The Fat Angel Sings

“Covers of Covers” ~ Celebrating 20 Years of Under the Radar Magazine

This exclusive compilation features some of the magazine’s favorite artists covering artists who have graced the cover of Under the Radar over the past 20 years. Hear brand new covers of Metric, Grandaddy, Divine Comedy, Phoenix, Broken Social Scene, Stars, HAIM, Mitski, Angel Olsen, Animal Collective, Beck, Elliott Smith, Joanna Newsom, Belle and Sebastian, Phoebe Bridgers, Modest Mouse, St. Vincent, and R.E.M.

One dollar from every album sale is donated to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing physical or mental health issues, disability, or age-related problems.

Released March 4th, 2022

“Songbook” by the Australian band The Lazy Eyes come through the speakers and you are thrown back in time to the 60’s/70’s . The band from Sydney is strongly influenced by a wide range of psychedelics also incorporates influences from surrounding genres and especially from prog rock. The music of The Lazy Eyes often sounds wonderfully trippy, but the band can also work with songs with a head and a tail. There is currently a lot of appearances in this genre, but The Lazy Eyes sounds a lot more languid and dreamy than most of its peers, which in any case benefits my listening pleasure considerably.

After two fine EPs, the Australian band The Lazy Eyes debuts this week with their full-fledged debut album, “Songbook“. It is a debut album that does not take much time to show in which genre the band from Sydney prefers to move. it soon becomes clear that The Lazy Eyes is going full for breathing new life into psychedelics from the 60s and 70s.

The band is also not averse to mesmerizing guitar solos, as far as I am concerned is always an enrichment of the genre. The excellent guitar work on “Songbook” is combined with spacy keyboards and occasionally with wonderfully dreamy vocals. Occasionally the band adds some influences from folk rock, hard rock and prog rock, but also trips to the more modern sounding neo-psychedelics are not shunned.

Overall, however, “Songbook” is an album that immediately takes you back to the late 60s and early 70s, where the band is not limited to the psychedelic rock that was made in and around San Francisco during this period, but also some influences from The Beatles, The Byrds and The Beach Boys pass by.

Especially in the longer tracks, the Australian band takes the time for psychedelic jams, but “Songbook” by The Lazy Eyes is fortunately also an album with songs with a head and a tail. Because of the fairly compact songs, the broad inspiration from the psychedelics of the 60s and 70s and the openness to influences from surrounding genres, The Lazy Eyes is ultimately a somewhat different band than all those other psychedelic bands of the moment.

“Songbook” remains far removed from the flirtations with pop of a band like Tame Impala, which once started just like The Lazy Eyes, and also manages to combine catchy songs with a lot of musical fireworks, It’s an almost contradictory combination, but on “Songbook” it somehow works perfectly.

I don’t dare to predict yet whether the debut album of The Lazy Eyes will still be as irresistible in a few months as the album currently sounds, but after hearing it quite a few times, there is certainly no question of boredom, if only because the band from Sydney has added a lot of variation to its sound due to the influences from surrounding genres and by alternating catchy and more complex passages.

Based on the two previously released EPs, the debut album from The Lazy Eyes was looked forward to with high expectations and after the first listens I can only conclude that the band from Sydney meets or even exceeds our expectations.

Bands inspired by Californian psychedelics from the late 60s are plentiful, bands that make music of the beauty of Papercuts’ “Past Life Regression” are extremely rare. “Past Life Regression”, is the seventh album by the American band Papercuts, only needs a few notes to drag you back decades in time. Let the album of the band from San Francisco come out of the speakers, close your eyes, and you imagine yourself in the California of the ‘summer of love’. The great thing about Papercuts’ music is that on the one hand it sounds wonderfully authentic and nostalgic, but on the other hand the band around Jason Quever subtly incorporates influences from a much later date.

Jason Quever has been releasing timeless dream pop as Papercuts since 2004; his new album “Past Life Regression” is a journey into the dreamier reaches of psychedelic folk-pop that digs deep into influences as wide-ranging as The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Spiritualized, Echo & The Bunnymen, Leonard Cohen and late 60s pop of various flavours.

