John Cale: Bexhill On Sea 2018/11/29 setlist

John Cale performed at De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill On Sea, UK - November 29, 2018.

The band:
John Cale: vocals, electric guitar, keyboards
Dustin Boyer: lead guitar, samples
Joey Maramba: bass
Deantoni Parks: drums, samples

Setlist

1. Story of Blood
2. Magritte
3. The Endless Plain of Fortune
4. Hedda Gabler
5. Leaving It Up To You
6. Mary
7. Half Past France
8. Coral Moon
9. Guts
10. Wasteland
11. Gun > Pablo Picasso
12. E: Dying on the Vine
13. Heartbreak Hotel

» John Cale on Facebook
» John Cale setlists

(Thanks: Marek Koudelka)

Calva Louise: tour dates

London fuzzy garage trio Calva Louise will be on the road in February and March, playing shows in Belgium, The Netherlands and the UK.

Live dates:

• 02/21 Nosta, Opwijk, Belgium
• 02/23 4ad Muziekclub, Diksmuide, Belgium
• 02/24 Cinetol, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 03/02 Think Tank Underground, Newcastle, UK
• 03/03 Mrt.attic Bar, Glasgow, UK
• 03/05 Oporto, Leeds, UK
• 03/06 Night People, Manchester, UK
• 03/07 The Lexington, London, UK
• 03/08 Phase One, Liverpool, UK
• 03/10 The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, UK
• 03/11 The Louisiana, Bristol, UK
• 03/12 Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, UK

» Calva Louise on Facebook

HCTF review of I Heard A Cry.

Hadden Sayers: Acoustic Dopamine + Dopamine Machine

To find out out if a guitar player can really play, hand him an acoustic. Blues musician Hadden Sayers did so for Acoustic Dopamine, the companion release for the electric Dopamine Machine. This double whammy is a 101 for budding guitarists who want to explore to the blues in its two guises. Now based in Columbus, OH there is still plenty of the Texas style in his playing: swagger galore topped off by his gravelly voice that can turn into a surprise falsetto to make it funky.

Sayers leads his band two albums worth of good time music. He can turn on the charm (Good Good Girl), write a power ballad that doesn't suck (Gravity), rock hard and mean (Unsatisfied) and add to the canon of great road trip songs (Blood Red Corvette and Hit The Road). Both albums contain the same songs, albeit in a different running order.

Mike Gordon: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival show

Mike Gordon and his band (Scott Murawski, Robert Walter, John Kimock, Craig Myers) will perform @ Joy Theater in New Orleans on May 3, as part of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Their Spring tour kicks off n Atlante on Mach 8.

Sammy Wags and Friends: Peekskill Brewery residency

Multi-instrumentalist Sammy Wags kicks of his 13 week Wednesday Night residency (28 November 2018 – 27 February 2019) @ Peekskill Brewery, Peekskill, NY, with a stripped down version of his band The Brighton Beat.

Each night is dedicated to one his outfits (Mr. Clifford, Distant Planets Orchestra, Sammy Wags and Friends, and the aforementioned The Brighton Beat). Anything goes during this shows: new music, oddball covers and of course stuff from his bands that fans will recognize. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

Primus: Custom Pinball Machine

Want to be a Primus pinball wizard? Got some spare change lying around and do you live in the continental USA? Than the Custom Pinball Machine (Limited Edition & Signed) can really tie the room together. Les Claypool is really proud:

Being a guy that has made many records over the past few decades, published a novel, directed videos and a feature film as well as having collaborated with the hero’s like Tom Waits, Geddy Lee, Stewart Copeland, Bernie Worrell, Trey Anastasio and others; it wasn’t till this moment, where I’ve been immortalized in a pinball machine, did I really feel like I’ve “made the big time”.

SX: Eros

Belgian synth-pop band SX made an album to play in the background to convince a partner to partake into some cuddling, kissing and ultimately fucking. Overly romantic, puerile lyrics and generic synths and overplayed off-the-shelf rhythms are unlikely to induce the desired effect. Put this album on and changes are that the object of desire will be fast asleep within a few minutes. No need for parental advisory thingy. Eros is a rated all ages album.

