New footage Of Prince from his final European tour has been uploaded to his official YouTube channel. The spectacular clip features the entire 21-minute “CRAZY2COOL” medley – a mash-up of Prince hits “Let’s Go Crazy”, “Take Me With U”, “Raspberry Beret” and “U Got The Look” plus “The Time’s Cool” and Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” – recorded 1st June 2014 at Le Zénith, Paris, France.
The video has been released to celebrate the new partnership between The Prince Estate and French football club, Paris Saint-Germain. Prince’s love for the French capital city is well known – he kept an apartment in Paris for many years and performed there on countless occasions, including and a historic 16th June 1990 performance at the Parc des Princes, the home of Paris Saint-Germain. To celebrate his love for the city, an exclusive, limited-edition 7” vinyl single and two limited-edition apparel capsules are being released. The limited-edition vinyl is available now from PSG’s Paris Megastore and online at PSG.FR and PRINCE.COM; the apparel collections will be available exclusively from the PSG Megastore, the PSG Champs-Élysées store and PSG.FR from 24 May.
The 7” vinyl, released in collaboration with Warner Records, features the hits “Partyman“, originally released on Prince’s 1989 soundtrack to the film, Batman, and a previously unreleased live version of “The Time’s Cool“, taken that CRAZY2COOL medley at the 1st June 2014 Le Zénith.
In addition, Paris Saint-Germain has collaborated with GRAMMY-nominated creative director and Prince associate Trevor Guy and Prince’s personal late-career clothing designers, Cathy Robinson and Lori Marcuz of Toronto-based studio, Call & Response, to develop a bespoke premium fashion capsule that honours Prince’s status as an style icon. The exclusive collection includes an official 2020-21 PSG fourth kit shirt printed with Prince’s u symbol alongside gold and metallic hand-sewn leather features.
PSG are also launching a “Prince of the Parc” streetwear essentials collection, which consists of Prince-inspired t-shirts, crewnecks, hoodies and hats.
Gary Moore appeared at London’s Islington Academy on December 2nd, 2009, for a defining one-off showcase of some of blues-rock’s biggest names, doing what they do best in an intimate club setting. Nobody in the sell-out crowd that night suspected they were witnessing one of his final shows, but when Moore passed away fourteen months later in 2011, at just 58 years old, the show took on a new level of sentimentality. “Live From London” captures the blazing performance which is widely cherished as one of his great last stands.
“Live From London” documents a special one-off club show recorded on December 2nd, 2009 at Islington Academy, almost 10 years ago to the day, and it’s widely regarded as one of his very best. This is Gary mining every corner of his catalogue for gold.
Though I was getting bored with the blues albums, and yearned for a return to the Celtic rock of the mid 80’s, it can’t be denied that Gary’s playing, and particularly his voice, soared in the genre. GaryMoore just seemed to let loose and shredded his ass off. Blues purists no doubt scorned, but for real Gary fans, this was the real Gary. Tone, passion, technique to burn, phrasing, melody… The guy had it ALL in spades, and was unparalleled in this respect. This is brilliant stuff, and would get the full 5 star review, but for the fact some songs have apparently been cut from the vinyl version, so I feel somewhat short changed. Gary could solo for an hour, and you wouldn’t get bored, so even missing a single note is annoying. Anyhow, lets hope the archives keep being mined. We all miss him immensely, but albums like this keep him “alive”, and inspire, I hope, whole new generations of players.
T. Hardy Morris of Diamond Rugs and Dead Confederate will release a new solo album, The Digital Age of Rome, on June 25 via New West imprint Normaltown Records.
Morris had originally intended to record a different album — he had 13 songs ready — with his live band, but then the pandemic hit. He ended up writing a whole new record and enlisted friends, including Drive-By Truckers drummer Brad Morgan and singer-songwriter Faye Webster, to help him make it.
The new single from the album is “Down & Out” a glistening slice of melancholy dreampop. “The song was written during the throes of the pandemic / lockdown and I was just mulling over how ill-equipped we are as a country for something like a pandemic,” Hardy tells us. “People often say we are a young country, but during the lockdowns I started to think maybe we are a country at a more of a mid-life crisis. Like taking stock of the life we have created, full of regrets and unsure of the best path forward for our future. So that’s where the ‘over-the-hill’ line came from.”
Heading into the spring of 2020, T. Hardy Morris had 12 demos that he thought would make-up his next album, then, everything changed. The world took a break and so his plans to record did as well. As we all watched and waited out the storms; viral and societal, we seemed to wake up scrolling through a whole new century, a time Morris began to refer to as The Digital Age of Rome.
