Like fellow Chicago rockers Twin Peaks’ latest release “Down in Heaven,” Flesh Panthers are taking a step back from brash garage energy in favor of something a little more “mature” (heavy emphasis on the quotes). With more atmospheric moodiness in the album lead-in and outro, “Willow’s Weep” is much more meticulous and coherent than straight garage rock assault, bringing to mind late-60s Rolling Stones more so than 70s punk.
“Willows Weep” is an absolute stunner. Stoned out rock and roll all smothered in jangly gravy.
It surprises me every time I listen to it, not because I didn’t think they were capable (their live versions of some of my favorite songs by the likes of Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan showcase their tightness and versatility), but because they’ve made such a remarkable transition from their high-energy garage punk into these really beautiful, compelling rock songs. I really love Flesh Panthers. They’re a brilliant inside secret of the Chicago rock scene that deserves far wider exposure. With “Willow’s Weep,” they’re proving they’re a force to be reckoned with beyond these city walls.
One downside the digitizing of music has created is the lack of liner notes that listeners typically don’t get with their music. That has unfortunately resulted in a lack of knowledge about the producers, engineers and backing musicians supporting the stars whose names are out front.
Before the era of downloads made cover art and studio personnel listings somewhat of an afterthought, music fans would scour notes and players on albums, seeing some names appear often and raising their chances of someday being the featured performer. That’s the case with Jesse Ed Davis.
Jesse Ed Davis – (1944-1988) – 1970s – Originally from Norman, Oklahoma,Jesse Ed Davis relocated to California in the early 1960s eventually becoming friends with Levon Helm who introduced him to Leon Russell. They became the catalyst for Davis’s massive body of session work. Davis played on Taj Mahal’s first three Columbia albums, the former distinguishing himself on slide guitar, while also playing lead and rhythm.
Davis’s first solo album “Jesse Davis!” was released in 1971, featuring back-up vocals by Gram Parsons and guest appearances by Russell and Eric Clapton. He was also a participant in George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh in 1971. He worked with the Byrds’ Gene Clark producing his second solo album “No Other,” (1974), and lent the lead guitar solo to Jackson Browne’s hit single “Doctor My Eyes,” from Browne’s 1972 debut album “Jackson Browne,” (Or “Saturate Before Using.”) which climbed to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Two more Davis solo albums followed: “Ululu,” (1972), and “Keep Me Comin’ “ (1973) but neither sold well. In 1975, there was a stint with the Faces during which time Davis developed a serious drug addiction… His credits with A-list musicians is daunting: Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, Rick Danko, Steve Miller, Harry Nilsson, George Harrison, Taj Mahal and a slew of others. Davis spent much of the 1980s battling drug dependence, managing to form the Graffiti Band in 1985, and in 1987 reuniting with Taj Mahal for a one-off at the Palomino Club in Hollywood, joined by Bob Dylan, John Fogerty and George Harrison on stage, demonstrating the esteem with which Davis was held. It was to be his last major gig.
Davis died in Venice, CA of an apparent drug overdose on June 22nd, 1988, cutting short the life of a major talent who would be missed by his musical brethren and fans alike.
Native American Davis started his career backing Taj Mahal, then left to became a hired gun, supporting such superstars as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell,Ringo Starr and perhaps most famously John Lennon on whose Walls and Bridges album he played most of the solos. But like most supporting musicians, Davis — who passed away in 1988 due to a drug overdose in 1988 — wanted more of the spotlight.
He got his chance when Eric Clapton suggested he try his hand at being a frontman.The result was a three album catalog. The first two of those for the titular label, long out of print, are collected here.
At first blush, there isn’t much going on. Davis’ voice is ordinary at best, and that might be overly generous. It’s somewhere between Dr. John and Leon Russell, both of whom are part of the 36 musicians who contribute to these sessions.Davis generally talks/sings without much range or emotion. And for someone known as a guitar wiz, he plays few solos, preferring to let his lines weave into a muddy mix that screams 70s. Musically this falls on the swampy side of the Band, perhaps a low-rent version of that group, without its great songwriting, vision or personality. Not surprisingly he covers their “Strawberry Wine” in a slowed down, droopy take that feels like he and his backing musicians might have imbibed too much of the title beverage before recording. And originals like the very 70s touchy-feely “Golden Sun Goddess” and the clichéd “Rock and Roll Gypsies” just feel underwritten .
