The Fat Angel Sings

“Come Ahead” is Primal Scream’s 12th full length record. 11 new songs that find Bobby Gillespie preparing to release some of the most personal song writing of the band’s career.

The song writing process for “Come Ahead” began in 2019. At which point Bobby Gillespie had no idea if he would make another Primal Scream album again. For the first time, the lyrics came before the music. The story came first. Bobby wrote alone, using an acoustic guitar. Ideas flowed fast, in long bursts of inspiration. This process, in tandem with encouragement from producer David Holmes, provided a new way in. Working with Holmes and Primal Scream guitarist Andrew Innes, the “Come Ahead” sessions were completed between Belfast, London and Los Angeles.

“I’m very excited about this album in a way that you would be making your first record. If there was an overall theme to “Come Ahead” it might be one of conflict, whether inner or outer. The title is a Glaswegian term. If someone threatens to fight you, you say, ‘come ahead!’ It’s redolent of the indomitable spirit of the Glaswegian, and the album itself shares that aggressive attitude and confidence. They have a word for this up there, gallus. “Come Ahead’s” quite a cheeky title too.” Bobby Gillespie.

Taken from the upcoming album ‘Come Ahead’ out 8th November.

“King of America” Elvis Costello‘s 1986 album has been remastered and expanded for a new 6CD box set called “King Of America & Other Realms” which is described as “97-track musical journey” and takes in unheard demos, live performances and tracks & rarities related to other albums recorded in America later in Costello’s career.

Discs 1, 2 & 3 in this set focus on “King of America” with the first offering a 2024 remaster (from the original tapes) and the second home to 17 demos. It seems incredible that there’s anything left after the expanded and double CD sets of the 1990s… but there is! Specifically, there’s six previously unreleased demos cut at Red Bus Recording Studios in London, in the months prior to the “King Of America” sessions in Hollywood which are mixed from newly discovered multitrack tapes. The third CD offers a 17-song Royal Albert Hall concert from 1987 in London, also mixed from the multitracks.

Costello himself has compiled this set (with Steve Berkowitz) which probably explains disc 4, 5 & 6 which are “a three-disc compendium of recordings and collaborations from across the last four decades, including previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings”. For example, there’s some songs from Costello and Allen Toussaint’s collaborative album, “The River In Reverse“, almost half of Costello’s “National Ransom” record from 2010 (it was recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles) along with some demos and outtakes from the same album.

“King Of America & Other Realms” culminates with three new recordings recorded in 2024: ‘Indoor Fireworks’ (Memphis Magnetic Version), ‘That’s Not The Part of Him You’re Leaving’ with Larkin Poe and a recent arrangement of ‘Brilliant Mistake’. The final song is ‘That Day Is Done’ a song co-written by Costello and Paul McCartney for McCartney’s 1989 album “Flowers In The Dirt”, performed with the gospel group The Fairfield Four (this has been available before).

The 6CD super deluxe edition box comes with a 57-page booklet, home to a 35-page essay from Costello with the usual rare photos. The bookset type package is almost album-sized, at 12” x 11.5”.

“King Of America & Other Realms” is released on 1st November 2024 via UMe.

Echo & The Bunnymen’s 1999 studio album “What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?” will be reissued for its 25th anniversary, in November.

The band’s eighth album was the follow-up to their 1997 comeback album “Evergreen” (reissued in 2022) which saw original Bunnymen members Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant and Les Pattison reunite in the studio for the first time in almost a decade. 

After ‘Evergreen’ I was writing all this kind of stuff, and I thought, we’re just going to go in there, and half of it will be very song-orientated, and the other will be ‘Heaven Up Here’ Ian McCulloch (in 1999)

“What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?” featured two singles, ‘Get in The Car’ and ‘Rust’, the band’s final UK Top 40 hit.  The formats for the 25th anniversary reissue are two different vinyl editions (clear and rust orange) and a 2CD deluxe which features 25 bonus tracks, including rarities and previously unreleased tracks including live performances from The Improv Theatre in London (recorded for Radio One’s John Peel Show) and Cream in Liverpool. The first 500 orders via the band’s official shop come with a free ‘Rust’ CD single.

“What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?” will be released on 29th November 2024, via London Records.

London-based post-punk quartet Desperate Journalist return for a fifth studio album of sardonic, wry humour in 2024. “No Hero”, featuring the fabulous lead single ‘Unsympathetic Parts 1 & 2’, finds the group seeking to gently evolve their jagged, noirish original sound into ever more interesting shapes.

“Estimable post-punks resurface with magnificent fifth album… calling this the album of the year is entirely reasonable. No More Heroes anymore? Desperate Journalist prove otherwise.”