Jason’s songcraft, arranging and production are immaculate as always, reflecting his broad experience and enlivened by his move back home to the San Francsico Bay Area. It’s remarkable that after more than 15 years he’s writing his best songs and in “Past Life Regression” has made his finest record. Gorgeous, perfectly constructed chamber pop for the very unusual times we’re living through.

“Past Life Regression” is an album to dream away from, but in the meantime you don’t want to miss a note of all the musical splendour on this album.

Taken from the forthcoming album “Past Life Regression,” out April 1, 2022 on Slumberland Records/Labelman.

Holiday Ghosts, are from the south coast of UK, is the ongoing musical collaboration between partners Katja Rackin and Samuel Stacpoole, now joined by B. Spanks and Morgan Lloyd-Mathews. Call it garagey, jangly, rock n rolly, indie, punky, poppy, whatever you want. They frame their own takes on the human experience with a sound that is as lean, under-processed and straight to the point. Yeah the 1 drum beat Katja learned at the start remains ever present but it never fails to feel new.

Their new EP “Credit Note” was recorded and engineered by Phil Booth of JT Soar studio, in North Wales in early January 2022. “We decided to make an EP that is really true to our current live playing style. On our albums we always favour a range of styles, tempos and instruments to give a varied record. We realised though, that we often find ourselves playing pretty hard and fast at gigs chasing more punky, and rock n roll sounds. So if you want to hear a condensed record of us doing just that, that’s what the “Credit Note” EP does.” Kat

The six tracks on “Credit Note” EP are a full collaboration with all four band members for all stages of the writing and recording process. Since their third LP “North Street Air”, released by FatCat Records in 2021, founding members Katja Rackin and Sam Stacpoole have found a new dream team.

Again from the endless well of ex Falmouth / Troubadour Studio musicians. B. Spanks is on 2nd guitar and vocals and Morgan Lloyd-Mathews on longhorn bass.
Whilst the lyrics and vocals of “Plain Dumb” come from Katja and Sam, Morgan contributed the whole chord sequence and structure, pushing the tempo to the fastest and hardest Holiday Ghosts song to date. “Bright Lights Big City” is a song fully imagined by B.Spanks who takes lead vocals and production duties. The method behind writing this song was to not practice at all between the start of the idea and a year and a half later when it was recorded to allow room for improvisation.

Continuing the lyrical themes of social commentary that were present in 2021s “North Street Air” LP, Katja’s lyrics on “Credit Note” talk of how our current political system continuously fails to provide adequate social change and how any attempt to do so just feeds into that same system; like a credit note that can only be spent in the same shop. ‘Credit notes no change” This theme can be heard echoed in the rest of the EP particularly on “Sardines” ( a vinyl only bonus track) “jagged benches and armrests where you sleep, hostile architecture trying to keep you on your feet”
This is the first time that Holiday Ghosts have ever outsourced an engineer to work with them in the studio. “It was great for me to finally not be wearing both hats of performing and engineering at once. Particularly as the music was recorded live, I was able to focus a lot more on what I was playing on guitar. Phil is a great producer/ engineer, not only for his efficiency but he’s got a real knack for pointing out parts of the songs that might not be gelling or suggesting subtle differences that make the songs a lot stronger” sam.

Releases July 27th, 2022

MOJO is thrilled to present a new deluxe bookazine bringing together its finest writing on The Kinks.

Of the many groups associated with the mid-’60s Mod era, only two went on to achieve enduring international success: The Who and The Kinks. Following on from MOD ICONS – Part One THE WHO, this second issue focuses on The Kinks, charting a tempestuous career that began with the group all but inventing heavy rock in 1964 with “You Really Got Me” and which ended in the ’90s with them riding high as a successful arena act in America. In between were numerous dramatic episodes, including an on-stage fight in 1965 that seriously injured guitarist Dave Davies, an altercation at a US TV studio that resulted in the group being banned from playing live in America for four years, singer Ray Davies overdosing on Valium during an outdoor London show in 1973, and The Kinks becoming unexpected MTV heroes in the ’80s.