Low Horizon: No​-​fi Tape

Houston, TX lo-fi quartet Low Horizon are working on an album and their new No-fi Tape is a roogh sounding work-in-progress preview of a couple of the tracks that will be included on the full-length. Plenty of leakage throughout, but it's clear that these songs have been through some serious road testing. The hooks and breaks all there. All they need is some proper recording equipment to polish them up a bit, without killing of the quirky garage rock feel.

No-fi Tape does what it says on the tin and it will make audiophiles cringe and moan. Distortion addicts will embrace it both arms.

Waste: Run

English rock quartet Waste assembled a bunch of monster guitar riffs for their new single Run, a mid-tempo song that sounds a lot faster than it actually is. The vocals are way up front in the mix, which is good thing. There is no way the lyrics could have been deciphered otherwise. Recommended if you like Soundgarden and the Queens of the Stone Age.

Broeder Dieleman w/ Wannes Capelle and Frans Grapperhaus: more tour dates

Six shows have been added to Dutch folk musician Broeder Dieleman's tour with Wannes Capelle and Frans Grapperhaus next year. Be prepared for a night of storytelling, humour and next level roots music.

Their new collaborative album Dit Is De Bedoeling will be the main course during the proceedings. The album wil be released on January 18th thru Snowstar Records (Netherlands) en Unday Records (Belgium).

Words about music (475): Karlheinz Stockhausen

In particular what is most important to me is the transformation of a sound by slowing it down, sometimes extremely, so that the inner of sound becomes a conceivable rhythm.

Karlheinz Stockhausen

Sabatta: Wicked Right Now

London rockers Sabatta have unveiled a video for Wicked Right Now, a track from their latest album Misfit Music. )It's an energetic plea for going nuts every once in awhile.

Reinier Baas & Ben van Gelder ft Metropole Orkest: Smash Hits

Dutch ensemble Metropole Orkest isn't known as a particularly adventurous lot, but let them play together with Reinier Baas and Sax player Ben van Gelder, two of Holland's fine young jazz musicians and lo and behold: they can swing an add something extra. The live album Smash Hits was recorded at the Westergastheater in Amsterdam on January 16th 2016 and the Transition Jazz Festival @ TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht on April 8th 2017. Thanks to smart sequencing it sounds like it was laid down at a single show.

Baas and Van Gelder have been playing together for years, solidifying in instantaneous musical interaction that the orchestra could latch onto. Arrangers Gerd Hermann Ortler, Rob Horsting, Daniel Jamieson and Christian Elsässer dug into the duo's discography, cherry picking highlights such as Guiding Principle, Do You Know Ben Van Gelder and Smooth Jazz Apocalypse. Conductor Christian Elsässer steered the orchestra through the proceedings in a firm but relaxed approach. The soloists found themselves surrounded by a bunch of musicians who were enjoying themselves and went out their way to be step out the faceless mode of sight-reading professionals. Fluidity interspersed with the ability to stop and start again within the blink of an eye can only be achieved when musicians are willing and able to really listen to each other.

Cover Me: Life on Mars

NYC based singer Jihae had the nerve to cover the Davie Bowie classic Life on Mars. She came up short in vocal range department (well, most people would), but this mellow electronic pop version ain't half bad.

» jihae.com

Kim Janssen: on tour in The Netherlands and Germany

photo: Isolde Woudstra

Dutch singer-songwriter Kim Janssen is on the road to promote his latest album Cousins: "a travelogue, with songs dealing with minor events that happened close to home or a wild night during the Loi Krathong festival. Janssen is getting older and in a contemplative mood. He is a seeker right now, looking for answers about the meaning of life, political turmoil and where to turn for some sound advice".

Little Person: I'm Happy to Be With You

Pop-rock duo Little Person take it slow on their new dreamy, pastoral single I'm Happy to Be With You. Build upon a gentle acoustic guitar and their spot on vocal harmonies it is a throwback to Sixties psychedelic folk-tinged pop. A few choice sound effects were sprinkled on top. Whoever is on the receiving end of this should be really, really flattered.

