In June, the Australian trio Cable Ties are releasing a new album, “All Her Plans”, their follow-up to 2020’s “Far Enough”. They’re shared two singles from it so far, “Perfect Client” and “Time For You,” and today they’re back with another track, “Change.”
“Change’ contrasts the traumatization of victim/survivors by the so-called justice system with the solidarity and hope I have found talking to mothers, friends and strangers who have connected with the songs I’ve screamed into the abyss,” the band’s Jenny McKechnie said in a statement, continuing:
The lyrics reflect a collection of experiences I’ve had over the last decade, particularly relating to being a woman who plays loud angry, feminist music. Playing this type of music has allowed me to have deeply moving conversations with people who connect to the experiences I describe. I treasure these conversations. They are the thing that keeps me going when I feel like there’s no point to my silly little songs in my silly little band. I recorded the vocal take for this song very shortly after Roe v Wade was overturned, so I was extremely fired up and dejected, but wanted to remind myself why we keep going.
Cable Ties are Shauna Boyle, Nick Brown and Jenny McKechnie
Wye Oak is an Indie Folk duo from the US (Maryland) who has been releasing music since 2007. With seven LPs, and a healthy does of EPs and singles, Wye Oak has consistently provided entertainment throughout the 15 years of their existence.
On June 23rd, Wye Oak will release their next as a collection of singles that have been released after the last album, as well as three brand new tracks. The set, released via Merge Records, will be called “Every Day Like The Last: Collected Singles 2019-2023“. The new set will contain nine tracks in all. A new song is in release as a single (heard below).
The nine songs on “Every Day Like the Last”, which were recorded in Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack’s current home state of North Carolina and Virginia at venues that include Stack’s backyard studio, compiles the singles Wye Oak has released since 2019’s glowing “Fortune” and includes three new songs. While it wasn’t conceived the way an album traditionally is, these songs coalesce because of the way they examine and grapple with ambiguities, which is reflected by the dual meaning of the title and its attendant track, a pensive, suspended-in-midair track that contemplates the importance of human connection.
“Every Day Like The Last” will be issued on CD, DD, and two forms of vinyl LP that include standard black, and a black and natural swirl color limited edition. The inner sleeve of the LPs will be printed with lyrics. Each LP set will include DD rights. The CD will be housed in a four-panel wallet, adding in a mini-poster foldout with printed lyrics.
Graham Nash has announced the Sixty Years of Songs and Stories 2023 U.S. tour, marking the 60th anniversary of his first single release with the Hollies. He’ll also release a new album titled “Now” in May..
“Now“, the aptly titled new studio album from legendary artist Graham Nash, is a stunning collection that stays true to his near six-decade mission: Observing the human experience through the lens of a Northern boy and contributing a wealth of songs to the soundtrack of our lives. The new songs on Now are worthy additions to the canon of a two-time inductee into the Songwriters Hallof Fame. The new songs range from the intensely political rallying cry of Stand Up and the scorching indictment of MAGA in Golden Idols to the bitterly ironic Stars and Stripes. As Nash says, “just tell me the truth, stop lying and stop trying to create division between people all over the world, just tell me the truth. The stars and stripes are waving, but they’re waving goodbye to the truth.”
“Now”, which does not yet have a firm release date, will mark Nash’s first studio album since 2016’s “This Path Tonight”. In May, the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young alum recently released “Graham Nash: Live”, which features him playing his first two solo LPs, “Songs for Beginners” and “Wild Tales”, in their entireties.
Nash also recently announced that he has curated a new compilation album featuring him and estranged former bandmate David Crosby singing vocal harmonies with several of their musical contemporaries. “It starts with us singing on [Stephen Stills’ 1970 solo hit] ‘Love the One You’re With,’ then on Jackson Browne’s [1972 hit] ‘Doctor My Eyes’ and James Taylor’s [1975 hit] ‘Mexico,'” Nash commented on the album, which does not yet have a title or release date. “It finishes off with me and David singing ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ with Carole King [in 1993] at the Universal Amphitheatre [in Los Angeles].”
Graham Nash said that a song on his upcoming album addresses his sadness over what Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young didn’t manage to achieve together.
“Now” arrives on May 19th and includes the track “I Watched It All Come Down,” which refers to “the rock ’n’ roll parade” and how he “watched it fall” and also how he’d “seen it grow.”
