The Fat Angel Sings

Mazzy Star an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 in Santa Monica, California, from remnants of the group Opal. Founding member David Roback’s friend Hope Sandoval became the group’s vocalist when Kendra Smith left Opal.

Mazzy Star is best known for the song “Fade into You”, which brought the band commercial success in the mid-1990s and was the group’s biggest mainstream hit, earning extensive exposure on MTV, and radio airplay. Roback and Sandoval were the creative center of the band, with Sandoval as lyricist and Roback as composer of the majority of the band’s material until his death in Los Angeles in February 2020, from cancer.

The band was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, but also faced challenges and struggles, such as pressure from the music industry, personal issues, and creative differences. The band eventually faded from the spotlight, and Roback tragically passed away in 2020, leaving behind a legacy that still resonates with fans and musicians today.

Mazzy Star’s founding drummer Keith Mitchell, originally part of Opal, died on May 2017, also from cancer. Thier EP “Still” released on June 2018, was dedicated to Mitchell and stage manager Tom Cashen who also died in 2017.

Mazzy Star has deep roots within the Paisley Underground movement of the early 1980s. David Roback, along with his brother Steven, was one of the main architects of leading Los Angeles psychedelic revival band the Rain Parade. Leaving that band after their debut LP, he founded Clay Allison in 1983 with then-girlfriend, ex-Dream Syndicate bassist Kendra Smith.

Soon after the publication of their sole release, the 1983 double A-sided single “Fell From the Sun”/”All Souls”, Clay Allison renamed themselves Opal and released the LP “Happy Nightmare Baby” on SST records With Roback as its musical catalyst, Opal were a direct precursor to Mazzy Star musically—often featuring the same psychedelic guitar drones and similar hints of blues and folk that would later appear on Mazzy Star recordings.

Meanwhile, Sandoval—who was in high school at the time—formed the folk music duo Going Home in the early 1980s with fellow student Sylvia Gomez, and played gigs with Sonic Youth and Minutemen. Both were devoted followers of the Rain Parade, and after a 1983 concert by the band in the Los Angeles area, Gomez entered the backstage area of the venue and gave Roback a copy of Going Home’s demo tape, featuring Sandoval on vocals and Gomez on guitar. Upon hearing the tape, Roback offered to produce a still-unreleased album by the pair.

When Smith left Opal under cloudy circumstances in the middle of a tour Sandoval was chosen as her replacement.

Despite Smith’s departure, Rough Trade retained Roback’s original record deal, contractually obligating him to supply a follow-up to Opal’s debut LP. As a result, Roback and Sandoval continued to tour under the Opal alias for the next two years, during which time they completed production on Opal’s planned second album, titled “Ghost Highway.”

Composed mainly of songs written by Roback and Smith, Sandoval stated that she was unhappy with the material, and expressed an interest in wanting to “start something completely new”. The pair quickly composed and recorded seven new tracks in Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco, and renamed the band Mazzy Star. Written over a year before Mazzy Star’s inception, the track “Ghost Highway” is the band’s only original song to not feature a writing credit from Sandoval, while another song, “Give You My Lovin'”, was written by Going Home guitarist Sylvia Gomez which had first been recorded by Sandoval and Gomez in the mid-1980s.

Following Roback’s death in 2020, Sandoval and Ewers are the last surviving members of the band’s original lineup. The band released three album’s “She Hangs Brightly” in 1990, “So Tonight That I Might See” in 1993 (the album went platinum in 1995), and “Among My Swan” in 1996.

The band’s fourth studio album, “Seasons of Your Day“, was released in 2013, followed by the EP “Still” in 2018.

“She Hangs Brightly”

“She Hangs Brightly” was released in May 1990 on Rough Trade and, although it was not an immediate commercial success, the album established the duo as a recurrent fixture on alternative rock radio, with lead single “Blue Flower” – a cover of the Slapp Happy track, The album would go on to sell over 70,000 copies in the UK.

This dark and dreamy psychedelic band pairs former Rain Parade and Opal guitarist Dave Roback with vocalist Hope Sandoval. Drawing primarily from the swirling, textured drone of such ’60s groups as the Velvet Underground and the Doors, Mazzy Star also incorporate blues, country, and pulsing acoustic folk elements, creating a highly textured and luminous amalgam. The band’s auspicious debut is a rich, atmospheric bag of tricks.

