Johnny Dowd: Gent added to European tour

photo: Kat Dalton

Johnny Dowd has just announced a show in Gent on April 19 as part of his European tour to promote his new album Family Picnic: "At seventy Dowd shows no signs of aging gracefully. He is without peers in his field, but his friends and fans are willing to put up with whatever he comes up with. Luckily enough, putting out a shit album is beyond his grasp. Family Picnic caters to the converted and there is nothing wrong with that. He is a critical favourite, an incurable maverick, who is just too weird for the MOR Americana crowd to appreciate".

ORBI: The Oscillating Revenge of the Background Instruments

Dutch quartet ORBI are a band without peers, consisting of three renowned classical musicians and Hollands finest blues rock Hammond player. Bram van Sambeek (bassoon), Sven Figee (Hammond Organ), Rick Stotijn (double bass) and Marijn Korff de Gidts (drums, percussion) bonded over a shared love of progressive hard rock and metal. Their instruments of choice are not in the spotlights that often, hence the title of their album, The Oscillating Revenge of the Background Instruments, on which they play well-known songs by bands like Led Zeppelin, Muse, Metallica, Alkaloid, and Pink Floyd.

While they are not the first to try to dress up rock and metal in classical attire - check the second hand crates for orchestras doing the sane and of course the Finnish cello quartet Apocalyptica - ORBI are tackling it with a whole new palette of sound. Can a bassoon sound like a guitar? Try shouting down the mouthpiece and you can fool the listeners ears quite convincingly. A double bass can give Jimmy Page something to think about too. Case in point: Since I've been Loving You is turned into a note perfect blues exercise that honours the tight but losse approach of Led Zeppelin. Dream Theater have a tendency to be a bit bombastic and self-indulgent when they play Octavarium, but they narrowed it down to a piece of music that could have been written by Igor Stravinsky in a mellow mood. Metallica's Cliff Burton, bass player extraordinaire who single-handedly turned a struggling trash metal act into a risk taking powerhouse, is honoured with three tracks (Fight Fire With Fire, Orion, and (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth).

Words about music (488): Alex Chilton

I guess that my life has been a series of flukes in the record business. The first thing I ever did was the biggest record that I'll ever have.

Alex Chilton

Hana Piranha: "Naked Flame" video

English goth rockers Hana Piranha have made a video for their latest single Naked Flame. Director Arron West used a small set and the members dressed uo in evening attire and a wedding dress respectively, making it look far more expensive than it actually was to capture it on film.

Jessie Kilguss: "Edge of Something" video

Watch the new Jessie Kilguss video for Edge of Something, a track from their album The Fastness: "(an album) on which she seeks sanctum as a repose during her travels and inner journeys. An air of mysticism and wonderment percolates through the songs, as she contemplates her place in her world." The video was edited by Deborah Magocsil.

» jessiekilguss.com

HCTF review of The Fastness.

Sam & Julia: So Far, So Good

Sam van Ommen and Julia Schellekens are kindred spirits, sharing a love for dreamy Americana and country rock. They both grew up in houses in which they parents took their time to finalize their divorce and that became one of the themes on their Sam & Julia debut EP So Far, So Good. Produced by Tim Knol in his MI5 Studio in Hoorn they were giving plenty of time to experiment to find their own sound, a building a laidback backing for their grievances about loss, heartbreak, but also some hope.

No Hollywood ending, but they did find their own unique blend of modern day Americana, with their distinctly different voices playing catch. As a bonus they became their first artists on Knol's brand new outlet for young talent, and he acted as their mentor for the business side of the music industry, a notoriously dangerous place that is nearly impossible to make sense of without someone having your back.

Astralingua: "The Fallen" video

Denver, Colorado based space folk duo Astralingua have made a lyrics video for their latest single The Fallen, using photos picked from submissions from fans and friends on Instagram . It's a melancholic, carefully orchestrated song about loss. with delicate interplay between guitar, piano, keyboards, flute, cello and bass.

Pieter de Graaf: new album "Fermata"

Dutch neo-classical pianist Pieter de Graaf will celebrate the release of his first full-length Fermata with a show @ Paradiso in Amsterdam. The album is the culmination of a search for his musical identity.

