The Fat Angel Sings

Every facet of passion and amour is flung under a post punk microscope on the tense yet engaging fourth album “Romantic Notions” from Sydney band Mere Women. Gifting the first utterance of new tunes from the quartet since 2017’s highly acclaimed Big Skies, Romantic Notions is still very much a textbook Mere Woman full length; but with significant spikes of sonic evolution underlying the expected crunch and oscillation.

Evolving from the double-edged reality of romance and its oft-unspoken trappings, Romantic Notions doles out a sobering wake up call to the naivete of love and the dangers of losing your metaphorical head in the process. But amongst the discordant riffs, crashing textures and stirring vocal apathy, Mere Women aren’t declaring war on matters of the heart; they’re simply coaxing and prompting exploration into darker and more tangible territories that go hand in hand with love and matters of the heart.

Wielding thunderous restraint and menaced arrangements, “Romantic Notions” firmly showcases the reality that Mere Women continue to be one of the most polished post punk entities kicking around the scene right now. And armed with a fervent DIY spirit (thanks, in part, to the unplanned intimacy and space mandated by the ongoing COVID restrictions), there’s significant levels of expansive growth and raw catharsis bubbling away across the space of eleven tracks. From flickers of dramatic mystery “Spell” to whimsical angst “Someone Loves You“, frolicking dissonance “As You Please” and jaunty gloom Spell, Romantic Notions isn’t always a comfortable listen, both from a thematic and sonic perspective; but it’s these challenges and frank realities that ultimately plunge you headfirst into the gleaming cacophony, before spitting you out with an eerie sense of cathartic calm.

Overall, Romantic Notions is an immersive tapestry, traversing the complexities of love and relationships alongside the danger of obsession. But more than that, this is ultimately an album of dizzying strength and execution, and a clear indication that Mere Women are primed and ready to take on the world on their own terms.

Just when you think that you might, just maybe, even a little bit, have a feel for what King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are about, they pull something else out of their collective hats and teach us, once again, to always expect the unexpected from them. 

“Butterfly 3000”, the 18th studio album from the Melbourne collective and their second release for 2021, is the exact example of this. 

Australian psych-rockers King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have shared the music video for “Dreams,” and it is yet another mind-bending visual to accompany their most recent LP, Butterfly 3000.

Butterfly 3000 is the band’s 18th album, and second to be released in 2021.

Considered and refined, “Butterfly 3000″ has not only offered another evolution in the King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard sound – remembering that so far they’ve covered everything from an Ennio Morricone-style Western soundscape with Eyes Like The Sky to speed metal with Infest The Rats’ Nest in the space of nine years. 

This time ’round we see an indie-pop incarnation, with the co-vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Stu Mackenzie calling the process a “group challenge” where they recorded in isolation in their own homes, working without their usual process of “throwing a lot of shit at the wall and finding that magic take, or building something with 20 tracks of guitar overdub”, all while writing all the in major key for the first time and trialling new equipment like modular synthesizers. 

“We were trying to make upbeat dance music, in our own way, and we’d never gone there before,” he said. 

It’s been an out and out success and will go down as one of their all-time greats. 

In an official description, the band purports that “Dreams” was “Recorded by King Gizzard in the year 3021.”

Amby: Percussion Cavs: Drums Stu: Synthesiser, Vocals, Mellotron, Bass Guitar,

Recorded by King Gizzard in the year 3021 Mixed by Stu Mackenzie Mastered by Joe Carra

Teenage Joans are barely scratching at the doors of adulthood in 2021. The Australian duo from Adelaide took out the coveted Unearthed High competition last year with their song “Three Leaf Clover”, and in doing so cemented themselves as ones to watch out for in the near future.

Just over a year later, the band have dropped their incredible debut EP “Taste Of Me” which indeed offers a splendid sampler to the music of the group. 

It’s an all out, upbeat rock release that is devoid of any implied immaturity by their age. They may be gearing up for a gap year, but the doesn’t mean Teenage Joans don’t work hard. They know what they’re doing, and they do it bloody well.

Celebrating their twanging Aussie indie timbre a la Camp Cope and Courtney Barnett, Taste Of Me is unapologetically fun and immensely enjoyable. A perfect encapsulation of the band themselves.

Pond released a new track titled “Toast,” along with an avant-garde music video. Sonically, the song is smooth and steady. Nick Allbrook’s rounded vocals come in and out of the track, and each time they enter, he encourages the listener to tune in more deeply.

Lyrically the track tackles themes of environmentalism, wealth inequality, and apathy via elitism. “[The title “Toast”] pointed toward the image of fat-headed gobblers touching flutes of bubbles, watching the End of Days gallop over the horizon. I often wonder about those people – the money hoarders, climate change deniers, earth-pilferers and adventure capitalists – are they nihilists or anarchists, or do they really believe they are to be saved by some Rock Opera Jesus?” asked Allbrook in a press release.

