The Fat Angel Sings

It’s been a long four years since Irish band Just Mustard released their debut album, “Wednesday”, that featured an alluring mix of shoegaze, trip hop and post-rock. The band are finally back, with their first album for Partisan Recoprds which they produced themself. (David Wrench of audiobooks, who’s worked with everyone from Hot Chip to FKA twigs, mixed it.) First single “Still” sounds great and before the album’s out North America will get to hear more of the album live when they tour with Fontaines DC.

the band from Dundalk, Ireland found themselves on an upward arc. in 2018 Just a year earlier, they’d released their debut album “Wednesday“, an album of darkly hazy noise pop and post-punk that over the course of a year built up a cult following—one that spread thousands of miles from their backyard in Ireland. Only one year earlier, they had begun playing shows in other parts of the British Isles, and by early 2019, they were playing major festival stages and opening for gothic rock icons The Cure. To date, they’re still sold out of copies of “Wednesday“.

What comes next is a frustrating and familiar story; Just Mustard had accomplished over the prior 18 months, then Covid-19 pandemic left the group with nothing but time. The band had already begun mapping out their sophomore full-length album, one that had initially been conceived as a record intended to be experienced in the dynamic arena of the live stage, but without that element to focus on, the group instead found them challenging themselves in the studio, shaping their sound in more meticulous if sometimes subtle ways, and pushing themselves toward peak performance.

“There was stuff we were writing that was really hard to play, and is still hard to play, but we did want to push ourselves lane-wise a bit out of our comfort zone,” says guitarist David Noonan. “I kind of write stuff that’s a bit beyond it, but I can figure that out later.”

The end result, “Heart Under” will be the group’s first album for Partisan Records—it’s an album rich in atmosphere and eerily tense. Noonan and Mete Kalyon’s guitars ebb and screech over the taut rhythmic pulse of drummer Shane McGuire and bassist Rob Clarke, with vocalist Katie Ball finding a haunted middle ground between cool detachment and expressive melancholy. There’s an unmistakably gothic sensibility on standout songs such as “Still,” which tap into the kind of ominous tension of The Cure in their early years (and thus a natural fit to share the stage with the legendary band) and a hypnotic sonic element that leans more heavily into the more experimental side of shoegaze.

The deluxe vinyl version of “Heart Under” is out now alongside a new video for “Blue Chalk” directed by lead vocalist Katie Ball .

As friends, longtime musical collaborators and even roommates, the members of Just Mustard are all on the same frequency and they use that sense of harmony between them to build something uniquely their own.

“We kind of think of it as a world we’re creating,” Ball says. “If [listeners] are able to feel as if they’re immersed in that world, that’d be cool.”

due 27th May via Partisan Records

Returning for the third time to the studio of Speedy Wunderground’s Dan Carey, Hebden Bridge’s The Lounge Society are back; this time, with the mindset of crafting a debut album conceived out of desire, raised by collaborative muscle-memory, and kept beating, by the sacred-heart of emotional-spirit.

Recorded over two weeks in November 2021, “Tired of Liberty” is a stunningly ubiquitous snapshot of instrumental meltdown, and timeless adolescence. Keen to uphold the manipulated elasticity of a recorded event, the majority of the eleven tracks that make up the record (with the exception of ‘Generation Game’, which saw its beginnings as part of the Speedy Wunderground 7” series, and was subsequently re-recorded), were written either just before, or throughout the duration of those fortnight sessions.

A rarity for most bands, The Lounge Society functions best as a collective entity. With no core-leader, everything from the sources of inspiration, to the lyrics themselves, is handled collaboratively, and with equal merit; as they strive to create a self-sufficient creative unit, larger than the individual. Far from a documentation of disenfranchised youth, “Tired of Liberty” seeks to overthrow with striking articulation. Stirringly fearless, it masterfully combines archetypal storytelling, with as many disparate principles as introspectively possible; capturing the aural shifts in time and attitudes between ‘Generation Game’, and where we join The Lounge Society now.