Live dates:

• 03/14 Jazz in de Kamer 2019, Leiden, Netherlands
• 03/31 Paradiso (album release party), Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 04/27 Hanse Song Festival 2019, Stade, Germany
• 05/12 Resonanzraum, Hamburg, Germany
• 05/13 Studio 672, Cologne, Germany
• 05/14 La Conserve, Leuven, Belgium
• 05/15 Venue TBA, Erlangen, Germany
• 05/16 Brotfabrik, Frankfurt, Germany
• 05/18 Silent Green, Berlin, Germany

» pieterdegraaf.com

HCTF review of Prologue.

Mick West: Musical Memorial @ Trades Club in Hebden Bridge

The legacy of English avant-garde guitarist Mick West will be celebrated with a Musical Memorial @ Trades Club in Hebden Bridge on April 3rd:

The night features Mick-inspired sets from bands he founded or played a vital role in and representing many sides of Mick’s musical brilliance from his first acid folk songs as a teenager (Amoeba Pie), his love of exploratory mind-expanding improv (Abrasive Pheasants), twisted avant garde songs (Beastfish), wigged out garage psych (The Electric Brains) and Slavic folk-punk (The Ukrainians).

Baby Scream: Things U Can Say To A Stranger E​P

It's been a few years since the last release of Argentinian power pop maestro Juan Pablo Mazzola and his Baby Scream project. He returns with the concise Things U Can Say To A Stranger EP, five sad songs about trying to cope with life in general and the uncertainties of being a songwriter in particular.

Now living in Spain he has found his bearings and there is glimmer of hope poking through the darkness. Mazzola's signature nasal delivery and reliable acoustic guitar take center stage. Backed by a band who can channel the sound or the early Seventies Baby Scream is ready to return as an appreciated cult act and cognoscenti favourite.

The Aristocrats: The Aristocamp @ Full Moon Resort, NY

Power fusion rock trio The Aristocrats will share their knowledge during a three day course (June 18-20) dubbed The Aristocamp @ Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY. Guthrie Govan (guitar), Bryan Beller (bass) and Marco Minnemann (drums) will offer the opportunity to ask them any questions you might have. Tickets go on sale on February 28th.

Typical Sisters: stream "To The Landing" from new album "Hungry Ghost"

photo: Alexa Viscius

Chicago based progressive improv jazz trio Typical Sisters (formerly known as Greg Uhlmann's Typical Sisters) are releasing their long awaited new album Hungry Ghost on March 22nd via Outside In Music. Lead single To The Landing is a subdued, tinkling track, with delicate interplay between all three members as the key ingredient. They want their music to serve as a means of escape and contemplation. stepping out of a busy environment in which technology, especially smart phones, and fact free opinions are clamouring for attention.

Wannes Cappelle, broeder Dieleman & Frans Grapperhaus:two shows in Amsterdam

Flemish artist Wannes Capelle, Dutch folk musician Broeder Dieleman and cello player Frans Grapperhaus will be performing two shows (afternoon and evening) on April 29th @ De Roode Bioscoop in Amsterdam to promote their Dit Is De Bedoeling album: "a mini-album with six songs about father trying to get their children to drink, pirates led by a notorious leader holed up in a cave, and the fear of missing out being superseded by the simple fact that dinner is served".

Phish 2019 Mexico run SBD + torrents: Riviera Maya 2019/02/23

Official Mexico run poster by Jim Pollock

Phish
2019/02/23
Barceló Maya, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Set 1:

1. The Curtain With >
2. Punch You in the Eye >
3. Blaze On >
4. Destiny Unbound
5. Most Events Aren't Planned >
6. Divided Sky
7. Steam
8. Chalk Dust Torture

The Saxophones: Singing Desperately Suite EP

Oakland based husband and wife soft-spoken folk duo The Saxophones expanded the story behind their song Singing Desperately, a track from Songs of The Saxophones album, into a mini suite about violence against women. Preceded by a short prelude it is now followed by Crude Advance, depicting the failed passive aggressive attempt to seduce and the subsequent realization about why it went wrong. You Seem Upset, the final part of the suite, is about the will to change, but changes are that won't happen, because old habits are hard to ditch.

Alexi Erenkov (guitar, flute, vocals) and Alison Alderdice (drums) were once again aided by Richard Laws on bass. The quiet intensity of the suite won't let go: nine minutes of superb music wherein every note counts.

Words about music (487): Tony Iommi

When I started writing Sabbath stuff it was just something that sounded right. I didn't think I was going to make it Devil music.

