The Fat Angel Sings

Wednesday owes so much to our musical influences. The music we love is a big part of what brought us together. My bandmates Margo and Xandy both had infamous Asheville house show venues, Jake was in like a billion different bands which often played in their muggy basements and Alan was usually the one who brought the PA. Our immersion in music predated us trying to make songs together ourselves.

Our common interests in noisey ‘90s guitars, good lyrics, and country music was quickly what permeated into our voice as a band. Most decisions in our songs are made by an amalgamation of all five of our inputs, which happens pretty naturally because of this thread of influences that ties us together.

So when we got an opportunity for some recording time with Alli Rogers at Betty’s studio in Durham, NC we decided to record covers, and hopefully repay in part the huge debt we are in to the artists who contributed so much to the music we write ourselves. When I was thinking if there was anything that these songs have in common, the main thing I found recurring was the combination of sadness and humor. It’s effective as hell to combine the two emotions, making each other more intense by the contrast…”—Karly Hartzman. 

Features songs by Gary Stewart, Chris Bell, Roger Miller, Drive By Truckers, Hotline TNT, Greg Sage, Vic Chesnutt, Medicine, and Smashing Pumpkins.

Wednesday’s 2022 album full of covers is available now

Back in 2015, Ty Segall released “Mr. Face” EP, the fantastic gatefold 2×7″ was not only packed with four killer jams but was also quite possibly the world’s first playable pair of 3D glasses. Now Famous Class Records is thrilled to release a 10th anniversary 12” vinyl edition. All copies are pressed on split color translucent red and blue-coloured vinyl and come with special Mr. Face 3-D glasses to activate the supercharged 3D artwork.

“Mr. Face,” a four-song EP that’s a terrific showcase for Segall’s artfully ragged style. He plays everything on these recordings with the exception of one drum part on one song.

The Ty Segall – Mr. Face 10th Anniversary Edition records are out today

Kurt and Luke were admirers of one another after meeting on MySpace years ago, and this release highlights both of their distinctive musical styles. “classic love” was written by Luke, “hit of the highlife” by Kurt, “slow talkers ‘22” is a re-work from Kurt’s 2008 debut album and “wildflower” is a Beach House cover.

“I always thought ‘classic love’ was the epitome of a song that belonged on the radio. When I heard Luke and Kyle [Spence’s] recording of this (they even got Kyle’s old Harvey Milk bandmate, Creston Spiers to play some on it) it just floored me: like this could be old or new, just a timeless track… I figured the best way I could help it reach the masses was to just get myself up in that track as well and move ‘er through the kv / verve machine. I believe in Luke so much and, yeah, this song in general has been my and Kyle’s religion for some time. Luke is just a great songwriter, man. Now it can be immortalized in the canon of classic songs! The minute I heard this song I just wanted to be involved.” – KV

Luke Roberts: acoustic guitars, vocal Kyle Spence: drums, bass, percussion Creston Spiers: electric guitar, rhodes, percussion Kurt Vile: vocal

Written and produced by Luke Roberts & Kyle Spence

Jeanines return with their best album yet!, Over the course of a decade playing together as Jeanines, Alicia Jeanine and Jed Smith have charted a distinct course through the history of pop, variously taking in 60s folk, 80s DIY pop, sunshine/soft pop, and of course classic indiepop. Their new album “How Long Can It Last” finds Jeanines grappling with serious themes of personal and professional upheaval, adding weight to their finest set of songs yet, elevating these economical tunes and giving each the feeling of a lost classic.

Over the course of a decade playing together and making records as Jeanines, the duo have charted a distinctive course through the history of pop, evoking influences as varied as the 60s folk of early Fairport Convention and Vashti Bunyan, the sunshine pop of Margo Guryan and Laura Nyro, and of course indie-pop touchstones like Dear Nora, Marine Girls, Dolly Mixture, and the post-Black Tambourine projects of Pam Berry. Their new album “How Long Can It Last” finds Jeanines grappling with serious themes of personal and professional upheaval, adding weight to their finest set of songs yet. With lyrics that look deeply at time and its reverberations, connections and ruptures, songs like “Coaxed A Storm,” “What’s Done Is Done” and “On and On” combine richly melodic tunes and crisp arrangements to stellar effect. While the themes might be heavy, the melodies and harmonies are simply heavenly, elevating these economical songs and giving each the feeling of a lost classic.