Brimming with anthemic-myriad, this is the real deal. Genuine urgency from a group of young creatives living and breathing their inaugurated prime, with breath-taking, anarchic-proficiency. Whether it’s “lies drenched in sarcasm” (‘Blood Money’), or, the clattering, riff-screaming irony of ‘Remains’, The Lounge Society’s deep-rooted inversion towards our “culture of anti-freedom”- the ludicrous excuses man makes for the ceasing of mankind, is one which is both culturally-associative, and, counter-culturally embracing.

Whether its personal growth, banded maturity, or a hearty combination of the two, “Tired of Liberty” is an expertly captured documentation of four young-adults, at the baptism of their cultural-ignition. After all, you only get one opportunity at a debut record. “Anything that follows, is just an evolution from that.”- The Lounge Society.

The Lounge Society, the band’s debut album ‘Tired of Liberty’ – out 26th August 2022 on Speedy Wunderground.

Horse Jumper of Love are back with the announcement of their upcoming third full-length, “Natural Part“, due out June 17th. The Boston-based slowcore champions have returned with eleven songs that push the dynamics of their sound even further than ever before, resulting in a deeply captivating record that stays with the listener long after it’s 30 minute runtime.

To mark the announcement, Horse Jumper of Love have shared “Natural Part’s” sweetly catchy lead single “I Poured Sugar In Your Shoes.” The song finds vocalist/guitarist Dimitri Giannopoulos at his most overtly hooky, using the group’s penchant for laid back tempos and warm instrumentals to draw out every melody for maximum effect.

“The Natural Part” by Horse Jumper of Love, from the album ‘Natural Part’ out June 17th, 2022 via Run For Cover Records

Ovlov began in 2009 with the release of an EP titled “Crazy Motorcycle Jump”. They followed that up with another EP in 2011 titled “What’s So Great About The City”. In 2013, Ovlov released their first full-length album on Exploding in Sound Records titled “Am“. In August 2014, Ovlov released a split with Little Big League. Two months later, the band released another split with Krill, LVL UP, and Radiator Hospital. In 2018, Ovlov  the band had some temporary break-ups, Steve Hartlett, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist of Ovlov, has said that the majority of the songs were written around 2015 or 2016, but some were demos for the first record from around 2011 or 2012, but eventually re-emerged. “Tru” was recorded around late 2016 and early 2017, and two singles were premiered before its official release. The album received “universal acclaim”  released through Exploding in Sound.

The opening seconds of Ovlov’s second album “Tru” let everyone know right away that the band haven’t toned down their guitar attack; the overloaded tones come flowing like lava out of the speakers and fill the ear canal with pure distortion and majestically fuzzy overtones. If anything, the band may have upped the stakes since 2013’s “Am” made them the forerunners to take over the mantle of underground guitar heroes from Dinosaur Jr and Built to Spill. Throughout the album, Steve Hartlett and Morgan Luzzi show a mastery of their instruments that’s never showy but always adds emotional depth and sonic thrills to the band’s songs.

Steve Hartlett sang, played guitar, bass & synth on the best of you
Theo Hartlett played drums, sang on stick, guitar soloed on grab it from the garden
Morgan Luzzi played guitar
Michael Hammond Jr. played bass, guitar on best of you
Michael John Thomas III played a guitar solo on grab it from the garden.

Originally released July 20th, 2018

Isolated from any kind of music scene and enveloped by the cold Brutalism of Preston, White Flowers are a young, enigmatic band developing their own eccentricities away from the influence of big cities. Their new EP ‘Are You’ is a sonic and aesthetic collage drawing deeply from their environmental and social surroundings. The songs on the EP may at first seem delicate and beautiful, but closer listening reveals dark undertones and dry humour fuelled by the frustration of feeling trapped with no way out.