“It was about my emotional feelings toward Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young,” Nash told Variety in a new interview. “I reached incredible heights musically with them, and the opposite has been true with them, too – saddened that we didn’t make more music.” He noted that “we do, though, know that the music we did make is the most important part of our relationship. So this is about the thrill of having made music with David [Crosby], Stephen [Stills] and Neil [Young]. I wish it could have continued.”
He also discussed his feelings about Crosby’s January death, after having recently revealed that they had settled their differences and started talking regularly just before his passing. “I’d like to only think of the good times, now. I’ll remember the great music that we made, the fun times that we had,” he said.
Asked to pick a memory of his longtime bandmate, Nash replied: “We were hiking in Hawaii with our friend and tour manager Mac Holbert, and Mac slipped, fell and shattered his kneecap. I watched David carry Mac for almost a mile to get back to a place where he could be medically treated. I always thought that such a moment showed off what a big heart that David had.”
Nash added that plans were underway to pay a proper tribute to Crosby. “Right now, Jan D., David’s wife of many many years, is on the program of figuring out a date for a memorial for David,” he said. “She knows that I am on the road right now and she knows when this tour will finish, so hopefully she’ll choose a date that I’ll be able to attend. It’s all in Jan D.’s hands.”
“Melbourne’sThe Murlocs will release their new studio album“Calm Ya Farm” on ATO Records. Spiked with their signature breed of sharply crafted garage-punk — and with lead vocalist, guitarist & harmonica triple threat Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s surrealist musings on the ever-turbulent world around him — the collection ultimately twists country-rock convention into a free-flowing album fully in touch with the frenetic energy of modern life. As the band’s most collaborative work, “Calm Ya Farm” unfolds in more elaborate and sophisticated arrangements and achieves new sonic depths largely by creating space for all five members to pursue their most eccentric impulses. “With this record we tried to steer away from all the distortion and dirt and grit, or at least let the grit come off a bit more clean-sounding,” says Kenny-Smith, who also plays with bassist Cook Craig in the globally beloved psych-rock powerhouse King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.”
The Murlocs had visions of creating a quintessential country-rock record when they begin recording their 7th LP – a collection of sublimely mellowed-out songs inspired by iconic albums like “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” and “Exile on Main St” – but the record soon took on its own unruly character. Spiked with The Murlocs’ signature breed of sharply crafted garage-punk “Calm Ya Farm” twists country-rock convention into a free-flowing album fully in touch with the frenetic energy of modern life.
While their sister band King Gizzard & The Lizard continue to pump out new albums, The Murlocs (led by Ambrose Kenny-Smith) drop a fully immersive and diverse set of songs that give us a take on Aussie psych soul with a countrified dabble. “Calm Ya Farm”reaches its peak as “Queen Pinky” begins with some odd sounds but moves quickly into a 70’s soul-tinged burner via, electric guitar, strings, piano.
Music written by Shortal and Kenny-Smith. Cal Shortal: Guitar, Synth. Ambrose Kenny-Smith: Vocals. Cook Craig: Bass. Matt Blach: Drums, Percussion, BVs. Tim Karmouche: Piano / BVs
“Coinciding with the launch of their U.S. summer tour, The Dave Matthews Band will release “Walk Around The Moon” it will be their 10th studio album and the follow-up to their chart-topping 2018 album, “Come Tomorrow”. Most of the album’s 12 original songs were recorded with producer Rob Evans. Long time collaborator John Alagia served as executive producer of the album. “Walk Around The Moon” took shape during the pandemic and is as much a reflection on the current times as it is an urge to find common ground.
With a career spanning over 30 years, the Dave Matthews Band are one of the most influential groups in rock history. In 1991, vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews decided to put some songs he had written on tape and sought the assistance of drummer CarterBeauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who were both accomplished jazz musicians in the local Charlottesville music scene.”
The Pretenders have announced a new album, “Relentless”, coming September 1st, 2023, via Rhino. The album marks the band’s return to Warner Music Group after more than two decades having first been signed to Sire Records in America by the legendary Seymour Stein. The news, shared coincided with the release of the first single, “Let the Sun Come In,” featuring Chrissie Hynde’s usual tough-as-nails vocal.
“I enjoy seeing the various meanings and origins of a word,” says Hynde of the album’s title. “And I liked the definition: ‘showing no abatement of intensity.’ So when it came to an album title, it seemed fitting. You know…to keep doing it. I think anyone in a band is constantly questioning if they should keep going. It starts as a youthful pursuit and eventually, it makes you wonder, why am I doing this? It’s the life of the artist. You never retire. You become relentless.
