Templo Diez: Starlight

Dutch band Templo Diez are back with Starlight, an album that mixes dark Americana, dream pop and college rock. Five years in the making it is well worth the wait. The band's songwriter and singer Pascal Hallibert has written sad tales about traveling, love lost and found, insanity, and the beauty of the sea at night.

Leejon Verhaeg, Paolo Panza, Hans Custers and Shireen van Dorp provide a gentle backing that is actually quite intense. Soft-spoken, but packing a punch Templo Diez touches base with Bruce Springsteen in a mellow mood and the Velvet Underground on their third album.

Vazum: Rated V

Detroit-based deathgaze band Vazum go all out with a Halloween concept album. Rated V is a celebration of all the monsters (werewolves, vampires, witches, murderous clowns) that have been invented by mankind to enjoy and scare themselves with horror stories the days get shorter.

Zach Pliskah (guitar, synth, drums) and Emily Sturm (vocals, bass) offer a dozen of slow moving, unrelenting songs that engulf the listeners and drag them kicking and screaming into their own universe. Frankenstein Girl reverses the standard gender role patterns. Witch's Breath is a Sci-Fi soundscape where the wench apparently has made it to outerspace. Captivating stuff that goes further than the Sisters of Mercy dared to go. They have summoned up creatures the dark side, tamed them and got away safely to tell the tales on what could be considered as their maghum opus.

Romantic Warriors V – Krautrock (Part 2) crowdfunding campaign

Film makers Adele Schmidt and José Zegarra Holder have launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.com to cover the costs of putting the finishing touches on their Romantic Warriors IV – Krautrock (Part 2) documentary. They have set a $20,000 flexible goal. This part focuses on bands from the South of Germany

Bands featured in Romantic Warriors V – Krautrock (Part 2):
Guru Guru, Amon Düül Ii, Xhol Caravan, Kraan, Witthüser & Westrupp, Popol Vuh

The Silverbeets: We Mattered (Once Upon a Time)

Australian psych art rock quartet The Silverbeets take aim at the powers that be on their new single We Mattered (Once Upon a Time). Greed rules supreme and those who can't keep up are left behind. While the lyrics are bleak and political, they chose to wrap their message in upbeat, shifting rhythms with just a hint of ska. Based in Hobart, Tasmania, they send out a warning and a message of hope that it's not too late to turn the tables in favour of the less priviliged.

Graham Smith: Safe In My Hands

Graham Smith took his time to make his debut as a recording artist. A couple of decades went by since he fell in love with a German girl, while on holiday in Greece. He tried to wow her by singing Dylan songs - it did not work, but he made passionate music fan for life.

Now, at age 67, his debut single Safe In My Hands, sees the light of day. It's a soft rocker celebrating the smooth sound of the early Seventies West Coast, wrapped in sugarcoated melancholy. He knows he is late to the pary, but he fill find an audience that can relate to his lyrics about lost youth and offering a secure place to stay.

Whispering Sons: tour dates

Belgian post-punk quintet Whispering Sons are working on their second album. Changes are that some of the new songs will get an outing on their upcoming live shows.

Live dates:

• 11/04 Ris Orangis (Paris), France @ Le Plan
• 11/05 Lorient, France @ Hydrophone
• 11/07 Rennes, France @ Antipode Mjc
• 03/26 Madrid, Spain @ DarkMAD
• 05/21 Leipzig, Germany @ Wave Gotik Treffen
• 06/18 Deurne, Belgium @ Rivierenhof
• 10/29 Weissenhäuser Strand, Germany @ Plage Noir

» whisperingsons.com

HCTF review of Image.

Marbin: "Music Real Talk with Marbin" podcast

Dani Rabin and Danny Markovitch from Chicago based progressive jazz-rock band quartet Marbin have launched a podcast: Music Real Talk with Marbin. In the first episode they discuss the value of getting an education at a renowned music school, auditioning musicians and lots more.

Casagrande: Dying Forever

Italian progressive thrash metal guitarist Simone Casagrande has the shredding chops to make his single Dying Forever a memorable release, but he comes up short in the vocal department. He lacks the power and rightoeous anger to be as scary as he is hoping to be. A better mix could have helped a hit and or maybe someone should really annoyed him just as he was entering the singing booth.

