Every now and then a garage rock band kicks down the doldrum doors of summer and injects us with newfound energy. That band right now is Los Angeles’ Velvet Starlings who are a fuzzed-out psychotronic rock and roll freakout who yesterday (July 21) dropped the title track to their forthcoming album, “Technicolour Shakedown“, out September 29 via Soundx3 Records, and it’s got our skeletal bones bouncing off the padded walls of our quarantine bedrooms.
“The track is an anthemic ode to going out and to the live music experience,” says Velvet Starlings’ Christian Gisborne, “and colourfully describing the energy of catching your favourite band on the local scene and being packed in a venue ‘like sardines’ — and loving every minute of it!”
That’s certainly a feeling we’ve all missed dearly in the pandemic age, and while the live experience is slowly coming back into focus, the recorded material on Velvet Starlings’ new disc seems to have enough proper throwback to gritty ’60s guitar-rock swagger to help us break a sweat no matter where we may be from now until Labour Day.
“In the doom and gloom of COVID I found myself reminiscing all the time about the days when we would wait in line for hours to see our favorite bands,” adds Gisborne. “The songs on the first album reflect everything I felt I was missing out on… I think a rock n’ roll renaissance is coming after this crazy year of lock down. We’re hoping that a full front-to-back of Technicolour Shakedownwill evoke the feeling you get at a rock n’ roll house party — wherever the listener may find themself.”
Dive in to Velvet Starlings’ world below via the “Technicolour Shakedown”
Crumb’s second album, Ice Melt, takes its name from the coarse blend of salts that you can buy from your local hardware store for $9.99. When sprinkled on your wintry steps, this mixture absorbs water and gives off heat, transforming the ice into a viscous, briney slush and, eventually, nothing at all. Beginning with the dynamic chaos of “Up & Down,” and ending with Crumb’s closest thing to a lullaby, Ice Melt’s ten tracks combine, like ice sculptures melting into a glistening puddle.
On the Brooklyn band’s two EPs and one album to date, their songs have gently rolled along in a haze that disguises the subtle complexities of their composition. Much like a dream, Crumb’s music is calm on the surface but ever-shifting and occasionally a little dark the deeper you go.
From the start, the group knew that cohesion was best achieved through plumbing their individual strengths— frontwoman Lila Ramani’s earliest song writing, which catalyzed the group’s first two EPs; Bri Aronow’s knack for building (dis)affecting soundscapes; the hypnotic grounding of Jonathan Gilad’s drums, a Crumb mainstay; and Jesse Brotter’s distinctive bass playing, which subtly traces Ramani’s vocal melodies while providing an unrelenting pulse. These collective skills make Crumb a project of independent self-discovery, four creative minds converging around an idea that is always shifting and reforming.
Convening in Los Angeles to work with producer Jonathan Rado, Crumb tapped into atmosphere-creation like never before, building experimental compositions that are at turns head-nodding and surrealist, energetic and euphoric. Ramani characterizes the album as a “return back down to earth,” a deeply felt examination of “real substances and beings that live on this planet.” It is also the cultivation of road-worn musicians exploring brand-new sounds and thematic concepts, pushing themselves into territory they could never have anticipated five years ago.
Meanwhile, lead single ‘Trophy’ flits between soft grooves and fuzzy riffs that nod at grunge as Ramani’s lyrics delicately tell the melancholic tale of a“deadbeat tour loner.” It’s tracks like ‘Gone’ and ‘Balloon’ – where Crumb push a little more at their sound – that are the album’s highlights though. The former opens with overlaid snippets of robotic speech before turning unsettlingly sweet, while the latter is all spiralling keys and marching drums, coming together for the most danceable track in the band’s discography.
Ice Melt is the sound of Crumb thawing out, getting a little bolder as the sun warms their skin, full of hidden details that hint at where they might go next.