GURU: Consumer Helpline

Anyone who has called a menu driven assistance line to report an issue can relate to the new GURU single Consumer Helpline. This punk song is the perfect antidote for the muzak that is playing while you are trying to reach an actual person who can do a bit more than read from a script. The Brighton band loves reverb and getting angry. Recommended if you like Big Black.

Primus: Latin America tour dates

Experimental avant-funk metal trio Primus are heading out South for three shows in Latin America in January.

Live dates:

• 01/19 Mexico City, Mexico @ Auditorio Blackberry
• 01/22 Bogota, Colombia @ Royal Center
• 01/24 Santiago, Chile @ Royal Center

» primusville.com

Makenzie Mizell: Holy Shit It's The Fucking Gillman

LA singer and multi-instrumentalist Makenzie Mizell plays rambling happy-sad songs on her debut EP Holy Shit It's The Fucking Gillman. Love has fucked over quite a few times (by boys and girls), but she always took in stride and turned her misadventures into songs. She describes her music as a mix of the Pixies and Taylor Swift, which is pretty accurate. The gentle, but quirky Converse could make the setlists of both acts.

She sounds like a mellower version of PJ Harvey, but says fuck far more often. A lo-fi EP that is angry and endearing at the same time. A dirty guitar is her weapon of choice, with the bubblegum pop closer Said It All Before serving as an unexpected Hollywood ending.

Joëlle Goercharn: Silhouette

Dutch jazz singer and piano player Joëlle Goercharn shows off the things she has learned at the conservatorium in Amsterdam and New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York on her debut EP Silhouette. Phrasing and vocal delivery are top notch for her take on smooth jazz with an Indian twist - she used the stories form Hindustani grandmother as a source of inspiration for her lyrics.

Backed by a handful of seasoned veterans (Joost Kroon, Asia Czaj & The Magic Strings, Harry Emmery, Allard Robert) and with Wiboud Burkens acting as producer Silhouette sounds smooth as silk and while there is not much wrong with that she should consider stepping out of her comfort zone and dig a little deeper. The use of instruments like tabla, pandura and bansuri add much needed colour. With her vocal range and lyrical abilities - Streetlight Silhouettes is a great about a snowy day in NYC - she can get her out of the safe jazz bracket. All the pieces are there. She only needs to find a way to create something with them that is her truly her own.

Spottiswoode & His Enemies: Lost In The City

photo: Brian Geltner

How about a musical guide on how to cope in New York City? The Big Apple inspired lots of artists to do so, but the city is harsh mistress and many failed to pull it off. Spottiswoode & His Enemies however pass with flying colours with their new album Lost In The City, an amalgam of vaudeville, blues, rock and jazz plus lead singer's Jonathan Spottiswoode witty way with words. He is a sardonic poet, whose English heritage makes him a perennial outsider in the city that never sleeps.

Like Randy Newman and Ray Davies he is sharp observer, who can cram the contents of a short story within the confines of a song. The little people can become heroes of sorts (Goodbye Jim McBride, Batman & Robin). Autobiographical songs are used as reality checks. Hoboken is just Hoboken, not some mythical and better place on the other side of the Hudson River. And he takes the full blame for relationship going on the rocks in It's On Me and Now Didn't I? Loneliness and getting drink are captured in The Walk Of Shame: "It's 6 o'clock // The night was so delicious // But now a puddle is a mirror for Narcissus".

Cover Me: Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

Watch Norwegian composer and musician Erlend Øye tackle Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now. Filmed during a live performance for Record /store Day in Ecuador in 2016. Nice job truing The Smiths classic into a subdued acoustic solo act.

» Erlend Øye on Facebook

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets: My Friend's A Liquid

Aussie rockers Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are back on track with their new single My Friend's A Liquid, a jigsaw puzzle of sounds and ideas that all fit to make a dazzling kaleidoscopic picture: a short and sweet nod to the Breeders' Cannonball bass line, phasing, hazing, and trippy vocals. Recommended if you like The Flaming Lips.