The video is a continuous shot filmed on a green screen, on a karaoke-style screen. The band drinks champagne and eats breakfast at a table as they perform the song in a sea of clouds. According to the press release, the video cost $300 to make – the price of the bottles over four takes. “Another installment in a long series of homemade Pond videos,” said Jay Watson of the video.

“Toast” is off Pond’s forth-coming studio album titled “9” which will drop, October 1st, 2021. on Spinning Top Records.

Slow Pulp are from Madison, Wisconsin, the band have just announced their N. America headline tour in support of Moveys and Deleted Scenes. Scroll down for dates and tickets. “Deleted Scenes” is out right now everywhere digitally. Listen to the track “Iowa”, the hazy, fever-dream take on Moveys standout “Idaho”.

Paired with “At It Again (Again)”, you can pre-order this collection of songs on black 7″ vinyl.The 7″ will ship out later this fall and will also be available to pick up at your local record shop. Bundle with the recently re-pressed Moveys.

Released June 30th, 2021

Slow Pulp; is Alexander Leeds, Emily Massey, Theodore Mathews, Henry Stoehr

All songs written and performed by Slow Pulp

Following on from the announcement of “The Metallica Blacklist”, a massive covers album celebrating 30 years of The Black Album, St Vincent’s cover of “Sad But True” has landed on streaming services. The full cover album will arrive on 1st October.

The cover will sit alongside 52 other tracks from the likes of Jason Isbell, Rina Sawayama, Phoebe Bridgers, The Hu, Idles, Moses Sumney, Miley Cyrus, Elton John, Chase & Status and Igor Levit.

Alongside the announcement of the covers album, Metallica also revealed the plan to remaster and reissue the original Black Album. The remastered Black Album will land in multiple configurations including digitally, as a 180-gram 2LP, a standard CD, a 3CD expanded edition and a limited-edition boxset. This set includes the album remastered on 180G 2LP, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs (containing rough mixes, demos, interviews, live shows), six DVDs (containing outtakes, behind the scenes, official videos, live shows), a 120-page hardcover book, four tour laminates, three lithos, three guitar picks, a Metallica lanyard, a folder with lyric sheets, and a download card for the digital edition of the album.

The launch of The Metallica Blacklist also came alongside the release of Miley Cyrus’ version of Nothing Else Matters, featuring WATT, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo and Chad Smith.

St Vincent’s take on Sad But True features her trademark vocal style, as well as her off-kilter lead playing. 

Sad But True · St. Vincent THE Metallica Blacklist Blackened Recordings Released on: 2021-06-29

PNKSLM’s Recordings recent signees Mister Strange share their latest single ‘High Heel Heavy”.

Realities a drag, and at a time where turmoil pollutes the water, and the solution to 15 months trapped indoors is rapidly becoming a healthy dose of nihilistic freak-out, Manchester’s self-described ‘Wunder-Fuzz’ trio are thrillingly all over the place.

We’re all seeking new vices to pass the lull between last night and tomorrow morning. Be it a cry for tangible escapism, a brief intermission from routine daydreaming or otherwise, ‘High Heel Heavy’ is the three-minute equivalent to a spiritual recharge, or, the instant hit from a cigarette and black coffee; a grinning kick up the soul that’s guaranteed to carry its weary listener straight on through to the Nth degree of hyperactive addictiveness.

An uncompromising cross between the manic charisma of The Dead Kennedys, and the contemporary fury of Melbourne rockers Civic, this is the very kind of fuzz-fused anarchy where collective mischief thrives; and so there’s absolutely no question that Mister Strange are an unholy trinity to be reckoned with. 

‘High Heel Heavy’ is borderline discordant, chaotically unselfconscious, and seismically savvy. In the words of The New York Dolls David Johansen: “Rock n Rollers don’t dress for the weather”, so why would Mister Strange?.

PNKSLM Recordings are proud to present the latest addition to the family – Manchester quartet Mister Strange. The project of Tomas Walmsley (drums/vocals – also of acclaimed Manchester garage rockers Fruit Tones), Callum Rogers (bass), guitarist Ste Bradbury (guitar, synth, vocals) and Daryl Taylor (lead guitar), Mister Strange’s brand of heavy garage psych brings to mind the likes of Ty Segall’s FUZZ, Thee Oh Sees and The Stooges, operating fast-paced heavy rock machinery. New single “High Heel Heavy” is the band’s first release with their new label partner, with more news coming soon…

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Olivia Kaplan came to music through the American folk and jazz standards swimming throughout her childhood. At 13 she started writing songs on her dad’s Guild acoustic and has dedicated herself to the craft with ever growing acuity since. After pursuing a formal vocal and music education in high school and college, she left a conservatory level jazz program at McGill University in Montreal and made her way back home to record her own songs, while getting her degree in ethnomusicology at UCLA.