“So Tonight That I Might See”

The American branch of Rough Trade folded in late 1990, briefly leaving Mazzy Star without a record label. Within weeks, the duo’s contract was picked up by Capitol Records, who re-released “She Hangs Brightly” November 1990, and released their follow-up, “So Tonight That I Might See” on September 1993. 

Combining the considerable talents of guitarist Dave Roback (Opal, Rain Parade) and Hope Sandoval‘s sultry, heavy-lidded vocals, Mazzy Star fuses blues, country, and pulsing acoustic folk in a dark psychedelic mix that recalls The Velvet Underground and The Doors. The group’s highly textured, atmospheric sound emerged glittering and fully formed on the debut She Hangs Brightly, surprising listeners of underground music with its moody yet accessible mix.

A year after its release, the album yielded an unexpected hit single. “Fade into You” Following the success of “Fade into You”, “She Hangs Brightly” album opener “Halah” began to receive heavy airplay.

“So Tonight That I Might See” sticks close to the ground staked out by its predecessor, though with no less success. “Wasted” moves insistently down the twelve-bar road to nuanced, snarling guitar embellishments. “Blue Light” is smoky, blue-eyed (if black-hearted) soul.

Of particular note is the cover of Arthur Lee’s “Five String Serenade,” graced with lilting cello and tambourine accompaniment. Dave Roback‘s electric/lysergic guitar explorations and Hope Sandoval‘s bluesy, lazily erotic sigh weave a deeply evocative spell, making “So Tonight” a perfect 2:00am album.

“Among My Swan“

Their final album for Capitol, “Among My Swan“, was released on October 1996. it produced their highest-peaking single in the United Kingdom, when “Flowers in December” entered the chart

“Among My Swan” features the same swirling, psychedelic folk music that brought Mazzy Star mainstream success with 1993’s “So Tonight that I Might See”. The songs employ the sparse arrangements and dark sense of space first explored by bands like Big Star (on Third / Sister Lovers) and the Velvet Underground. but with tunes that are always accessible, and sometimes irresistible, Mazzy Star has brought this dreamy ballad sound up from the underground. David Roback provides a shimmering backdrop of slide guitar and organ for Hope Sandoval’s mesmerizing vocals. smooth as honey and wispy as tumbleweed, Sandoval’s haunting voice traps the listener in a celestial trance. “Among My Swan” never lapses into the self-indulgent side of psychedelia; the music is always kept muted and close to its folk and blues roots. this is an album of beautiful mood music that flickers in the shadows.

The band promoted the album with a five-month tour of the US and Europe, after which Sandoval and Roback began work on new material. Over the course of these sessions, Sandoval reportedly “begged” Capitol to be released from her contract, later elaborating, “It seemed record companies wanted bands to be creative because they didn’t know how to manufacture underground music. We could do our own thing and go at our own pace. But that changed when major labels started wanting bands that would sell millions of records. They had a formula. And suddenly all these people wanted to come to the studio to keep track of what we were doing and make sure we were following that formula.

“Seasons of Your Day” 

“Seasons of Your Day” is the fourth studio album by Mazzy Star, coming after a long hiatus of seventeen years. This album returns to the band’s roots with a blend of folk, blues, and psychedelic elements, marked by the languorous vocals of Hope Sandoval and the intricate guitar work of David Roback.

The band finally returned in 2013, with their fourth and final album, “Seasons of Your Day”, which was released on their own label, Rhymes of an Hour Records. The album was a welcome comeback for the fans and the critics, who appreciated the band’s consistency and quality, as well as their new and fresh elements. The album featured songs such as ‘California’, ‘In the Kingdom’, and ‘Common Burn’, which demonstrated the band’s timeless and classic sound, as well as their growth and evolution.

This album was recorded between 2010 and 2012 in California and Norway. The production was led by David Roback, who also performed most of the instrumental work with Sandoval’s vocals leading the emotional depth of the record.

The album also featured guest appearances from musicians such as My Bloody Valentine’s Colm O’Ciosoig, and the late Bert Jansch, a legendary folk guitarist who influenced Roback.