What The Kinks will be remembered for most, however, is Ray Davies’ extraordinary gifts as a songwriter. Whether he was crafting timeless meditations on British life in the ’60s like “Dead End Street”, “Sunny Afternoon”, “Waterloo Sunset” and “The Village Green Preservation Society”, or ’70s rock anthems such as “Lola”, “Celluloid Heroes” and “A Rock’n’Roll Fantasy”, his ability to see “the world from my window” in an original and thought-proving way has always been a joy. Over the many in-depth stories and exclusive interviews included here, Ray opens up about how he wrote these songs – and many more Kinks classics besides

With 132 stylishly designed pages, illustrated with dozens of rare and iconic photographs, THE KINKS is an essential purchase for all serious music fans.

Just last month Young Guv (aka songwriter Ben Cook) released his latest masterpiece, “GUV III”, and today the ever-prolific musician is already back to announce its sequel, “GUV IV,” due out June 24th from Run For Cover Records and Hand Drawn Dracula (Canada). Where “GUV III” encapsulates Cook’s most instantly accessible guitar pop song writing (earning praise from the likes of Stereogum, SPIN Magazine, Paste Magazine, Uproxx, and many more), “GUV IV” represents the most sonically adventurous side of Young Guv. Cook has an unparalleled ability to write perfect power pop but “GUV IV” highlights his expertise with the many other sounds and styles that have dotted Young Guv‘s expansive catalogue over the years.

The record effortlessly moves between hazy, Madchester-inspired rave ups, twangy California jangle, and even homemade sophisti-pop–while always retaining Cook’s undeniable melodies. “GUV IV’s” lead single “Change Your Mind” sees Cook teaming with frequent collaborator James Matthew VII for a blend of hazy hooks, pedal steel guitar, and a nearly psychedelic mood that transports the listen to the New Mexican desert where it was written.

Young Guv & James Matthew VII, from the album “GUV IV” out June 24th, 2022 via Run For Cover Records.

There’s a space between literal and abstract where art often resides, and few bands excel at navigating that surreal territory more deftly than Horse Jumper of Love. On their third full-length, “Natural Part“, the Boston-based three-piece revels in the act of grasping at something that can’t be held, smudging the lines between rich details, hazy memories, vivid moments, and intangible feelings to create their most captivating record to date.

Sonically, Natural Part feels even more expansive than anything Horse Jumper of Love have done before, which is no small feat for a band whose music has often hinged on billowing guitars and roomy drums. Opener “Snakeskin” gently welcomes the listener with an enveloping atmosphere, before a sharply angled guitar riff in the towering second track “Ding Dong Ditch” fractures the aura. Familiar influences like Duster and David Berman can still be heard throughout, but new elements like cello—performed by Emily Dicks Thomas and inspired by both Nirvana’s unplugged album and listening to Oasis’ “Wonderwall” in preparation for a Halloween cover set)—add different textures to the band’s reverberating sound.

A sense of mystery and the inevitability of change permeates much of The “Natural Part“, with vocalist / guitarist Dimitri Giannapoulos often capturing snapshots that take note of a flickering feeling in the mundane, and then letting his imagination expand it into something profound. It’s those kinds of details that makes “Natural Part” such a compelling listen. It’s an album planted firmly in small moments that feel big: the unexpected flashes that somehow feel authentic and esoteric all at once, and cut through our busy lives to ground us in something that seems meaningful—even if we can’t fully articulate why.

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

There are few more gratifying feelings than hearing a new song, only to realize you were waiting for something just like it to come along. It’s like scratching an itch you didn’t know you had, or pushing a lost puzzle piece into place inside your brain. That was exactly the case when Philadelphia four-piece Sadurn announced their signing to Run for Cover Records in February and shared the lead track from their debut album, “snake.” Led by vocalist-guitarist and songwriter Genevieve DeGroot, Sadurn are a band who move as one in service of each song, disappearing selflessly into their intimate, gentle folk-rock and -pop compositions.

Sadurn have released their stunning debut record, “Radiator“, out today via Run For Cover Records. The group might be Philadelphia’s best kept musical secret, but not for long, having recently earned attention from the likes of Stereogum, NPR, The FADER, BrooklynVegan, Paste Magazine, them., MTV News, and more. Led by songwriter Genevieve DeGroot (they/them), Sadurn have created the rare debut album that feels fully realized in every way.