Olivia has self-released two EPs, Goddamn, I Miss You (2014) and At the Seams (2018), and singles “Comfort Food” (2019), and “What You Want” (2020). 2021 finds her embarking on a new chapter with single “Wrong”, a warm and bouncing groove dedicated to everyone trying their best to find balance in devastation and absurdity. The track features Buck Meek (Big Thief) on guitar. Her debut record “Tonight Turns to Nothing” was released on Friday, and now we can all revel ~together~ in what a gorgeous collection of songs she has given us!.

Olivia Kaplan’s debut full-length album, “Tonight Turns To Nothing“, coming soon, introduces this dazzling songwriter to a musical landscape primed for her ease and duality. In 11 songs, she reflects on the pitfalls of modern intimacy and her own personal defeats with a measured self-awareness, melancholy and wit. The songs were written and recorded during the off hours of her side-hustle as a waitress in Los Angeles and made in the garage studio of the album’s producer and her band-mate, Adam Gunther. While the unmistakable anchor of Kaplan’s music is her rich, smoky voice and cathartic storytelling, her songs are elevated by inspired production choices, delicate arrangements, and the musicianship of the people in the room: including drummer Jorge Balbi (Sharon Van Etten), Alex Fischel (Spoon), and Buck Meek (Big Thief). The album was mixed by Joseph Lorge (Perfume Genius, Phoebe Bridgers).

The slow-burning track has detailed narrative lyricism reminiscent of Andy Shauf and an intense sincerity similar to Squirrel Flower.
-Flood Magazine on “Still Strangers”

Olivia Kaplan is the kind of writer and musician I’ve been yearning for. Clever and composed, her words and melodies perfectly intertwine to evoke an overwhelming and lush wave of nostalgia.
-Playdate

The band:

• Olivia Kaplan – vocals, guitar
• Adam Gunther – bass, guitar, synth
• Jorge Balbi – drums
• Georgia Lill – cello

“Ghosts” is taken from Olivia Kaplan’s debut album ‘Tonight Turns to Nothing,’ out June 25, 2021 on Topshelf Records

In 1982 U2 recorded their new album War. The new record was very well received, and during early 1983 U2 embarked on the War Tour of Europe, the US, and Japan. This powerful double album is the re-energised U2 broadcasting live in concert from the Orpheum Theatre Boston, 6th May 1983.

This new edition is limited to just 2000 copies and there is no guarantee that this collector’s album will ever be re-pressed, so if you want one you should get your order in quick!

• Documentary film: U2 The Road To War featuring the members of U2, plus insiders, telling the story of U2

• Full-length E-Book – U2 We Will Follow  

Bono – lead vocals; The Edge – guitar, piano, vocals; Adam Clayton – bass; Larry Mullen Jr. – drums

When Bono stepped up to accept the Album of the Year Grammy in 2006 for U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, he commented that “there’s nothing like the feeling of being onstage with a tight rock ‘n’ roll band on a great night.” He probably felt that exact sensation the night this show was recorded at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston, back in 1983, for the King Biscuit Flower Hour radio concert series.

While in high school in Dublin, Ireland, the quartet formed under the name Feedback in 1976 and got their start as a cover band doing mostly Beatles and Stones songs. They changed their name to U2 and began writing their own material in 1978. After winning a talent contest sponsored by Guinness Ale, they were brought them to the attention of Paul McGuinness, the manager for The Stranglers.

By 1981, the band had signed with Island Records and quickly started riding up the European charts. They were writing songs that combined the edgy brashness of U.K. punk with more adult, lyrical concepts that often embraced everything from the New World Order to modern Christianity. The Edge’s textured guitar delivers a signature sweeping sound and the rhythm section maintains U2’s defining propulsive edge. It was their third album, “War”, which focuses on the struggles of the Catholic-Protestant conflict in Ireland, and especially the hit single “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” that established the band as a superstar act. Constantly reinventing themselves both musically and philosophically, U2 has endured for nearly 30 years and is certainly one of the biggest bands in the world today.

This concert was recorded on the tour that promoted the War album and features many songs that have since become U2 classics, including the foreboding “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “New Year’s Day,” “October,” “Gloria” and “I Will Follow.

Track Listing:

Side A

1. Out Of Control, 2. Two Hearts Beat As One, 3. Seconds, 4. I Fall Down

Side B

1. Sunday Bloody Sunday, 2. New Year’s Day. 3. Gloria,

Side C

1. Surrender, 2. The Cry / The Electric Co. 3. Twilight

Side D

1. A Day Without Me, 2. Party Girl, 3. I Will Follow 4. “40”

10-INCH DOUBLE ALBUM ON BLUE VINYL IN GATEFOLD SLEEVE