VeldHans: "The Becalming" video

Amsterdam based English/American duo VeldHans have made a video for their latest single The Becalming: "Besides the electronics and lo-fi folk Maruja Bobo Remijn added violin and there is almost choral vocal part. Stuart Cullen (Pilote) and Jonathan Brown (Dusty Stray) are like kids in a candy store, using colourful sounds and mixing genres to create a unique sound where snippets of French pop, folk, jazz and avant-garde work together as equal partners".

LOGOUT: stream new single "Παράθυρα"; new album "ΕΔΩ/ΕΚΕΙ" 10/16

Greek singer, songwriter and producer LOGOUT will release his new album ΕΔΩ/ΕΚΕΙ (Here/There) on October 16, a collection of songs about emotions and memories being triggered by places. All the lyrics are in his natve language this time. Listen to Παράθυρα (Windows), a lo-fi folk song with guest vocalist Nalyssa Green.

ΕΔΩ/ΕΚΕΙ will be released on vinyl via Tiny Room Records and B-otherside records. Relaase date: October 16.

Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon: "Eight Miles High" live video

Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke & Phish bass player Mike Gordon have shared a video of them playing The Byrds classic Eight Miles High, a track from their new album Noon.

» leokottke.com
» mike-gordon.com

Words about music (553): Buddy Guy

I can't learn nothing from listening to me. That's something I already know.

Buddy Guy

Record Store Day: RSD drops Day 2

Record Store Day is now turned into a 3-day event this year, with select titles being released on each day. Today, September 26th. is the second one, so get off your couch and buy some stuff from your local independent record store. Have a chat with fellow music lovers lovers and agree to disagree about taste, sell-outs, rarities, remasters and such. The last of the RSD Drops is on October 24th.

» recordstoreday.com

Mark W. Georgsson: Comes A Time

Glasgow based singer-songwriter Mark W. Georgsson creates Celtic country songs, mizing the sound of Nashville with English folk and pop. His new EP Comes A Time is a plea for hope and love. He doesn't do Hollywood endings, but asking questions without getting a definite answer is much more interesting when all is said and done.

The title track has a sad undertone, wrapped in psych-tinged music, building up to borderline rock before ending into a whisper. The almost upbeat One Of A Kind- with a nod to Simon & Garfunkel's Cecilia - could be his ticket for Stateside recognition.

Ike Willis & Zappatika: "Before the Shit Hit the Fan" live in the UK videos

Frank Zappa alumnus Ike Willis and Anglo-Dutch band ZAPPATiKA were on tour in the UK in October 2019. They have shared a playliist with 12 live videos. THey aptly named the collection Before the Shit Hit the Fan.

Avery Plains​/​Whipster Split 7": "A Song Of My Own Rising" b/w "A Perpetual Longing"

Two Dutch bands from the Groningen underground joined forces for a split 7". Avery Plains and Whipster share the same singer, Jurgen Veenstra, but they cater to different niches. Avery Plains picked A Song Of My Own Rising, a New Wave song a la Echo and the Bunnymen, while Whipster's A Perpetual Longing is darker and throws in some dissonants and feedback while they were at it. A double A-side that can eve trboth bands as a business card for their sound and also a gateway to explore their discographies.

Beesqueeze: Lost at Sea

Maltese alternative pyschedelic duo Beesqueeze have made a video for their new single Lost at Sea. Kriz Zahra (guitar, bass, synth, vocals) and Chris Mallia (drums, vocals, guitar, fx) lay down a slow moving, drone-like bedding and filled with it with the sounds of the other instruments to create a bubbling broth that isn't exactly healthy, but it keeps the listener coming back for a refill. A trip through uncharted waters that somehow feel familiar.

Yellow Snow: Yellow Snow

Five Polish avant-proggers named their band Yellow Snow, a dead give away for Frank Zappa fans. Kuba Kleinschmidt, Piotr Kleinschmidt, Jędrzej Dobaczewski, Andrzej Wasielewski and Maciej Trawka don't want to be tied to a single genre, or multiple ones for that matter, and their self-titled album is all over the place, something they have in common with the sprawling discography of their hero.

Kicking off with two songs about Al Bundy the anti-hero from Married... with Children they set the tone for a trip to an ambient attraction that turn into funk and back to ambient again (Aluzje), a churning guitar and keyboards sideshow (Jeffrey), and a dreamy post-rock stop-over (Potrey). By then the unitiated will have giving up on account of musical overload, but they will miss out on nuggets like the Mothers of Invention psych pastiche Love and the distorted goodness of I Go Away.