For Perth alt-pop four-piece Spacey Jane, being stuck on home turf meant they had no choice but to sell out 27 national shows while they waited for the green light to tour Aotearoa (touch wood). Due on our shores in just two weeks for the first of two Powerstation shows, the spacey crew have lifted the lid on searing new track ‘Lots Of Nothing’, a song about “trying to accept all the parts of yourself, good and bad, before you are able to work on the person that you want to become,” – top tier life advice imo.
The video shows the charming young rockers playing their hearts out and looking gorgeous on film in a house decked out with healthy pot plants and lush bouquets. Two of their five New Zealand appearances are already sold out, so get your A into G and snap up a ticket before they’re gone…
On November 9th, 1983, REM entered San Francisco’s Rhythmic Studios with sometime Neil Young producer Elliot Mazer to demo songs for their second album, “Reckoning”. Present were fully realised numbers that would eventually be recut at Mitch Easter’s Drive-In Studio. Yet “Harbourcoat” and “Seven Chinese Brothers” to name but two, represent fascinating, subtle shifts of tone and vocal inflection, while “Pale Blue Eyes,” one of two fine Velvets covers, is resplendent with its countrified arrangement.
Most intriguing are those tunes left off Reckoning: “All The Right Friends” hinges on its dark chorus, and “Skank (Marble Table)” shows the band at their most stretched-out. Then there’s the whimsy – an OTT “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, the surf-goof “Windout” and “Cushy Tush” – a mock toilet-tissue ad, and proof this most revered of underground bands wasn’t taking itself too seriously. “Your family deserves the best in asswipe,” Stipe deadpans.
The general consensus is that of their early records, “Murmur” was their finest and most incendiary moment, and flabbergastingly impressive for a debut (not counting the preceding Chronic Town ep and “Radio Free Europe” single).
Their third and fourth albums, 1985’s “Fables of the Reconstruction”, and “Life’s Rich Pageant” which followed a year later, were tremendous fan-faves and are critically lauded to this day. Of course, 1987’s “Document“ took on a life of it’s own, and eventually went platinum on the strength of it’s attendant, bona-fide hit singles, “The One I Love” and “It’s the End of the World…” While certainly not forgotten, nor a commercial disappointment the band’s follow-up to Murmur simply isn’t discussed or revered nearly as much as the rest of their “indie” releases (not that I.R.S. really struck me as being indie to begin with, but I digress). I’m talking about “Reckoning”, Michael Stipe & Co.’s sophomore effort.
“On November 9th [1983], R.E.M. demoed 24 songs at Rhythmic Studios, San Francisco, with Elliot Mazer, who’d produced Neil Young’s ‘Harvest’. They recorded nine songs that would eventually appear on ‘Reckoning’: ‘So. Central Rain’, ‘Letter Never Sent’, ‘Little America’, ‘Camera’, ‘Second Guessing’, ‘Harborcoat’, ‘7 Chinese Bros’, ‘Pretty Persuasion’ and ‘Time After Time (AnnElise)’.
All cut in a single day, live to two-track. Quick and dirty you might say, but the arrangements weren’t fussed over much more on the finished product than they were on these prototypes, comparatively raw and spontaneous as they are here. There’s covers too, ranging from the Tokens to the Velvets. Additionally we’re treated to an early take of “All The Right Friends,” a song that wasn’t released in it’s fully realized form until it’s inclusion on the expanded import of “Dead Letter Office” in 1993, and later on a much more widely available Best Of. Then there are a patch of cuts that I seem to recognize from some really early live R.E.M. bootlegs, like “That Beat” and “Just a Touch,” and “Skank.” As for “Cushy Tush,” the boys were just having a frivolous stab at a potential commercial jingle.
As die-hard fans of any given innovative artist go, they tend to want to hear alternate versions, regardless of how close the similarities might be. Luckily, R.E.M. were apparent sticklers for demoing new material – and that’s very much to our benefit. This boot is also known as the Elliot Mazer Demos. Someone other than myself went to the trouble of prepping this collection for a torrent some years ago, and even provided liner notes that you’ll find in the download folder, so big props to whomever went to the effort.