Recorded late 2021 between Preston and Bristol, ‘Are You’ weaves together a mixture of intuitive home recordings and refined studio production aided by producer Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Portishead, Perfume Genius). The four songs on the EP are an intentional collection of contrasts and paradoxes – beauty and repulsion, calmness and mania, anxiety and stasis – all combined to form a balanced whole.

Whilst influenced in part by the writings of the late Mark Fisher and his idea that we are haunted by futures that failed to happen, that what might have been may yet be the dream that saves us, White Flowers have also found inspiration in the Brutalist architecture that adorns their hometown – futuristic yet dated buildings that serve as an appropriate visual metaphor for Fisher’s theories. Bleakly imposing yet comfortingly familiar, the monochromatic starkness of these structures has fed into the imagery for the record, as well as the sounds found within. Not intending to wallow in cynicism, however, White Flowers’ art ultimately aims to provide a way out of these dystopian fever dreams and spiralling thoughts into a forward facing place. 

Released May 13th, 2022

It’s a great week to be a Julia Jacklin fan: The Australian singer/songwriter has announced her third album, “Pre Pleasure” (Due August 26th, Polyvinyl Record Co.), shared the video for its lead single and opener, “Lydia Wears a Cross,” and announced a 2022 world tour. Since releasing her debut album “Don’t Let the Kids Win” in 2016, Melbourne’s Julia Jacklin has carved out a fearsome reputation as a direct lyricist, willing to excavate the parameters of intimacy and agency in songs both stark and raw, loose, and playful. If her debut announced those intentions, and the startling 2019 follow-up “Crushing” drew in listeners uncomfortably close, “Pre Pleasure” is the sound of Jacklin gently loosening her grip.

“Lydia Wears a Cross” finds Jacklin examining religion through her childhood eyes over sparsely atmospheric drum machine and piano—at least at first. “I’d be a believer / If it was all just song and dance,” she insists over an indistinct guitar riff, unable to feel a connection to her spirituality except through the transportive power of performance. Live drums and synths kick in unexpectedly as the song builds, and Jacklin vocalizes wordlessly through its climax, as if finally finding the transcendence she was seeking.

“Lydia Wears A Cross” is taken from Julia Jacklin’s new album, “Pre Pleasure”, out August 26th, 2022.

Days ahead of Chicago lo-fi outfit Gentle Heat’s latest album “Sheer”, the band offered up “WDYG.” With a nostalgic haze hovering above it and an effortlessly catchy groove, Gentle Heat have unlocked the rare feat of capturing the magic of ‘90s alt-rock. David Algrim’s vocals are reminiscent of Dinosaur Jr. at their poppiest, and fuzzed-out guitars wail underneath the layers of the band’s undeniable influences that make up a familiar yet fresh sound.

In an era of music during which the urge to define and dissect new genres competes only with the desire to ruthlessly consolidate old ones, Gentle Heat is refreshing in their purpose and consistency. Too lush to be relegated to post-punk or indie rock, and more sonically visceral than contemporary shoegaze, the Chicago quintet defies easy categorization in a way that makes their evolution as exciting to watch as it is to hear. By pure force of volume, Gentle Heat creates a sound all their own driven by propulsive rhythms and dissonant melodies. With their newest release “Sheer”, Gentle Heat reaffirms this commitment with surgical efficiency. Even the most formless sounds have purpose; ethereal soundscapes give way to humming, knotted feedback. The addition of vocalist/ keyboardist Sarah Clausen has enabled the project to dive deeper into the ambient aspects of their sound, blending the record into a knotted cohesive piece. On “Sheer”, Gentle Heat pares down their formula to the point that every piece becomes essential and immediate even as they are weaving together layers of sound.

According to guitarist/ vocalist David Algrim, “The idea for this project has always been to create sonically dense music viewed through the lens of pop structure. With “Sheer“, the goal was to refine that concept to its most concise form.”