Tony Iommi

Phish 2019 Mexico run SBD + torrents: Riviera Maya 2019/02/22

Official Mexico run poster by Jim Pollock

Phish
2019/02/22
Barceló Maya, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Set 1:

1. You Enjoy Myself
2. Turtle in the Clouds
3. 46 Days
4. No Men In No Man's Land
5. Emotional Rescue
6. Tube
7. Shade
8. Saw It Again

The Extons: No Hope

King's Lynn indie rockers The Extons are still trying to understand women, but considering that their new single is called No Hope plus the frequent mentions of alcoholic beverages, they still have a long way to go. Musically however they are on a roll, speeding things up and slowing things down (note the swinging bass). If power pop and Britpop had a baby this is what it would sound like.

Marissa Nadler: Poison (feat John Cale)

John Cale helped out LA based singer Marissa Nadler with some vocals on her new single Poison, a melancholic ballad released via KRO Records.

Sometimes it’s best not to know in advance; that’s what I continually remind myself about how this duet with legendary songwriter John Cale came together. Had I known that Justin [Raisen] and Lawrence [Rothman] would arrange for Cale to sing “Poison” with me before I wrote or recorded it, I cannot be certain I wouldn’t have become frozen with hesitations and second-guessing.

Phish 2019 Mexico run SBD + torrents: Riviera Maya 2019/02/21

Official Mexico run poster by Jim Pollock

Phish
2019/02/21
Barceló Maya, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Set 1:

1. Spock's Brain
2. Twist
3. Free
4. Who Loves the Sun?
5. Everything's Right
6. We Are Come to Outlive Our Brains
7. Rise/Come Together
8. Funky Bitch
9. Sand

Johnny Dowd: Family Picnic

photo: Kat Dalton

Johnny Dowd goes back to the distorted country sound of his debut Wrong Side Of Memphis on his new album Family Picnic. Mind you, he doesn't go full circle, because he never follows a consistent path with his unique blend of Americana and banged up electronics, telling tales about murder, booze and revelry against all odds. Longtime collaborator Kim Sherwood-Caso returns to the fold to add backing vocals, nearly a decade after his Wake Up The Snakes album. Michael Edmondson rides shotgun on guitar.

Family Picnic rambles and rocks, like a machine on the verge of breaking down, with Dowd's ragged delivery seemingly barely keeping it together. But first impressions can be deceptive. Dowd knows exactly what he is doing and what will work and what will fuck things up in a good way. Take the singalong quality of Conway Twitty, a live favourite for years is presented in what appears to be a one-take wonder format - it's that spontaneous. The title track is a depiction of family get together told in a husky spoken word way, during which he points at all the six-packs that people brought in were consumed as thing started falling apart. Back End of Spring is abrasive and foreboding, almost like a piece of musique concrète. Stuck-up Christians will frown at Thomas Dorsey, a twisted but heartfelt tribute to the father of black gospel music.

The Claypool Lennon Delirium: "Blood And Rockets" @ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Watch The Claypool Lennon Delirium perform a truncated version of Blood And Rockets on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The show's sound guy should be fired.- almost no discernible bass and the monitors were most likely turned off, so the vocals are a little off-key as well.

Their second full-length South of Reality will be released on February 22nd via ATO Records.

Tullycraft: "It's Not Explained, It's Delaware" video

Watch the new Tullycraft video for It's Not Explained, It's Delaware, a track from their album The Railway Prince Hotel: "(...) filled with upbeat, rambling garage tunes that will get many a listener spin the wrong foot. Is there something wrong with the rhythm? Well, no actually, but it's a kind of free-flowing music, jagged and lo-fi while they take the piss at pretty much anything. Think a mix of XTC, The Velvet Underground, Jonathan Richman and the Decemberists". The video was edited by Wayne Meaphnel.

» tullycraft.com

HCTF review of The Railway Prince Hotel.

The World Of Dust: Samsara

Dutch musician Stefan Breuer always made it personal on the albums of his The World of Dust project, but never more so than on his new one Samsara. Named after the Sanskrit word for "wandering" or "world" he bares his soul about mental and physcial issues (Worms of the Mind), and dealing with parenthood (Welcome).

Todd Tobias (Guided by Voices, Robert Pollard) created the instrumental backdrops for this album, mostly gentle guitar excursions and a bit of choice percussion. Breuer kept chipping away at his lyrics, rewriting and rearranging, putting his skills as collage artist to good use for his words. After two years of going back and forth the thirteen vignettes on Samsara are now ready to begin their journey. Fans of serious and dreamy lo-fi folk will love it.