De Staat: "I'm Out Of Your Mind" video

Dutch rockers De Staat have made a video for I'm Out Of Your Mind, a track from their forthcoming new studio album Bubble Gum (January 18th): "Hectic, fast-paced, and going nuts while getting an adversary into serious trouble".

» destaat.net

LOGOUT: Love Me

Last week HCTF premiered the new LOGOUT video for Love Me. A mysteriouss slice of electronic pop that invites the listener to make sense of it all. "After being stranded on an island he finds a ticket urging him to “love me like there’s no tomorrow". Is it written by that motionless woman who s lying on the beach? Is she still alive? How did he get here? Does that plane ticket imply that he survived a crash? Is it real or is he dreaming?"

DeVotchKa: tour dates, "Empty Vessels" video

Denver Balkan folk inspired band DeVotchKa are on the road to promote their new album This Night Falls Forever. They have made a video for Empty Vessels.

Words about music (474): Leonard Cohen

The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the heart in the midst of all these activities, and it will always be useful in this very important way.

Leonard Cohen

Koto Kill: Fire Down

London based electronic dance rock band Koto Kill - the brainchild of producer Gabriel Ralls - looked to the East for their new single Fire Down, with almost tangible tension created by Ricky Romain on sitar and vocalist Judith Haustein. Prog rock fans will like the licks provided by guitarist Ákos Gadó.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe: tour dates, new album "'Gnomes & Badger"

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe hit the road for a lengthy Winter tour. The funky jazz band will release their new album Gnomes & Badger in February, their fist studio album since New Ammo (2014).

Live dates:

• 12/04 Annapolis, MD - Rams Head Onstage (Evening with)
• 12/05 Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore ^
• 12/15 Snowmass, CO - Bud Light HiFi Concert Series
• 12/27 Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up *
• 12/28 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore *
• 12/29 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore *
• 12/30 Portland, OR - Revolution Hall ^^
• 12/31 Portland, OR - Revolution Hall ^^

Jet Plane: Falls Feather

Russian post-rockers Jet Plane sound a lot darker on their new album Falls Feather, building their tracks on monolithic riffs and loops. Their signature use of glockenspiel, violin and bagpipes has been pushed back into the background and while that is understandable for for their new guitar heavy prog course it also make them less special. When of those instruments gets the chance to be heard in a track like Wildflower the music gains depth. They have another ace up their sleeve however, when they unleash the neo-classical prog grandeur of Moreno.

The band is going through some soul searching in their quest for a new course. Dead ends are unavoidable, but they keep busy cutting their way through the genres to carve a new niche for their music.

The Grand East: What A Man

What A Man, the new album by Dutch Bluesy rock quintet The Grand East is a throwback to the soulful guitar and organ music of the late Sixties and early Seventies has quite a bit of soul. They paint with broad strokes, stretching the notes. Melancholy and bravado are playing catch throughout the record. It's all about getting up after been beaten down.

Hammond player Joris van den Berg deserves to be singled for his on point fills and textural contributions. If this is what retro sounds like, it has a bright future.

Mike Gordon: Spring tour dates

Mike Gordon and his band (Scott Murawski, Robert Walter, John Kimock, Craig Myers) have announced their Spring tour dates. They kick off in Atlanta on March 8 and there is something special in store for the 6-night stand @ The Sinclair, Cambridge (March 21-24).

Moonchy & Tobias: Moonchy & Tobias

Oer the last couple of years Todd Tobias released a bunch of atmospheric soundscapes, telling stories without words. His new album is a collaborative effort with Italian avant-garde singer Pat Moonchy, whose voice is not a vessel for lyrics per se, but more of a solo instrument. her almost childlike operatic delivery is a contrast for Tobias music that can be harsh at times, but also be gently flowing like a brook in Spring.

