The Just Imagines: Sweet Explosions b/w Let's Find Our Way

Psychedelic prog rock, indie duo The Just Imagines are very much in love. So much indeed that they are acting like kids in a candy store, overstuffing their songs with every whim. In the case of the soulful and funky Sweet Explosions that worked out pretty well, but Tylers and Ciroyellse got a bit lost when they recorded the vocals for the ambitious Let's Find Our Way. Other than that they have a good thing going, but bringing in a little outside help could iron out the wrinkles, without killing the vibe.

David Newbould: "Power Up!" video

Singer and guitarist David Newbould plays up a storm on Power Up!, the title track from his new album (out on June 10 via the Blackbird Record Label). Rambling but tight rock 'n' roll recorded in the basement of his producer and drummer Scot Sax in Nashville, that spells swagger in capital letters. He channels the raw sound of the '70s, urging the listener to cherish the moment, fully aware that things could break down at any moment.

Live date:

• 06/10 Madison, TN @ Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge

» davidnewbould.com

T.E. Yates: three shows @ Glastonbury Festival

Folk troubadour and illustrator T.E. Yates will perform three shows at this year's Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, Somerset. Expect lots of songs from his latest EP Strange Weather: "As an artist he is always asking questions and looking for answers, although the latter are in short supply most of the time, as he carefully explains in Palace of Your Master, a country ballad with C.J. Hillman laying down a pedal steel guitar part for the ages. Yates is serious, but he can be a jester when he wants too as well, as he takes a scalpel to the false promises of bedtime stories in Fairy Tale and job hopping (Jack of All Trades)".

He will be playing with Joe Mansfield (fiddle), Kai Carter (guitar) and Joe Trudgeon (bass).

J.M. Hart: Slips, Trips, & Falls

Folk singer and guitarist J.M Hart has been writing songs for years, but it wasn't until 2020 that he let the world hear what he was doing in his home studio in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Once the cat was out the bag a slew of singles and two full albums (one of them live) saw the light of day in quick succession. His new one is called, Slips, Trips, & Falls. The album's title is a nod to the Phish live album Slip Stitch and Pass - he is a big fan of the jam band and one the hosts of the in-depth Helping Friendly Podcast.

Hart is never in a hurry with his music, carefully choosing his words, and wrapping his lyrics in cosy layers of various string instruments. With a phrasing that is halfway Willie Nelson and Warren Zevon, he tells tales about the songwriting process, love, loss, and people being stuck in dead-end jobs. Slips, Trips, & Falls is an album to listen to on the porch when the sun is setting, contemplating the day's events and finding that Hart has somehow come up with a song that fits your mood perfectly.

Phish 2022 Spring Tour SBD + torrents: Orange Beach 2022/05/29

Orange Beach 2022 poster by Drew Millward

Phish
2022/05/29
The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL

Set 1:

1. Character Zero
2. Mike's Song
3. Bouncing Around the Room
4. Kill Devil Falls
5. Winterqueen
6. Funky Bitch
7. NICU
8. Carini
9. Weekapaug Groove

Cover Me: Hunger Strike > Dear Mr. Fantasy

Watch Gov't Mule perform Temple of the Dog's Hunger Strike and Traffic's Dear Mr. Fantasy at Mountain Jam at Hunter Mountain, NY - June 3, 2016.

» mule.net

Golden Alphabet: Crazy Pie

With each new song Brooklyn based roots band Golden Alphabet are delving even further into psychedelic rock. Their latest single, Crazy Pie, is a fuzzy garage-tinged song with a hint of surf, tons of reverb, and well-used feedback. Pies have been used in silent movies ad nauseam, but it must be first to for a band to feel sorry for the decidedly unhealthy, but tasty food: "It was thrown accross the sky // It was known for taking flight".

Phish 2022 Spring Tour SBD + torrents: Orange Beach 2022/05/28

Orange Beach 2022 poster by Drew Millward

Phish
2022/05/28
The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL

Set 1:

1. Sigma Oasis
2. Possum
3. AC/DC Bag >
4. Reba
5. Roggae
6. My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own >
7. The Final Hurrah >
8. Free

Words about music (640): Marianne Faithfull

photo: Yann Orhan

I got my interest in Lotte Lenya and the Brecht-Weill canon from my parents. And I love classical music - I got that from my parents. I love Cole Porter - that I got from my dad.