Amanda Palmer: stream "Voicemail For Jill" from new album "There Will Be No Intermission"

Theatrical singer Amanda Palmer has released Voicemail For Jill, another single from her forthcoming new album There Will Be No Intermission, out on March 8.

.

She kicks off her US solo tour in Detroit on March 21. Europe is next is September

Hana Piranha: Naked Flame

How many songs were written about falling for someone who one second thought can be considered as a hazard to one's well-being? That did not emo goth rockers Hana Piranha to weigh in with yet another one. The subject of desire in Naked Flame is bad news, but it's more easy to go the way of self-destruction than to step away. What if everyone else is wrong, right? The London based quartet paint with broad strokes, with a real violin to give it a bit of classical grandeur.

Kleenex Girl Wonder: White Lacuna

NYC indie rock band Kleenex Girl Wonder is basically a one-man project. Songwriter and lead singer Graham Smith has been capturing angst and love since 1996, releasing more than a dozen albums. The latest is called White Lacuna on which he once again spills the beans abut being unable to connect (The History of Ice), despair (Hope All is Lost), and evasive women (Emerita). While the lyrics are pretty dark he warps his songs in upbeat left field garage with a hint of vaudeville.

On some tracks it's just him and an acoustic guitar, but this sparse modus operandi is used to make the listening experience an intense one. Stand-out track Judas Beach is mash-up of post-punk and psychedelic shoegaze. Smith goes his own way and it has earned him a small but devoted following. He is one of those artists who can induce an innocent but incurable urge to collect all his stuff.

The Ego Ritual: "Days of Set" video

Lincoln trio psychedelic rock The Ego Ritual have made a video for Days of Set, a track from their self-titled debut EP. Inspired by the Egyptian God of chaos, storms, and disorder, the visuals follow a swirling path in a mash-up of hectic footage and animation.

» The Ego Ritual on Facebook

HCTF review of The Ego Ritual EP.

Sara Ryan: "Lost" live video

Watch the new Sara Ryan video for Lost, a track from her Glitter Skies EP. The clip was shot, filmed and edited Ciara O’Toole. It's a soulful, jazzy warning about the excessive use of social media without bothering to check the facts. The Irish singer-songwriter ran a successful crowdfunding campaign to cover the costs for her first full-length, which should be in the shops later this year.

» Sara Ryan on Facebook

HCTF review of Glitter Skies.

Elder Island: The Omnitone Collection

photo: Ash Holdsworth

After releasing a couple of well-received EPs Brighton based electro dream pop trio Elder Island are now ready for the next step. Can they keep the attention span going for an entire album Their debut full-length The Omnitone Collection finds them making inroads into jazz, folk, and triphop.

They alternate between accessible pop and gnarly soundscapes, with shifting rhythms and jagged vocalizing. They create smooth yet rough songs with plenty of surprises. Not danceable per se, but that won't stop people from trying. Recommended if you like Portishead and Dead Can Dance.

Under The Scales: Mike Gordon (part 2)

Phish bass player Mike Gordon is the guest on the Under The Scales podcast made by Tom Marshall. This is part 2:

A sampling of Mike’s music accompanies further discussion about the creative process. Mike’s solo projects are covered, and songs highlighted. Mike’s motives for each subsequent project seems to change as his collaborations with admirable artists continues to abound. However, Scott Murawski emerges as possibly Mike’s longest collaborator. Mike discusses his extensive journals he keeps about his playing, and gives us a glimpse into these as he shares the best jams from previous tours. Mike turns the mic around and interviews Tom about songwriting with a few insightful questions.

» underthescales.com

Sail By Summer: Casual Drive

Scandinavian duo Sail By Summer take a dark road trip Casual Drive battling loneliness by ways of Eighties inspired New Wave. Danish keyboard player Jens Kristian and Norwegian singer William Hut have found a common ground to take on anxiety and turn it into something that comes close to feeling happy, While it is more straightforward than their previous single Facing Dullness they have plenty of bits and pieces playing quietly in the background. Headphones recommended to spot them all.

Redwolves: new album "Future Becomes Past" 03/15'- stream "The Pioneer"

Danish psych rock quartet Redwolves will release their new full-length on March 15th via Argonauta Records. Lead single The Pioneer can be streamed on YouTube, a lengthy mid-tempo rocker with a gentle bass motif, old school guitar pyrotechnics, and pummeling drums, building up to an all-pout crescendo.

