Magik Markers distinguished themselves in the early 2000s with unfettered noise jams and a merch table so teeming with CD-Rs, tapes, and LPs as to render the idea of a coherent discography faintly obsolete. The New England trio led by singer/guitarist Elisa Ambrogio has slowed down and tightened up considerably as of late. Their first album in seven years is their most finely honed, though it is still rumpled in all the right places. With creaking Crazy Horse guitar solos, basement-Sabbath sludge, and A Thousand Leaves-rustling mysticism, “2020” finds clarity in controlled chaos, an eye in the year’s hurricane.
All of the complexities of a world’s collapse in a blissed out, horribly gentle, rugged, ragged rock n’ roll album. Rock back and forth as you hum these songs through a muddled shaken voice.
Here we are in 2020, exploding like a dream. Processing today’s numbed nation, considering mysteries of growing up and being older (like a memory of the future from your youth…Processing today’s numbed nation, considering mysteries of growing up and being older (like a memory of the future from your youth (not how you expected, but still your life)), Magik Markers rub upon their roots, art-noise jamming their way into non-linear song-sense and raw, beautiful music all at once. Magik Markers’ new album 2020, Magik Markers went quiet for a few years after releasing Surrender to the Fantasy in 2013, but, after the surprise release of Isolated From Exterior Time: 2020 in July, they’re back for another round with the new 2020 on Drag City Records. Bassist John Shaw trades riffs with guitarist and vocalist Elisa Ambrogio on tracks like “CDROM,” “Born Dead,” and “Machine.” Meanwhile, “That Dream (Shitty Beach)” features vocals from drummer Pete Nolan.
Track from Magik Markers digital EP “Isolated from Exterior Time: 2020”, released on July 3rd, 2020 by Drag City Records.
Following the success of Gold, in 2002 Ryan Adams was blocked by his label from releasing his choice for a follow-up. This would be the second time this happened, the first being with Gold; Adams had recorded “The Suicide Handbook” which was rejected on the grounds that it was “too sad”. Ryan has stated that The Suicide Handbook was made for Lost Highway as the follow-up to “Heartbreaker” and called it his “most majestic piece ever.
Tracklist
“Suicide Handbook” Ryan Adams The Unofficial Unreleased CDr “Wildflowers” 4:30 “Perfect And True” 3:07 “Tell It To My Heart” 3:18 “She Wants To Play Hearts” 4:01 “Pretenders” 2:56 “Famous Eyes” 2:16 “Touch, Feel & Lose” 3:42 “Firecracker” 2:59 “La Cienega Just Smiled” 3:20 “You Don’t Know Me” 4:12 “Bow To The Sad Lady” 3:42 “Off Broadway” 3:39 “Cracks In A Photograph” 3:57 “I’m Waiting” 3:04 “Cry On Demand” 4:24 “Miss Sunflower” 4:38 “Just Saying Hi (Answering Bell)” 3:13 “California Love” 2:27 “Idiots Rule The World” 3:30 “Dear Chicago” 2:13 Ships from the UK
The Suicide Handbook is an unplugged collection of 21 acoustic songs, that Ryan wrote following his ill-fated breakup with an unnamed Hollywood actress. Recorded in January of 2001, and just months prior to the sessions for Gold, these songs have a similar feel to those of Bruce Springsteen’s classic album Nebraska. Joined only by band mate – Bucky Baxter, who plays some excellent pedal steel, guitar and occasional background vocals, this albumis Ryan Adams at his most stripped down. Nearly half of the songs on The Suicide Handbook have gone on to be re-recorded for other albums; sometimes with different lyrics, or slightly different arrangements; other times with a faster tempo or doctored up with more reverb. “Answering Bell”, “Firecracker”, “La Cienega Just Smiled”, “Mara Lisa”, “Wild Flowers”, and “Touch, Feel, and Lose” would all go on to be highlights on Gold. While “Dear Chicago”, “She Wants to PlayHearts”, and “Cry on Demand” would be left almost untouched, and released the following year on a collection called Demolition.
Over the past ten years, there have been a number of rumors and tentative plans, made by Ryan Adams and Lost Highway Records; that The Suicide Handbook would be officially released. Originally, the record was going to come out as part of a 4-6 disc collection called 20:20; and feature a treasure trove of previously unreleased material, including several finished albums. Unfortunately these recordings have yet to surface, but there is some good news! Recently, after leaving Lost Highway Records, Ryan retained the rights to release these recordings on his own. His new plan is to release this someday as a single album. Since being recorded in 2001, Ryan has gone back and properly mixed and mastered the album, with full band accompaniment (including drums by Brad Pemberton of The Cardinals, and a 16 piece string section with parts arranged by Ryan). He has also stated that there are several songs on the final version which do not appear on this bootleg recording.
Thanks for the words mega-superior-gold.blogspot.co.uk
The Fat Angel Sings 