He scrapped the demos and began a collection of songs in quarantine where the unprecedented times and topics were unavoidable. He wanted to document the era sonically and lyrically in some way.
“I wanted it to sound like how the world felt to me in the second half of 2020. Uncomfortable and chaotic, dystopian but still beautiful.”
Lead Vocals: T. Hardy Morris Additional Vocals: Faye Webster, Shelly Colvin, Adam Landry Drums: Brad Morgan (Drive-by Truckers), Adam Landry Bass: Vaughn Lamb, Adam Landry Electric Guitar: Charlton Eugene Woolfolk III, Adam Landry, T. Hardy Morris Acoustic Guitar: T. Hardy Morris, Adam Landry Steel Guitar: Matt “Pistol” Stoessel Keys: Adam Landry Percussion: Adam Landry, T. Hardy Morris
The Digital Age of Rome was recorded in a deserted downtown Athens, Ga. With long-time collaborator / producer Adam Landry.
It’s time for knives. On the first of March, 2020, John Darnielle, Peter Hughes, Matt Douglas, and Jon Wurster, aka the Mountain Goats band, visited legendary studio Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis, TN. Darnielle armed his band with new songs and reunited with producer Matt Ross-Spang who engineered last year’s In League with Dragons. In the same room where the Cramps tracked their 1980 debut album, the Mountain Goats spent a week capturing the magic of a band at the top of its game. The result is Getting Into Knives, the perfect album for the millions of us who have spent many idle hours contemplating whether we ought to be honest with ourselves and just get massively into knives.
The Mountain Goats started 2021 on the small screen Friday night with a rapturous TV performance of “Get Famous” for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The band (comprised of John Darnielle, Matt Douglas, Peter Hughes, and Jon Wurster) recorded the session late last year at Overdub Lane with an expanded band including Dexter Moses and Annalise Stalls on saxophone and clarinet, Joe MacPhail on organ, and Chris Boerner on guitar. Watch the “Getting Into Knives” highlight today!
John Darnielle – Vocals, Guitar Matt Douglas – Keys, Saxophone, Guitar Peter Hughes – Bass Vocals Jon Wurster – Drums Dexter Moses – Saxophone Annalise Stalls – Clarinet Joe MacPhail – Organ Chris Boerner – Guitar
the Mountain Goats new album ‘Getting Into Knives’ is out now on Merge Records.
The Alarm formed in the ’80s and released their first album on IRS Records. The album, Declaration was issued in 1984 and brought the band to worldwide notice with the release of their single hit, “Sixty Eight Guns”. It was followed by the release of their second album, Strength (1985), which produced its own Top 40 single. With only five albums in their catalogue, the band was important to many fans.
The Alarm – History Repeating – CD / LP / BOX SET / COLLECTION due for June 4th Release. The brand new 40th Anniversary Double CD / Double LP / Box Set collection. The Double CD Edition features 44 of The Alarms biggest singles and greatest songs, while the Double LP features 27 classic tracks across four sides of vinyl. The History Repeating Box Set has 47 tracks with 46 of them totally unique to the 4 x LP collection. The Box Set tells a more alternative story of TheAlarm history with at least one essential recording from every year of the group’s timeline, including many important live recordings from the most iconic milestones of the band’s lifetime along with many rare recordings and fan favourites to complete this most comprehensive document of the Alarm story.
Every single one of the 90 tracks that make up the collection, have been mastered by Pete Maher and the compilation produced by Mike Peters with artwork lovingly created by Mike and illustrator Dan Shearn. Spanning all eras of The Alarm Timeline, History Repeating 1981 – 2021 brings together all of the bands ‘Crown Jewels’, including a brand new and previously unreleased recording of the title track, and features all of the keynote tracks that have helped create The Alarm’s phenomenal and loyally dedicated following.
History Repeating is available to pre-order now including a special offer Complete Collection Edition.The Double CD comes in a replica LP gatefold sleeve configuration, and is the most comprehensive ‘Best Of’ ever released by the group since 1998’s Best of The Alarm and Mike Peters. The Double LP Edition comes in a gatefold configuration and is the first ‘Best O’f compilation to appear on vinyl since 1990s Standards.
History Repeating is the record every single Alarm fan will want to own with its distinctive Red Poppy cover and beautiful depiction of The Alarm family across the inner gatefold.150 copies of the History Repeating 4 x LP Vinyl Box Set have been created exclusively for www.thealarm.com and this final print run is also available to pre-order now. The Box Set itself is beautifully crafted with each LP housed in a their own sleeve with a 48 page booklet that includes a personal history of the band written by Mike Peters, along with exclusive photos shot at important historic sites unique to The Alarm’s history.