Death is not the end​.​.​. A Tribute to Nick Cave

Brazilian blogger The Blog That Celebrates Itself invited a bunch of indie bands to tackle the songs of Nick Cave for a tribute album. These kind of projects tend be a grab bag of mediocre, really bad, and surprisingly great renditions. Death is not the end​.​.​. A Tribute to Nick Cave is no exception to that rule. It's quite hard to capture the impending doom meets love and kindness vibe of arguably the finest living songwriter.

Most of the covers of this album take the safe route by sticking close to the original. Three tracks stand out: Blackout Transmission changed the tempo of City of Refuge, in itself a cover of traditional that was first recorded in 1928. Box and the Twins added the Dresden Dolls to No More Shall We Part and Waves of Dread came up with a noisy garage version of The Mercy Seat. The rest of the bands struggle to keep with those at best.

Words about music (486) Geezer Butler

Black Sabbath was written on bass: I just walked into the studio and went, bah, bah, bah, and everybody joined in and we just did it.

Geezer Butler

Phish: webcasts of Riviera Maya shows in Mexico

The three Phish shows at Riviera Maya in Mexico (February 21-23) are offered as pay-per-view webcasts. 3-night passes or single shows in HD or SD. MP3 and T-Shirt bundles are available.

» livephish.com

The Claypool Lennon Delirium: Amethyst Realm

The Claypool Lennon Delirium have posted an audio video for Amethyst Realm, a track from their second full-length South of Reality schedeuled for release on February 22nd, 2019 via ATO Records.

Live dates:

• 04/10 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
• 04/12 Philadelphia, PA @ Fillmore
• 04/13 New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
• 04/14 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
• 04/16 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
• 04/1& Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 04/19 @ Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
• 04/20 Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
• 04/21 Atlanta, GA @ Sweetwater Music Festival
• 04/23 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
• 04/25 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
• 04/26 Chicago, IL @Thalia Hall
• 04/27 Detroit. MI @ Majestic Theatre

» theclaypoollennondelirium.com

The World Of Dust: "Tarot" video

Dutch musician Stefan Breuer used all his action figures (157, try counting them) for the video for Tarot, a track from his forthcoming The World Of Dust album Samsara. Todd Tobias (Guided by Voices, Robert Pollard) created the instrumental backdrops for this album, a lo-fi journey about dealing with mental health and parenthood.

Eilen Jewell: tour dates, new album

Alt-country singer Eilen Jewell hits the road again for a lengthy tour. Her new album, likely to be called Gypsy, is almost finished. It will be available in August or September via Signature Sounds Recordings. More dates, including shows in Europe, will be added soon.

HCTF premiere - The Rev: Whiskey Rebellion

Country rockers The Rev took an 18th century tax protest and turned it into a call-to-arms outlaw anthem of sorts. Whiskey Rebellion. This song, actually the first that songwriter and vocalist Eric Meyers worked on, is a declaration of deviance and independence, the sentiments that are an integral part of Southern rock. All politics aside this band is more than a nostalgia act. They play loud and in-your-face, with an irresistible groove that never gets old.

Tullycraft: The Railway Prince Hotel

photo: John E. Hollingsworth

Seattle indie pop quartet Tullycraft have an uncanny for crafting quirky songs filled with off-kilter hooks, with references to both the obscure as well as the mainstream - Goldie and the Gingerbreads quotes Paradise By The Dashboard Light. Their 7th album The Railway Prince Hotel is filled with upbeat, rambling garage tunes that will get many a listener spin the wrong foot. Is there something wrong with the rhythm? Well, no actually, but it's a kind of free-flowing music, jagged and lo-fi while they take the piss at pretty much anything. Think a mix of XTC, The Velvet Underground, Jonathan Richman and the Decemberists.

The Railway Prince Hotel is an album by a band who realize that they will never make it big, but word-of-moth has kept them afloat since 1995, catering to a slowly growing fan base who can appreciate the poetic beauty of songs like The Cat's Miaow In a Spacesuit: "Dark as night / apart from the dayglow / it didn’t feel just how I thought it might feel so / I stood in line and watched a cosmonaut trip over her moon boots / it started slow / just you and me and a cat nap / I think we almost always fell into the same trap / a dress rehearsal and our cravings for attention would follow".

Trey Anastasio Band: tour dates

The Trey Anastasio Band will do a short tour in May and June, playing theaters with rather good acoustics.

