Archive for the ‘MUSIC’ Category

After an agonising long wait for new Foo Fighters music, we finally got a new single in the form of the surprisingly funky ‘Shame Shame’. There was a lot of teasing over the last week or so for what appears to be a new Foo Fighters album, yes, they have a new album coming called “Medicine At Midnight” and the first single off it is called ‘Shame Shame’, perhaps unlike any Foo Fighters single we’ve heard either as the band really go hard on the groove and funk with this new banger. Think of a poppy dance track but done with the Foo Fighters’ guitar-heavy aesthetic.

Since this was a new musical direction for the band, Chris Shiflett and Nate Mendel unpack what they were going for this time around. And as with most Foo Fighters songs, it all begins with Dave Grohl. During last night’s episode of Saturday Night Live, musical guest Foo Fighters took the opportunity to debut “Shame Shame” from their new album. The new record—also announced on Saturday—is titled Medicine at Midnight and is out on February 5th, 2021 via Roswell Records/RCA.

“[‘Shame Shame’] kind of stands out on the record, it’s definitely a little different than anything we’ve ever done before and it’s a little bit different than anything else on the record, although the record has a lot of songs that are, you know, groove-based like this one is,” says Chris. “Dave’s a drummer so he’s always coming up with rhythmic twists and riffs based on rhythms that he hears in his head.”

The lyrics reference feelings of shame and the music video, which will be released soon, is something we haven’t really seen from the Foos before. So were the band feeling shameful when writing ‘Shame Shame’? “That’s a great question to ask Dave!” laughs Chris. “He wrote the lyrics, I don’t really know what he’s referencing so I should ask him!”.

Ambiguous lyrics aside, the band went through a number of wildly different versions of ‘Shame Shame’ before settling on the final one we got. In fact, Nate says he originally wasn’t even supposed to play on the song. “For ‘Shame Shame’, it started of as just a bunch of clicks from Dave [clicks fingers], almost like flamenco, and it just grew out of that,” recalls Nate. “There wasn’t going to be any bass line originally, like, it just felt like it needed keyboards and I was fine with that.” The November 7th episode of SNL featured the venerable alt-rockers performing in support of host Dave Chappelle. In a fortuitous twist, Saturday was also the day that Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election, likely resulting in an increased viewership which made this the ideal opportunity for Dave Grohl and co. to share their new music.

“Shame Shame” starts off sparing, with the song built around pulsating beats. For the first verse, Grohl is just focused on his vocals as the rhythm is controlled by his fellow guitarists Christopher Shiflett and Pat Smear. Along with the help of a pair of backup vocalists, the song takes a delicate and lyrical approach which displays an added layer of depth that is hopefully present throughout the band’s 10th studio endeavor. “I like the idea that you don’t need an electric bass on every single fucking song, and I ended up playing on it just to give it extra character on top of what was already there like a bit of extra added texture. So that was the plan, just to throw out the rule book.” There was a lot of talk about how Medicine At Midnight would contain a riff Dave has been working on for 25 years. So did we hear it on ‘Shame Shame’?,

Foo Fighters also performed “Times Like These” from their 2002 album One By One.

Stay tuned for more Foo Fighters coverage because we got a lot more from Chris and Nate about the Medicine At Midnight, dealing with COVID and lockdown, looking back on the Foo Fighters’ long career, and that 25-year-old riff coming very soon.

Keith Richards has done a lot of great stuff over the last several decades and one of the most memorable solo projects is his work with The X-Pensive Winos. It’s been over 30 years since The X-Pensive Winos released their iconic “Live At The Hollywood Palladium” album and it seems like Keith is feeling a bit nostalgic because he’s re-releasing a special deluxe box set of that very record.

The restoration and reissuing of the storied solo album release catalogue from main guitar slinger Rolling Stone Keith Richards continues with this set featuring the solo hit “Take It So Hard”, Richards-led Stones classic “Happy” and previously unreleased performances of “You Don’t Move Me, Little T&A” and the Lennon/McCartney penned “I Wanna Be Your Man“.