HCTF premiere - Fialta: Omg

California-based indie pop quartet Fialta is made up form two married couples who share a love for quirky, but radio-friendly bands like Phantom Planet and Miniatures Tigers. Their new single Omg is an upbeat about tryign to keep it real and make sure that the feelings make sense. Somehow actress Catherina Zeta-Jones can help out with that, even if only functioning as a smart astrological rhyme. Keyboards and guitar share the spotlight, and being West Coast ensures that the vocals are top notch.

Mad Nona: Mad Nona

Icelandic power trio Mad Nona sound they have been brought on a steady diet of metal, blues, hard rock and grunge. Their self-titled album is angry, fast, and so energetic that it will put all thoughts about the pandemic on the back burner for awhile.

Escapism and getting even by way of rock 'n' roll isn't a bad thing. All members have been some serious shit in their lives, both mentally and physically. Once they've had enough, they started a band, wrote a stack of songs about their demons and happier moments. Recommended if you Bon Scott-era AC/DC, Ronnie James Dio, Soundgarden, and of course the elephant in the room: Led Zeppelin.

VeldHans: The Becalming

A kind of culture clash is happening on The Becalming, the second single (and title track from their forthcoming album) by Amsterdam based English/American duo VeldHans. Besides the electronics and lo-fi folk Maruja Bobo Remijn added violin and there is almost choral vocal part. Stuart Cullen (Pilote) and Jonathan Brown (Dusty Stray) are like kids in a candy store, using colourful sounds and mixing genres to create a unique sound where snippets of French pop, folk, jazz and avant-garde work together as equal partners.

It's Karma It's Cool: "Battle Of Burnt Out Bliss" video

English power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool made a video for Battle Of Burnt Out Bliss, a melancholic, piano-driven requiem for lost youth from their latest album Woke Up In Hollywood.

» It's Karma It's Cool on Facebook

HCTF review of Woke Up In Hollywood

La Cerca: A Nice Sweet Getaway

Tuscon based alternative rockers La Cerca have changed course (and line-ups) quite a few times. Still, even for longtime followers of the band it comes as a surprise to see them releasing A Nice Sweet Getaway, a full-on, dark ambient album. They even used a basic two-track recording device, and had to cope with the limitations that came along with it.

Echo, delay and reverb were put to good use to create an atmosphere that is not particularly safe or soothing. They point to the dangers that are hiding in the great wide open, with pulsating rhythms and swaths of guitar that are both welcoming and issuing a warning. A Nice Sweet Getaway flows as a continious piece of music and should be enjoyed as such. This kind of music does not allow outside interference, so better disconnect the phone and other things that can break the spell.

Donna Blue: shows in Germany & The Netherlands

Dutch retro-pop band Donna Blue have a couple of gigs lined up, playing shows in Germany and The Netherlands, to promote their latest EP Inbetween: "Sadness and loneliness have found their way into their music, but they have retained the lush arrangements and soft-spoken vocals. It makes the underlying message even more gripping. The mixed emotions reach a peak in the title track, captured in a mix of surf, country and doo-wop."

Steven Wilson: Eminent Sleaze

Steven Wilson has released Eminent Sleaze, the second single from his forthcoming new album The Future Bites. It's a dystopian track about a nearby future where smiles and lies are trademarked. No one is safe, and the main character of the song might seduce your sister as well.

Wilson is slowly moving away from the progressive rock niche and is using more and more electronics, on top of pop and even disco rhythms. Listeners of The Album Years, his podcast with Tim Bowness, will be familiar with the music - a snippet of it is used as bumper piece in the series.

The video was directed by Miles Skarin (Crystal Spotlight).

Tim Lee: Tulpa

English singer-songwriter Tim Lee is on the fence between jangling pop and New Wave on his new album Tulpa, a collection of charming songs. Sure, he is been in trouble and life has handed him a stacked deck sometimes, but in the end he tends to looks at the bright side, with (No) Christmas Sparkle - his girl walked out on him on Christmas Day - and This Beast in Me as the only truly dark songs.