Live dates:

• 05/28 St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live
• 05/29 St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre
• 05/31 Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
• 06/01 Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle

» trey.com

The Maureens: Something in the Air

While lots of bands are having trouble to find a half-decent singer, Dutch melodic rock quartet The Maureens can pull off three-part harmonies that bring back the glory days of West Coast pop. On their new album Something in the Air dreaming about a better future is mixed with longing for the innocent days of youth. Song about daydreaming about a trip to Austria (Wake Up), or realizing that you been stuck in a job that you don't particularly enjoy (20 Years for the Company), are executed with delicate finesse. Trying to Reach You has a short and sweet guitar solo that will get a thumbs up from Jefferson Airplane fans.

Something in the Air is a power pop gem, a seamless jigsaw puzzle of lush melodies and intricate musicianship. Recommended if you like-minded Dutch artiste like Yorick van Norden, Tim Knol and Daryll-Ann. And if those names don't ring a bell, Big Star should.

The Claypool Lennon Delirium: "Blood And Rockets: Movement I, Saga Of Jack Parsons - Movement II, Too The Moon" video

Watch the new Blood And Rockets: Movement I, Saga Of Jack Parsons - Movement II, Too The Moon video by The Claypool Lennon Delirium. Their second full-length is called South of Reality and will be released on February 22nd, 2019 via ATO Records.

Live dates:

• 04/10 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
• 04/12 Philadelphia, PA @ Fillmore
• 04/13 New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
• 04/14 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
• 04/16 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
• 04/1& Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 04/19 @ Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
• 04/20 Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
• 04/21 Atlanta, GA @ Sweetwater Music Festival
• 04/23 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
• 04/25 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
• 04/26 Chicago, IL @Thalia Hall
• 04/27 Detroit. MI @ Majestic Theatre

» theclaypoollennondelirium.com

Two Too Many: Got My Rock n Roll b/w Drift Away

Amsterdam based Two Too Many are a brand new classic rock inspired quartet with blues and metal leanings. Their double A-side single Got My Rock n Roll b/w Drift Away is a tribute to the no-frills attitude that makes riffs and passionate vocals as the go-to key ingredients for raucous rock. Sure, it's basic, but keeping it simple is what makes it so damn catchy. Don't sleep on the lyrics: they make some very valid points in clear language.

Wille and the Bandits: Paths

UK acid world rock trio Wille and the Bandits loves to do some shopping, using bits and pieces from other genres to broaden their musical palet. Their latest album is called Paths and they leave the 12-bar main road quite often for trips to latin, funk, folk and grunge. Safe for the clunker Chakra, a bungled crossover using clashing rhythms, it turned out great.

This band is all about energy, honing their craft as a touring band. With the classic power trio format they set up a catchy grove and let the melody take care of the rest. That may sound like a no-brainer, but it is actually quite hard to pull off. Should one of the musicians drop the ball, the music would come to a grinding halt, but these guys know their stuff. Passion, power and chops make a great record and especially Wille Edwards slide guitar skills are top notch. Recommended if you like Cream and Soundgarden.

Under The Scales: Mike Gordon (part 1)

Phish bass player Mike Gordon is the first guest on the Under The Scales podcast made by Tom Marshall:

Mike Gordon joins Tom for the Under the Scales Season 3 opener. This is Part 1 of 2. Mike is a bass player, bandleader, consummate collaborator, songwriter, inventor. Mike speaks on the metaphysics of groove. See where this is going? WAS MIKE ALMOST IN THE WHO?? Crazy how many topics we covered, couldn’t get it done in one hour, so enjoy part 1 of the interview now, part 2 coming at you next Monday!

» underthescales.com

Ratso: Our Lady of Light (ft. Nick Cave)

photo: Nikolitsa Boutieros

It took NYC music journalist Larry “Ratso” Sloman awhile to make it to the other side and become a recording artist himself. At 70 his debut album Stubborn Heart will be released on April 5th through Lucky Number Music. His debut single Our Lady of Light features Nick Cave on vocals. A powerful and happy-sad ballad about surrendering freedom after looking into her eyes.

» Larry “Ratso” Sloman on Facebook

Henry Jamison: Gloria Duplex

Confusion reigns on the Gloria Duplex, the new album by Burlington, Vermont based singer-songwriter Henry Jamison who wonders what it means to be a man these days. Is masculinity an unavoidable recipe for violence in general and towards women in particular? And how does one interact with the fairer sex in this day and age?

