Ider are the vocal, instrumental talents of Megan Markwick and Lily Somerville. Their most recent song, the blossoming, affecting twin melodies, weaving pianos and intricate percussion of ‘Body Love’ wraps itself around our cold hearts and won’t let go. With a slew festivals across Europe, and two immediately sold-out shows at East London’s Archspace, followed by a U.K./EU tour of packed-out venues with XL twin pairing Ibeyi. This past 12 months confirmed Ider as this exciting shape-shifting pop duo as ones to keep an ear open for.
Gathered from all four corners of the globe, London-based girl gang Yassassin deliver off-kilter pop with lashings of personality. Developing a reputation for riotous live shows and the songwriting to back it up, the serrated edges and bass bounds of ‘Pretty Face’ that dance across your ears and explode into singalong stomps could literally be a punky yet melodic anthemfor the #metoo campaign and a large two finger salute to misogyny. The ghosts of The Slits and Lush swirl around elements of these tracks but never intrude. Spiky, tuneful and bursting with attitude Yassassin are frankly a bloody brilliant proposition!
Arctic Monkeys, Björk, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, The National, Lorde, Migos, A$AP Rocky and Jane Birkin head the spectacular lineup of the eighteenth edition of Barcelona’s Primavera Festival.
Arctic Monkeys’ comeback tour, after four years without performing live, leads the delegation, Björk will perform her resplendent Utopia in her first visit to the festival and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds will finally bring the cathartic Skeleton Tree to the stage in what promises to be a historic concert.
All the aforementioned are just only the highlights of a monster list which consecrates The National and The War On Drugs, A$AP Rocky and Migos as the epitome of today’s hip hop and trap worldwide scene, and Lorde as the new 21st century pop star. As a culmination, the lineup also provides the opportunity to see a legendary artist such as Jane Birkin singing songs from her homage record…
A Man I’d Rather Be (Part I) is the latest Bert Jansch boxset release from Earth Recordings (26th January). Having purchased two myself (On the Edge of a Dream and Living in the Shadows) I can testify that they’re really something special, even if you own an old vinyl copy somewhere. For the latest they focus on Bert’s seminal 1960s output (alongside his only album as a duet with Pentangle bandmate John Renbourn) this four-disc set covers an era that forged creative paths for everyone from Neil Young to Johnny Marr. New listening notes from Bill Leader, as well as unseen photographs from Brian Shuel complete this special collection. It’s available in CD and LP format and covers the albums Bert Jansch, It Don’t Bother Me, Jack Orion and Bert and John.
“I particularly like his second record. The album before it [1965’s Bert Jansch] is more revered and held up by most journalists as being the seminal one, but I think the songs are better on It Don’t Bother Me, particularly the title track. The fact that they were both recorded in a kitchen at his mate’s house is another reason why it has never dated.” – Johnny Marr
Where to start with a career as prolific as that of Bert Jansch? Why, the beginning of course. Bert’s first studio (though as Bill Leader rightly points out, that’s a bit of a stretch) albums capture a man whose star is truly on the rise. It also marks his most prolific period – these four LPs were written, recorded and issued in just two years; a testament to not only Bert’s abundant musicality but to a time for music that was changing – excitedly – from minute to minute. From Bert’s masterclass in elegant, melodic, one-man-and-his-guitar fingerpicking on his self-titled LP, to the beginnings of something altogether more exotic on ‘Bert and John’, these records are nothing if not a remarkable insight into the changing face of folk music at the time.
For those unfamiliar with Jansch’s oeuvre, this is a real treat; you won’t find a more comprehensively produced collection. ‘A Man I’d Rather Be’ includes all the original liner notes (from both Keith De Groot and Bert himself) as well as new ruminations from Bill Leader (who recorded much of Jansch’s nascent work) as well as never-before seen photographs by the illustrious Brian Shuel. For those in the know, this is a chance to revisit these extraordinary albums, revel in new insights and add some – perhaps more listenable LPs – to sit alongside their love-worn originals.
