The Fat Angel Sings

London dream-pop/shoegaze trio Deary announced their debut album, “Birding”, and shared its lead single, “Seabird.” “Birding” is due out April via Bella Union Records.

Of the new single, Easton says: “With the whole bird theme, there was also a direct nod to religious iconography—the majesty of feeling insignificant in the wider world. ‘Seabird’ is like a fable, a story of this person pleading to a bird and asking, ‘When does it get better?’ We wanted to recreate that kind of majesty, feeling insignificant to the wider world. It is the perfect introduction to the rest of the record in that regard.”

Across 11 tracks that run the gamut from ocean-deep shoegaze riffs to cloud-light sprinkles of ethereal indie, “Birding” is the sound of a band who have definitively found their groove.

Birds are alluring, fascinating creatures. Unencumbered by earthly concepts, they soar through the skies, only briefly interacting with those of us watching them from below. It’s like they inhabit a parallel world, almost, one where the turmoil of daily life on Earth is entirely escapable. When deary, the London– based dreampop three- piece of Ben Easton, Dottie Cockram and Harry Catchpole named their debut album “Birding”, it wasn’t just as an homage to our feathered friends- they were referencing the sense of expansion, wonder, and abandon their music evokes. They chose the title to draw attention to the direct impact humans have on the world around us, whether that be nature, or ourselves. 

With “Birding”, Deary have purposely evolved their sound, opting for starker lyrics and heavier instrumentation than on their previous releases. A perfect example of this is “Smile”, the album’s opener: amid buzzsaw guitars and airy windchimes, Dottie sings of the announcement of a national epidemic of violence against women. It’s a haunting track, and the first time the band have tackled such an intense subject matter. “Seabird”, the album’s lead single, takes “Smile’s” heaviness and transmutes it into something heartening. Propelled by Harry’s Portishead– esque backbeats, the track sonically resembles a wide open sky, with layer upon layer of guitar chords echoing to the heavens. Other focus tracks include the seven-and-a-half-minute long dreampop epic “Alfie” and “Alma”, probably the album’s most pop-forward moment

Of the album as a whole, Easton says: “I was writing the record in one of the worst periods of my life. I was not in a good space at all. Our last EP, “Aurelia”, was about transition, and how it’s cool to change. And “Birding” is, ‘Oh no, I‘ve made some really disruptive life decisions.’ The album came from an isolated, almost hopeless space, and you can hear that in parts of the record. But there are also moments that are very self-loving and meditative, and a bit more uplifting.”

Easton adds: “Our last EP was us trying to be deary, and this album is us being deary.”

Deary is Rebecca “Dottie” Cockram (guitar, vocals), Ben Easton (guitar), and Harry Catchpole (drums).

Kim Gordon (formerly of Sonic Youth) announced a new solo album, “PLAY ME”, and shared its first single, “Not Today,” via a music video. “PLAY ME” is due out March 13th via Matador. Kate & Laura Mulleavy directed the “Not Today” video. Kim Gordon’s vision of art and noise has come sharper into focus just as readily as it has changed—a paradigm of possibility that, four decades on, still feels like a dare.

“Play Me” is Kim Gordon’s third solo album and follows 2024’s “The Collective” and 2019’s “No Home Record”. As with those albums, Gordon once again collaborated with producer Justin Raisen (Charli XCX, Sky Ferreira, Yves Tumor).

Gordon had this to say about the album in a press release: “We wanted the songs to be short. We wanted to do it really fast. It’s more focused, and maybe more confident. I always kind of work off of rhythms, and I knew I wanted it to be even more beat-oriented than the last one. Justin really gets my voice and my lyrics and he understands how I work—that came forth even more on this record.” 

Play Me is distilled and immediate, expanding Gordon’s sonic palette to include more melodic beats and the motorik drive of krautrock.

Midlake is an American folk rock band from Denton, Texas, formed in 1999. The band consists of Eric Pulido, McKenzie Smith, Eric Nichelson, Jesse Chandler and Joey McClellan. 

Released for Record Store Day 2015 . Actor Jason Lee and director Eric Noren have produced and directed a new live concert film ‘Midlake “Live in Denton, TX’ for long-time Bella Union favourites Midlake. The footage was captured at the iconic concert venue Dan’s Silverleaf in Midlake’s hometown of Denton, TX, where the band had stopped off to play a local show while on tour promoting their fourth album ‘Antiphon’.

Limited edition 4-track 12″ vinyl EP is released with the ‘Midlake: Live in Denton, TX’ DVD for Record Store Day. The 12″ includes the tracks ‘The Old And The Young’, ‘Antiphon’, ‘Roscoe’ and ‘Going Down’. Includes a download code. It was Limited to 1000 copies.