The Winter of ’94 and a year after the release of the sublime “So Tonight That I Might See”, Mazzy Star find themselves still touring and promoting the album, some of the songs featured here are from that album such as “Into Dust”, “Bells Ring” the title track and the hit single “Fade Into You”. Whilst songs like “Flowers In December” would turn up on the next album released a whole two years later.

Four of the selections are from the critically acclaimed first album “She Hangs Brightly” issued in 1990, including the Sylvia Gomez penned “Give You My Lovin” and the obscure German band Slapp Happy cover of “Blue Flower”.

In the immediate aftermath of Mazzy Star’s dissolution, Sandoval, who had appeared on the Jesus and Mary Chain’s 1994 release “Stoned & Dethroned“, made another guest appearance on their album “Munki“, she also collaborated with the Chemical Brothers, while Roback produced and mixed two songs found on Beth Orton’s 1999 album “Central Reservation“.

In June 2000, the band reunited for a mini-tour of Europe. Performing up to seven new songs at each of these concerts, Sandoval revealed in interviews around this time that these new songs were written and recorded for Mazzy Star’s fourth studio album, which was to be released independently sometime in the future. This did not materialize, however, as later that year, Sandoval joined with Colm Ó Cíosóig (formerly of My Bloody Valentine) to form Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions.

Sandoval issued her first EP with the Warm Inventions, “At the Doorway Again”, and followed it up with her debut full-length album, “Bavarian Fruit Bread“, a year later.

Sandoval performed as part of Bert Jansch’s 60th birthday celebration at Queen Elizabeth Hall on November, 2003. As well as Ó Cíosóig, Jansch and his son Adam, she was also joined on stage by David Roback for renditions of “Suzanne” and “All This Remains”, a song Sandoval had contributed lead vocals and wrote lyrics to for Jansch’s 2002 album “Edge of a Dream“. This would remain Sandoval and Roback’s final appearance together on-stage until 2012.

Roback and Sandoval had a strong musical chemistry, and complemented each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Roback was the main composer and arranger, who played various instruments and created atmospheric and layered soundscapes. Sandoval was the main lyricist and vocalist, who sang with a soft and sultry voice, and expressed intimate and melancholic emotions. 

David Roback died on February 2020, of cancer.

Mazzy Star may have come to an actual end, however, as co-founder Roback passed away in February 2020. Sandoval, devastated by the loss, posted a poem about her former partner: “What will we do now? Now that you leave me here. Even though the dark blue sky is still radiant and filled with the comforting sadness that holds us together.”

 Mazzy Star discography

• She Hangs Brightly (1990)
• So Tonight That I Might See (1993)
• Among My Swan (1996)
• Seasons of Your Day (2013)

Courtney Barnett has a wonderful knack for singing lyrics that are so deeply personal and specific to her own life, but give them a universal feel. Taylor Swift might be the biggest-selling artist of our time, but is there anyone who can make a more compelling claim to being the voice of her generation than Courtney Barnett?

Whether it was in the sick-of-the rat-race and idling-insignificantly anthems ‘Elevator Operator’ or ‘Pedestrian at Best’ on her full length debut, her tackling of misogyny, social isolation and raised expectations across all of “Tell Me How You Really Feel” or the more casual, mature and worldly falling in love again of Things Take Time, Take Time, Barnett has always spoken to something bigger than herself. It’s no wonder that her fans both hang on to every word at her shows and fire them back at her as if they were their own individual thoughts.

Barnett is at her best when she is taking your complicated thoughts and feelings and turning them into simple, and simply brilliant lyrics, like on her latest (and best) album, “Creature of Habit“. “Keep on getting in my own way” she sings in ‘Site Unseen’, while the future-anthem ‘Sugar Plum’ gave us the quip “I’m in over my head, yeah, I’m over my head” and, maybe best of all, a lyric that not only sums up the state that most people seem to find themselves in just this year, but this decade altogether, in ‘Mantis’: “I got my head sorted, sort of”. We’re all just doing our best to get by, and Courtney Barnett’s latest is a wonderful and helpful companion in that endeavour.