When things are going really well, like they do in Love is Easy, he is not afraid to share his joy with anyone who cares to listen. Using only a snarling electic guitar and a few handclaps for All These Things gives the track an inner tension that gets no release. Also: kudos for using the sound of a dial-up modem to mark the beginning and ending of the relationship he is singing about. Even when he is about to stumble musically - the brass of She Got It clashes with his vocals more than once - he finds a catchy melody to have his back.

Amanda Palmer & Rhiannon Giddens: It's A Fire

Theatrical singers Amanda Palmer and Rhiannon Giddens teamed for a cover of It's A Fire, turning the Portishead track into an orchestral call-to-arms pop song. The sound of the Fifties found a wormhole to travel to the 21st Century.

Marta Sofia Honer (violins and violas) and Caleigh Drane (cellos) recorded their parts at home. Longtime Palmer collaborator Jherek Bischoff handled the mixing and mastering, besides playing double bass, electric bass, and percussion.

Broeder Dieleman: "De Liefde is de Eerste Wet" video

Dutch folk singer Broeder Dieleman has psoted a video for De Liefde is de Eerste Wet, the title track from his latest album : "[he] is putting the song first again. With his banjo and vocals as the lead instruments he is the undisputed lead troubadour of Zeeland. Backed by a great band he makes unfashionable yet heartfelt music that can stand the test of time."

Rob Clarke and The Wooltones: Putting The L in Wootones

Liverpudlian psych pop band Rob Clarke and The Wooltones are into vintage Mersey beat and early psychedelica, a genre that peaked when the Beatles released Rubber Soul in 1965. On their new album Putting The L in Wootones they honour the 3 minute single as well as the expanded tracks like Love and Haight and Free that started to make a mark as albums became more important as an artistic statement. It allowed musicains to stretch out and go through various tempos and moods within a track, something they could only get away it in a live setting before that.

Nostalgia is the backbone of their lyrics. Old fashioned rock 'n' roll gets heartfelt tributes with Statue at the Pier Head and Two Lane Blacktop - the latter could be mistaken for a long lost Eddie Cochran song. Countdown is a song about the implemenation of the decimal system for UK currency on February 15, 1971, an event that send shockwaves to the nation. Rob Clarke and The Wooltones keep the sound of the past alive, by giving it their all with original material. That is no mean feat among the countless cover bands that keep rehashing the classics, because they can't come up with something new themselves.

Sasha Bell: Social Distance Session in Missoula

Sasha Bell will be playing an online show on October 10 from the Zootown Arts Community Center in Missoula, MT as part of their Social Distance Sessions. She will play songs from her album Love Is Alright: "This is not the debut of prodigy, but the full-blown statement of a musician who knows that there is dark side to life and dealing with it can be done by music to release the tension, to remember and to wonder at the weirdness or sheer futility of it all. Baroque, intense, and with superb dynamics that will the test the outer limits of the capabilities of the listener's audio set-up".

Two Too Many: show in Katwijk

Amsterdam based hard rock band Two Too Many will be playing at The Box in Katwijk on October 18. They have released a new double A-side single, Rack of Bones b/w Sweet Punk Rockers, two songs that can rattle the rafters.

Words about music (552): John Peel

There's always the possibility that you're going to come across a record that transforms your life. And it happens weekly. It's like a leaf on the stream. There are little currents and eddies and sticks lying in the water that nudge you in a slightly different direction. And then you break loose and carry on down the current. There's nothing that actually stops you and lifts you out of the water and puts you on the bank but there are diversions and distractions and alarums and excursions which is what makes life interesting really. It's fantastic.

John Peel

Johnny Dowd: "Play That Funky Music" video

Johnny Dowd has posted a video of him deconstructing the Wild Cherry song Play That Funky Music, turning into an interpretaive dance while he was it.

» johnnydowd.com

Kaki King: Forms of Light and Death

Guitar virtuoso Kaki King has released Forms of Light and Death, another single from her forthcoming new album Modern Yesterdays, due for release on October 23 via Cantaloupe Music. It's a dreamy, meandering piece, with great use of delay and loops. The video features live footage from a performance of er new theater project, Data Not Found, which was filmed by The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi on November 13, 2019.

Luka: Numbers

photo: Kelly Alexandre Photography

South-African born singer Luka ushers a warning on her new single Numbers, stating that they are just that and that here is more to life than let them rule surpreme. Her mix of avant-pop and intricate electronics mess seamlessly, but she should refrain from the effects on her vocals - those tend not to age well.