Moonchy & Tobias is an intense listening experience and untrained ears will have trouble withe the dissonance and dark mood that lays like a heavy blanket on top of the tracks. The music buzzes and crackles (not to mention that it can be a bit frightening as well). The duo might have invented a whole new genre with this album: operatic post-psychedelic avant-garde that needs be explored more often in the near future.

Johnny Marr: in-studio performance @ KEXP radio

A video of the September 21st in-studio performance by Johnny Marr on The Afternoon Show @ KEXP radio, Seattle, USA can be watched on the station's Youtube channel. Radio presenter: Cheryl Waters.

Phish: Kasvot Växt set on Spotify

Phish performed a full set of new material during their Halloween in Las Vegas, during which supposedly covered the sole album of a Scandinavian funky prog disco band Kasvot Växt. The full set is now available for streaming on Spotify.

» phish.com

Cari Cari: Anaana

Austrian duo Cari Cari are over the map on their debut album Anaana. Tex-Mex inspired surf, blues, indie rock and psychedelic pop are thrown into the mix for a rollercoaster ride that is a feast for the ears. Stephanie Widmer (vocals, drums, didgeridoo) and Alexander Köck (vocals, guitar) have a knack for complex yet accessible textures and made a soundtrack for a road trip around the world. Recommended if you like Spaghetti Westerns scores and My Baby.

Calva Louise: "I Heard A Cry" video

London fuzzy garage trio Calva Louise have posted a video for their latest single Heard A Cry": "a fast-paced, frantic punk rocker pushed forward by Jess Allanic's don't-fuck-with-me vocals".

The clip was directed by Georges Hauchard-Heutte.

De Staat: I'm Out Of Your Mind

photo: Pooneh Ghana

Dutch rockers De Staat have released Mona Lisa, the third single from their fortcoming new studio album Bubble Gum (January 18th). Hectic, fast-paced, and going nuts while getting an adversary into serious trouble.

HCTF premiere - LOGOUT: "Love Me" video

Singer, songwriter and producer LOGOUT loves to tell stories that make the listener feel slightly uncomfortable. His new single Love Me is no exception. After being stranded on an island he finds a ticket urging him to “love me like there’s no tomorrow". Is it written by that motionless woman who s lying on the beach? Is she still alive? How did he get here? Does that plane ticket imply that he survived a crash? Is it real or is he dreaming?

The video doesn't answer any questions, but it is an intriguing visual companion to his subdued electronic music and falsetto voice. Much more on his forthcoming album N91°, due for release in January on Tiny Room Records.

Words about music (473): Paul McCartney

None of us wanted to be the bass player. In our minds he was the fat guy who always played at the back.

Paul McCartney

Félicette: Forever

Russian experimental rockers Félicette named after themselves after the first cat in space. Their debut single Вечно (Forever) is a meandering ambient post-rock song with a hint of industrial thrown in - the perfect soundtrack to accompany B&W footage of the early age of the space race. The B-side is a cover of АукцЫон's Якоря, but they reworked it so drastically that it could be marked as their own composition. Guest singer Moriko steals the show with her jazzy melancholy.

Broeder Dieleman: on tour in Belgium with Wannes Capelle and Frans Grapperhaus

Dutch folk musician Broeder Dieleman will be on tour in Belgium with Wannes Capelle and Frans Grapperhaus next year. The tour is preceded by a one-off show in The Netherlands, as part of Eurosonic/Noorderslag Festival in Groningen on January 18. Be prepared for a night of storytelling, humour and next level roots music.

GRDNS: Hydraulic Lover

English neo-sych pop band GRDNS wrapped their new single Hydraulic Lover into layers of reverb and distortion to hide the all too obvious innuendo of the lyrics. As a guitar exercise it is pretty basic, with forays into T-Rex territory. The vocals ain't half bad: a slightly aloof lead part assisted by effective Oohs and ahhs in the background.

HCTF premiere - Custard Flux: "The Hit Parade" video

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote that "a master craftsman is able to restrict himself" (In der Beschränkung zeigt sich erst der Meister). And that's what Gregory Curvey (The Luck of Eden Hall) did for his new outlet Custard Flux, an all-acoustic psychedelic prog project (there is a Gibson Flying V involved, but deviating from self-imposed limitations is only human).

