegan writes “reminds you that Minus The Bear remained a powerful live band until the very end.” In anticipation of the upcoming release date, today they’re sharing a recording of “Lemurs, Man, Lemurs” from that aforementioned final run. The recording is one of 26 songs found on “Farewell”, which will be available as a 3xLP and on digital formats.

“Lemurs” was the first song we ever worked on—I remember writing those riffs in one of my shitty apartments on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Impossible to imagine it was the start of an amazing 18 year journey.” – David Knudson

When Minus the Bear played their debut show in Seattle back in September 2001, there was an immediate hype surrounding the band. The individual members had already established themselves on a national level with earlier music projects, and their debut EP This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic was already available at the merch table. Within the first few measures of their distinctive brand of nimble and dexterous indie rock, it was obvious to the audience that the insider buzz was well deserved. Twenty years later, we’re treated to “Farewell”—a 3xLP live album spanning their seventeen-year run and a sonic goodbye note to their fervent fanbase. Listening to “Farewell”, the listener is reminded of Minus the Bear’s ability to deliver their cerebral instrumentation, pensive song-writing, and serious musicianship with an infectious energy and celebratory spirit. It’s no wonder they ascended to such heights. 

But all things must pass. And so it was that Minus the Bear said farewell to their audience over the course of a US tour in the fall of 2018. They had always been a band that thrived in the live setting, so it only made sense to document those final performances for posterity. Recorded across multiple shows in a variety of cities, “Farewell” serves as both an approximation of the average night’s setlist on that final tour (the song selection changing slightly from night to night) and a chronicle of the band’s sonic evolution. Bolstered by the mix of Matt Bayles and master job by Ed Brooks at Resonant Mastering, the album sounds like a fully immersive live experience. ​​ 

Farewell opens with a highly energized performance of Menos el Oso’s crucial track “Drilling.” Part of the beauty of watching Minus the Bear was hearing their songs unfold on stage and realizing how little studio magic was actually involved in their albums. All the electric wizardry by guitarists David Knudson and Jake Snider, technicolor synth work by Alex Rose, and rhythmic interplay between drummer Joshua Sparks and bassist Cory Murchy happens in real time, and hearing the old favourites here in all their road-tested glory is an invigorating reminder of the band’s razor sharp performances and forward-thinking creativity. Minus the Bear were never a band to rest on their laurels, and Farewell immediately moves onto late career classics like the melancholic banger “Last Kiss.” The whole discography is covered—from first EP cuts like “Lemurs, Man, Lemurs” and “Hey, Wanna Throw Up?” to the title track of their final release “Fair Enough”. And in between we hear the roar of the crowd, the heartfelt thanks and bittersweet ruminations on the passing of the years by Snider, and the occasional dad joke by Rose. 

Farewell covers a lot of ground across the span of its 26 songs and two-hour run time. Yet every moment is a reminder of why Minus the Bear were such an experiential live band. 

Suicide Squeeze Records is proud to offer Farewell to the world on October 29th, 2021 as a 3xLP and on digital formats. The initial pressing was limited to 3,000 copies (1,900 on custom opaque gray vinyl – retail exclusive, 600 on custom opaque gold vinyl (SOLD OUT) – artist exclusive, 500 on custom opaque red vinyl (SOLD OUT) – label exclusive). Due to demand, a repressing of the Farewell Live LP in additional coloured variants is now available (1,000 on coke bottle green vinyl -artist exclusive, and 1,000 on white opaque vinyl

LAND OF TALK – ” Moment Feed “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Land of Talk has announced their new EP, “Calming Night Partner”, which will be released on November 12th, 2021. They’ve also shared the alternately urgent and atmospheric first single, “Moment Feed,” alongside its video—directed by AITSO. “During the making of this song I kept envisioning a time when we’d Finally get to play live shows again: A room full of bodies swaying, heads bopping, eyes smiling. All of us together. Together again,” explains bandleader Lizzie Powell. “I believe this song was made to warm up the room in all senses.” 

Land of Talk recorded “Calming Night Partner” during the pandemic and on the heels of 2020’s acclaimed Indistinct Conversations, which saw Powell embracing a newfound sense of self as a non-binary femme, and finding their voice in confronting both a painful past and oppressive constructs.

The new EP exists in a similarly therapeutic space, while further expanding Land of Talk’s lush and adventurous sound. Its songs juxtapose at times dark, difficult realities with light, cascading melodies.