For those wondering what exactly is in this special deluxe box set, it comes packed full of goodies including the remastered album on two 180g vinyl records and on CD, three unreleased bonus tracks exclusive to this box set, a DVD of the original concert film, a 40-page hard book featuring an essay written by David Fricke.

Recorded on December 15th, 1988, during the tour for Talk Is Cheap, “Live at the Hollywood Palladium” is a loose, groove-laden affair, featuring the best from Keith Richards’ first solo album as well as some Stones classics — mostly tunes he took lead vocals on. Opening with “Take It So Hard,” the first thing that hits the listener is the lack of the gloss that was probably the only drawback to Talk Is Cheap, which is a very good thing, because while the album was still leaps and bounds more real than, say, Dirty Work, this live collection is loose without ever getting away from the band, and has an organic feel not present in the Stones’ work since the early ’70s. Rockers like “Whip It Up” and “Struggle” swagger, while Sarah Dash shines on “Make No Mistake” and “Time Is On My Side.” Richards even manages to get into the reggae groove without sounding too clichéd on “Too Rude.” Live at the Hollywood Palladium is a solid live album that stands head and shoulders above most of the Stones‘ live records, and is easily a must-have for any serious Rolling Stones or Keith Richards fan.

Deluxe packaging. Remastered sound. Restored DVD video.

Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos – Live At The Hollywood Palladium tracklist:

LP:
1. ‘Take It So Hard’
2. ‘How I Wish’
3. ‘I Could Have Stood You Up’
4. ‘Too Rude’
5. ‘Make No Mistake’
6. ‘Time Is On My Side’
7. ‘Big Enough’
8. ‘Whip It Up’
9. ‘Locked Away’
10. ‘Struggle’
11. ‘Happy’
12. ‘Connection’
13. ‘Rockawhile’

10″:
1. ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ (Box Set Only)
2. ‘Little T&A’ (Box Set Only)
3. ‘You Don’t Move Me’ (Box Set Only)

Box Set Includes:
– The remastered album on 2 180g LPs
– 10” vinyl of 3 unreleased bonus tracks (I Wanna Be Your Man, Little T&A, You Don’t Move Me) exclusive to this box set only
– Remastered CD of original album
– DVD of original concert film
– 40 page, hardback book with David Fricke essay featuring a new interview with Keith, plus extensive rare and unseen photos from Keith’s archives

Reproductions of archival materials from the tour including:
– Tour press release
Keith’s handwritten setlist
– Hand-drawn band dressing room sign
– Tour itinerary
– Press photos
– Ticket stub
– VIP & backstage passes
Keith’s custom Hollywood Palladium plectrum
– Promotional wine label & bag given away at the show
… and more!

Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos – “Live At The Hollywood Palladium“. Released in 2020 via BMG Records.

Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Riley Pearce tackles his current dilemmas head-on with the new single and visual for ‘Electricity’. Always one to portray working-class love and big picture philosophy over a magnetic alt-folk melody, Riley Pearce’s latest offering is another deep-dive into life’s uncertainties. Lifted from his forthcoming EP, “Love and Other Stuff”, out March 19th, 2021, Pearce says the song deals with a young couple faces as they pursue their passions and careers.

My girlfriend and I have these dreams of one day owning a home and starting a family, but there’s a lot of uncertainty involved and a lot of distance between ourselves now and reaching the eventual dream,” he says. “With that in mind, the song is about being happy no matter where we land, with each other’s presence and being in this journey together.”

Love and Other Stuff follows the release of Riley Pearce’s last EP,Maybe I Can Sleep It Off”released in September. His imitable self-reflection and ability to grapple with his own feelings in real-time has seen his trademark brand of storytelling resonate across the globe, with over 50 million streams to date.