Marianne Faithfull

Skinny Dippers: "Boat On The Water" video

Brooklyn based musician Ryan Gross has unveiled his first ever video, an animated clip for his latest single Boat On The Water: "It is a slow, folk-tinged song, gently going with the flow of the waves, but underneath the doubt is still there as he thinks back at a row he had with his loved one".

Richard Barbieri: "Gear Talk" video

Watch Richard Barbieri talking about keyboards he used on the new Porcupine Tree album Closure / Continuation. He uses a lot of old school analog synths, including a rebuild version of the Prophet-5. Since he is not a very technical player, he relies on the controls to create the sounds he wants and needs for his soundscapes.

Blurring parts is a huge part of his ambient approach. Listening to badly tuned radio when he was a kid - listening to two songs at the same time - and Brian Eno's work with Roxy Music are his main influences.

Closure / Continuation will be released in a wealth of formats on 24th June 2022.

» porcupinetree.com

Phish 2022 Spring Tour SBD + torrents: Orange Beach 2022/05/27

Orange Beach 2022 poster by Drew Millward

Phish
2022/05/27
The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL

Set 1:

1. Twist >
2. Halley's Comet >
3. Sand
4. The Old Home Place
5. Martian Monster
6. Dogs Stole Things
7. Halfway to the Moon
8. Stash
9. Shade
10. I Never Needed You Like This Before
11. Bathtub Gin

Walker Brigade: If Only

LA based art-punkers with a jazz twist Walker Brigade pull out all the stops on their new album, If Only. Ramshackle, lo-fi and pulling no punches they bring a West Coast version straight out the heyday of CBGB's - drummer Craig Tyrka played more shows than he cares to remember at the fabled NYC underground club before he headed West. Lead singer Tracy Walker's "don't fuck with me" vocals are part Patti Smith and part Joan Jett, projecting a classic punk rock mode that is raw and catchy as Hell. The band's MVP, however is bass player Mark Fletcher, who sounds like John Entwistle after graduating from jazz school: fluid, loud and acting like a third guitarist, making sure that guitarist Jeff Walker keeps busy to be heard pretty much all of the time.

They barrel through 13 short, high energy songs about heartbreak - the snarling What Is Wrong With Me? only needs one minute and 13 seconds for an errant lover to come crawling back. They are not optimists as such. Choker is a mix of late '60s West Coast pop and smart hooks lifted from the Sparks and Big Star songbooks, telling a tale about the many ways how to finish off an adversary: "Trust no one, not even me". The album's closer, a cover of Mel Brook's I'm Tired (from the Blazing Saddles movie) is a grand gesture. They turned it into a late night punk torch song about not having sex anymore.

Beachdog: "Swords Up In The Air" @ 3FM Live Box

Dutch hardcore/grunge band Beachdog performed their latest single Swords Up In The Air @ 3FM Live Box on Dutch radio. It is a track from their self-titled debut album.

Live dates:

• 05/27 Merleyn, Nijmegen
• 05/29 Melkweg, Amsterdam
• 06/05 Vestrock, Hulst
• 06/23 Jera on Air, Ysselsteyn
• 07/15 Zwarte Cross, Lichtenvoorde
• 07/16 Big Rivers Festival, Dordrecht
• 09/10 Appelpop, Tiel

» beachdogmusic.nl

HCTF review of Beachdog.

Gavin Harrison: "Gear Talk" video

Watch Gavin Harrison talking about the drum kit he used on the new Porcupine Tree album Closure / Continuation. He is obviously very happy with his custom-made drum sticks.

When he hits the bass drum, a signal is sent to his drum seat, so that he can feel the beat. This tactile system, made by Porter & Davies, helped him to get rid of the big speakers he would need to make him hear what he is playing.

Closure / Continuation will be released in a wealth of formats on 24th June 2022.