The Band:

Elizabeth Powell: Guitars, vocals Mark “Bucky” Wheaton: Drums Chris McCarron: Bass Pietro Amato: French Horn, Keyboards Erik Hove: Saxophone

Land of Talk – “Moment Feed” from “Calming Night Partner” out November 12th, 2021

DO NOTHING – ” The EP’s “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Do nothing eps

Vinyl only compilation of the first two EPs “Zero Dollar Bill” and “Glueland” on coloured vinyl and housed in a gatefold sleeve. The band have quickly earned a reputation as an incendiary live act while out on tour across 2019 – their most recent run of touring culminated in their biggest show to date at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms. Equal parts Roxy-esque art rock, Ze/Celluloid Records no wave and intoxicating pop in the lineage of LCD Soundsystem and Talking Heads, Do Nothing songs are characterized by the acerbic lyricism of vocalist Bailey where every song feels like its own self-contained psychodrama.

“Zero Dollar Bill” was “Do Nothing” debut EP. Lead track is LeBron James, a sardonic swing at scammers and con men.

The 5 Track EP Glueland was released on their own label Exact Truth. The band, comprised of childhood friends vocalist Chris Bailey, guitarist Kasper Sandstrom, bassist Charles Howarth and Andrew Harrison on drums, have had a breakout 2020, with all three singles from debut EP Zero Dollar Bill – ‘Contraband’, ‘Fits’ and ‘LeBron James’ – landing on the BBC Radio 6 Music playlist. This EP was produced by Ali Chant at Toybox Studios in Bristol and mixed by Tom Rees, lead vocalist and guitarist of Cardiff band Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard.

Tracklist:

  • 1.Comedy Gold
  • 2.New Life
  • 3.Contraband
  • 4.Lebron James
  • 5.Fits
  • 6.Glueland
  • 7.Uber Alles
  • 8.Rolex
  • 9.Knives
  • 10.Great White Way
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DEAD MEADOW – ” Levitation Sessions “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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In the Autumn of 2020, Dead Meadow convened at Camp Mozumdar, hidden away in the mountains above Los Angeles, to record their Levitation Session at The Pillars of God. The film captures a full performance from the legendary trio, with all original members — Steve Kille (bass), Mark Laughlin (drums) and Jason Simon (guitar/vocals). The three rip through tracks across their discography in front of the monumental structure, part of a sprawling complex built by A.K. Mozumdar and his followers in the mid 20th century in the mountains of Crestline, California as a place of worship for people of all faiths.

“On moonlight nights, when the sky lowers itself with its myriad of stars and when the wooded hillside and desert play with lights and shadows, one’s heart is filled with gratitude just to be alive.” – A.K. Mozdumar “When Steve showed me the all-but-forgotten Pillars of God, tucked away down a mountainside dirt road, we both knew this was a place we needed to play. Dead Meadow has always been a retreat of sorts for us, a sanctuary of creativity and freedom. We learned the Pillars were built with similar ideas in mind, open for all as a place to turn towards an inner world. It seemed only fitting to break the longest period in our twenty year history without performing live at this nearly 100 year old monument. Our music echoed out into the night and travelled across the tree tops in the valley below. Come join us here, all are welcome.”

In October 2020 Dead Meadow recorded a live performance at the mystical ruins of Camp Mozumdar, the amphitheater Pillars of God.

The band’s Levitation Session gathers tracks from over 20 years of the band’s work, distilled into a potent 70 minute performance, featuring rare tracks and a handful that have never been released live before. Dead Meadow runs through classic live favourites like “Green Sky Green Lake”, “What Needs Must Be”, and “The Narrows” but then delves into more esoteric regions of their catalogue. “White Worm” occasionally finds its way into a set but is captured live for the first time here while “Jusiamere Farm” has not been played since shows in the early 2000s. Dead Meadow bring us a generous offering of psychedelic rock, imbued with the spirit that inspired The Pillars of God.