01. That Beat 02. Walter’s Theme 03. Cushy Tush 04. Burning Down 05. All The Right Friends 06. Windout 07. Femme Fatale 08. Burning Hell 09. The Lion Sleeps Tonight 10. Skank 11. So. Central Rain 12. Letter Never Sent 13. Little America 14. Camera 15. Second Guessing 16. Second Guessing Take 2 17. Harborcoat 18. Seven Chinese Brothers 19. Just A Touch 20. Pretty Persuasion 21. Pale Blue Eyes 22. Time After Time (Annelise)
Sound quality: Fair to good. The master tape is lost, one reason why this material didn’t make the “Reckoning” deluxe
Pop royalty the Pet Shop Boys have done an epic 12 minute HI-NRG remix of Paul Weller’s recent album track “Cosmic Fringes”, a thumping fuzzing disco banger featuring the dulcet tones of Neil Tennant as well as Paul’s original brilliant vocals. The Pet Shop Boy ‘Triad Remix’ is a thumping fuzzing disco banger featuring the dulcet tones of Neil Tennant as well as Weller’s original vocals.
Also featured on the limited edition vinyl is a remix by Primal Scream’s guitarist-in-chief Andrew Innes. Giving Paul’s vocals a distorted sound, this sensory assault is layered with thumping chimes and a searing 4/4 doof for the dancefloor. And if that’s not enough, there’s another new “Cosmic Fringes” remix by Primal Scream’s guitarist. Giving Weller’s vocals a distorted sound, the ‘Marching Off To Bedlam’ remix by Innes and Jagz Kooner is a sensory assault is layered with thumping chimes and a searing 4/4 beat for the dancefloor.
With both the Pet Shop Boys and Andrew Innes were handpicked by Weller to rework these tracks from “CosmicFringes”, for these exciting remixes, which are out now and are available on vinyl and digital only.
The original version of “Cosmic Fringes” features on Weller recently released chart topping album “Fat Pop” Volume 1 . The album was released to unanimous acclaim in May, with Uncut’s review moved to suggest that the album provides “Proof that music can act as a lifeline even in the most turbulent times.”
The success of Fat Pop (Volume 1) extended Weller’s span of solo chart-toppers to 26 years, and in all of his recording incarnations to 39. “To have people like an album and want to buy it is never taken for granted by me,” Weller told OfficialCharts.com, “so to have it go to No.1 makes it even more special.” To emphasize the fact that his audience strongly favours the physical format rather than streaming or downloading, 91% of the album’s first-week sales were physical.
This sixth solo success draws Weller level with such artists as Pink Floyd, Blur, Phil Collins, and The Killers. But his full total of No.1 albums in the UK across all of his work is eight, also including The Jam’s The Gift in 1982 and the Style Council’s Our Favourite Shop in 1985.
His first solo No.1 was with 1995’s Stanley Road, followed by the 2002 set Illumination. Weller returned to the summit in 2008 with 22 Dreams and with 2012’s Sonik Kicks. Last year’s “On Sunset” achieved the same feat.
A Polydor Records recording; Solid Bond Productions Ltd., under exclusive licence to Universal Music Operations Limited Released on: 2021-07-23
Storied singer-songwriter Jackson Browne has released his latest album, “Downhill From Everywhere“, via Inside Recordings. In support of the new record, Browne will hit the road for a joint summer tour with James Taylor and a September run of “Evening With” shows.
The release of Downhill From Everywherewas preceded by album single “My Cleveland Heart” which Browne performed last month on the Jimmy Kimmel Live TV Show.
The songwriting on the album presents a heightened sense of urgency from the aging icon during an age when social, political, and environmental issues are reaching an inflection point. The songs feel like direct rallying cries to various pressing causes, like the shimmering “Love Is Love” and the stomping “Until Justice Is Real”.
“I see the writing on the wall,” Browne explains in a statement. “I know there’s only so much time left in my life. But I now have an amazing, beautiful grandson, and I feel more acutely than ever the responsibility to leave him a world that’s inhabitable.”