In memoriam: Jimi Hendrix

Fifty years ago Jimi Hendrix died at the Samarkand Hotel, 22 Lansdowne Crescent, Notting Hill in London. He was only 27. Tons of books have been written about the greatest guitarist of all time. He released only four albums during his career, but his extensive posthumous discography keeps growing nearly every year. The latest addition is Live In Maui, comprising of the recording of both shows he played for (the really bad) Rainbow Bridge movie and yet another documentary, Music, Money, Madness . . . Jimi Hendrix In Maui, plus all the existing footage of the the performances.

Tugboat Captain: Day To Day

English baroque-pop quartet Tugboat Captain have releaded Day To Day, the second single from their forthcoming debut album Rut. It's a tongue-in-cheek look at everyday chores and doubts about a relationship. They have set the bar pretty low for being happy, but somehow it's still too high. It builds up to a huge false ending, before anger and depression take over in the second half. Take note of the great use of both strings and brass. This kind of old school, carefully cradftmanship that is pretty rare these days.

The Fierce & The Dead: "Dancing Robots" video

Mark Duffy made another video for English instrumental prog experimentalists The Fierce & The Dead. Dancing Robots is captured in a stream of swirling waves and explosions. It can be found on their 2018 album album The Euphoric.

» fierceandthedead.com

HCTF review of The Euphoric.

The Fire Harvest + Combo Qazam: show in Haarlem

Dutch indie bands The Fire Harvest and Combo Qazam hope to play @ Patronaat in Haarlem, The Netherlands on October 2. Expect slowcore Americana and gnarly Krautrock. Tickets - only 40 of them, due to the social distancing rules - are available here.

HCTF premiere - La Cerca: Gloomy Vista Way

Tuscon based alternative rockers La Cerca have reinvented themselves with an ambient album, A Nice Sweet Getaway, with touches of post-rock and heavy use of delay. The Gloomy Vista Way single, with its drawn out guitar chords, is part Ry Cooder and part Brian Eno. A sense of foreboding that something bad is about to happen is almost tangible, but as long as it sounds this good, that's not a problem. The video was directed by Jason Marrano.

The Rev: Giving Up The Ghost

Outlaw country rockers The Rev never shun from bearing their soul. Main man Eric Meyers dug deep into his emotions and came up with Giving Up The Ghost, a song about faith, struggle, and surrender. He is fully aware that he made more mistakes than he cares to know, but that doen not mean he can't change - and make brand new mistakes in the process. However, he is not taking it lying down and his band raises to the occasion as well.

Prog Rock Grooves: Jaki Liebezeit & the Nature of Rhythm 09/18

The Goethe-Institut Irland pays tribute to legendary drummer Jaki Liebezeit with a free concert webcast on September 18 (19:00-19:45 UTC+01) as part of CultureNight 2020:

Jaki Liebezeit is best known for his drumming with influential German avant-garde band Can, sculpting their transcendent grooves. He also forged long term creative relationships playing & writing with hundreds of other renowned musicians & composers. During his 60 year journey at the vanguard of contemporary music, he uncovered the basic musical & ergonomic principles underlying rhythm. These are ancient, borderless ideas, whose time has come. This show pays musical homage to one of the great innovators in modern music & the wider German Prog Rock scene of the late 60s & early 70s such as Kraftwerk, Cluster & Neu!

Pocket Knife Army: "Raincoat Rendezvous" video

Dutch electronic pop duo Pocket Knife Army have posted a video for Raincoat Rendezvous as part of their "one new song each month" challenge. Desirée Coumans and Erwin Tuijl tackle the need to be left alone when an inexplicable anger it about to overtake you. A walk in the rain might calm the nerves then. The clip was filmed in one take by Jesse Immanuel Bom.

» Pocket Knife Army on Facebook

HCTF review of Masquerade.

Nick Frater: "Let's Hear It For Love" video

English multi-instrumentalist Nick Frater has posted a video for Let's Hear It For Love, a track from his Fast & Loose album, out on Big Stir Records on September 19: "(...) an album for people who have the patience to immerse themselves in it as a "Gesamstkunstwerk", not letting their ears be controlled by streaming services algorithms".

» nickfrater.com

HCTF review of Fast & Loose.