» porcupinetree.com

Dogzen Zendog: Petals Nails

photo: Astrid Bärndal

Right from the get-go English musician Glenn O'Halloran makes it clear that the pigeonholing defying music of his Dogzen Zendog project shows no signs of slowing down. On the new album Petals Nails there is room for dub and Sophie Knöchelmann's violin in the opening track The Box and Godley & Creme receive a well-deserved pat on the shoulder in Where Lovers Go. O'Halloran has a firm on things, but there is plenty of room for improvisation. All saxophone parts by Joe O'Halloran are first takes recorded during the first play back of the track. That is nothing short of amazing and can only be accomplished by listening carefully

Recording with both and without a safety net gives the tracks an edge - the spoken word in One by One (The Wallet) serves as a nice contrast for the soul-tinged chorus. The mid-tempo Laura (in the Rainstorm) should strike a chord by Roxy Music fans.

Pale Blue Eyes: Globe

Early '80s post-punk and New Wave are all over Globe, the new single by English band Pale Blue Eyes, about a guy looking for a safe exit strategy to spend time with his partner at an undisclosed gathering of people. Synths and Cure-inspired guitar propel the track forward, making it a winner for emos of all ages. It will be included on their debut album, Souvenirs, out on September 2, 2022 via Full Time Hobby (vinyl, CD, digital).

Steven Wilson: "Gear Talk" video

Watch Steven Wilson talking about the gear he used on the new Porcupine Tree album Closure / Continuation, including a cheap Mexican Telecaster and a new one that is made to look old and does not need a lot of gain to sound real. His trusted Paul Reed Smith guitar is also still part of the equation. He used it for Of The New Day, plugged into a cheap practice amp.

"The best sounds that you get are the sounds that happen almost instantly. Don't even think about it. When you make demos, and you are thinking too hard about what you are doing, quickly dialing up a sound, it's hard to beat that later on." Also: he reveals how to make major 7th chords sound evil.

Closure / Continuation will be released in a wealth of formats on 24th June 2022.

» porcupinetree.com

Tony Valentino: Dirty Water

Tony Valentino, the guitarist for LA based garage rock band The Standells, is doing a new version of that band's classic Dirty Water album. After releasing the the rollicking lead single Barracuda he feels confident enough to share the reimagined title, once again aided by Duane Waider on vocals and drums, and Gary Kaluza on bass.

The original is BIG in Boston, where it is in heavy rotation at home games by the Boston Bruins and the Boston Red Sox. The 2022 is quite alright, but it lacks a bit of the spark that was captured when The Standells were one of the progenitors of the catchy, poppy punk sound that made them a household name and a reference point since then.

Swansea Sound: shows in Bristol and Newport

Welsh indie band Swansea Sound will play shows in Bristol @ Zed Alley (May 27 - w/ AlterModerns, European Sun) and Newport @ Le Pub (May 28 - w/ Soundwire, Simon Bromide). These dates had to been rescheduled for the obvious reasons.

Prepare for a nice mix of danceable power pop and opinionated garage rock. They will play songs from their debut album, Live At The Rum Puncheon: Despite its title the album was not caught on stage, but it has all the energy and excitement of a live gig. Joyous back to basics indie rock that packs a punch and an open invitation to sing along".

Declan Welsh & The Decadent West: Aw The Time

photo: Sedona May

Glaswegian quartet Declan Welsh & The Decadent West inserted a bit of psychedelic rock into their latest single, Aw The Time. Singer Declan Welsh is full-on snarling slacker mode, with a passive-agressive tale about not wanting to get up and opting to sleep in instead. The track will be included on their Impermanency EP, due for release on July 4th.

Donna Blue: "The Idea" video

Watch the Donna Blue video for The Idea, a track from their first full-length Dark Roses. The clip was filmed @ TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht. The Dutch retro-pop act is on the road in The Netherlands, hitting all the major rock clubs. Germany is next in September.

Phish: Live Bait Vol. 19

Another episode has been added to the Phish Live Bait series. Vol. 19 features the 1.0 Reba (8/12/93 Meadow Brook Music Festival – Rochester Hills, MI), the rarely played Fikus (8/8/98 Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD) - one of the 5 live versions of this song - and the highly rated Bug > Piper (7/6/00 Molson Amphitheatre – Toronto, ON).