But about halfway into this generous 75 minute compilation, you start to warm up to the spontaneous, laid back, communal style. Covers of George Harrison’s “Sue Me, Sue You Blues” (released before Harrison’s own version), Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love” and Russell’s “Alcatraz” capture the loosey-goosey spirit that drenches these performances with better material to work with. On the occasional original like “You Belladonna You” where Davis stretches out into a funky vibe, he shows the potential for what could have been if everyone involved had put a little more time and effort into this.
There remains a shared simplicity and long lost warmth to these sessions. Dated? Sure, but undeniably charming with a sense these albums could never be cut at any other time.
Credit the Real Gone label for excavating these once missing sides. Even if this is far from “lost classic” territory, there’s a genuine, organic approach to the music that grows on the listener once you get into the groove.
Esoteric Antenna are delighted to announce the release of “State Of Dystopia”, the wonderful new album by Son Of Man. The album is the long awaited follow up to the band’s acclaimed self-titled debut album issued in 2016.
Hailing from the heartlands of Welsh rock, Son Of Man features members drawn from legendary Welsh bands, namely George Jones (Guitars & Vocals), Bob Richards (Drums & Vocals), Glenn Quinn (Guitars, Bass & Vocals) Richie Galloni (Lead Vocals) and Marco James (Keyboards & Vocals) Featuring former members of MAN and Sassafras, playing original music along with the music of founding MAN member Micky Jones. . They have earned much acclaim for their powerful live concerts and now this established classic rock band bring you their second album – State of Dystopia. A State of Dystopia is defined as an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice. Typically, one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic. The album is an eclectic mix of original tracks laced with the themes of life and love, war, peace and hope. The band’s trademark guitar sound and melodic harmonies is present, along with a powerful rhythm section, tempered with tides of keyboards and one of the greatest voices in rock today. State of Dystopia is a fine rock album for our times.
Band Members
George Jones,
Bob Richards,
Glenn Quinn,
Marco James,
Richie Galloni,
It gives us great pleasure to announce our new album “State of Dystopia is availiable for pre-order now via Esoteric Recordings / Cherry Red Records
In July, Esoteric Recordings will release “Lonely Boy: The Asylum Years Anthology”, a new seven-disc box set featuring the music of US singer-songwriter Andrew Gold, As the title suggests, this set is concerned with the years Gold was on the Asylum label, which was between 1975 and 1980. It contains remastered versions of the four studio albums recorded in this era, a disc of outtakes and unreleased recordings, a live CD and a DVD with promo videos and Old Grey Whistle Test appearances.
During this period ‘Lonely Boy’ from 1976’s What’s Wrong With This Picture was a top ten hit in America (an ‘original version’ of this song is on CD 5) and Gold enjoyed three top 40 singles in the UK, including ‘Never Let Her Slip Away’ with Freddie Mercury provides the high pitched backing vocals on Never Let Her Slip Away (from All This And Heaven Too which peaked at number five in the summer of 1978.
The live CD is largely unreleased and the DVD in this box set features 13 performances from two Old Grey Whistle Test appearances and six promo videos. Andre was a total powerpop genius and besides his own stuff, he made other artists work better by playing on, producing and/or arranging their records & being in their band, especially notably Linda Ronstadt…
In the early 1980s, after the Asylum Years, Gold worked with Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman on 10cc material and of course after that Andrew had a successful period in the band Wax (with Graham Gouldman), enjoying a big hit across Europe in 1987 with ‘Bridge to Your Heart’. A similar genius offkilter arty pop approach & warped humour…just got an Omnivore CD of unreleased demos from 1973, pre-Asylum, and his genius was apparent then…too bad he’s been gone almost a decade… an opportunity was missed when Andrew Gold didn’t join 10cc. Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman did ask him, but for one reason or another, Andrew didn’t take up the offer. A latter day three man 10cc with possible appearances by Kevin and Lol would have been interesting.
Andrew Gold died in 2011 after being diagnosed with kidney cancer.
Lonely Boy: The Asylum Years Anthology is released on 24th July 2020. Andrew Gold’s recorded legacy is now celebrated with this boxed set featuring 73 tracks on six CDs, including the albums Andrew Gold, Whats Wrong With This Picture, All This And Heaven Too & Whirlwind; all newly re-mastered from the original Asylum Records master tapes, along with a disc of out-takes and rarities from the album sessions and a CD comprising 18 live tracks (17 previously unreleased) drawn from a concert at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles in 1977 and a BBC TV concert recorded in London in November 1976 for the classic series The Old Grey Whistle Test. It also includes an additional 80 minute DVD (NTSC – Region Free) featuring six promotional videos, the complete BBC Old Grey Whistle Test concert recorded in November 1976 and broadcast in March 1977 & a special Andrew Gold feature from the show first broadcast in 1978 – all of which are previously unreleased
Universal Music will issue another great value three-CD Essential set under their budget Spectrum imprint, this time featuring Scottish rock band Big Country.