Last year, Riley Pearce toured all through Australia, Europe and the United Kingdom before returning to live in Melbourne. His upcoming EP was produced by Andy Lawson, who loaned Pearce his Japanese Fender Jaguar for the recording. Coupled with a pedal Pearce found at a second-hand shop in London, “Love and Other Stuff” will speak to the times while also offering a reprieve from it.

Filmed by Riley Pearce from lockdown in Melbourne. WRITER / MUSICIAN: Riley Pearce

Live At Alice Tully Hall - January 27, 1973 - 2nd Show (black Friday 2020)

“Live at Alice Tully Hall” January 27th, 1973 2nd show captures Lou Reed’s New York City live debut as a solo artist at the Lincoln Center venue during his “Transformer” tour. This show was billed as the emergence of Lou Reed (as separate from the Velvet Underground). VU had long disappeared and Reed had done little till one day there were stunning posters all over the New York subway. Reed was shown in white grease paint and close cropped black hair (very Dracula like). Under his image was the title “Where Will You Be When Lou Reed Emerges from the Underground on January 27th at Alice Tully Hall?,

The poster got the attention of everyone in the NY avante garde and glitter rock scence and foretold the coming of Punk. Just over a year later Television began playing at CBGB and a new scene was born.

He was backed by the Tots, a tight, funky twin guitar combo whose gritty, bar band approach offered an energized approach to Lou Reed’s material whether it was the Velvets (“Heroin,” “Sweet Jane”) or material from his first two solo albums (“Walk on the Wild Side,” “Vicious”). mixed from the original multi track tapes by Matt Ross spring, these 14 tracks are available for the first time. the recording will be released on two Lps pressed on burgundy vinyl and packaged with a new essay by ed mccormack, includes rare pictures and memorabilia.

The Tots: Bass – Bobby Resigno Drums – Scottie Clark Guitar – Eddie Reynolds, Vocals, Guitar – Lou Reed

WELCOME INTERSTATE MANAGERS (black Friday 2020)

Welcome Interstate Managers is the third studio album by the American rock band Fountains of Wayne. It was originally released by S-Curve Records on June 10th, 2003. 

Power pop favourites Fountains of Wayne made it big with “Welcome Interstate Managers”, which featured the inescapable hit “Stacy’s Mom” alongside plenty of other undeniably sharply crafted rock (check out, for instance, “Bright Future in Sales,” “Hey Julie,” or any of the album’s stellar 17 songs).  An instant classic, Welcome Interstate Managers now arrives on vinyl for the first time with a bonus track, the non-album B-side “Elevator Up!” It’s pressed on a “natural” colourway with black swirl” colourway. This means the base is actually uncoloured vinyl, with just a few swirls of black added to match the monochromatic album art. The discs are housed in printed inner sleeves within a gatefold jacket. Limited to just 3,000 copies, this is one to wake up early for – and a bittersweet reminder of the tremendous talent lost with the passing of Adam Schlesinger earlier this year to COVID-19.

it’s the most popular album by one of the greatest power pop bands of all time – and it’s never been on vinyl! ‘welcome interstate managers’ was hailed a classic from the day it came out in 2003, and featured Fountains of Wayne’s biggest hit with “Stacy’s Mom”. While their debut album had “Sick Day” and “You Curse at Girls,” and “Utopia Parkway” featured “Prom Theme” and “The Senator’s Daughter,” Welcome Interstate Managers introduces the song “Fire Island,” a plea to be left home alone when the parents go on vacation, and “All Kinds of Time,” perhaps the best (and first) musical interpretation of a slow-motion football replay ever recorded.

The song craft and lyrical wit of Chris Collingwood and the late, great Adam Schlesinger have never been sharper; there’s not a bad song on this record and lot of them (e.g. “Bright Future in Sales;” “Hackensack”) rise to the same lofty perch as “Stacy’s Mom.” real gone music presents this landmark album in a 2-lp set inside a gatefold jacket with two printed inner sleeves featuring lyrics, with a natural with black swirl pressing limited to 3000 copies that beautifully matches the monochromatic cover. also included as a bonus track: the non-LP B-side to the “Stacy’s Mom” single, “Elevator Up!” exclusive to record store day/black friday.