Tracks:

1. Tube
   (9/28/99 Oak Mountain Amphitheatre – Pelham, AL) 7:20
2. You Enjoy Myself
   (11/18/95 North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston, SC) 30:36
3. Ghost
   (8/2/98 Deer Creek Music Center – Noblesville, IN) 18:59
4. If I Could
   (7/1/95 Great Woods Performing Arts Center – Mansfield, MA) 9:22
5. Possum
   (11/2/94 Bangor Auditorium – Bangor, ME) 12:29
6. David Bowie
   (6/24/95 Mann Music Center – Philadelphia, PA) 24:44
7. Bathtub Gin
   (5/28/11 Bethel Woods Center For The Arts – Bethel, NY) 14:37
8. Halley’s Comet > The Mango Song > Twist
   (6/30/00 Meadows Music Theatre – Hartford, CT) 37:48
9. Split Open And Melt
   (7/15/94 Jones Beach Amphitheater – Wantagh, NY) 12:10
10. It’s Ice
    (6/16/95 Walnut Creek Amphitheatre – Raleigh, NC) 9:09
11. Fikus
    (8/8/98 Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD) 2:41
12. Birds Of A Feather
    (6/19/19 Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH) 23:26
13. Reba
    (8/12/93 Meadow Brook Music Festival – Rochester Hills, MI) 15:22
14. Wolfman’s Brother > Undermind
    (10/30/10 Boardwalk Hall – Atlantic City, NJ) 18:03
15. Bug > Piper
    (7/6/00 Molson Amphitheatre – Toronto, ON) 26:48
16. Fluffhead
    (7/24/99 Alpine Valley Music Theatre – East Troy, WI) 32:54
17. Blaze On
    (9/1/17 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO) 13:54

Live Bait Vol. 19 is a free download compiled by the band's archivist Kevin Shapiro.

» phish.com

Porcupine Tree: Q&A in UK record stores

Porcupine Tree will be doing four intimate Q&A sessions at UK record stores in support of the release of their new album Closure / Continuation. Tickets include a copy of the album.

Participating stores:

• 06/24 All Saints Church, Kingston Upon Thames
• 06/25 Rough Trade East, London
• 06/26 Crash Records, Brudenell, Leeds
• 06/27 HMV Vault, Birmingham

mtf8: "Purity (Remembered)" video

NYC Gothic rock act mtf8 has made a video for Purity (Remembered), the closing track from his Momentum EP: "The music (...) moves slowly, but can't be stopped. It is best to ride the wave, wondering if it will crash of keep going for a bit longer".

» mtf8.info

HCTF review of Momentum.

The Aristocrats With Primuz Chamber Orchestra: "Jack's Back" video

Watch the new video for Jack's Back by The Aristocrats and the Primuz Chamber Orchestra. Director Wojtek Lemański took care of the string arrangements for a full album of orchestra meets fusion rock, which will be released on June 3. It is available for pre-order here.

David Bowie: new "Moonage Daydream" documentary in September

There have been quite a few documentaries about David Bowie but when director Brett Morgen (Cobain: Montage of Heck) does yet another one, it might be worth watching. Moonage Daydream will be in cinemas in September. A teaser is now up on YouTube.

» davidbowie.com
» Brett Morgen on Wikipedia

Gabi Garbutt & The Illuminations: I Can't Win

The creative process can be a bitch, but keeping at it can pay in spades. Recording I Can't Win, the new single by London's based pop punk band Gabi Garbutt & The Illuminations, was like pulling teeth, but even when the lyrics say otherwise, the track became a winner - and a dead ringer for an encore during their live shows. A low but powerful song powered by a very welcome reappraisal for the sound of vintage synths.

It is a track from their new album, Cockerel, out via Trapped Animal Records (blue and black vinyl). The video was made by Minus Tone.

Black Moon Book: Black Moon Book 2

Chicago based multi-instrumentalist Mark Lofgren (The Luck of Eden Hall, The Thin Cherries) has released the second album by his Black Moon Book project, a meandering concept album of sorts, bookended by two songs of the two phases of the moon - Waxing Crescent and Waning Crescent. With synths and guitar taking turns at commandeering the spotlight Lofgren bares his soul about his uncertainties and confusion about relationships on top of a neo-psychedelic post-punk soundtrack.