This package includes all 13 of the band’s UK top 30 singles (including ‘Look Away’, ‘One Great Thing’, ‘Chance’ and ‘Wonderland’) as well as highlighting key album cuts (including the title track of 1986’s The Seer which features vocals from one Kate Bush) and offering a smattering of remixes. A live cover of the soul classic ‘The Tracks of My Tears’ features at the end of CD 2.
This set takes us up to 1991, although the band would continue releasing albums and touring until the end of the millennium. Frontman Stuart Adamson tragically took his own life in December 2001. The amazing thing about this Scottish rock group is that none of them were born in Scotland. In fact, Bruce Watson (posessor of the group’s thickest brogue) was born in Ontario,Canada. And we still don’t know what a “Porrohman” is (Porrohman is an african witch doctor, the song in part is based on a short story which i think was called Pollock and the Porroh man, it was published in a book of short stories edited by herbert van thal in the pan horror series ) .
Funny how times change…back in the early 80s it seemed like a three horse race with Big Country, U2 and The Alarm in the frame and BC were always a great gig, too many check shirts perhaps but always a great gig! Otherwise, the Thin Lizzy set with fifty tracks for a fiver, Like the previously announced The Human League Essential package (due out on 5th June) this triple-disc Big Country offering is not really one for the diehards, although anyone with half an interest should find plenty of rewards for their £7 investment. Also in the series is a Thin Lizzy collection ( all details on Amazon)
“Essential Big Country” is released on 19th July 2020.
Indie rock band Big Country’s 1986 album “The Seer” is being reissued as an expanded 2LP set in July. The album features the band’s biggest UK hit “Look Away” and the title track features vocals by a certain Ms Kate Bush .This the third proper album by Scottish quartet kicks off with the stellar “Look Away,” a rocking outlaw tale with very cool guitar work from Bruce Watson and lead singer and guitarist Stuart Adamson. However, the simple, anthemic choruses and effects-laden guitars are beginning to wear four years on after the band’s promising breakthrough. After the darkness and social commentary of their second album, `Steeltown‘, the Bigs returned with a set full of soaring majestic romance, Boys Own adventures, soldiers, witches, heroes and tales of the high seas – all polished up with the pop sensibilities that were evident on their 1983 debut, `The Crossing’. As a result, `The Seer’ is a much brasher, more commercially minded work than they were.
Big Country does little to expand on their sound or lyrical themes and is somewhat disappointing. There are a few solid tracks like the stirring “Eiledon,” is an ode to a beautiful land (“I may walk in cities where the wolf once had his fill”) and `Hold the Heart’, a ballad of a man hoping his lover will come back to him (“I would lie and curse the day, And visit places where we lay alone, And find them turned to stone”).Then things pick up again with the grand rocking adventure of `Remembrance Day’, `The Red Fox’ and the breath taking album closer, `The Sailor’.
It managed to chart three singles in the U.K., with “Look Away” going Top Ten. The opening single, `Look Away’ is a rollicking rock track about a man on the run after committing a murder, desperately trying to retain the trust of his woman and convince her to ignore the stories she will hear about him. There is Wild West undertone to this that finds its perfect sonic partner in the third track, `The Teacher’ about a young man’s first love. “The Seer” is an epic Celtic journey through the visions of rape and pillage foretold by a Seer who “washed her hair among the stones”.
The new vinyl edition is pressed on two 180g black vinyl records and features four bonus tracks. These are ‘Song Of The South’, ‘Look Away (12” Mix)’, ‘One Great Thing (Disco Mix)’, and ‘Giant’.
The 2LP expanded vinyl reissue of “The Seer” is released on 26 July 2019 via MusicOn Vinyl.
The D’Addario brothers returned in May with their third Lemon Twigs album, “Songs For The General Public“.
“Songs For The General Public” was written, recorded and produced by the D’Addarios at their Long Island home studio, Sonora Studios in Los Angeles and New York City’s Electric Lady. The first single ‘The One’ is available today, alongside a video directed by Michael Hili featuring Brian and Michael D’Addario on the campaign trail for ‘the one’.
Receiving the seal of approval from the king of kitsch himself, Elton John, with their debut album “Do Hollywood” in 2016, The Lemon Twigs, made up of Long Island brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, are no strangers when it comes to pomp.