A History Repeating Complete Collection which brings together all the formats is also available exclusively in the alarm.com store. The History Repeating Complete Collection includes the 4 x LP set plus a Double LP Edition along with the Double CD Edition and also copies of the 10 track Time 1981 – 2021 Collectors CD and 7″ Vinyl EP that feature unique acoustic versions and spoken recollections by Mike Peters.
Tracklistings are as follows:
HISTORY REPEATING 1981 – 2021
CD ONE 2021-2000 History Repeating [Brand New 2021 Recording]Two Rivers [Previously Unreleased Version]Equals [Lead Single Version]Brighter Than The Sun [Lead Single Version]Heroine [Lead Single Version]Beautiful [Lead Single Version]Blood Red Viral Black [Lead Single Version]There Must Be A Way [Single Version]In The Poppy Fields [Lead Single Version]A Breed Apart [Lead Single Version]Free Rock And Roll [Previously Unreleased Mike Peters Vocal Version]Everafter [Lead Single Version]Direct Action [Lead Single Version]All Seeing [Lead Single Version]Alarm Calling [Lead Single Version]Three Sevens Clash [Lead Single Version]Raindown [Single Version]Superchannel [Single Version]New Home New Life [Single Version]45 RPM [Single Version]The Drunk And The Disorderly [Lead Single Version]Close [Single Version]
CD TWO: Flesh And Blood [Previously Unreleased Radio Edit Version]Rise [Lead Single Version]Feel Free [Lead Single Version]Breathe [Lead Single Version]Raw [Single Version]Love Dont Come Easy [Single Version]A New South Wales [Single Version]Sold Me Down The River [Single Version]Presence Of Love [Single Version]Rescue Me [Single Version]Rain In The Summertime [Single Version]Knife Edge [Single Version]Spirit Of 76 [Previously Unreleased Radio Edit Version]Strength [Single Version]Absolute Reality [Single Version]The Chant Has Just Begun [Single Version]The Deceiver [Single Version]Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke? [Single Version]Sixty Eight Guns [Single Version]The Stand [Single Version]Marching On [Single Version]Unsafe Building [Single Version]Click here to order to order the double
CDHISTORY REPEATING 1981 – 2021 DOUBLE LP EDITION
Side One (1981-1986)Marching On [Single Version]The Stand [Single Version]Sixty Eight Guns [Single Version]Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke? [Single Version]Absolute Reality [Single Version]Strength [Single Version]Spirit Of ’76 [Previously Unreleased Radio Edit Version]
Side Two (1987-1991)Rain In The Summertime [Single Version]Rescue Me [Single Version]Presence Of Love [Single Version]Sold Me Down The River [Single Version]A New South Wales [Single Version]Love Don’t Come Easy [Single Version]Raw [Single Version]
Side Three (2000-2009)Close [Single Version]45 RPM [Single Version]Superchannel [Single Version]New Home New Life [Single Version]Raindown [Single Version]Three Sevens Clash [Album Version]All Seeing [Video Version]
Side Four (2010-2021)Direct Action [ Lead Single Version]A Breed Apart [Lead Single Version]In The Poppy Fields [Lead Single Version]Brighter Than The Sun [Single Version]Two Rivers [Previously Unreleased Version]
History Repeating [Brand New 2021 Recording]Click here to order the double LP version HISTORY REPEATING 1981 – 2021 COMPLETE COLLECTION [Special Offer]The Complete Collection which is exclusive to www.thealarm.com features both the CD and Double LP Edition of History Repeating plus the 4 x LP Box Set Edition which features 47 tracks in total.46 of the 47 tracks are unique to the box set edition.
The Box Set tells a more alternative story of Alarm history with at least one essential recording from every year of the group’s timeline plus many important live recordings from the most iconic milestones of the band’s life along with many rare b-sides and fan favourites to complete this most comprehensive document of Alarm History. The Box Set also comes with a 48 page book featuring exclusive photos and extensive sleeve notes written personally by Mike Peters. This exclusive collection also comes with both CD and 7″ EP copies of Time (an album of acoustic recordings and spoken recollection by Mike Peters), that was made available to fans at the pre-order stage of this momentous release.
HISTORY REPEATING 4 X LP BOX SET EDITION The 4 x LP Box Set Edition is exclusive to www.thealarm.com featuring 47 tracks in total.
On June 4th, The Alarm will celebrate their years with a 40th Anniversary anthology of music entitled History Repeating 1981-2021. The album’s song list is being kept under wraps (until May 22) to allow for a special event with Mike Peters, whereby he will present attending fans with first copies of History Repeating 1981-2021. The collection will be issued on 2CD, DD, and vinyl 4LP sets.