Black Moon Book 2 is a sort of exorcism and therapy rolled into one. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, clinging to the one thing that will never let hem down: his ability to create soft-spoken, but strong music.

Words about music (639): Randy Newman

My music has a high irritation factor. I've always tried to say something. Eccentric lyrics about eccentric people. Often it was a joke. But I would plead guilty on the grounds that I prefer eccentricity to the bland.

Randy Newman

Have You Ever Seen the Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS?: Troglodyte

photo: Joona Paavola

Finnish trio Have You Ever Seen the Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS? name themselves a "flower-garage" act, which is some sort of accurate for their latest single Troglodyte, with a prominent role for a fuzzy sounding synth as the lead instrument. It is a late night retro-dance floor anthem that can hold its own when exposed to the daylight of a Summer festival. The track will included on their forthcoming album Maine Coon, due for release on June 23 via VILD Recordings.

Phish: Spring Tour webcasts

Phish will webcast the shows of their Spring tour via LivePhish in HD and 4K. Various bundles are available. The tour kicks off at with a 3-night stand in Orange Beach on May 27.

Live dates:

• 05/27 The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL
• 05/28 The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL
• 05/29 The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL
• 05/31 Credit One Stadium, Charleston, SC
• 06/01 Credit One Stadium, Charleston, SC
• 06/03 Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN
• 06/04 Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN
• 06/05 Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN
• 07/14 Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
• 07/15 Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
• 07/16 Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, ME
• 07/19 TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia, PA
• 07/20 TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia, PA
• 07/22 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY
• 07/23 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY
• 07/24 Xfinity Theatre, Hartford, CT
• 07/26 Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
• 07/27 Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
• 07/29 Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC
• 07/30 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
• 07/31 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
• 08/02 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
• 08/03 Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
• 08/05 Atlantic City Beach, Atlantic City, NJ
• 08/06 Atlantic City Beach, Atlantic City, NJ
• 08/07 Atlantic City Beach, Atlantic City, NJ
• 08/10 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON
• 08/12 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
• 08/13 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
• 08/14 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI
• 09/01 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
• 09/02 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
• 09/03 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
• 09/04 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

» phish.com

Red Hearted Vibrations: Dead Girl Walking

Glaswegian rock band Red Hearted Vibrations filmed the video for their new single Dead Girl Walking in a prison in Inverary, telling the tale of inmate of death row. They went for a big guitar sound, with a country-tinged harmonica part to kick the ball rolling and set the stage for Laura Nelson's powerful vocals. They used a bit of North-American imagery for the cclip, like the orange uniforms worn by the band members.

The band's guitarist Ewan Driver used the stories from his grandma who grew up near HMP Barlinnie in the days when the death penalty was still part of the penal system in the UK (it was abolished in 1969).

Porcupine Tree: Herd Culling

Porcupine Tree posted a visualizer for their new single, Herd Culling, a return to their prog metal phase with guitarist and singer Steven Wilson describing the faux safety of a tree house in a post-apocalyptic world. Drummer Gavin Harrison brought his A-game for this one - note the syncopation. Richard Barbieri enters the party a little later, with tasty, percussive synths. According to the tracklisting for the new album Closure / Continuation, the full track will be a little over 7 minutes. The new record will beleased in a wealth of formats on 24th June 2022.

Cover Me: Nadine

Watch Rory Gallagher tackle the Iggy Pop classic Nadine. Recorded live at the Rockpalast Open Air Festival 1982 @ Loreley, St. Goarshausen, Germany - August 22, 1982.

» rorygallagher.com
» chuckberry.com

Opus Kink: Dog Stay Down

Brighton based sextet Opus Kink sing about boxing, the noble art of self-defense, on their latest single, Dog Stay Down, bringing a punk attitude to the jazz age. Tons of style and bravado in this one and not giving a fuck what might be hip and happening right now. They go for the gut, armed with an ace melody, hoarse lead vocals, and in-your-face saxophone and trumpet. The clip was directed by Mars Washington & Jack Satchell.