Their outlandish combination of baroque rock, power pop and glam calls to mind the theatrical eccentricity of Queen, most notably on 2018’s “Go To School”, a concept album about a musical chimpanzee called Shane who’s raised as a human boy. 2020’s “Songs For The General Public” plays with vintage swirling synths, campy melodies and operatic harmonies that salute the peculiar jauntiness of Supertramp and Alice Cooper.
The 12-track album released on 1st May digitally and on CD, limited translucent red vinyl (only available via indie stores and the 4AD Store) and standard black vinyl.
Japandroids records are few and far between, but then again they’ve always been more of a live band. Over the course of just over a decade together, the Vancouver duo have only released three albums and a series of loose early singles, all of which translate equally well to their electric live set.
On June 19th, that live energy will be widely accessible for the first time on streaming platforms, as Japandroids will be releasing a full LP of live recordings spanning their entire career (again, that’s only three albums, but still). Massey Fucking Hall, named after the Toronto venue where the hour-long setlist was recorded, will be released in June with a vinyl release slated for October 12th.
“We never thought we’d have the opportunity to play at Massey Hall,” drummer David Prowse shared in a press release. “It’s the most legendary venue in Canada by far, but it didn’t seem like a natural spot for a band like us to play. It’s a 100+ year old seated theatre, which isn’t the usual type of spot you expect to see Japandroids. Honestly, when we got off the stage that night, I remember feeling a sense of relief and exhilaration, but the whole thing felt like a bit of a blur. It was a very emotional show for me. We were both pretty nervous getting up on that stage.”
The band is also offering a taste of what the LP has to offer this morning with a pre-release single of their Post-Nothing track “Heart Sweats,” one of Japandroids’ favorite live staples. “It’s just got a great sense of momentum and never fails to get me hyped,” Prowse added of the single. “During that tour we were playing it second or third in the set. It consistently feels like the moment in the set where I just get that sense of ‘oh yeah we’re cooking now,’ and everything just locks in and we’re ripping through the rest of the set.”
Sometimes, you just have to laugh. As Japandroids thrashed through their perennial set closer The House That Heaven Built at Toronto’s fabled Massey Hall back in 2017, Brian King did just that. “That song went off, and the kids in the front couldn’t help themselves any longer,” the guitarist recalls. “They started climbing up and trying to stage dive. You have to remember, you don’t stage dive at Massey Hall.”
You can hear him cracking up as clear as day on Japandroids’ new live record, which feels like a culmination of sorts for King and his drummer bandmate Dave Prowse. After almost 15 years of kicking out jams that cross Hüsker Dü’s bullish melodicism with the wastoid barroom rock of the Replacements, Massey Fucking Hall is an out and out ‘Look at me, ma!’ blowout for the Vancouver duo.
“Heart Sweats” by Japandroids from the album ‘Massey Fucking Hall,’ available June 19th.
Girl Ray’s new single,“Friend Like That” – a feelgood anthem about the love found in friendship and the latest single released from the North London band’s second album, Girl, out now via Moshi Moshi Records.
The video, which sees the band in full 1980’s prom attire, was directed by long-time collaborator Alex Cantouris who said the following: “This is the 6th video I’ve made with Girl Ray and their attitude towards this particular one was to opt for the most “cringe option”, which I loved. Everyone’s hard work and the band’s brilliant attitude has produced a really fun video that hopefully all the fans will enjoy.”
The band added: “For this video we felt it was necessary to return to our past formula of recreating big-budget films with 0.1% of the money and 3 people whose experience of acting stops at narrating the year 1 nativity. We have always loved all the classic 80s high school rom-coms, and this particular song seemed to lend itself well to a John Hughes plot. With an extremely questionable storyline we approached Alex Cantouris to help fill in the gaps. After an incredibly stressful week of pulling favours everything was finally ready and we began filming. We actually filmed the prom scene in our old school in Muswell Hill which was a surreal and hilarious experience. It was definitely the funnest video we’ve ever shot, and is now our favourite too.”
from the North London band’s second album, “Girl”, out now via Moshi Moshi Records.
High quality, timeless pop songs weren’t always created in offices by handfuls of writers and marketing teams and then farmed out to the highest bidding singers. Once upon a time they were written and recorded by artists – George Michael, Prince or Kate Bush for example – who wanted to use the universal, happy medium of pop music to put across joyous, accessible messages of love, friendship and life to the world.
And that’s what Girl Ray have done. They’ve done far more than just “go pop.” To have the confidence to totally change one’s creative output is something so few artists manage, but they’ve nailed it.