Bastian Benjamin: Concrete

Dutch producer Bastian Benjamin has a soft spot for retro-futuristic sounds. His new single Concrete has an industrial Sci-Fi mood, reminiscent of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. No sign of brickwalling, but plenty of room for the beats and purrs to work their magic, with dark spoken words to create an atmosphere that is booth soothing and scary.

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets: "Live at the Roundhouse" 9/18

On Msy 3, 2019 Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets played a set of pre Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd songs at the Roundhouse in London. It was a highlight of the tour and it will be available in a wealth of formats (vinyl, CD, DVD, Blu-ray) on September 18.

HCTF premiere - Kivanc Kilicer: Reflection of My Heart

Turkish Gothic rock musician Kivanc Kilicer goes for a big sound on his new single Reflection of My Heart. Metal and symphonic music have a lot in common and with the aid of Stratovarius lead guitarist Mathias Kupiaine and singer Ecem Oksuz he was able to let all his emotions about a breakup.

Creating (and listening to) complex loud music can be therapeutic and the use of woodwinds, horns and strings besides the usual rock instrumentation make this pocket symphony a fierce statement by a man who should be playing packed concert halls and rock clubs. The audience can take care of the choir parts.

Deleyaman: "1973" video

French dark wave band Deleyaman have made a video for 1973, a track from their latest album Sentinel. It tells the story of a woman falling in love, enjoying a happy relationship that ends in tears.

» deleyaman.com

HCTF review of Sentinel.

Starless: Earthbound

Composer and producer Paul McGeechan assembled a wealth of top-tier vocalists for Earthbound, the second album of his Starless project. Wrapped in lush orchestrations oplayed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra the singers were allowed to find their way and make their mark.

McGeechan thinks big, while keeping an eye to detail. Projects like these often from overthinking and addding far too many layers. He sidestepped all the pitfalls and translated his pop background - he played keyboards in Scottish New Wave band Love & Money and Friends Again - into a neo-classical, accessible arrangments. Earthbound is an album for the homesick and the romantics who need a healthy dose of melancholic beauty.

Words about music (551): Poison Ivy

We wanted to be as shocking, sexy and original as the great culture changing rock and roll pioneers were during the 50s and 60s.

Poison Ivy

Steven Bradley: Summer Bliss and Autumn Tears

Canadian record producer, label owner and musician Steve Kravac finally makes his debut as a recording artist, adopting the stage name Steven Bradley. Summer Bliss and Autumn Tears is an album by a man who has experieced up more ups and downs than he cares to remember. Power pop, country, and Nineties college rock are the cornerstone genres that try to get the upperhand in his music. The jury is till out who is the winner, but that's not a problem. His gift for melody plus his ability to turn everyday observations into a something deeper or funny make it a complete package.

As an established producer he could make a few phone calls to musicians to perform on his album. To name a few: Wayne Kramer (MC5), Kevin Kane (Northern Pikes, Grapes of Wrath) played guitar, Mike Herrera (MXPX) and Steven McDonald (Redd Kross) provided backing vocals, Danny McGough helped out with keyboards, and Louise Dawson played piano. He played acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, bass, drums, and percussion himself.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" Live In Maui video

Watch The Jimi Hendrix Experience perform Voodoo Child (Slight Return) live during the first show on July 30, 1970 on Maui. Some of it was included in the Rainbow Bridge movie, a really bad movie. There was no script, the director was totally clueless, and an amateur cast mumbled and stumbled blindfolded through the scenes. It is a miracle the shows themselves were pretty good, although Mitch Mitchell had to overdub all his drum parts.

Two Too Many: "Rack of Bones" b/w "Sweet Punk Rockers"

Amsterdam based hard rock band Two Too Many have released the double whammy single Rack of Bones b/w Sweet Punk Rockers, two fast-paced anthems that will get many listeners a speeding ticket when they blast it from their car radio. Their basic riffs that go straight for the gut, a bottled mix of anger and joy that will scare the shit out of contemporary R&B fans.

They head back to the studio in January to lay down the tracks for their sophomore album.

Jon Strahl Band: Heartache and Toil

The Jon Strahl Band mix blues, rock and soul like they did back in the day. Their new album Heartache and Toil is like a comfy blanket: piano, brass, bass, drums and guitar are all there with crystal clear separation. Strahl's slightly hoarse baritone voice has a natural swing with just hint of twang.