Laurie Jane and The 45's: Late Last Night-Elixir of Sara Martin

When in need of old school top shelf blues with a jazz twist stook up on Laurie Jane and The 45's albums. Their latest is called Late Last Night-Elixir of Sara Martin, a platform for the Louisville KY band to tear through twelve classics penned by respected writers like Eddie Green, Sylvester Weaver, Clarence and Spencer Williams, and - you guessed it - Sare Martin.

Energy, don't-fuck-with-me, unfair odds, unfaithful men, booze, and having the upper hand all come along when singer Laurie Jane Duggins steps up to the mike, while her band plays up a storm. A few tracks sound like a battered 78. They were recorded direct to vinyl using 1930s Voice Graph booth at Guitar Emporium, a show of respect for the tradition in which their music is rooted.

White Room: Shoot

photo: Phoebe Fox

Brighton indie rockers White Room put the kettle on to make a cup of psychedelic art-rock. Shoot is a throwback to early Roxy Music and Sparks, with a gnarly main riffs, low slung bass, spooky keyboards and glam rock drums. It's like the Seventies never ended. A toe-tapping song that is both retro and fresh.

Phish 2018 Fall tour: 2018/11/03 Las Vegas

Official Las Vegas poster by Status Serigraph

Phish
2018/11/03
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Set 1:

1. The Moma Dance
2. Kill Devil Falls >
3. Roggae
4. Water in the Sky
5. 555 >
6. Tube >
7. Farmhouse
8. Mike's Song >
9. Lifeboy >
10. Weekapaug Groove

Cover Me: White Rabbit

LA based singer Lauren Ruth Ward tries to emulate the pitch perfect vibrato of Grace Slick in her version of the Jefferson Airplane classic White Rabbit. Points for effort are in order, but it's actually more of a quaver in the end. A straightforward deliverance would have been more in concordance with her vocal range.

Live date:

• 12/06 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre

» laurenruthwardmusic.com

HCTF review of Well, Hell.

Phish 2018 Fall tour: 2018/11/02 Las Vegas

Official Las Vegas poster by Hex Aunzo

Phish
2018/11/02
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Set 1:

1. Cavern
2. Beauty of My Dreams
3. If I Could, Weigh
4. Sand
5. Back on the Train
6. Martian Monster
7. Mercury >
8. Suzy Greenberg

Queen Of The Meadow: Dutch mini tour

French folk act Queen Of The Meadow have announced a Dutch mini tour to promote their latest album A Room To Store Happiness: "no signs of the "difficult second album" jinx. Ferguson uses her voice as the main force, stacking layers upon layers to create a pastoral, psychedelic feel (yes, unicorns and rainbows are mentioned)".

Words about music (472): Paul Weller

Pop music was supposed to be a flash in the pan, but here we are 50 years later and it means something to us, and it always will do. It's incredibly important.

Paul Weller

Phish 2018 Fall tour: 2018/11/01 Las Vegas

Official Las Vegas poster by Justin Santora

Phish
2018/11/01
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Set 1:

1. Everything's Right
2. AC/DC Bag >
3. Wolfman's Brother
4. Nellie Kane
5. Funky Bitch
6. Chalk Dust Torture
7. I Been Around
8. Joy
9. Walls of the Cave

Xander Naylor: Transmission

Brooklyn based experimental guitarist Xander Naylor pushes the boundaries of jazz and rock on his new album Transmission. While most virtuosos so are reluctant to share the spotlight Naylor gives his fellow musicians ample opportunity to step forward. It results in delicate interplay - check out One Field / Many Fields for a prime example of musical conversation. Holding back has given his compositions a wider perspective and explore neo-classical themes. Ghost Logic is a friendly clash between free jazz, rock and Indian vocalizing.

Transmission is part Jim Hall, part Stravinsky (case in point: What's The Tag Line, and part Frank Zappa in his orchestral mode. It's a treasure trove of musical ideas that will require many listens to discover all the gems.