The result is a dynamic sound as likely to excite seasoned shoegaze listeners as it is to turn new heads in the back of the venue bar. While the line-up has changed since the band’s inception, Gentle Heat has maintained a musical coherence through their four releases that affords the germination of new ideas and fresh sounds while remaining reverent to their past. The synthesis of experience and influences offered up on “Sheer” marks a big step forward for the group, and with it, a momentum that is proportional to the energy of their sound.

At the time of this recording Gentle Heat was:
David Algrim- Guitar, Vocals, Keys
Sarah Clausen- Keys, Vocals
Tim Mack- Drums
Leon Owusu- Bass
Joe Suihkonen- Guitar

7″ Singles 1963-1966′ is a new seven-inch vinyl box set that features The Rolling Stones’ first 18 singles. A second volume will follow next year, which is a new, limited edition seven-inch singles box set that includes reproductions of the first 18 vinyl singles and EPs as issued by Decca and London Records.

The set includes three early multi-track EPs and two versions of both “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and “Get Off Of My Cloud”, each with alternate London and Decca B-sides.

The box – which features nine top 20 hits and five number ones – includes period-correct picture sleeve art, comes with a 32-page book with extensive sleeve notes by Nigel Williamson, and a set of five photo cards and a poster, all housed in a hard-shell box. All tracks are all remastered by engineer Bob Ludwig.

“7″ Singles 1963-1966″ will be released on 10th June 2022 via ABKCO Records. A second box, “1966-1971“, will be released next year.

There’s always a sense of timelessness to Kevin Morby’s work, like you are listening to one of the best records from the 1970s for the first time. His seventh studio LP (I think we counted that right) began with Kevin Morby absentmindedly flipping through a box of old family photos in the basement of his childhood home in Kansas City. Just hours before, at a family dinner, his father had collapsed in front of him and had to be rushed to the hospital. That night Morby still felt the shock and fear lodged in his bones. So he gazed at the images until one of the pictures jumped out at him: his father as a young man, proud and strong and filled with confidence, posing on a lawn with his shirt off.

This was in January of 2020. As the months went on and the world dramatically changed around him, Morby felt an eerie similarity between his feelings of that night and the atmosphere of those spring days. Fear, anxiety, hope and resilience all churning together. The themes began twisting in his mind. History, trauma and the grand fight against time. Having the courage to dream, even while knowing the tragedy that often awaits those who dare to dream.

“Rock Bottom” by Kevin Morby from the forthcoming album ‘This Is A Photograph’, out May 13th on Dead Oceans Records.

Connecting to the themes of family and place, Morby has shot a series of photographs of his day-to-day and the recording process and signed them all for us. Such lush things to have. 

Morby meditated on these ideas. And then, he headed to Memphis. He moved into the Peabody Hotel and spent his days paying tribute and genuflecting to the dreamers he admired. In the evening, he would return to his room and document his ideas on a makeshift recording set-up, with just his guitar and a microphone. The songs, elegiac in nature, befitting all he had seen, poured out of him.

Produced by Sam Cohen (who also worked on Morby’s “Singing Saw” and “Oh My God“), “This Is A Photograph” features musical contributions from long time staples of Kevin Morby’s live band, as well as old friends and new collaborators alike. If “Oh My God” saw Morby getting celestial and in constant motion and “Sundowner” was a study in localized intent, “This Is A Photograph” finds Morby making an Americana paean, a visceral life and death, blood on the canvas outpouring. As Morby reminds us early on, time is undefeated. So what do we do while we’re still here? “This is a Photograph” of that sense of yearning. 

Such a personal set of songs, but Morby’s writing is so smart and universally alluring that when he sings, it’s about collective feeling. Collective joy, collective grief and lots of memory. “This Is A Photograph” is an absolutely fantastic album, and not just because it’s so grounded in his own experiences, but because he’s a brilliantly human songwriter who sure knows how to build some drive.

releases May 13, 2022