With what must be the worst album sleeve In 1969, guitarist Buddy Guy got together with his old Chicago blues pal Junior Wells, added in jazz pianist Junior Mance, and cut a loose for an “unplugged” session for Blue Thumb Records that would become the now-legendary album, Buddy and the Juniors. Buddy and the two Juniors were relaxed, cutting familiar tunes like Willie Dixon’s “Hoochie Coochie Man” and their own off-the-cuff originals, including “Buddy’s Blues.” Additionally, two improvised tracks were recorded in a single burst of creative energy: “Riffin'” and “Talkin’ ‘Bout Women Obviously,” all making for a fresh, inviting and inspiring album.

The historical details surrounding the recording session that became Buddy & the Juniors are almost as entertaining — and oddly satisfying — as the music itself. Released on Blue Thumb in 1970 on multi-coloured wax, this session, was it not for a very real economic necessity due to Buddy Guy’s feud with Vanguard Records, would never have happened. It appears that Vanguard wouldn’t pick up the tab for Guy to fly to New York to mix an album he’d cut with Junior Mance and Gary Bartz — also produced by Cuscuna. Being an ever-enterprising genius, Cuscuna pitched the idea for a recording between Guy, Mance, and Junior Wells to Blue Thumb label boss Bob Krasnow, who jumped at the chance.

The all-acoustic Buddy & the Juniors was recorded on December 18th of 1969, and on December 19th, they mixed this album and the Vanguard date! While an acoustic pairing between Guy and Wells is a natural one, adding jazz pianist Mance — a Chicago native whose early influences were the boogie-woogie recordings of Meade “Lux” Lewis and Albert Ammons — to the mix was risky in terms of interpersonal dynamics, but in retrospect, proved a brilliant idea.

The proceedings are informal and raw with plenty of fireworks. The first two tracks — “Talkin’ ‘Bout Women Obviously” and “Riffin’ (aka A Motif Is Just a Riff)” — were the last two recorded. They are blazing, hairy, on-the-spot improvisational duets between Wells and Guy: the former offers lyrics in a back-and-forth extemporaneous style; the latter develops in intensity as it goes on. The playing by Guy and Wells is inspirational. “Buddy’s Blues,” the first interplay of the trio, has Mance digging deeply into the Otis Spann tradition, just rolling inside it, accenting lines, punching chords, and offering beautiful tags to Wells’ harmonica lines.

Wells’ vocal on “(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man” meets Guy’s six-string head-on, with Mance comping and popping a melodic fill underneath each sung phrase. He introduces “Five Long Years” as a piano blues that gets countered in exponential grit by Guy’s vocal and Wells’ punchy harp; he shuffles, fills, trills, and blows straight at the keyboard, creating a forceful gale of dialogue. On the slippery boogie-woogie set closer, Wells’ “Ain’t No Need,” the listener grasps the deep communication of this trio. Given how earthy, informal, and joyful this acoustic session is, it conveys everything right about Chicago blues.

Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.

The Beths will drop their fourth album, “Straight Line Was A Lie” (out August 29). The band released the second single from the album, “No Joy,” this week, and it’s a nice complement to “Metal.” “No Joy” is propelled by drummer Tristan Decks’ infectious percussion and vocalist and guitarist Elizabeth Stokes’ deadpan lyrics. Stokes said about the song in a press release, “It’s about anhedonia, which, paradoxically, was there both in the worst parts of depression, and then also when I was feeling pretty numb on my SSRI. It wasn’t that I was sad, I was feeling pretty good. It was just that I didn’t like the things that I liked. I wasn’t getting joy from them. It’s very literal.”

Written in Los Angeles and self- recorded in the band’s hometown of Auckland, “Straight Line Was A Lie” (their first release for ANTI-) follows 2022’s critically celebrated LP “Expert in A Dying Field“. Lead singer and songwriter Liz Stokes delves deeper into her psyche to address everything from roundabout progress to physical and mental health challenges, and fraught family dynamics. Inspired by The Go-Go’s, Olivia Rodrigo, flmmaker Akira Kurosawa, and Stephen King’s On Writing, amongst others, Stokes’ songwriting has achieved startling new depths of insight and vulnerability.