The band lays down infectious groves that can get a crowd going - case in point: the upbeat Can't Look Back and the album's lead single Hey Yeah, All Right. breather songs are needed every now and then in a set and The Weight I Feel and Only Ones I Need take their of that. They have been playing their asses off for years and they must chomping at the bit to get out there again. Recommended if you like Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Blues Brothers.

HCTF premiere - Future Radio: "Run Baby, Run" video

South African neo-classic rockers barrel through the energetic old school changes on their new single Run Baby, Run. What do most pioople when a relationship is on the brink of going up in flames? Thye get the Hell out of there. The song will be inclduded on their forthcoming album Freedom (out on November 13, a concept record that "encourages the passionate pursuit of purpose.". The video was made by Drikus Roet.

Run Baby, Run is available through the usual digital outlets.

» futureradioband.co.za

Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Live In Maui" 11/20

Jimi Hendrix fans alert: the Hendrix Estate rolls out another big one: Jimi Hendrix Experience; Live In Maui features both sets played on July 30, 1970 as part of the ill-fated, pretty much unwatchable Rainbow Bridge movie. Only 17 minutes from the first set made it into the film then and not a single note used for the eponymou album.

The set comes with a brand new documentary, Music, Money, Madness . . . Jimi Hendrix In Maui:

This brand new collection couples the new feature-length documentary Music, Money, Madness . . . Jimi Hendrix In Maui with the accompanying live performances on both audio and video. The film chronicles the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s storied visit to Maui, and how the band became ensnared with the ill-fated Rainbow Bridge movie and incorporates never-before-released original footage and new interviews. The Blu-ray includes the full documentary film plus all the footage from the two afternoon performances captured on July 30, 1970 mixed in both stereo and 5.1 surround sound. Also included in the package is Live In Maui – a 2 CD set or 3 LP set featuring Hendrix, Billy Cox, and Mitch Mitchell at the height of their playing powers, newly restored and mixed by longtime Hendrix engineer Eddie Kramer.

Dead Can Dance: tour dates

Legendary Australian outfit Dead Can Dance have announced a massive tour, hoping their bring mix of ambient, drones, folk and Middle Eastern music to the concert halls. After they reunited in 2011 Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry have broadened their musical palette, cherry picking sounds from all over the world to create their soundscapes.

Ubiquitous Meh!: Fecund With Love

Luke Richards of freak folk punk outfit Zapoppin' has turned his solo project Ubiquitous Meh! into a proper band, albeit with social distancing keeping him separated from his collaborators Jodie Saunders and Michael Dugdale. The new EP Fecund With Lovec was inspired by the "hardcore super sevens" by bands like Minor Threat: two sides of vinyl with multiple short tracks. The dream became a reality when the boutique label Buried Treasure released it as such - all copies were gone pretty damn fast, but it's still available in a bunch of other formats.

Infectious weirdness is still the main ingredient, with charming lo-fi keyboards, floating rhythms, and jerky jagged vocals. The trio has made a real connection, egging each other on with tidbits and fleeting ideas that can take over the whole song - until the next one comes along. The two-part closer Meh! Can Empower You - part 1 is country noir intro that ends with an intentional tape screw up- is a self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek stab at their own music. Their decidedly irreverent mischievousness is contagious. Fecund With Love is a good-natured one-finger salute, a joyous declaration of independence.

Kraftwerk: "12345678" comes to vinyl

In 2009 German electro pioneersKraftwerk released the 12345678 The Catalogue box set. All eight albums will reissued on coloured vinyl on October 9. The six German version albums will also be reissued.

English titles

• Autobahn& - Translucent blue vinyl, 12-page booklet
• Radio-Activity& - Translucent yellow vinyl, 16-page booklet
• Trans Europe Express& - Clear vinyl, 16-page booklet
• The Man-Machine& - Translucent red vinyl, 16-page booklet
• Computer World& - Translucent neon yellow vinyl, 16-page booklet
• Techno Pop& - Clear vinyl, 16-page booklet
• The Mix - White vinyl, 20-page booklet
• Tour De France& - Disc 1: Translucent blue vinyl; Disc 2: Translucent red vinyl, 20-page booklet

Cover Me: Substitute

The Ramones released the covers album Acid Eaters in 1993 and it's not exactly a highlight in their discography. Their version of The Who classic Substitute is not so bad and the video is fun to watch. Introduction by Cramps singer Lux Interior as a demented scientist. Lemmy is in it too, being himself, because no one can play Lemmy.