This soaring music documentary traces Gregg Allman’s journey from a childhood scarred by his father’s murder to becoming the iconic co-founder and voice of The Allman Brothers Band and a pioneering force in Southern rock. Exploring themes of grief, addiction, love, and the racially charged American South through his transcendent music, the film is both tender and unsparing. Featuring electrifying performances and archival recordings, it reveals how Gregg’s unforgettable blend of rock, country, and blues mirrored the music and struggles of his soul A timeless portrait of one of our greatest bands ever – The Allman Brothers Band. Centered around a rare and intimate interview with Gregg Allman, “The Music of My Soul” tells the whole story of survival, loyalty, love, loss, family, genius, perseverance and one of the wildest rides in rock history.” Cameron Crowe“Everything that Gregory was, was fine with me,” he says in the film, which premieres June 17 as a special one-night-only event theaters. “Because we did what we did together… most of it just being human beings, and unrestricted Black and white brothers.

Tracing Gregg Allman’s journey from a childhood scarred by his father’s murder to the heart of a generation-defining sound with the Allman Brothers Band, this tender film uses electrifying performances and archival recordings to reveal how his music, his headline-making marriage to Cher, and his restless pursuit of authenticity affirmed him not just as a rock legend, but as a lasting cultural force.

On Squirrel Flower’s new album, “Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going”, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Ella Williams, delivers her most transcendent and instantly classic record to date. It’s an album full of hope and beauty, with themes of staying in constant motion, electric love, and knowing when to leave, but also when to stick around.  

After touring in support of 2023’s “Tomorrow’s Fire”, Williams remained on the road, following instinct over itinerary—passing through Gary, Indiana; Los Angeles; Putney, Vermont; Silver City, New Mexico; and Hudson, New York. Each stop became a site of creative renewal. She ended up recording the album at two locations: a makeshift studio in rural Wisconsin, and at Drop of Sun in Asheville, NC, featuring friends and collaborators such as Dimitri Giannpolous (Horse Jumper of Love), Sofia Jensen (Free Range), Clay Frankel (Twin Peaks, Hazel City), and many others along the way.  

Standouts like “Reelin” and “Highway Woman” showcase the push and pull of life as a musician; the constant need for embarking on a hero’s journey in search of reflection and freedom. Others like “Not Me” and “Cleveland” are classic Squirrel Flower, but with a sharper and more concentrated writing style paired with some of Williams’ strongest vocal delivery of her career.  

Mixed and co-produced by Alex Farrar (MJ Lenderman, Wednesday), “Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going” is the sound of cosmic rebirth, looking behind to illuminate what’s ahead. “Pack your life and your guitar,” Williams sings on “Highway Woman.” “You can change it as you go. You do not plan on dying.”  

The new album ‘Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going’ out 8/21 on Polyvinyl Records

Returning to where it all began, Talking Heads proudly presents the brand new and extensive Talking Heads: 77 (Super Deluxe Edition), This Super Deluxe Edition charts the development of the band from the original trio of David Byrne, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth into the classic four-person lineup with the addition of former Modern Lover member Jerry Harrison.

Spread across nearly three hours of material, this Super Deluxe Edition features a brand new remaster of the original album on LP1.

The second LP features a collection of rarities encompassing outtakes and previously unreleased alternate versions, including the never before heard ‘Psycho Killer (Alternate Version)’ and ‘Pulled Up (Alternate “Pop” Version)’.

LP3 & LP4 contain a previously unreleased recording of the band’s final show at CBGB’s in New York City on October 10th, 1977.

A beautiful 80-page hardcover book is included, with new liner notes from Tina, David, Chris & Jerry and featuring rare and unreleased photos of the band and ephemera throughout the era.

The Super Deluxe Edition also contains reproductions of the 4 Sire Records 7”s from Talking Heads: 77 including ‘Love → Building on Fire / New Feeling’, ‘Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town / I Wish You Didn’t Say That’, ‘Psycho Killer / Psycho Killer (Acoustic)’ and ‘Pulled Up / Don’t Worry About The Government’. All with picture sleeves.

Johnny Marr approaches his 63rd birthday and will celebrate with his fifth solo full-length, “The Age of Everything“, this autumn. The project arrives October. 2nd from BMG and is led by the single “Spin” .

The 10-track effort was written in London, workshopped on tour in North America last year and recorded in the former Smiths guitarist’s hometown of Manchester, England. “Spin” and fellow album tracks “It’s Time” and “Ophelia” were frequently played during that run.