“Simply, I think Bert was a truly unique musician. Somehow he could elegantly bridge differing musical and singing traditions to sing and play in a way that sounded only like Bert Jansch.” –Anne Briggs
Live at The Isle Of Wight Festival – the last concert ever filmed of The Doors will be issued for the first time next month.
The concert footage has been restored and colour-corrected and the entire show has been mixed into 5.1 surround sound from the original multi-tracks by Bruce Botnick.
The performance was filmed in August 1970, in front of 600,000 people. Ray Manzarek described the performance as “subdued but very intense” adding, “we played with a controlled fury and Jim was in fine vocal form. He sang for all he was worth, but moved nary a muscle. Dionysus had been shackled.” This is a reference to Jim Morrison’s Miami obscenity trial which was at the time ongoing and weighing heavily on the band.
The fairly short but historic set includes such staples as Roadhouse Blues, Break On Through (To The Other Side), andLight My Fire.
This release is available as both blu-ray+CD and DVD+CD combo packs, although annoyingly, it looks like the former is exclusive to North America/Canada. Standalone Blu-ray and DVD are also available and all the DVD and Blu-ray elements contain a bonus feature This Is The End, with interviews conducted by the film’s original director Murray Lerner with Krieger, Densmore, original Doors manager Bill Siddons and archival interview footage of Manzarek from 2002.
New York, NY (December 14, 2017) — The historic last concert ever filmed of The Doors is now available for the first time. Eagle Rock Entertainment proudly presents The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 on DVD+CD, Blu-ray+CD and Digital Video on February 23, 2018.
This is the last known unseen performance of The Doors in existence, The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 has been completely recut and remixed, from the original film footage. Fully approved by The Doors, this previously unreleased concert was meticulously restored via the latest 21st century technology, color correcting and visually upgrading the original footage. The entire concert, which is now presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital sound, was mixed from the original multi-track audio by longtime Doors engineer / mixer / co-producer Bruce Botnick. Fans may have caught a glimpse of this performance in the 1997 Isle of Wight film Message To Love, however this DVD presents The Doors’ set with the full-length songs in maximum visual and sound quality.
The scene is August 1970… Frontman Jim Morrison’s ongoing obscenity trial, from an incident a year prior in Miami, weighs heavily on the band. “The Last Great Festival” is taking place in England, which boasted a venerable who’s who of 1970’s top acts: Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, and more… The band touches down on the Isle of Wight. The show must go on.
The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 captures and showcases the essence of this poignant performance, as well as offering a snapshot of the era, with footage of fans (over 600,000 in attendance) tearing down barriers and crashing the gates to gain access to the event.
The Doors hit the stage at 2:00AM on August 30, 1970, delivering a set that further proved the musical power that marked them as a beacon of the Summer of Love. In this 84-minute DVD, Morrison, organist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore traverse such staples as “Roadhouse Blues”, “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”, and “Light My Fire”. Illuminated by a mere red spotlight (the band wasn’t informed that they needed to bring their own lighting equipment) gave the show an eerie crimson hue, almost echoing the figurative weight of the trial.
“Our set was subdued but very intense”, Manzarek later stated. “We played with a controlled fury and Jim was in fine vocal form. He sang for all he was worth, but moved nary a muscle.
The DVD is completed with bonus featurette “This Is The End” – 17 minutes of interviews conducted by the film’s original director, Academy Award-winning Murray Lerner with Krieger, Densmore, and original Doors manager Bill Siddons. Additional archival interview footage with Manzarek from 2002 is also included in the featurette.
The Doors made an enormous impact on the music world in their few years of existence before Jim Morrison’s passing in 1971. The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970, which joins Eagle Rock Entertainment’s rich canon of The Doors’ films (Classic Albums: The Doors; When You’re Strange; Live At The Bowl ’68 ; Feast Of Friends ; R-Evolution ; Live In Europe 1968 ; Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story Of L.A. Woman , No One Here Gets Out Alive – The Doors’ Tribute To Jim Morrison ; and SoundstagePerformances ), captures a pivotal moment in their history.