While the issues Browne tackles on the album are often sweeping and existential, he writes on a far more intimate scale, consistently zeroing in on the human experience at the heart of it all. “There’s a deep current of inclusion running through this record,” Browne explains. “I think that idea of inclusion, of opening yourself up to people who are different than you, that’s the fundamental basis for any kind of understanding in this world.”
Downhill From Everywherewas recorded with a core band that included guitarists Greg Leisz (Eric Clapton, Bill Frisell, Bob Weir) and Val McCallum (Lucinda Williams, Sheryl Crow), bassist Bob Glaub (Linda Ronstadt, CSNY, John Fogerty), keyboardist Jeff Young (Sting, Shawn Colvin), drummer Mauricio Lewak (Sugarland, Melissa Etheridge), and longtime vocalists Chavonne Stewart and Alethea Mills, the record is a collaborative work driven by group chemistry and an openness to new sounds and ideas.
Browne will be busy on the road for the rest of the year in support of the new album. On July 29th, he’ll kick off an extensive tour with James Taylor that will keep him busy through the month of August. In September, Browne will shift gears for a run of “Evening With” performances before linking back up with Taylor for another leg of shows in October.
The surprise June EP from Baltimore, Maryland’s Angel Du$t includes two new singles, “Love Is the Greatest” (feat. Los Angeles producer/musician Shlohmo) and “All the Way Dumb,” as well as three tracks from the band’s 2020 EP LIL HOUSE, “Turn Off The Guitar,” “Lil House” and “Never Ending Game,” and remixes of that last track by Panda Bear and Lunice. Angel Du$t vocalist/guitarist Justice Tripp describes the band’s new EP, produced by Rob Schnapf (Kurt Vile, Elliott Smith), as “pimp and chill at the same time,” which is hard to argue with: Though the band is frequently associated with hardcore punk, “Bigger House’s” new songs are hooky pop-rock strummers first and foremost, punctuated with just enough synth accents, horns and spiky electric riffs to keep you on your toes as a listener. The full-length follow-up to 2019’s Pretty Buff looms larger by the minute.
Angel Du$t have surprised released a brand new EP, Lil House. The three-track EP was produced by Rob Schnapf (Kurt Vile, Elliot Smith) and marks the first taste of new music from Angel Du$t since their critically-acclaimed 2019 album, Pretty Buff. “Lil House” continues to showcase the band’s growth, highlighted by “Never Ending Game,” which elevated their breezy, determined sound as they imbue their laid-back acoustics with sharpness.
Angel Du$t – Love Is The Greatest Bigger House (EP) – out now
The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music’s Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It’s the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space. Bob Boilen July 15th, 2021 Lucy Dacus sits at a very special desk for this Tiny Desk (home) concert. And though she’s played the NPR Tiny Desk twice — first in 2016 and a few years later with Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers as boygenius — the desk at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School likely holds deeper memories. Much of her third album, “Home Video”, is centered on her school years in Richmond, Va., and the friendships formed and shattered there. During those high school years, she met her musical mate, guitarist Jacob Blizard (seated on the right side of the screen), and the audio engineer capturing all these songs, Collin Pastore.
Lucy Dacus opens with “Brando,” a song about young adulthood, and for Lucy, understanding how others perceive her. “You called me cerebral,” she sings, “I didn’t know what that meant.” She and her band play “VBS,” which Lucy explains “means vacation bible school, for all you heathen folks.” It’s Lucy, as a young Christian, thinking about her faith. Then, four acoustic guitars gather for “Going Going Gone,” as Ricardo Lagomasino moves from the drum kit and Dominic Angelella puts down his bass. Sarah Goldstone helms the keyboards. For the final tune, the band vanishes as Lucy plays the most troubling song from “Home Video“, “Thumbs,” a song where Lucy fantasizes about murdering a friend’s estranged father. It’s a tune I often find too disturbing to listen to. But it’s also an example of why artists create — to deal with profound issues. When successful (and “Thumbs” certainly is), these types of songs can move writers and listeners to think hard and understand.