Although he asks some very valid questions, his bubbling indie folk - sometimes padded with a few strings - fails to make a lasting impression. His music could be inserted all those "chill" playlists and chances are that no one would notice that he is bearing his soul, crying out for help, and in need of some answers. Sometimes you need to speak up to be heard (and not by applying some out-of-the-blue autotune to appease the hipters), but maybe that is male chauvinistic point of view. Gloria Duplex is built upon ideas and conceptions, but the music fails to support it.

Cover Me: Killed By Death

NYC singer and guitar ace Andee Black covered the classic Motórhead album Overkill in full last year, using his one-man project Black Sugar Transmission. Those who bought the album will already be familiar with the bonus track Killed By Death, but for those who haven't heard it, here it is in all its pounding glory.

» blacksugartransmission.com

HCTF review of Overkill.

Pocket Knife Army: "The Editor" live in the studio

Dutch electronic pop duo Pocket Knife Army have posted a live video of their new song The Editor. Filmed in their recording studio by Jesse Immanuel Bom. Desirée Coumans (vocals, looper, guitar, synths) and Erwin Tuijl (synths, programming) created a complex yet accessible tapestry of sounds with multi-layered vocals on top.

» Pocket Knife Army on Facebook

HCTF review of Forever Counting Sheep.

The Dandy Warhols: Why You So Crazy

The Dandy Warhols never sought wide acclaim, but they got it anyway and that is what kept them going for 25 years. The Portland, OR quartet peddle a particular brand of slacker psych pop that gained them a fan base that are willing follow them every where they go - even if it's a dead end of which there have been plenty throughout their career. Their latest album Why You So Crazy is a mixed bag of genres - hipster country for Highlife and Sins Are Forgiven, an Alex Chilton rip-off melody for Small Town Girls, joyous power pop for Be Alright , psych triphop for Next Thing I Know, novelty pop for Motor City Steel.

They don't care if people appreciate their output, because they know their audience will have their back, no matter what. The Dandy Warhols are a marketeer's worst nightmare, but every now and then mainstream success will find them again. They will welcome the check, allowing them to keep doing whatever they want to.

Hugh Christopher Brown: "Keeper Of The Flame" video

Watch Hugh Christopher Brown skating on the Wolfe Island Community Rink as he sings Keeper Of The Flame, a track from his Pacem album. A fine slice of Canadian alt-country, directed by Sean Michael Turrell.

» chrisbrownmusic.com

HCTF review of Pacem.

Daniel Ruiz: Remember When

Barcelona based singer-songwriter Daniel Ruiz was hospitalized and went through a bad patch.If naythgin it inspired him to write his new single Remember When. With Júlia Martín on drums and Arnau Abadal on Saxophone he sings about getting drunk (again) to try to get away from his longings for days gone by: "remember when we used to go // to the beach at night // to get drunk and high // we would bring a towel so // we wouldn’t get our asses full of sand".

Astralingua: "The Nimble Men" & "Space Blues" video

Denver, Colorado based space folk duo Astralingua have made an extended video for their latest single Space Blues, now preceded by the eerie instrumental The Nimble Man. They managed to "capture the loneliness and homesickness of the unnamed traveler as he stairs out of his window of his vessel". They used footage from the heyday of the space age to tell the story.

Words about music (485) Ian Dury

For every good song, I write 20 bad ones I have to chuck away.

Ian Dury

Phish: "The New Orleans Jam" 02/08

An almost full Phish show in New Orleans in 1994 that was broadcast on FM radio will be released on a not quite legal 2CD set on February 8. Lots of glaring mistakes in the blurb

Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983, Phish's blending of genres as diverse as funk, prog, folk, psych, country, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and pop - and probably a number of others that they made up themselves - has landed them at the top table of the improvisational groups, initially inspired by the Grateful Dead and colloquially known as the 'jam bands'. Gaining considerable popularity as a touring ensemble during the 1990s, Phish's recorded output is equally impressive, with the band having released over 100 albums to date, if taking account of their ongoing Live Phish Series. The show presented on this set however has not previously been released in any form, thus remaining something of a rarity among fans. Featuring a gig which included the contribution of special guest Carlos Santana on certain tracks, and one recorded for simultaneous live FM Broadcast, at the State Palace Theatre in New Orleans on 4th May 1994, this superb performance is now available on double CD for the first time.

Caveat: this is not an official release.

» phish.com