“This is the record that’s been the most cathartic,” Marr says of the follow-up to his 2022 double LP “Fever Dreams Pts 1-4“. “The title came to me early in the process and became an inescapable idea. It seemed to sum up the way I think a lot of people are feeling. It’s all encompassing, but it’s not necessarily a negative statement. There’s a sense of overwhelm in the culture brought about by technology, but looking at it with a different light, there could also be a sense of possibility.”

In the fall of 2024, Marr said he was working on ideas on the road, which adds “a certain energy. My early songs were on a two-track tape recorder that I was able to trick into bouncing tracks together, and then I upgraded to a Teac Portastudio. I’ve kept up with technology, because it’s usually interesting and sometimes fun. Right now, I’ve gone right back to getting guitar ideas down on a looper and layering them without looking at a screen. I’m bored of looking at screens when I’m making music. It’s a long subject.”

Marr will also play a handful of shows in the U.K. and Europe through July in Granada, Spain. The lone gig on his fall agenda is Oct. 24 at OVO Arena Wembley in London.

The Mountain Goats are releasing a new album, “Days”, on August 7th on the band’s own Cadmean Dawn Records via Thirty Tigers. Now they have released its second single, “Shallow Grave.”

The band has also announced a six-show residency in San Francisco at The Fillmore, where each night will have a different theme and set list.

Previously the band shared its first single, “Charlie Sheen Reaches Out to the Feds,” The band’s core lineup is John Darnielle, Matt Douglas, and Jon Wurster.

“I got the idea for ‘Shallow Grave’ at a stoplight and recorded the first bits of it a capella into my phone,” John Darnielle said of the sprightly new single from the Mountain Goats’ new LP “Days”. “Came home and blazed through the rest old school style. Got very excited! Sent it to friends! Everybody bopped! Carrie White’s mom, or Carrie White’s arm? The jury is still out! Poetic license strikes again! Please enjoy what has already been called, by me, ‘the song of the summer’: Shallow Grave! Shallow Grave! Shallow Grave!”

Darnielle had this to say in a previous press release: “This album began life as “Grunges“, a sequel to “Goths“, after I made a joke on social media about writing a song called ‘Contemplating Pearl Jam in the Carolina Dawn.’ A few months later my wife left town for a two week residency in Virginia. My wife leaving town to play hockey in Banff is how All Hail West Texas happened. These songs are loosely about the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, which is to say they’re about the accumulation of days, each one a little further back than the next, sometimes miraculously seeming clearer as they recede and sometimes blurring into unrecognizable shapes which are sometimes pleasant and sometimes troubling. Most songs here are in major keys but don’t let that fool you. If you do let that fool you I have a bridge to sell you; there is nothing on the other side of the bridge. Still, you shouldn’t let that deter you. Who am I to tell you what kind of bridge you need, or where the bridge you need should lead? Nobody, really. Nobody at all.”

distributed by Thirty Tigers Released on: 2026-06-10

Pulp have announced a new live album, fittingly and simply titled “Live!”, and an accompanying concert film, Pulp: “What Do You Do For an Encore?2. They have also shared a live video for “A Sunset,” from both the album and film, and the audio of “Disco 2000” from the album. 

“Live!” is due out August 28 via Rough Trade and Pulp: What Do You Do For an Encore? will stream on MUBI this autumn.check out “A Sunset” and more details of both the live album and film.

Pulp released “More”, their first new album in 24 years, last year via Rough Trade Records. The album and film were both captured at the band’s shows in June 2025 at the O2 Arena in London, the same week that “More” was #1 on the UK album charts. Garth Jennings directed the film, having first worked with the band in 1997 directing their “Help the Aged” music video. He helped design the staging for Pulp’s tour.

Before “More”, Pulp’s previous album was the Scott Walker-produced “We Love Life“, released in 2001. Since then the band went on hiatus, reissued their old albums, returned to touring from 2011-2013, put out the unreleased song “After You” in 2013, went back on hiatus, and reunited again in 2022 for a well-received tour that stretched from 2023 to 2024. The band’s bassist Steve Mackey sadly died in March 2023 at only 56, so he did not take part in the last reunion or the new album. 

Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker had this to say in a press release: “A concert is an event where songs come back to life. That’s why this album is called “Live!”. It’s both a statement of fact (it’s a recording of a live band) & a challenge (come on! Everyone come alive!).”

“Live!” Album Due Out August 28th via Rough Trade; Pulp: “What Do You Do For an Encore?” Film