This was the day 49 years ago that San Francisco rock band Quicksilver Messenger Serviceunveiled their finest hour, at least in commercial terms. March 17th, 1969 marked the release of ‘Happy Trails,’ their second album for Capitol Records and their one LP to win gold certification in America. When it comes to groups graced with two lead guitarists, one often earns more ardor than the other. Sometimes that’s understandable, like when one player takes more of the solos. But in a case like Quicksilver Messenger Service, it’s a mystery. In their heyday, John Cipollina tended to get more attention than Gary Duncan, though they both made dazzling contributions to their albums and concerts.
Cipollina’s distinctly ringing tremolo, a kind of sonic special effect that achieved a shivery resonance on the highest notes. In fact, Duncan has his own distinct tone and his overall work showed nearly as much invention and scope as his partner’s. You can hear their interplay best in the band’s oceanic jams,
Quite unusually for a sophomore record, ‘Happy Trails’ was a live album, taken from performances by the band at the famed Fillmore East and Fillmore West venues. Even more ambitiously, the first side of the disc was a suite of songs, running more than 25 minutes in total, based around the theme of Bo Diddley’s‘Who Do You Love?’, in no fewer than six episodic interpretations. Quicksilver’s version divided into seven sections, with different sub-titles. One dubbed When You Love, featured a long, and highly creative, five-minute jaunt from Duncan that drew from jazz as well as psychedelia, underscored by a Latin-influenced bass line. It’s forceful and ruminative at once. Cipollina took the reins during the How You Love segment, letting his chilling tremolo spin through loop-de-loops, broken by distinct cries phased to shoot back and forth between the speakers.
The first and last of these were versions of the song itself, with notable roles for the band’s guitarists John Cipollina and Gary Duncan. The first even nudged into the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 91. But the middle passages were all written by the members of QMS themselves, titled (with a hint of humour) ‘When You Love, ‘Where You Love,’ ‘How You Love’ and ‘Which Do You Love.’
“Quicksilver goes into it at full speed,” wrote Greil Marcus in his Rolling Stone review at the time, “John Cipollina’s guitar alternately harsh and sweet, clashing with Gary Duncan’s rhythm, Greg Elmore’s drumming simple and solid, never an iota of sloppiness, not a note missed.”
Who do you love and Mona are excellent examples of QMS live , the audience interaction is exciting and enervating, Cipollina’s guitar playing is ecstatic and moving. Calvary is like a psychedelic spaghetti western and is quite in place and a good ol’ boys yippee ay yay ending in Happy Trails means a great trip is guaranteed for all you heads out there
This is simply the San Francisco live,’acid rock’, sound at its best. Obviously comparisons with the Dead will be made but for reasons well expressed by the other reviewers here they are pretty meaningless. I can understand why opinions are divided over this album, It is one of the great, maybe the greatest, guitar album(s) flowing in a way that no other has ever equalled. Don’t look for structured songs here just, to quote the Airplane,”ride the music”. One of the two or three albums that would be in my top ten whenever you asked me.
The second side of ‘Happy Trails’ started with another gem from the Bo Diddley catalogue, ‘Mona,’ and three more band compositions including Duncan’s 13-minute instrumental ‘Calvary.’
The album artwork was designed by Globe Propaganda, described as “an advertising agency specializing in hip, progressive material.” Soon afterwards, Globe designed covers for the Charlatans and It’s A Beautiful Day. 23 years after its release, in 1992, ‘Happy Trails’ went gold, testament to the lasting contribution of Quicksilver Messenger Service as was the fact that it landed at No. 189 on Rolling Stone’s all-time top 500 albums.
Weird and wonderful! Ian’s flute improvisation shows that he must have spent a high percentage of his life practicing the flute … it is amazing how he just breathes music. So much energy and sensitivity at the same time … a really great band … and a really great time. The application of some jazz to folk, classical and popular music
From The Rockpalast Archives JETHRO TULL“SwingIn” Full Documentary 27.11.1969)
Songs : 01.Nothing Is Easy 02:18 02.Bourée 08:03 03.Sweet Dream / .For a Thousand Mother 20:42
Robert Plant has released a video showcasing a live performance of “Season’s Song” with his band the Sensational Space Shifters. The track appears on his latest album “Carry Fire”, which was released in October. “On this collection, there’s 11 songs – there’s thousands more under the pillow,” Plant tells the audience in the video, which was filmed in Manchester on November 30th. “And this is a topical song, really. It changes every day, but the sentiment remains the same.”