Seventeen years ago today Bella Union Records released this masterpiece. As with all classic records, it still sounds as good today as it did all that time ago. A lot of people didn’t get Midlake at the beginning but Label owner Simon Raymonde did and he did everything I could to stoke the fires around Europe with promoter friends and press colleagues. It’s never easy at the start but you just have to keep the belief and move forward. A band who despite many hardships managed to fight through the pain and remain an important band on our roster all these years later. Live, they’ve never sounded better. Let’s raise a cheer to that strange character Van Occupanther.

Suffused with a romantic yearning for the simpler life, this was a record pitched between 1871, 1971 and somewhere out of time: between Henry David Thoreau and Neil Young’s After the Gold Rush, between 1970s Laurel Canyon thinking and a longing for something more mysterious. Rich reserves of wistful melody, dreamy horns, rolling guitars and plaintive pianos reflect its elusive, idiosyncratic narratives: a couple long to be robbed by bandits so they can start anew, an outcast scientist ponders his pariah status, a woman chases a frisky deer, a river leads who knows where yet leaves you little choice but to follow

Although I do distinctly remembering falling for the bubbling charms of Bamnan and Slivercork (the debut LP from Texan five piece Midlake), nothing had us at all prepped for those first bars of “Roscoe”, the era defining lead track to the band’s utterly seminal “The Trials of Van Occupanther“.

Originally released in late July 2006, it is an album of misty nostalgia, thick analogue rock and roll riffs, layers of ghostly harmonies and generations of swooning folk and lore. It’s just perfect, beautiful and evocative songs that tell a tale and keep you hooked to every inch of the stereo from it’s driving first beats to it’s soothing final hums. An album with very few equals.

Newly remastered and back on vinyl. “The Trials of Van Occupanther” is available now on 180g Opaque Marigold vinyl.

This self released pressing features artwork true to the original 2006 layout. Experience the album Rolling Stone celebrated for one of the greatest songs of the 2000s.

Modern Woman, the London-based art-rock band, began as the solo project of songwriter Sophie Harris and has since grown into a full four-piece blending post-punk, folk, and avant-garde influences. This week they released “Dashboard Mary,” the first single from their debut album, “Johnny’s Dreamworld”, out May 1st via One Little Independent. The track unfolds like a film in miniature, as Harris explains, “This is a song that I wanted to write like a film. I wanted to confront the feeling of the ‘morning after’ and the decisions made during that time of exhilaration the night before.”

“A vital theme I’ve always wanted in Modern Woman is the idea of conflicting things, of the tender/harsh, loud/quiet and scrappy/polished. The style of everybody’s playing, drawing from a melting pot of influences, coming together to form something new,” continues Harris.

This ethos informs “Dashboard Mary” and the wider album, defining a sound that is delicate one moment, raw and untamed the next. Layers of violin and saxophone stretch across a foundation of propulsive drums and bass, creating something methodical yet volatile. Harris’ lyrics remain rooted in the female experience; “I find it interesting to explore the rawer side of femininity that is often hidden; girlhood relationships and the complexities of female fixation and obsession.”

“Johnny’s Dreamworld” gathers these ideas into a full-bodied debut, exploring the strange poetry of the everyday while navigating the contradictions of womanhood. From tender introspection to explosive release, the album cements Modern Woman as one of the UK’s most distinctive new voices. 

Singer songwriter Mitski has announced a new album, “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me“, and shared its lead single, “Where’s My Phone?,” via a music video. 

Regular Mitski collaborator Patrick Hyland produced and engineered “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me”, which was mastered by Bob Weston. Mitski wrote all the songs and performed all the vocals on the album and was backed by her touring band. She also recorded with an orchestra, at Sunset Sound and TTG Studios, arranged and conducted by Drew Erickson and engineered by Michael Harris.

Noel Paul directed the “Where’s My Phone?” video, which was based on Shirley Jackson’s 1962 novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle. New Yorker cartoonist Emily Flake has done a special cartoon for the song .

Mitski has shared “I’ll Change for You,” the second single from her forthcoming album “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” following the January 16 release of “Where’s My Phone?” Additionally, Mitski has announced that she’ll promote the new LP with residencies across the world, including six nights at The Shed in New York, five nights at Hollywood High School in LA, and four nights at the Sydney Opera House. 

“Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” is Mitski’s eighth album and follows 2023’s “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We “ 2022’s “Laurel Hell”  and “Be the Cowboy”,

“Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” is due out February 27th via Dead Oceans.

Tori Amos’s seventeenth album, “In Times Of Dragons” considers modern times, wherein “the pursuit of freedom meets forces that seek to control and silence.” She also tours Europe in April and May. “In Times Of Dragons” is a metaphorical story about the fight for democracy over tyranny, reflecting the current abhorrent non-accidental burning down of democracy in real time by the ‘Dictator believing Lizard Demons’ in their usurpation of America,” reports Amos.