Elephant Stone: "Hollow" animation

Canadian psychedelic raga band Elephant Stone have unveiled a animated video for the first side of their concept album Hollow. They used an orchestral re-interpretation of the tracks, which is a little bit over the top. The apocalypse of subsequent escape from planet Earth looks good in this one, thanks to the talents of director and animator Laurine Jousserand.

Live dates:

• 05/20 Cafe Nine, New Haven, CT
• 05/21 No Fun, Troy, NY
• 05/22 The Sultan Room, Brooklyn, NY
• 05/24 Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland, OH
• 05/25 Motr Pub, Cincinnati, OH
• 05/26 Beat Kitchen, Chicago, IL
• 05/27 Cactus Club, Milwaukee, WI
• 05/28 Meteor, Windsor, ON
• 05/29 The Garrison, Toronto, ON

» elephantstone.ca
» hollowmovie.tv

Donna Blue: "Live at 3voor12 Radio" video

Watch Dutch retro-pop act Donna Blue perform Solitaire, Dark Roses and A Lover In Disguise, three tracks from their first full-length Dark Roses for a Live at 3voor12 Radio session: "Doomed love songs are their forte and they obviously love the soundtracks of Italian and French movies from the '60s and '70s. Case in point: A Lover In Disguise, wherein the guitar conjures up images of a deserted, sun-beaten village in the middle of nowhere. Vintage French yé-yé pop is dusted off and updated for Solitaire - two lovers find themselves at sea in a small boat that isn't designed to handle the storm that is coming straight at them".

Spygenius: Son Of The Morning, Go Man Go!

English pop quartet Spygenius have released Son Of The Morning, Go Man Go!, a 12-string driven single from their forthcoming new album Jobbernowl, the follow-up for their eclectic Spygenius Blow Their Covers and the first new material since the release of the sprawling Man On The Sea 2LP (HCTF's album of the year in 2020). It is fast-paced slice of '60 psych pop with a seasoning of post-punk. Imagine The Wedding Present having a drink with a couple of veterans of the Glastonbury scene.

Keston Cobblers Club: "No, You Are Not Alone" video

UK folk band Keston Cobblers Club have posted a video for their latest single, No, You Are Not Alone, a track from their Alchemy album: "Melancholy, joking around, surprise, grief and joy are treated like equals. It is like leafing through an album of family snapshots. There are plenty of characters and events in there with universal appeal".

The clip features Rolling Ball Sculpture "RBS3", made by Ian Paradine.

Skinny Dippers: Boat On The Water

Brooklyn based musician Ryan Gross is trying to get a grip on a long distance relationship on Boat On The Water, the latest single by his Skinny Dippers project. It is a slow, folk-tinged song, gently going with the flow of the waves, but underneath the doubt is still there as he thinks back at a row he had with his loved one: "Driving to the ocean in your mother's car it's late // Graciously you've picked me up // But drunkenly I rave // Staggering towards the ocean but you guide us from my side // I tell you, you look amazing but it starts it a fight // Have I turned you away // Or are you just afraid you'll stay… with me".

His neighbours Jordan Dunn-Pilz and Dan Alvarez of radio-friendly pop duo Toledo are helping him out, fleshing out the tracks for his debut album, The Town & The City, due for release in August.

Wolf Vanwymeersch: The Early Years

photo: Anton Coene

Flemish musician Wolf Vanwymeersch made a name for himself in bands like Waldorf and The Van Jets - the latter peddled an updated version of Krautrock with dance elements. He had written a stack of more straightforward songs that did not quite the band format, so he took a leap of faith and released The Early Years as a solo album. It is not unusual for a first outing to use the freedom to explore various genres that were not part of the musical vocabulary of the bands an artist played in. With a bit of folk, a dash of electronics, and advanced singer-songwriter licks on acoustic guitar Vanwymeersch says goodbye to his father (I'm Wide Awake), welcomes his daughter into the world, and looks back on his youth.

Melancholy is the key emotion, and with a gentle vibrato in his voice he sounds like he is sitting right in front of the listener. Stand-out track Come As You Will will delight and baffle aspiring guitarists. Wolf Vanwymeersch can hold his own as a solo act, but he will have to explain to his daughter why he thought it was a good idea to use a photo of her for the album's cover, once she hits puberty and starts asking questions.