In a recent radio interview, the former Led Zeppelin singer hailed the Sensational Space Shifters for their worth ethic and attitude. “The guys I play with are superlative,” he said. “They’re the greatest guys on the planet and they’re very, very good fun. Very silly. It’s kind of like a school trip when we go on tour. It couldn’t be more charming and humorous.” Robert Plant also mentioned his songwriting process with the group. “To be able to write with these guys and to come out with the songs, we feel very accomplished,” he noted. “I don’t see it breaking doors down, but … at this particular time in my existence, for me it is breaking doors down – because it’s telling me that I can actually be moved through time and still not repeat myself and not end up like some kind of a one-trick pony.”
Plant also recently confirmed the release of a new concert DVD, Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters “Live at David Lynch’s Festival of Disruption”, which was recorded in Los Angeles in 2016.
Robert Plant’s “Live at David Lynch’s Festival of Disruption” track listing:
“Poor Howard”
“Turn It Up”
“Black Dog”
“Medley: The Enchanter / Rainbow”
“Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”
“Little Maggie”
“Medley: Hoochie Coochie Man / Whole Lotta Love / Mona”
“Going To California”
Proceeds from the video’s sale will go toward the David Lynch Foundation, and will be released on February. 9th.
Irish quartet Pillow Queens are releasing a new EP via the Bristol-based Specialist Subject in March, and its new single ‘Favourite’
It was in the inimitable “Indietracks” festival in Derbyshire that we first stumbled across the music of this Irish, indie-types, Pillow Queens. Now signed to Specialist Subject, the band are set to release their new EP, “State Of The State”, in March and have this week shared new single, “Favourite”.
Described by the band as, “a maniacal composition about self-delusion”, Favourite is a fine example of the PillowQueens sound, comprising of stunning over-lapping vocal lines, fizzing hook laden guitar lines and quietly complex rhythmic ideas. The product of a year spent touring and crafting their sound, State Of The States looks like it’s going to be a giant step-forward for Pillow Queens; a band discovering their sound and learning that with their music, there truly is no limit to what can be achieved.
Collaborative projects maintained from a distance are rather commonplace in today’s musical climate, but few retain the intimacy and ingenuity of nadine. the three-piece is the creative byproduct of Nadia Hulett, part of the collective phantom posse, and Julian Fader and Carlos Hernandez, both of Ava Luna. though spread out across the country in different cities at different times, the trio linked up outside of Austin to cut oh my, an effortless, adventurous pop exercise in the form of a debut album.
Here to remind us that music is not just an audible experience, Minneapolis / New York’s Nadine make melodies that transcend acoustics. Their debut album Oh My is collection of sophisticated modern pop songs that resonate in the gaps, the space between deadlines and timelines. More akin to poetry set to music, Nadine is all about exploring feeling. Whilst most poets revel in the personal, Nadine’s process is collaborative whose core is singer Nadia Hulett (part of the loose collective Phantom Posse) and Julian Fader and Carlos Hernandez .
The trio’s practice is marked by their commitment to playfulness, curiosity, and fluidity. Nadine’s songs have one foot standing firm in pop, but ebb and flow with exploration and experiment. Recorded over two years in Gravesend Studios in Brooklyn, NY and Dripping Springs in Austin, TX. Polyphonic melodies swing and gambol, instrumental layers take generous flourishes and unexpected turns with an ear to the wondrous and occasionally weird, crafting jazz-tinged lounge-pop all held together by Hulett’s characteristic vocals, strong with a sincerity and gentleness that holds the listener.
nadine’s debut is out today via father/daughter in the united states and memphis industries everywhere else.
![Robert Plant And The Sensational Space Shifters: Live At... [DVD] [2018] [New DV](https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/ynwAAOSwL9paZlb0/s-l640.jpg)