“Your mind is your inner empire. Whatever you vision yourself in your mental empire, the same you become.” – A.K. Mozdumar

Released March 5th, 2021

Setlist: 1. I Love You Too 2. Rains in the Desert 3. What Needs Must Be 4. Jusiamere Farm 5. Six To Let The Light Shine Thru… 6. Greensky Greenlake 7. The Light 8. Such Hawks Such Hounds 9. The White Worm 10. I’m Gone 11. The Narrows

SUKI WATERHOUSE – ” Moves “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Suki Waterhouse catalogs the most intimate, formative, and significant moments of her life through songs. You might recognize her name or her work as a singer, songwriter and  actress, but you’ll really get to know the multi-faceted artist through her music. Growing up in London, Suki gravitated towards music’s magnetic pull and always saw the medium as a way of expressing creativity and telling stories. Previous singles “Brutally”, “Good Looking” and “Valentine” drew comparisons to the Paisley Underground sound of Mazzy Star and to the 60s influenced girl group reimagining of bands like Stockholm’s The Concretes and Glasgow’s Camera Obscura. 

Megan Jasper, CEO of Sub Pop said, “Suki’s songs are smart, radiant, and incredibly engaging, much like her personality. We knew the minute we heard them that they were important and needed to be out in the world. Sub Pop is over the moon to be working with her!”

“Moves” illuminates the nuances of her sound. With gentle guitar strumming throughout the verses and a rhythmic bass permeating the chorus, Waterhouse warns she might “put some goddamn moves on you” with beautiful, haunting vocals. “Moves” is a song that dreams about the impossibility of, one day, being struck by a person who changes the course of your life.

“Moves” is a song I first started writing one night on the couch, picking up the guitar and seeing what came out,” writes Suki. “It was a moment where I felt the urge to both sever a bond of connection with somebody and yet at the same time pursue and put my trust back in love.”

Suki Waterhouse has released a brand-new single, “Moves” which comes with a visually stunning video directed by Cameron McCool. The track is the first to be released off her forthcoming full-length album, due out in 2022 via Sub Pop Records. “Moves” is Executive Produced by Grammy-Nominated Producer & Songwriter Brad Cook (Bon Iver, War On Drugs, Snail Mail, Waxahatchee). “Moves” is accompanied by companion track “My Mind,” a song that shows off Suki’s beautiful, airy vocals. 

“…songs that linger with you long after they’re over” – NME

“[Moves is] a hazed out, guitar-heavy daydream” – NYLON

Suki Waterhouse “Moves” New Single Debuts Today – Track to Appear on Forthcoming Album to be Released via Sub Pop Records in 2022

FLYYING COLOURS  – ” Fantasy Country “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Sun drenched shoegaze doesn’t come any finer than the sweet sound of Australian band Flyying Colours. The quintet includes (songwriter/vocalist)  Brodie J Brümmer, (guitarist/vocalist) Gemma O’Connor, (bassist) Melanie Barbaro and (drummer) Andy Lloyd Russell who shot to global attention with the release of formidable first album Mindfullness.

Residing on the legendary label Club AC30, a home for the most innovative acts and always a sure sign of quality, Flyying Colours have now returned with “Fantasy Country” – their first album release in five years which has reawakened the band’s passion with fans and critics calling it their best work.

Schoolfriends Brodie J Brümmer and Gemma O’Connor formed the Brunswick based band Flyying Colours in 2011, and immediately set about establishing themselves on the Melbourne gig scene by playing wherever and whenever they could. First single “Wavygravy” was soon followed by an eponymously tired debut EP in 2013, both of which proved the arrival of something truly special which began to gain traction throughout the rest of Australia and beyond.

Australian four-piece Flyying Colours release their sophomore album; taking inspiration from the early 90s UK psych / shoegaze scene, “Fantasy Country” is rich in sonic texture and shimmering atmospherics with a heavy dose of melody. From the swooning, sludgy ‘Goodtimes’ and urgent noise-fest of ‘Big Mess’, to the gorgeous melodic pop of ‘OK’, Flyying Colours look to redefine noise within the context of pop music. Elsewhere, ‘It’s Real’ is perfect, summery dreampop while the crushingly loud ‘White Knuckles’ and chugging ‘Boarding Pass’ is a hazy, echo-laden spaced-out affair. Having released their critically acclaimed debut album “Mindfullness” in 2016, Flyying Colours have spent much of their time on the road with headline shows across the UK and Europe.

Touring with such prestigious names as pinkshinyultrablast as well as Johnny Marr, Brian Jonestown Massacre and A Place To Bury Strangers; the band developed both the talent and the audience appetite for the release of album Mindfullness which more than met expectations when it dropped in September of 2016. The enormous international reaction to a record which wrapped gorgeous melodies and harmonious vocals inside indie, shoegaze, and psyche prompted a huge rise in profile and established them as one of the coolest cult bands of the current generation.