May 11th, 2021, marks the return of Shannon Lay with the official video for “Rare To Wake” a gorgeous new single which is now available at all DSPs, and first material since the release of her acclaimed 2019 label debut “August”.
Shannon says of “Rare to Wake”: “Change is a constant in every aspect of our experience yet sometimes it is difficult to accept. Without change we cannot become who we are meant to be and with change comes the upheaval and transformation of who we were. There is an inevitable discomfort that comes with challenging the environments, roles and identities we embody throughout our lives. Trust that part of yourself that knows you’re on the right track, even when it’s challenging. That trust and love helps to guide and reassure us as we explore new realms.
Wherever you are in your adventures let this song be a reminder to never be afraid to receive and accept the changes that beckon you to grow and evolve. Allow yourself to awaken and embrace your many destinies. When your heart feels heavy ask yourself what needs to be cleared out. That new found space will be occupied by something better, something brighter, something that lifts you up; make way.” You can watch the new video for “Rare to Wake” which was directed by Kai MacKnight
Today marks the return of Shannon Lay with the official video for “Rare to Wake,” which serves as “a reminder to never be afraid to receive and accept the changes that beckon you to grow and evolve.”
“Rare to Wake” by Shannon Lay (Release Date: May 11th, 2021)
New York indie rock band Wild Pink recently unveiled what seemed to be one of the most beloved albums of this year so far, “A Billion Little Lights”. It came out in February, and the John Ross-led project is already back with a new song EP titled “3 Songs” out next month. (In the interim they also combined a bunch of covers they’d recorded for various comps into the “6 Cover Songs” EP, none of which was new but all of which was certainly of interest if you love Wild Pink.)
The lead single from 3 Songs is a weightless, immersive track, “Ohio,” with singer-songwriter Samia. Samia, who’s been very busy doing a lot of collaborations lately (including with Christian Lee Hudson, Bartees Strange, and Homeschool ), only adds to the ethereal, romantic atmosphere of Wild Pink’s floating ballads. The nearly four-minute track feels aimless, but with a purpose; it encompasses the sensation of a reverie.
John Ross played guitar, bass, keys and sang Dan Keegan played drums Samia sang on “Ohio” Stephen Chen played saxophone on “Ohio” Ellis Ludwig-Leone wrote string arrangements for “Leferever” Andie Tanning & Gokce Erem played violins on “Leferever” Mike Slo-Mo Brenner played pedal steel on “Leferever”
Sleater Kinney have announced a new album, “Path of Wellness”. Out June 11th, the follow-up to 2019’s “The Centre Won’t Hold” it’s their first record to be recorded without Janet Weiss since the drummer joined the group in 1996. To round out the new record, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein invited local Portland musicians to the studio. It is their first LP to be self-produced, and it’s coming out on Mom+Pop Records.
Watch the video for new song “Worry With You”.
Sleater-Kinney’s 10th studio album was recorded in Portland, Oregon during the summer of 2020′ against a backdrop of social unrest, devastating wildfires, and a raging pandemic. It’s music for an imagined togetherness. This marks the first Sleater-Kinney album produced by the band members themselves.
The band has also added a date in August on tour with Wilco.
Sleater-Kinney with their tenth album, Path of Wellness, on June 11th via Mom + Pop.
The first single is “Worry With You,” which finds the band kind of navigating the middle ground between the funkier vibe of The Center Won’t Hold and the more stripped-back rock sound of their classic records. It’s unmistakably Sleater-Kinney, and you can check it out for yourself by watching the Alberta Poon-directed video .
Ahead of the release of their new album, “Blue Weekend” due out June 4th via RCA/Dirty HitRecords(pre-order on limited transparent green vinyl), UK powerhouse Wolf Alice have unveiled another single and video, “No Hard Feelings.”
As opposed to previous single “Smile”,“ “No Hard Feelings” is soft, simple, and sweet, a heartfelt and tender ballad, decorated with delicate finger-picking and angelic choral sighs. Vocalist Ellie Rowsell’s soft-spoken delivery is clear and vulnerable throughout, as she expresses her decision to ‘wave the white flag’ in the face of a difficult break-up, choosing to move on and forgive rather than harbour any feelings of resentment toward the other person or pain regarding the loss.
The track’s accompanying music video is dreamlike and drenched in color, with beautifully atmospheric shots of Ellie and her leather jacket-clad partner standing in an embrace before they part ways.
Get “Blue Weekend” available on Limited edition Green Vinyl (A BV North America exclusive).
The Fat Angel Sings 