Fans waiting for Fountains of Wayne to finally quit goofing around and release a sonically experimental, brooding collection of “serious music” are just going to have to keep waiting. Luckily, the number of their listeners hoping for anything besides another infectious batch of sunny singalong numbers from Adam Schlesinger, Chris Collingwood, and company is probably about the same as the number of people waiting for the White Stripes to record a smooth jazz record.  While they reinforce their reputation as the reigning deities of uptempo, big-guitar pop/rock with feel-good anthems.

Arcade-Fire

While election results coverage took centre stage on Tuesday night and such expections for the result, Arcade Fire made an appearance as the musical guests on Stephen Colbert’s special Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand: Building Back America Great Again Better 2020, debuting their new song “Generation A.” Colbert introduced the anthemic track as being “inspired by the current climate of the country.  An exhausted and dispirited-looking Colbert described “Generation A” as being “inspired by the current climate of the country, with a hopeful message to the youths.” Really, though, the new Arcade Fire song is less hopeful than urgent.

Arcade Fire played “Generation A” live-in-studio, with most of the members of the band masked and with Win Butler giving his new bleach-blonde haircut its TV debut. An adorable little masked kid — presumably Butler and Régine Chassagne’s son — gave the song a rousing, echoed-out intro, and the band played the song, summoning much of the euphoric intensity that makes their live shows so transformative.

“Generation A,” it turns out, is a juiced-up, anthemic track about how the world needs to change right now. Lyrically, the song works as a rebuke to ideas about incremental change, about each generation getting its turn to take over: “They say wait until you’re ready/ Wait until your number’s called/ They say wait, all we need is love/ But darling, California’s burning, New Orleans is waiting for the flood.” 

Considering the fact that the election results are still inconclusive up until friday evening, the song’s impatient hook, “I can’t wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait/ Too little too late,” is more than relatable. Most recently, Arcade Fire performed at Eaux Claires Festival, the Wisconsin music festival founded by Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and the National’s Aaron Dessner, in support of statewide voting initiative “For Wisconsin.”

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Frightened Rabbit’s “The Winter Of Mixed Drinks” turns ten this year and in order to celebrate, FatCat Records will release an Anniversary Edition of the LP. Boasting Limited Edition Ice Blue Vinyl, the Anniversary Edition will also feature an additional bonus 7” featuring two previously unreleased live tracks, remixed and remastered for this release.

“The Winter Of Mixed Drinks” was written over seven weeks in the isolated but beautiful coastal town of Crail in Fyfe, Scotland, following heavy touring in support of the band’s second album The Midnight Organ Fight.

Grant Hutchinson, drummer, stated “the location had a big impact on the songs. There’s definitely a nautical theme to a lot of the tracks and a feeling of testing yourself to the limit which the sea plays a big part in.” The album was primarily recorded at Castle Sound Studios in Scotland, with additional recording and production taking place at Tarquin Studios in Connecticut, alongside their trusted producer Peter Katis. Upon release in March 2010, the album was greeted with widespread critical acclaim, with Drowned in Sound praising frontman Scott Hutchison, describing his performance as having “the same tremble in the voice, the same elegance in the guitar tone, the same march of the Military Tattoo in the rhythm – but a renewed purpose.”

The Fly also praised Scott, claiming him to be “one of the most underrated voices in rock,” and going further stating, “what more could you possibly want from Frightened Rabbit’s third album? They’re hurling themselves fearlessly at the bright lights, and coming back all the stronger for it.” The Guardian praised the album’s “sharp” song- writing, stating, “most of their songs – with themes of escape, freedom and reinvention – have huge impassioned choruses that are made to be shouted from the nearest available mountain,” whilst the NME maintained the album to be “stunning,”and further wrote “for every song of heartache (“Yes, I Would”) and self-loathing (“The Loneliness & The Scream”), there’s one of redemption (“FootShooter”) or hope (“Swim Until You Can’t See Land”). The album deviates from their previous alt-folkish sensibilities: the fuzzed-up shoegazing of “Things” and the anthemic chorus of “Living In Colour” herald an exciting new bullshit-free dawn.”