DeGroot’s song writing is defined by its stark vulnerability, their vocals alternately soaring and softening in time with each heart-baring observation on strained relationships and the often unbridgeable gaps between people. “Radiator” is just what its title suggests, emanating emotional catharsis even as it handles those feelings with the utmost care

Sadurn from their upcoming album ‘Radiator’ out May 6th 2022 via Run For Cover Records.

In many ways ‘Kumoyo Island’ represents the culmination of a journey for Kikagaku Moyo. While their decade-long career can be summarized as a series of kaleidoscopic explorations through lands and dimensions far and near, there’s a strong intention in each of their works to take the listener to a particular place, however real or abstract they may be. In that sense, the title and cover art for the band’s fifth and final album draws you into a magical mass of land surrounded by water—but the couch suggests that ‘Kumoyo Island’ may not be a fleeting stop, but rather a place of respite, where one could pause and take it all in.

It takes a lot of self-awareness to know when to pack it up in a world where it’s expected for our favourite artists to create forever. Japanese psych-rockers Kikagaku Moyo have accomplished what they set out to do, ending their decade-long career with “Kumoyo Island”. Sophisticated funk rhythms and twirling guitar licks bounce around the 48-minute runtime, leaving little room for boredom.

Kikagaku Moyo hold the listener’s hand as they jump down a rabbit hole of influences, taking sharp turns into playful country grooves on “Gomugomu” and shoegaze-inspired melodies on “Yayoi, Iyayoi.” “Kumoyo Island” is a concise, satisfying final installment in the band’s catalogue, making Kikagaku Moyo’s farewell a little easier to accept.

“Kumoyo Island” is the fifth studio album & the last euphoric mind-trip to Kikagaku Moyo’s imagined island.”

Lenderman plays guitar in the twangy shoegaze troupe Wednesday, and while the lyrical references in Boat Songs are not literary like his bandmate Karly Hartzman’s, they are employed with a similar economy. His holy trinity is basketball, professional wrestling, and Jackass, considerably “lower brow” vessels for entertainment compared to the flash fiction and poetry allusions of Wednesday. This, of course, sets up an interesting intra-band dynamic: Lenderman as the everyman foil singing ditties about sports, toilet humour, and bodily harm to Hartzman’s artier, dream-addled approach.  

The 10 tracks of countrified indie rock sound primed to soundtrack plenty of beer-battered sessions.

Elsewhere, Lenderman uses all two minutes and 16 seconds of the opening “Hangover Game” to debunk a legendary NBA rumor. Don’t get it twisted, “The Last Dance” was fun and all, but there’s no conspiracy as to why Michael Jordan had a fever on that fateful night in June of ’97. Hell, he loves drinking too. For that matter, why don’t we ever think about the toll all those steroids and pratfalls take on wrestlers? “TLC Cage Match” reminds us that they aren’t gods, just regular people like you and me, with families and dreams, Lenderman has other things on his mind besides what was on the TV during recording sessions. “Toon Town” is supposedly a holdover from a scrapped metal album, but it’s the jilted “SUV” that houses the record’s sludgiest riffs, brings a Mascis-sized solo out of him before a breakdown segues into the bad luck sermon “Under Control.”

Best of all might be the tour travelogue “You Have Bought Yourself a Boat.” Detailing bug bites and freshly cleaned clothes drying out in the back of the van, its rootsy shuffle is infectious while Lenderman and company battle the elements on the road. 

There’s something refreshing in the plainspoken way Lenderman sings and performs these songs. His backing band The Wind plays them straight with no irony, just pedal steel, pump organ, and a little Southern swing to support the white-hot distorted guitars. All of this is to say that Boat Songs is country in approach, but indie rock by means of marketing. Lenderman has namechecked acts like Bob Dylan, The Band, Warren Zevon, and Johnny Paycheck in prior interviews, and his recent cover of Drive-By Truckers was so complimentary the band snuck Wednesday into a recent show when they played neighbouring venues.

“Boat Songs” is a triumph in any sense of the word, but it’s a true victory for a certain strain of indie rock fan. Aligning oneself with sports, suds, and Sparklehorse.

MJ Lenderman’s ‘Boat Songs,’ available everywhere 29th April via Dear Life Records