Despite riding high from their instant success, fans had to wait five long years for another full-length record – but “Fantasy Country” once again proved why Flyying Colours are so special. Featuring the singles “Ok” and “Big Mess”, their second album is gloriously radiant and is a culmination of all of their experiences travelling and playing all around the world.

“This album was supposed to now be 6-12 months old. We take touring and supporting our music live pretty seriously so it would have been very difficult for us to put out this album during the early stages of the pandemic. We are very lucky to be in Australia right now where shows are starting up again, and we of course hope to be touring internationally again soon” said Brümmer.

Fortunately, the time to tour will soon be at hand as Flyying Colours have now announced select shows in support of their essential “Fantasy Country” album. Released via Club AC30 and Poison City Records

07/05    Flyying Colours – The Chameleon, Nottingham

Taking “Fantasy Country” on tour, Flyying Colours will be heading to the UK during Spring 2022

PENELOPE ISLES – ” Which Way to Happy “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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This year sees the release of their highly anticipated new album “Which Way to Happy”.

When you’re trying to make it through tough times, you need a little light to find your way. That light blazes brightly on the alchemical second album from Penelope Isles, an album forged amid emotional upheaval and band changes. Setting the uncertainties of twentysomething life to alt-rock and psychedelic songs brimming with life, colour and feeling, Which Way to Happy emerges as a luminous victory for Jack and Lily Wolter, the siblings whose bond holds the band tight at its core. Produced by Jack and mixed by US alt-rock legend Dave Fridmann, the result is an intoxicating leap forward for the Brighton-based band, following the calling-card DIY smarts of their 2019 debut, “Until the Tide Creeps In“. Sometimes it swoons, sometimes it soars.

Sometimes it says it’s OK to not be OK. And sometimes it says it’s OK to look for the way to happy, too. Pitched between fertile coastal metaphors and winged melodies, intimate confessionals and expansive cosmic pop, deep sorrows and serene soul-pop pick-you-ups, it transforms “difficult second album” clichés into a thing of glorious contrasts: a second-album surge of up-close, heartfelt intimacies and expansive, experimental vision.

Their debut album “Until the Tide Creeps In” was produced by the band at the Bella Union studios in London and Brighton. They create dynamic blissed-out moments soaked in fuzz-noise waves – their songs fragile yet ferocious. Indie-psych currents and lustrous melodies blend with the siblings’ voices. To support the release they played over 150 shows all over the world, 

Penelope Isles will be playing headline dates in support of “Which Way to Happy”. See Penelope Isles at the The Bodega, Nottingham  Saturday 29th January 2022

BLACK COUNTRY NEW ROAD – ” Chaos Space Machine “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Looking for the new sound of alternative rock? Black Country, New Road draw on a wide sphere of influences and have risen to become The most innovative and exciting British band of the new generation with stunning debut album “For the First Time“. The London-based post-punk band Black Country, New Road have announced their second album, following 2021’s “For the First Time”. “Ants From Up There” is out February 4th via Ninja Tune. They’ve also shared the first new song from the album: “Chaos Space Marine.”

“We threw in every idea anyone had with that song,” frontman Isaac Wood said in t a statement. “So the making of it was a really fast, whimsical approach—like throwing all the shit at the wall and just letting everything stick.”

Vocalist and guitarist Isaac Wood, saxophonist Lewis Evans, keyboardist May Kershaw, drummer Charlie Wayne, guitarist Luke Mark, bassist Tyler Hyde, and violinist Georgia Ellery comprise the band Black Country, New Road. The band’s debut was nominated for the 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize. Following the release of celebrated debut album “For the First Time“; The London based experimental rockers have announced a series of exciting shows Black Country, New Road are set to go on tour next year.

“These guys have defied the odds to deliver a collection that’s all gold and no albatross.” – BBC Music

“The enigmatic London-based six-piece lay their flaws on the line in a jagged six-minute saunter of raw twists in course.” – The Line Of Best Fit

“Chaos Space Machine” off “Ants From Up There” released 4th February on Ninja Tune:

CATE Le BON – ” Running Away “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Cate Le Bon has announced her next record and shared its first single. Her sixth album is titled “Pompeii” and it’s out on February 4th via Mexican Summer Records. The single is “Running Away,” and it comes with a music video directed by Casey Raymond and recorded in the Factory in Porth, Wales. Check out the visual, as well as Le Bon’s upcoming U.K tour dates, below.