Fans will agree that “Straight Line Was A Lie” is the most sharply observant, truthful, and poetic Beths project to date. New Zealand indie rock heroes The Beths latest album “Straight Line Was A Lie” is a catchy, instant classic out on Anti. 

Few debut albums in the history of music have garnered as much success as the eponymous one from singer, songwriter and guitarist Christopher Cross.

Though virtually unknown at the time of the record’s release in 1979, he rocketed to fame with this soft-rock LP, whose star-studded guest list includes such names as Nicolette Larson, Michael McDonald, Don Henley and J.D. Souther. The album spent five months on the pop charts and sold more than five million copies. It also earned Cross Grammys for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best New Artist and Song of the Year. Four of the LP’s nine self-penned songs became hit singles, among them “Ride Like the Wind,” “Never Be the Same,” “Say You’ll Be Mine” and the chart-topping “Sailing.”

Unfortunately, Cross’ fall was nearly as rapid as his rise. He did score a couple more hits in the early 1980s, including “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” in 1981. But his time in the spotlight was over by the middle of that decade.

a new, expanded edition of Christopher Cross, which Steely Dan associate Michael Omartian produced, you can hear why the original album did so well, but you can also sense why the singer’s star faded. The June 20, 2025, reissue features a 2019 remaster of the LP, plus 11 bonus tracks. Among them are several previously unissued tunes and demos of five of the debut’s songs, most of which don’t sound all that different from the final versions. Everything on the record is impeccably crafted, expertly delivered and generally more impressive than what you’d expect from a newcomer. But much of it is also light as a feather, and feathers can float away in the wind.

Laura Anne Stevenson is an American singer-songwriter from Long Island, New York. Born on April 25th, 1984, she gained recognition as a keyboard player for the musical collective *Bomb the Music Industry!*. With her captivating vocals and heartfelt lyrics, Laura has carved out a unique place in the indie music scene. Laura Stevenson has announced her seventh album,

Her music draws inspiration from a variety of genres including folk, punk, and indie rock. Fans of artists such as P.S. Eliot, Nana Grizol, and Jeff Rosenstock will find themselves drawn to Laura’s introspective song writing style and melodic soundscapes.

Having collaborated with renowned musicians throughout her career, Laura’s solo work showcases her exceptional talent as both a songwriter and performer. Her discography includes critically acclaimed albums like “Wheel” and “Cocksure,” which have solidified her reputation as one of today’s most exciting independent artists.

“Late Great”, due out on June 27th via Really Records, the label of her old Bomb the Music Industry! bandmate and long time collaborator Jeff Rosenstock. It’s the follow-up to her self-titled album first since 2021 effort, and it was recorded and produced with John Agnello, and features contributions from Rosenstock, Sammi Niss, James Richardson, Shawn Alpay, Kayleigh Goldsworthy, Chris Farren, Kelly Pratt, and Mike Brenner.

Stevenson calls the album “a document of loss for sure,” adding, “but it also draws the map of this exciting precipice that I’m standing on. I am making my own life now. With the record, with everything, this is the first time I get to call all the shots.”

The lead single is the lush “Honey.” “I said in my mix notes (to Agnello) that I wanted it to sound like a thousand angels screaming and crying,” Stevenson says. “Honey” is as stunning as it is heartbreaking, as Stevenson, who went through a breakup shortly after becoming a mother, voices her invasive, self-deprecating thoughts as she contends with what went wrong in her relationship. “Tell your tale behind your beaded veil, I am escapable, I am unable not to fail / Fail anyone I ever met, I’m not еnough, I never am / An enеmy, a nobody, I’m not enough, I’ll never be it, honey,” Stevenson sings, with sweetened vocals against country-tinged instrumentals.

“Laura has always had this supernatural ability to write abstract lyrics that cut straight to your heart, but the feeling of perpetual heartbreak on this record is more pointed, universal and vulnerable than anything she’s ever done before and it hits so hard,” Rosenstock says.

From “Late Great” out June 27th 2025 on Really Records