Tori Amos aims her biting lyricism and razor-sharp perspective at America’s political landscape.

The songwriter describes “In Times of Dragons“, her 18th album, as “a metaphorical story about the fight for Democracy over Tyranny.” She adds that it reflects “the current abhorrent non accidental burning down of democracy in real time by the ‘Dictator believing Lizard Demons’ in their usurpation of America.”

Amos has never taken half-measures in her music, and this project appears to continue that tradition. The album’s spring 2026 release window remains the only confirmed detail so far. That said, the political themes are clear from her description

War Child Announce Stacked “HELP(2)” Charity Album, the album Also Features Pulp, Olivia Rodrigo, Depeche Mode, Big Thief, Wet Leg, Young Fathers, Cameron Winter, Damon Albarn, Anna Calvi, Ellie Rowsell, Nilüfer Yanya, Fontaines D.C., Beth Gibbons, The Last Dinner Party, Beck, Bat For Lashes, and More

The British charity War Child UK have announced a massive charity album, “HELP(2)”, and shared its first single, a brand new song from Arctic Monkeys, “Opening Night.” “HELP(2)” has a stacked line-up also featuring new tracks by Pulp, Olivia Rodrigo, Depeche Mode, Big Thief, Wet Leg, Young Fathers, Cameron Winter, Damon Albarn, Anna Calvi, Ellie Rowsell, Nilüfer Yanya, Fontaines D.C., Beth Gibbons, The Last Dinner Party, Beck, Bat For Lashes, English Teacher, and more.

“HELP(2)” is the spiritual sequel to War Child’s 1995 album “HELP”, which is regarded as one of the greatest charity albums of all time and featured Radiohead, Portishead, Oasis, Blur, Massive Attack, Suede, Manic Street Preachers, Sinéad O’Connor, Paul McCartney, Paul Weller, and many other notable British artists of the era. Some of those artists return for “HELP(2)”, including Portishead’s Beth Gibbons and Adrian Utley and Blur’s Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon. There have been various other War Child charity albums since “HELP”, but this one feels closest in scale to the original album.

In demand producer James Ford produced the album, recording it mainly over the course of one week last November at Abbey Road Studios. The original “HELP” album was famously all recorded in one day at different studios across the globe and released only a week later.

Some of the collaborations run deeper than what’s represented on the tracklist. For example, Damon Albarn, Grian Chatten, and Kae Tempest’s song “Flags” also featured a super-group that included Johnny Marr, The Invisible’s Dave Okumu, and Portishead’s Adrian Utley all on guitar; Gorillaz’s Seye Adelekan on bass; Femi Koleoso from Ezra Collective on drums; as well as an all-star choir including Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker, Marr, Carl Barat, Declan McKenna, English Teacher, Black Country, New Road, Marika Hackman, Rosa Walton, and Nadia Kadek. Olivia Rodrigo’s closing cover of The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love” features Graham Coxon on guitar. Coxon also collaborates with English Teacher on “Parasite.” And the new song “Sunday Light” features Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell, Anna Calvi, Nilüfer Yanya, and Dove Ellis.

War Child UK works to benefit children in war-torn areas and “HELP(2)” is accompanied by a film put together by Jonathan Glazer, for which children shot behind the scenes footage of the making of the album. It also includes footage shot in Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan.

Arctic Monkeys had this to say in a press release: “When James Ford called and asked if we’d contribute to the “HELP(2)” album we set to work on a song idea and assembled in Abbey Road to record it. We are proud to support the invaluable work War Child do and hope the record will make a positive difference to the lives of children affected by war.”

James Ford says: “I felt incredibly honoured when War Child asked me to work on “HELP(2)“. The original “HELP” meant a lot to me and to have the opportunity, given the current news cycle, to help galvanize our music community into doing something as unarguably positive as helping children in war zones seemed like a no brainer. The experience of making the album itself has been very powerful, and dare I say life affirming for me personally, against the backdrop of a very difficult year. I’m extremely proud of the results and of the efforts made by all involved. I can’t wait for people to hear this very special record. ”

Jonathan Glazer says: “It has been such a privilege to be part of bringing a team together to film this incredible collective effort.”

Rich Clarke, Head of Music at War Child UK, says: “HELP(2)” is more than an album. It’s a powerful example of what can happen when the music industry comes together around a shared purpose. It has united a diverse group of artists and creatives in support of War Child’s vital work with children affected by the devastating impacts of war. We are immensely grateful to all the artists and teams who have donated their voices, talent and time to support our mission to ensure that no child is caught up in conflict zones. We hope this record not only raises vital funds, but also awareness of the urgent need to turn compassion into action and do more to protect children living through war.”

It is due out March 6th via War Child Records.