“Relentless” marks the second consecutive full-length songwriting collaboration by Hynde and Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne following 2020’s acclaimed “Hate For Sale”. The two are joined on the album’s twelve tracks by what Hynde has dubbed “The Pretenders Collective,” including Kris Sonne (drums), Chris Hill (double bass), Dave Page (bass), and Carwyn Ellis (keyboards and guitars).
The first single ‘Let The Sun Come In’
In addition, “Relentless” features a landmark collaboration with Academy Award-nominated composer Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead, The Smile), who provides the string arrangement and conducted the 12 Ensemble for the album’s closing track, “I Think About You Daily.”
“I met Jonny a couple of times and we’re obviously big fans of him because he’s done some incredible music over the years,” Hynde says. “I saw him at the Phantom Thread premiere where the film was running on screen with a live orchestra playing. And we spoke afterward and he expressed an interest in doing something one day. I was thrilled and very surprised. So when we had the idea of getting strings on ‘I Think About You Daily,’ he was first choice.
The Pretenders will introduce “Relentless” to fans around the world with an international live schedule, including intimate headline dates Pretenders are excited to announce their brand new album “Relentless!” Out 1st Sept 2023,
The Moody Blues’ fifth album, “To Our Children’s Children’s Children”, will be reissued as a 4CD+blu-ray deluxe edition with new spatial audio and stereo mixes, in addition to rarities and live performances.
Issued in November 1969, the album was the first on the band’s on own label, Threshold Records and had a space exploration theme (inspired by the July 1969 moon landing). The one and only single ‘Watching and Waiting’ wasn’t a hit but the album performed well on both sides of the Atlantic, peaking at No. 2 in the UK.
The box set features a remaster of the original stereo mix of “To Our Children’s Children’s Children” along withnew stereoand 5.1 surround mixes by Stephen W. Tayler, who has also created new stereo and 5.1 mixes of the band’s December 1969 Royal Albert Hall show (stereo mix is on CD 4 while the 5.1 mix is on the blu-ray). CD 2 in this package features B-sides and rarities, including a BBC Radio One Sunday Concert.
The Royal Albert Hall Concert December 1969, featuring live performances of such favorites as “Peak Hour,” “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Nights in White Satin” from 1967’s “Days of Future Passed”. The box set features the album’s remastered original stereo mix, along with new stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound mixes.
Originally released in November 1969, “To Our Children’s Children’s Children” was the first that The Moody Blues released on their own Threshold Records. The title covered conceptual themes such as space exploration (as the sessions took place as the Apollo 11 moon landing occurred).
The Moody Blues’ “classic seven” albums spanned 1967’s Days of Future Passed, 1968’s In Search of the Lost Chord, 1969’s On the Threshold of a Dream and To Our Children’s Children’s Children, 1970’s A Question of Balance, 1971’s EveryGood Boy Deserves Favour and 1972’s Seventh Sojourn.
To Our Children’s Children’s Children will be reissued as this expanded 4CD+blu-ray deluxe edition Boxed Set on 12th May 2023, via UMR. The deluxe 4-CD/1-Blu-ray boxed set includes B-sides, alternate versions and the Royal Albert Hall Concert of December 1969, featuring live performances of such favorites as “Peak Hour,” “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Nights in White Satin.”
Introducing London-based trio Island of Love, a band that delivers such a remarkably raucous live show that Third Man Records signed them during their cigarette break immediately after seeing them play. Island of Love are the very first band signed to Third Man Records London, and they announce their self-titled debut album today.
Island of Love are the first band signed to the London outpost of Jack White’s Third Man Records, and were signed to the label on the spot after playing the store’s Blue Basement venue in 2021. The four-piece cite Oakland’s Happy Diving as their chief influence, and you can hear that in their thick brand of sludge rock that is clearly also steeped in Dinosaur Jr’s purple ooze. Their self-titled debut album was produced by Fuzzbrain’s Ben Spence and engineered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Jeff Rosenstock, Joyce Manor). Songs like opener “Big Whale” come with hooks and riffs J Mascis might be jealous of, and while you’ve probably heard this all before, Island of Love play with a youthful zeal that sounds like they just invented the fuzz pedal
In September 2021, Island of Love – Karim Newble on guitars/vocals, Linus Munch on guitars/vocals and Daniel Giraldo on bass –were invited to perform at the grand opening of Third Man’s The Blue Basement. It’s a good thing Island of Love showed up to the gig at all, given that the band didn’t even think the email invitation they received to play was real. That very real and not-spam offer not only led to their on-the-spot label signing, but to opening slots for Jack White, and now their exhilarating debut. “Island of Love” is a ferocious and bone-shakingly loud album that marries raw, primal noise led by crunchy guitars with intrinsically melodic sensibilities, and recalls the sound and spirit of peak-era Dinosaur Jr. or Husker Dü.