‘Unsympathetic’ is the 1st single taken from the LP ‘No Hero’, out on 27th September 2024 on Fierce Panda Records

‘You Say You’re Lonely’ is the 3rd single taken

“Sniff More Gritty” is an album of many faces, some belonging to Du Blonde, others belonging to a host of characters from past loves, to record industry executives, each played with humour and heartbreak in a one-man pantomime of glam-rock, punk, and a single, acrylic nail adorned middle finger. The glimmers of pop teased on 2021’s acclaimed “Homecoming” LP become firework displays that illuminate stories of missed connections, anxiety, controlling relationships and hard earned peace. In spite of darkness, Du Blonde is choosing fun.

Having self-produced her third album, after years of working relationships with record labels and industry producers, Du Blonde found herself able to finally express herself musically in a way that her previous situation would not allow. The freedom that came with her move to production and engineering opened up a new sonic world for Du Blonde, one that is arguably catchier, more colourful and more exciting than anything she had been allowed to bring forth previously. Sniff More Gritty is entirely performed (drums aside!), engineered and produced by Du Blonde, and also features unique collaborations with Skunk Anansie’s Skin, Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace, Maximo Park’s Paul Smith and The Futureheads’ Ross Millard, with additional mixing by Sam Grant of Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs.

Following up from 2021’s critically acclaimed ‘Homecoming’, Du Blonde is back with new album ‘Sniff More Gritty’, a 12 track album of glittering glam rock, grunge pop and indie guitar anthems set to rival its predecessor.

Available to pre-order now on Limited edition baby blue vinyl. Each copy comes with its own A5 full colour printed ‘Sniff More Gritty’ zine, designed by Du Blonde, including behind the scenes photographs, lyrics and illustrations by the artist.

Releases November 15th, 2024

Japandroids tease their upcoming album ‘Fate & Alcohol’ with the hedonistic, heart-racing single “All Bets Are Off.” Listen to the album’s closer, along with “Chicago” and “D&T” .

​​Produced by King, Prowse, and Jesse Gander, “Fate & Alcohol” features 10 tracks written between 2017 and 2020, marking the culmination of the duo’s 18-year creative partnership. According to its press release, King and Prowse consider the album a “parting gift to fans,” and made it with their long time philosophy of approaching albums as fans themselves.

“I don’t think we’re the most technically proficient band in the world, and we’re not the most original-sounding or challenging band in the world,” Prowse said in a new statement. “But we’ve always put a lot of passion into what we do, and I think that’s resonated with a lot of people. And I’m really grateful that we could be that band for people, in the same way that so many bands were for us.”

​​Next month on October 18, eighteen years of the Vancouver duo Japandroids will come to a close with the release of their fourth and final album. Japandroids’ Brian King and David Prowse have announced the release of their fourth and final album. Entitled “Fate & Alcohol“, it’s set for release on October 18th through ANTI- Records.

All songs written by JAPANDROIDS

Coming in November on Esoteric Recordings, Bill Nelson’s “Quit Dreaming & Get On the Beam“. A deluxe Edition 3CD + 1 Blu-ray limited edition box set of the classic 1981 album by Bill Nelson. Featuring an additional 53 bonus tracks drawn from new 5.1 surround sound and stereo mixes of the “Quit Dreaming” sessions from the original multi-track master tapes by Stephen W. Tayler, as well as rare singles and radio sessions.

The album was originally recorded in 1979 with sessions taking place for an intended follow up album by Bill’s recently formed group Red Noise. However, EMI Records, Bill’s then record label, declined to release the recordings and the material remained unreleased. Four recordings appeared as the ‘Do You Dream in Colour’ EP on his Cocteau label in 1980. The following year Bill licensed the original stereo mixes of the album to Mercury Records who issued the album in the Spring of 1981. A ground-breaking record, “Quit Dreaming & Get On the Beam” reached a peak of number seven on the UK charts and is to date Bill’s most commercially successful album.

This limited and expanded edition boxed set features a newly remastered version of the original album mix, but also features an additional 53 tracks drawn from new stereo & 5.1 Surround Sound mixes by Stephen W Tayler of all the surviving recording sessions from 1979, along with a previously unreleased radio session from March 1981, a BBC John Peel session from June 1981 and a collection of rare single tracks from the era. Also included is the rare promotional film of ‘Do You Dream in Colour?’

The box set has an illustrated 68-page book and an essay and also includes postcards and a poster, making this release the definitive statement on one of Bill Nelson’s great works.

We are bringing the recreation of Genesis to Leicester in April. Complete with vintage instruments, costumes, makeup, original lighting and stage set. The Musical Box perform “Genesis Live”, the original 1973 show, including songs from Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot and rarities.