“HELP(2)” Tracklist:

01. Arctic Monkeys – “Opening Night”
02. Damon Albarn, Grian Chatten & Kae Tempest – “Flags”
03. Black Country, New Road – “Strangers”
04. The Last Dinner Party – “Let’s do it again!”
05. Beth Gibbons – “Sunday Morning”
06. Arooj Aftab & Beck – “Lilac Wine”
07. King Krule – “The 343 Loop”
08. Depeche Mode – “Universal Soldier”
09. Ezra Collective & Greentea Peng – “Helicopters”
10. Arlo Parks – “Nothing I Could Hide”
11. English Teacher & Graham Coxon – “Parasite”
12. Beabadoobee – “Say Yes”
13. Big Thief – “Relive, Redie”
14. Fontaines D.C. – “Black Boys on Mopeds”
15. Cameron Winter – “Warning”
16. Young Fathers – “Don’t Fight the Young”
17. Pulp – “Begging for Change”
18. Sampha – “Naboo”
19. Wet Leg – “Obvious”
20. Foals – “When the War is Finally Done”
21. Bat For Lashes – “Carried my girl”
22. Anna Calvi, Ellie Rowsell, Nilüfer Yanya & Dove Ellis – “Sunday Light”
23. Olivia Rodrigo – “The Book of Love”

January 20th marked the 20th anniversary of Cat Power’s masterpiece “The Greatest”. The occasion delivers us the “Redux” EP, featuring three stellar tracks recorded with her touring band The Dirty Delta Blues, featuring the vast experience of Judah Baeur (The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), Gregg Foreman (The Delta 72, Jesse Malin), Erik Paparozzi (Lizard Music), and Jim White (Dirty Three, The Hard Quartet).

The EP bursts into life with “Try Me,” a wonderful re-recording of James Brown’s solid-gold anthem. Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) has a long standing reputation for delivering excellent interpretations of existing tracks and she hits the mark again here. It should stand deservedly tall as a perfect embodying of the love and passion that goes into the music of Cat Power. Incidentally, it’s also a fantastic indication of how she would later go onto embody Bob Dylan for her monumental live album, “Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert”.

However excellent the cover versions may be, the EP also features a reworked version of Marshall’s own “Could We,” a true testament to how well her own material continues to sound 20 years down the line. It’s the stomping sound of the blues given a new lick of paint.

The Redux EP concludes with a very special tribute, a magnificent rendition of Prince’s iconic “Nothing Compares 2 U” (made famous by the late Sinéad O’Connor). You would be hard pressed to argue against this version more than matching the pure genius of the original. Marshall’s genius breathing new life into everything she touches (covers).

This inclusion is bittersweet as it was recorded in tribute to the late, great guitarist Teenie Hodges, a legendary member of The Memphis Rhythm Band that backed Cat Power on “The Greatest” and with whom she formed a close bond before his passing in 2014.

This year will see Cat Power perform “The Greatest” in its entirety with a series of 20th anniversary live shows beginning in North America in February and reaching the UK in November.

Here’s a new release not on Sonic Cathedral that I’ve been listening to a lot. It’s the new one by The Orielles, which would have been a double A-side single in old money. Conveniently, both tracks feature on the video below. It’s understated and experimental and equal parts beautiful and unnerving. You could even call it Lynchian. Through this process of creative renewal, the Manchester-based trio – completed by drummer Sidonie Hand-Halford – have managed to weather a pandemic, defy the fickleness of a trend-led music industry, and emerge, phoenix-like, with something familiarly Orielles, yet altogether different.

Recorded in two locations – Hydra and Hamburg – over the summer of 2024, the 11 tracks of “Only You Left” sees the band consolidate the bold experimentation of their previous LP, “Tableau” (2022), with a return to the more stripped-back, song-led approach of their early origins.

“There’s nothing more trad than a three-piece,” quips Henry, in reference to the band’s decision to return to their roots as a trio. Originally from Halifax, the Orielles first came to recognition in 2018 with their debut album, the indie-rock “Silver Dollar Moment“, which is approaching its eighth birthday in February 2026. “These things come in like seven year cycles. So we’ve come in like a full circle back to a familiar place, just as different people.”

By exploring binaries and contrasts, the Orielles are finding shapes in the chaos and confusion of the world around us – it’s an undertaking that benefits from more than 15 years of close collaboration, driven by friendship and the artistic compulsion to find meaning in music

Henry Carlyle Wade – Guitar, Synth Esme Dee Hand-Halford – Bass, Vocals, Guitar, Organ Sidonie B Hand-Halford – Drums, Percussion, Guitar, Organ Joel Anthony Patchett – Piano

Written by Henry Carlyle Wade, Esmé Dee Hand-Halford, and Sidonie B Hand-Halford.