This is an album that all of us here at Fat Cat Records and all of those involved in its creation are immensely proud of, as relevant and striking today as it was upon must listen back at the dawn of a new decade ten years ago.

Frightened Rabbit’s The Winter Of Mixed Drinks turns ten this year and in order to celebrate, Fat Cat Records release an Anniversary Edition of the LP. Boasting Limited Edition Ice Blue Vinyl, the Anniversary Edition will also feature an additional bonus 7” featuring two previously unreleased live tracks, remixed and remastered for this release.

“Submarine Bells” is an album by New Zealand group the Chills, originally released in 1990. This was the band’s first album on a major label, as Martin Phillipps signed to Warner Bros. Records subsidiary Slash Records, to release the album in the U.S. The album reached No#1 on the New Zealand album charts and had significant support from American college radio. The Chills’ second album from 1990 is their much-praised major label debut. A rich tapestry of sound with a nod to Postcard, early Teardrop Explodes and a host of indie pop legends.

On a major label for the first time, Phillipps crafted a lovely record indeed, a mere thirty-six minutes and not a second wasted. Lead-off track and single “Heavenly Pop Hit” remains the most famous track and deservedly so, over a rapturous keyboard/rhythm combination, Phillipps sings just that, an inspiring lyric with a soaring chorus, aided by additional backing vocals from guest Donna Savage. From there it’s one high point after another, never losing the sense of elegance and drive that characterizes the band’s work. Phillipps’ at-once strong and amiably regular-guy vocals and astonishingly intelligent but never overly obtuse lyrics are both wonders, while Andrew Todd’s excellent keyboard work provides both energy and lovely shading. Add to that a fine rhythm section in bassist Justin Harwood and drummer James Stephenson, and it’s no wonder this version of the Chills succeeds as it does.

One fantastic example of their work together is “Singing In My Sleep” with Phillipps giving heavy tremolo treatment to his guitar as everyone else creates something that’s not too far from Neu!’s motorik throb, in a gentler pop vein. More such Krautrock-inspired chug has plenty of echoes on Bells, following in the same vein as “I Love My Leather Jacket” — check out the brisk delivery on “The Oncoming Day” or the skipping intensity of “Dead Web.” Otherwise, there’re hints of the gentle folky/medieval touches they enjoy on “I SOAR” and “Don’t Be–Memory” and more straightforward rocking out on the sharp “Familiarity Breeds Contempt,” where Phillipps’ New Zealand burr comes through with intensity. The title track, with serene orchestration filling out the grand arrangement, is a note-perfect way to conclude such a fantastic release.

The Chills distilled post-punk with the sweet delivery of Phillipps, making it sound like The Fall paying homage to Prefab Sprout. Something that rare.” Perfect Sound Forever Built around Martin Phillipps’ off-kilter vocal; all accent, all attitude, it reels around folk-like couplets with brusque punk swagger fed through psychedelic hues; so timeless it still simmers beautifully. It includes the effervescent, euphoric opener ‘Heavenly Pop Hit’.

Reissue Released August 3rd, 2020
DOLL REVOLUTION (black Friday 2020)

The Bangles are one of the greatest all-girl bands in rock history, renowned for their song writing, harmonies, and chops. “Doll Revolution” is the fourth studio album by American pop rock band the Bangles. It was originally released in March 2003 in Europe and Japan, and in September of that year in the United States. It was the first album by the group since their 1998 reunion.

And yet “Doll Revolution”, one of their best records, has never been out on vinyl. that’s because it fell into that late ‘90s/early 2000s gap when vinyl was considered dead (ha)! now, with full support of the band, real gone music brings Doll Revolution to its rightful format for the first time with a streaked-pink pressing limited to 1500 hand-numbered copies, exclusive for record store day/black friday. a 2-lp set brought to you in sumptuous gatefold packaging with insert. features one of our favourite bangles songs, “Ride the Ride!”