With influences from the band’s start in the London hardcore punk scene and their DIY community roots, the album is elevated by the shared vocal and song writing duties of Newble and Munch. Produced by Fuzzbrain’s Ben Spence and engineered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Jeff Rosenstock, Joyce Manor), “Island of Love” is an album full of songs that pinball back and forth between tones and styles, and make up one of the most refreshing and fun debut albums you’ll hear in 2023.
This classic 1984 Jethro Tull Radio Broadcast including tracks from Tull’s 15th studio album, “Under Wraps”, which came out September 7th, 1984. The songs’ subject matter is heavily influenced by bandleader Ian Anderson’s love of espionage fiction. It was controversial among fans of the band due to its electronic/synthesizer-based sound, particularly the use of electronic drums. Guitarist Martin Barre has referred to it as one of his personal favourite Tull collections.
“Under Wraps” as an album with its drum machine and eighties keyboard motifs wasn’t altogether a popular album with Tull fans. The live tour though with actual thundering drums from Doane Perry was something else. On the UK leg of the tour before Ian Anderson damaged his vocals the band was on fire. The aforementioned Doane, Peter Vettese on lively keyboards, and wonderful intricate playing from Martin Barre on guitar and Dave Pegg on truly excellent fluid Bass. Anderson himself is in great voice and judging by the stage patter ,He was enjoying himself.
The record reached No. 76 on the Billboard 200 and No. 18 on the UK Albums Chart. The single ‘Lap of Luxury’ reached No. 30. The day after the release, 8th September, Jethro Tull were to be found performing at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, where they put on a stunning show which was broadcast on King Biscuit Flower Hour, This concert is from the band’s second night of three at Hammersmith Odeon, on the ‘Under Wraps `84’ tour.
This release featuring a good selection from the new record, alongside a slew of Tull classics and more recent hits, the show went down a storm with the fans, many of whom still list the gig as among their all-time favourites.
Now released in its entirety on the new 2CD set, this delightful recording is available here for the first time. Eight selections from that particular performance (the 9th) were eventually released on the Raw Fruit Records label, in December 1990, titled as ‘Live At Hammersmith `84’, produced by BBC’s Tony Wilson and Dale Griffin – he of ex-Mott The Hoople fame.
The show feature’s five brand new tracks from the just released ‘Under Wraps’ album, two nearly new from Ian Anderson’s solo album, ‘Walk Into Light’ from the previous year and two from the previous Tull album, ‘Broadsword & The Beast’,
Long-term Tullies will already know that both concerts had been available in decent FLAC quality as free downloads some years ago from Wolfgang’s Vault,
DISC ONE 1 Hunting Girl 7:03 2 Under Wraps #1 5:04 3 Later, That Same Evening 4:19 4 Nobody’s Car 5:11 5 Apogee 5:41 6 Thick As A Brick 7:02 7 Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of The New Day 2:44 8 Pussy Willow 4:17 9 Clasp 4:12 10 Living In The Past 4:13 11 Serenade to A Cuckoo 4:39
DISC TWO 1 Band Introduction 1:59 2 Fat Man 6:45 3 Fly By Night 10:40 4 Made In England 5:21 5 European Legacy 3:51 6 Black Sunday 6:30 7 Locomotive Breath 7:14 8 Too Old To Rock And Roll Too Young To Die 8:34 9 Aqualung, Part 1 4:02 10 Aqualung, Part 2 2:33
Well into their sixth decade, Jethro Tull remain one of those rare acts whose work is instantly recognisable. That’s largely down to the vocal presence of founder and chief songwriter Ian Anderson, and the inimitable tones of his trademark flute. The image of him, wild-eyed and demonstrative, stood on one leg like a particularly hirsute flamingo, follows close behind in the mind’s eye. But as this special edition of Record Collector shows as we look back over 23 albums, plus singles, solo works, live LPs, books and videos, he’s always had far more to offer beyond showmanship and woodwind flourishes.
In two exclusive interviews, he colours in their turbulent history as well as offering some background on new Norse-themed album“Rökflöte”. Elsewhere, celebrity fans tell of how they first fell for the band, the top 55 most intriguing rarities are picked out of the archive and there’s an extensive discography to get your teeth into.