“Pompeii” was written and recorded in a quagmire of unease. Solo. In a time warp. In a house I had a life in 15 years ago,” Cate Le Bon said in a statement. “I grappled with existence, resignation and faith. I felt culpable for the mess but it smacked hard of the collective guilt imposed by religion and original sin.”

The subtitle is: You will be forever connected to everything. Which, depending on the time of day, is as comforting as it is terrifying. The sense of finality has always been here. It seems strangely hopeful. Someone is playing with the focus lens. The world is on fire but the bins must go out on a Tuesday night. Political dissonance meets beauty regimes. I put a groove behind it for something to hold on to. The grief is in the saxophones.

Cate Le Bon has announced a US/UK/EU tour for 2022. Tickets are on sale this Friday at 10 AM local time. Ticket + LP bundles are available for UK customers. All dates will be with Mega Bog.

03-14 Southampton, England – Engine Rooms
03-15 London, England – Hackney Empire
03-16 Manchester, England – Albert Hall
03-17 Glasgow, Scotland – SWG3 TV Studio
03-18 Belfast, Ireland – Empire Music Hall
03-19 Dublin, Ireland – The National Concert Hall
03-21 Liverpool, England – Arts Club
03-22 Leeds, England – Irish Centre
03-23 Birmingham, England – The Mill

Cate Le Bon released her fifth solo full-length Reward in 2019.

CASSANDRA JENKINS – ” (An Overview on) An Overview on Phenomenal Nature ” Demo’s

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Cassandra Jenkins released her second album “An Overview on Phenomenal Nature” earlier this year. On November 19th, Her Record label Ba Da Bing Records will release a collection of alternate takes, outtakes, and a new song culled from that album’s sessions. It’s called, appropriately enough, “(An Overview on) An Overview on Phenomenal Nature”.

“An Overview on Phenomenal Nature” emerged from the blue earlier this year. With pandemic unknowns and political upheaval leaving most at frayed ends, the New York-born musician’s assuring voice and expansive fresh take on song-writing created a much needed reflective space for listeners worldwide. As 2021 comes to a close, Jenkins revisits those flowing textures and refrains with “(An Overview On) An Overview On Phenomenal Nature“, a collection of previously unreleased sonic sketches, initial run-throughs, demos, and sound recordings from the cutting room floor that provided the scaffolding for what became one of this year’s most critically acclaimed albums.

When Jenkins visited Josh Kaufman’s studio this summer, they opened up their original sessions to uncover the ideas that were shed in the creative process. The new collection, “(An Overview On) An Overview On Phenomenal Nature“, isn’t merely a retrospective; it acts as a clear-eyed addendum as well as a compelling origin story, coming to life as a subconscious companion to the original album.

First takes of “New Bikini” and “Hailey” are born from opposite starting points; while “New Bikini” began as an airy alto meander, “Hailey’s origins lie in an upbeat dance track. On “Crosshairs (Interlude),” Jenkins’ pitched vocal delivers a straight monotone, recasting the format as poetry with music highlighting her words, and “Ambiguous Norway (Instrumental)” lifts the ambient nature of the mournful song into glimmering waves. The demo version of “Michelangelo” contains alternate lyrics “I’m Michelangelo, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle,” a lost contrast to the later verse where Jenkins’ likens herself to the sculptor. On “Hard Drive (Security Guard),” we join Jenkins as she listens to a passionate museum guard whose promised “overview” of the exhibit on view builds into a monologue of observations on art, politics, feminism and the human condition. This candid interaction evolved into the cornerstone and title of Jenkins’ album.

Before they decided to make an album together, Jenkins brought Kaufman a song called “American Spirits.” The dusky ballad takes us to the Texas plains via a voicemail from the payphone of a county jail (“Ms. Cassandra”). Cassandra sings, “Time here burns through the sunsets / Like you and a pack of American Spirits” over warm instrumentation with a vocal delivery that reinforces Jenkins’ unwavering tenderness towards her subjects.

(An Overview On) An Overview On Phenomenal Nature bookends Cassandra Jenkins’ musical output this year with nuance, colouring in the corners, and giving us another window into her ever-expanding world of chance encounters, experiences, and sonic textures. They glimmer like the sun’s changing patterns on the wall as a new day gets going. 

Releases November 19th, 2021

With performances by Matt Barrick, JT Bates, Eric Biondo, Stuart Bogie, Oliver Hill, Cassandra Jenkins, Josh Kaufman and Annie Nero.

Produced and Engineered by Josh Kaufman

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