Including 15 songs, it is the group’s lengthiest album. All tracks were co-composed by members of the band, with the exception of “Tear Off Your Own Head” which was written by Elvis Costello and had previously appeared on his 2002 album When I Was Cruel. Some songs had been already released in the 1990s by band members on other bands they worked with after the band split: “Mixed Messages” and “The Rain Song”, both written by Vicki Peterson, had been released in the Continental Drifters albums, while “Ask Me No Questions” was released by Debbi Peterson with her band Kindred Spirit. “Nickel Romeo” and “Between The Two”, while never released, had been debuted by Michael Steele with her band Crash Wisdom in live shows in 1994.

The album spawned three singles. The lead single, “Something That You Said”, reached No. 38 in the UK, and was a minor hit elsewhere in Europe. “Tear Off Your Own Head (It’s a Doll Revolution)” and “I Will Take Care of You” were next released as singles, the latter reaching No. 79 in the UK. All three songs had lead vocals by Susanna Hoffs.

In the US, an edition with a bonus DVD with interviews and the video to “Something That You Said” was released. In Japan, the group included as bonus tracks both songs from their first 45 single released in 1981, “Getting out of Hand” and “Call on Me” (the first time they had been released on CD), as well as an alternate mix of “Something That You Said.”

BLEACH LAB – ” Never Be “

Posted: November 8, 2020 in MUSIC

Maybe THE next big thing? After I told you about King Hannah the other week right here which already felt like a 2020 update of Mazzy Star. Today, I give you South London band Bleach Lab which head for a similar vibe on their haunting new single “Never Be”. It feels like a warm summer dream, hopelessly romantic, slightly melancholic and carried by the wonderful performance of singer Jenna Kyle. It’s the sort of stuff melancholic indie music dreams are made of and the sort of sound that still manages to give me goosebumps after so many years. You might call it ‘retro’, I call it timeless and really hope that this new group from South-London will warm your old indie music hearts as well, especially in those weird and chaotic times.

Bleach Lab have this real assurance to their sound. Every note feels as though it’s in its right place, as if it could scarcely be argued it had ever belonged anywhere else.

Take new song ‘Never Be’. A slo-mo tale of a relationship coming apart at the seams, its emotional intensity it driven by a phenomenal addiction to beauty. We’re hearing aspects of Slowdive or even Mazzy Star, while their hushed tones and slightly gothic atmosphere put us in mind of Daughter perhaps.

Lead singer Jenna Kyle explains:

“The track is about taking a physical and metaphorical step out from a wearing relationship and moving away. Continuing life in a new city that you were supposed to live in together and trying to navigate around a breakup that never truly had a resolution. I was attempting to overcome the feelings of wanting everything to go back to the way it was even though I knew in my heart that it wasn’t right”.

“As tender as its name implies, Bleach Lab’s third single “Sleep” is a haunting and intimate reverie: A raw, hypnotic, and visceral dream brought to life by a promising new band.”

Bleach Lab indie/dream-pop band, formed in late 2018. “Sleep” was released back in June, 2020, “Sleep” is just the third single from Buckinghamshire-born, South London-based band. Consisting of vocalist Jenna Kyle, drummer Shawn Courtney, bassist Josh Longman, and guitarist Frank Wates, the group formed in late 2018 and have been slowly charting their own course in the world.

The band’s bittersweet debut single “Heartache of the Season” set the pace in November 2019, introducing them as something of a blend of Daughter and The xx, CHVRCHES, Alvvays, and The 1975: Subtle nuance marries impassioned alternative sounds and pop songwriting across Bleach Lab’s three releases, each of which – from “Heartache of the Season” to this February’s grungy “Burnt Orange,” to “Sleep” – deserves our undivided time and attention.

Bleach Lab © Isy Townsend