Back in 2017, the band Girl Ray released Earl Grey: a debut album of expertly-crafted, sweet, hummable songs about longing, friendship, self doubt and contemplation. It was a success. “With Girl Ray, we knew we had found something special,” says Stephen Bass who signed the band in 2016.
After their tour rolled to a stop and Girl Ray’s members Poppy, Sophie and Iris floated back to earth, taking up employment in shops and restaurants. They hung about listlessly, struggled with bouts of feeling a bit shit and saw each together ritualistically despite not creating much music. Poppy started writing some new songs for their second record much like the sweet odes to longing, love and friendship on their debut. But the vibes just weren’t there.
It was Ariana Grande’s explosion into pop culture that kickstarted a new era for Girl Ray. “Thank U, Next came out and that kind of changed everything,” Poppy says. That, combined with Ari’s ballad of self-love and the party vibe they witnessed when touring with US band Porches (“their live game was so fun and super synthy and so danceable,” Sophie recalls. “It looked like much more of a party,”) led to the band beginning to wonder if they could try their hand at making their own pop.
After that realisation, everything clicked into place. Poppy began experimenting with writing songs over beats. “I had to start learning how to write on a computer, using keyboards, and that made everything sound more pop,” she explains.
The songs poured out. A collection of shimmering, foot-tapping, sparkling pop bangers. It’s unmistakably Girl Ray, but with added synths. If Earl Grey was a hot cup of tea and a cuddle on the sofa, Girl is being in a cab with the windows down on the way to a beach bar for sundowners. It’s the sun kissed excitement of Rihanna’s If It’s Lovin’ That You Want, combined
with the eye-rolling, impenetrable sardonic humour of a girl gang. Among the grin-inducing, trepidatious and intensely courageous R&B-style tracks on the album are beautifully composed piano ballads steeped in the sadness and unrequited love that made Earl Grey feel like a knowing look from an old friend.
The band took the demos to Ash Workman at Electric Beach Studios in Margate. “He has more of a pop background [Christine and the Queens and Metronomy] which is exactly why we wanted him for the job,” Poppy says. “We didn’t have to compromise with him, he just got it straight away.” Ash listened to the demos and was keen to help them produce a record that sounded something like “70s Drake.” The band were slightly confused by this, so they stuck pictures of Ariana around his mixing desk to remind him of his raison d’être.
Even though Girl sounds a little like a cross between the Love Island soundtrack and The Power Out by Electrelane, it’s almost genre-less. Girl Ray have created something beautiful that hasn’t been seen for a long time now: expertly-crafted pop created by dedicated artists on a mission to make music for people to really enjoy. Music that doesn’t look to confuse or patronise. Music to fall in love to, to dance to. Songs you’d want to send to your friends.
“Pop is so fun and universal, even if you’re a super muso nerd who’s into Elliot Smith you’re still going to love hearing a bit of Whitney Houston and that’s really appealing to me,” Poppy says. “If you hear a good groove you can’t not boogie, and we want our shows to be more of a party
and for it to be more feelgood music.”
“With this new set of songs they have been brave enough to completely change their sound rather than playing it safe yet still remain unmistakably themselves,” says Stephen. “A bold move perhaps, but a sign of that desire to push themselves that only the best artists have.
Week #7 of Lockdown brings a beautiful lullaby, and one of the most thoroughly covered songs ever written. I heard it first from Mama Cass on her very great album “Bubblegum, Lemonade &… Something For Mama“, some time maybe a 100 years later, I sang it with my friend Will Dailey at a show curated by our mutual friend (and Will’s longtime drummer/collaborator)) Dave Brophy, the theme of the night being rock singers singing jazz standards. So when this one was suggested as a cover for this series by my dear pal Vicky Salipande (and few after her), I immediately thought of Will as guest artist. He is one of my favourite collaborators and hangs ~ crazy talented, and a big heart of gold.
Every week (and always) I’m blown away by the tracks Joe and Russell send me, and this week is particularly over-the-moon beautiful. Our bonus track this week is an instrumental version of this same song, because I want you to hear it. (And give you space to sing it yourself.)
In lockdown, Will has been fundraising (significantly) for non-salary venue staff, musicians, and the community of Chelsea, with his streaming Isolation shows ~ as well as creating a fundraiser to be broadcast on June 9th called “All In For Chelsea”, a live concert that will combine music performances and short interviews with people on the ground who are working to lift up the hardest hit community in Massachusetts, and which will benefit the Chelsea One Fund. www.facebook.com/willdailey
This week’s donations will go to NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Sending you all the usual hopes for health and love, and Justice.
xx, Tanya, Joe, Russell, and this week’s guest ~ Will Dailey