Set List: “Brando” “VBS” “Going Going Gone” “Thumbs”
Musicians: Lucy Dacus: guitar, vocals Jacob Blizard: guitar Dominic Angelella: bass Ricardo Lagomasino: drums Sarah Goldstone: keys, vocals
Every now and then, when you look around, you’ll see these moments: friends at a cafe table, or in a park, or just walking down the street. It’ll arise from a lull in a conversation, or even be prompted by something they say, but they’ll look at each other and realize just how lucky they are. Maybe they’ll just acknowledge it with a knowing look, or a wink, a ruffle of the other’s hair or a side hug. But they know right then just how very precious our love is, whether platonic or romantic. We won’t take this for granted, not for a long time, their eyes say.
Samia’s 2020 debut album, The Baby, was a testament to her impressive vocal might, irresistible tunefulness and vulnerable lyricism, both clever and illuminating in equal measure. Drawing widespread acclaim from Pitchfork, Stereogum, NPR, NME, The Sunday Times, and others, the LP more than delivered following the promise of early singles like 2018’s “Django” and 2019’s “Ode to Artifice.”
Samia spent much of 2020 in self-reflection, and she also made various life changes that left her feeling more earnest and centered. During this time, she wrote a handful of songs that make up “Scout” EP.
While The Baby leaned more on self-deprecating humour, Scout was born out of a need to “honour feeling secure in what [she] had to say.” The EP is packed with reverence for life’s ups and downs, but more than anything, it’s an ode to loved ones. The compassionate glow of this EP partially stems from her new Nashville surroundings, as well as her recent experiences “feeling genuinely loved, making new friends, and holding onto old friendships.” It’s reminiscent of that reassuring exhale in the mirror after an imperfect yet fulfilling day. As Samia puts it, Scout is “The Baby’s slightly older sister letting her know that everything is gonna be alright.”
The EP title is a nickname of Samia’s, and it’s a fitting nod to the record’s benevolence. “My partner calls me Scout,” she explains. “It’s just a word that implies bravery to me. I always picture a little girl with a sash and badges basking in her autonomy selling Samoas.” Whether you’re a girl scout trying to gain confidence or an adult who needs reminders of our inability to make everyone happy or the untold power of being there for someone, this EP is an unashamed loving nudge.
This past year has taught us this lesson in the most cruel ways, and now we cling to what’s left with all our might. Samia’s new EP captures this feeling—overwhelming in its beauty and sadness—with the same clarity and fervour that made her debut record “The Baby” so stirring. Scout isn’t a pandemic piece, per se, but it’s the type of art that comes out of a year pondering one’s life, which is just what Samia did. The songs focus on the act of cherishing, but deserve to be cherished in their own right.
Luxembourg-based duo Francis Of Delirium have been making waves with their innovative take on sound that infuses the soothing rivers of folk with stormy indie rock, creating melodic visions of untamed oceans. EP ‘Wading’ sees them take their introspective genius to the next level.
Francis Of Delirium EP “Wading” consists of three previously released singles and one new track in “I Think I’m Losing.” Taken as a whole, the collection of releases by Vancouver teen Jana Bahrich and Seattle drummer/producer Chris Hewett brings as much heart as it does edge. Bahrich’s range of vocal stylings are on full display, from more mild-mannered indie melodies to half-spoken poetic verses and powerful, emo-infused belts. Paired with grungy, fuzzy guitar, drums and choral harmonies, the duo pack a serious punch. The EP’s new song “I Think I’m Losing” is a stunning, dynamic ballad that pulls all these elements together and finishes “Wading” with a bang.
Tackling themes of love, grief and acceptance, ‘Wading’ is brimming with urgency. Each track is coloured in a different shade of vulnerability, giving the EP not only a unique lyrical palette, but a very intimate dynamic. “Now we’re stuck in this motion, sifting through the floating garbage, and we’re lost,” Jana observes on opening track ‘Lakes’, and gives a first glimpse into the overall tone of the record: A little hazy, a little harrowing, but poetic beyond compare.