» ramones.com
» thewho.com

Mt. Doubt: "Caravans on a Hill" video

Scottish dark-pop band Mt. Doubt have made a video for Caravans on a Hill, a track from their forthcoming new album Doubtlands. It is an ode of sorts to the highlands. The lyrics are filled with references to the soil and the passing of time. Odds are that most listeners will have to lookup the meaning of "loam' and "gloam". The clip was filmed and edited by James Callaghan. Actor Liam Dempsey did all the heavy lifting, running up and down the road.

Doubtlands will be released on eco coloured vinyl via Last Night From Glasgow on September 18.

» Mt. Doubt on Facebook

Nordmann: In Velvet

photo: Tobias Jansen

Belgian jazz rock quartet Nordmann take it down a notch on their third album In Velvet. Safe for the brisk opening track Cryptonum the overall mood is laid back. The synth heavy post-rock inspired music flows as one long continuous piece - each track is connected seamlessly to next. Mattias De Craene adds saxophone flourishes and drummer Elias Devoldere acts as a referee steering the band with short bursts.

In Velvet is gentle, but it is also a force that wants to be taken seriously. The dark undercurrent of Boats/Marseille Star-Fluff and, even more so, the use of dissonants in Partie Deux are proof that they have mastered the art of playing disquieting and compelling pieces that are beyond the grasp of far louder avant-garde bands.

HCTF premiere - Ronan Conroy: "Silence In The Cemeteries" video

Watch the new Ronan Conroy video for Silence In The Cemeteries, a track from his latest album The Moment Is Gone. He quietly rages against the dying of the light, trying to cope with loss.

The Polychromes: Going Offline

Scottish musicians Adam Ross (Randolph’s Leap, A.R. Pinewood) and Gareth Perrie (The Smart Set, Lenzie Moss) recorded the tracks for an EP during lockdown, sharing files back and forth for their side project The Polychromes. They released Going Offline as a single, getting into the head of conspiracy theorist, who is awfully busy disagreeing with total strangers to uphold his self-styled status by way of a surrogate lifestyle. Bubbling sounds and a damn fine psych-folk melody soften the serious message a bit.

Mammal Hands: "Chaser" video

Watch the new Mammal Hands video for Chaser, a track from their latest album Captured Spirits: "a record that solidifies their reputation as a front-runner in the UK avant-garde jazz scene. They can soothe, snarl, and charge. No matter which path they choose, it's never a dead end."

Johnny Dowd: "Rick Ross Is My Reality" video

Johnny Dowd has posted a video for his brand new song Rick Ross Is My Reality, a spoken word piece about ambiguity, loss, and friendship on top of a freaky post-jazz backing.

» johnnydowd.com

Kaki King: European Spring tour dates

Guitar virtuoso Kaki King has announced a European Spring tour to promote her new album Modern Yesterdays, due for release on October 23. The tour kicks off in Amsterdam on April 10, 2021. More shows TBA.

Live dates:

• 04/10 Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg
• 04/12 Paris, France @ Pan Piper
• 04/15 Bologna, Italy @ Bravo Caffè
• 04/16 Roma, Italy @ Largo
• 04/17 Lugano, Switzerland @ Teatro e Studio Foce - Agorateca Foce
• 04/18 Milano, Italy @ Santeria Toscana 31
• 04/19 Berlin, Germany @ FRANNZ Club
• 04/21 Odense, Denmark @ Dexter
• 04/22 Espoo, Finland @ Sellosali

Even As We Speak: "Leaves" video

Australian indie veterans Even As We Speak have made a video for their latest single Leaves, a track from their forthcoming new album Adelphi, released via Portland, OR based label Shelflife Records. A sad love song about the time when things were right, before a relationship took a dive and never fully recovered.

» evenaswespeak.com

HCTF review of Unknown.

Words about music (550): Dave Gahan

Growing up in a band is weird - you get stuck hanging on to what it is you think you are. But what I took into Depeche was that punk ethic, that you don't have to be accomplished to be a musician. If you've got ideas, you can do this.

Dave Gahan