The Bye Bye Blackbirds: Unleashed In The East Bay... on KALX Live!

Californian indie rock band The Bye Bye Blackbirds recorded a live set for college radio station KALX in Berkeley, performing songs from their Boxer At Rest and August Lightning Complex albums. It is obvious that they have missed playing in the same room and they are ready to hit the stage to unleash these songs before a live audience.

They slowed down and speeded up a bit when the mood struck them, but as a whole they stayed close to the originals, with the elongated early '70s swagger of If It Gets Light as the sole exception. These nine-set song should convince any promotor that give them a shot. Recommended if you like The Decemberists.

Cover Me: Lust for Life

Watch David Bowie tackle the Iggy Pop classic Lust for Life. Recorded live at the Rockpalast Open Air Festival 1996 @ Loreley, St. Goarshausen, Germany - June 22, 1996. They wrote the song as a team in 1976 and it became the title track for Iggy's album that was released in 1977.

» davidbowie.com
» iggypop.com

Amoeba Teen: Amoeba Teen

English guitar driven quartet Amoeba Teen went for a tried-and-true way of recording @ Claptrap Studios in their hometown Stourbridge, laying down the tracks as a four-piece to capture the excitement and energy of a live show. Combining the elements of power pop, glam rock and Britpop, they offer a selection of instantly hummable melodies, call-and-response vocals and fresh riffs that sound familiar somehow.

It's hard to sound relaxed and catchy at the same time, but the joy of being in the same room after such a long time rubbed off on the tracks. Even the break-up song A Good Reason Why, inspired by band member Mark Britton’s disintegrating marriage, sounds almost a cheerful in a Badfinger-alike way.

Words about music (638): Kurt Cobain

Out of all the guitars in the whole world, the Fender Mustang is my favorite. They're cheap and totally inefficient, and they sound like crap and are very small.

Kurt Cobain

Morgendust: 14

The members Dutch '80s inspired quintet Morgendust tackle songs that made a lasting impression when they were 14 years old. At that age the charts are still quite important, so all the covers were big hits back in the day and are now considered as classics. They did not go for a straight copies of the original. After all, it is next to impossible to sound like Lou Reed on Walk On The Wild Side or Kate Bush on her duet with Peter Gabriel on Don't Give Up, although guest singer Cindy Oudshoorn makes an admirable effort.

14 is not a nostalgia trip, but an inspired set of reimagined, "re-dis-covered" songs that sowed the seeds for a (side) career in music. Every band starts out playing other people's songs, before working up the nerve to write their own material. By adding a twist of their own sound Morgendust can add a few of these covers to their live set without any problem, acting as both crowd pleasers and a nod to their heroes.

Sarah Corina: Happiness (feat.Johnny Dowd)

Fellow musical mavericks Sarah Corina and Johnny Dowd have teamed yp again for a slice of danceable spoke word. On Happiness Dowd tells a sad tale about a guy named Slim his dreams, dressing like a biker, as a means to get the attention of a lady. Spoiler: the lady does not actually exist, but is part of his psyche. Corina provides a pulsating backing track - she played bass played bass in The Bomb Party, The Mekons, Die Cheerleader, and Striplight - and post-punk flourishe, creating an updated '80s New Wave vibe.

LIJO: "I Want Out" video

Dutch avant-pop singer LIJO has posted a video for her latest single I Want Out: "It's an empowering song for the powerless, alternating between frantic harsh and gentle synths. She is even contemplating the use violence to put a stop to it. If Kate Bush would have released her The Dreaming album in 2022, it could have sounded like this". The clip was made by Desirée Coumans.

Zeno Jones: Stonewater Music EP

Guitarist Zeno Jones, half of blues duo of Louisville, KY based duo Cold Beverage, recorded all the tracks of his Stonewater Music EP on December 5 last year. Setting up shop @ Al Fresco's Place, he laid all the songs down in one take, playing guitar, suitcase drum and hi-hat/tambourine. It is fuzzy and in-your-face, a throwback to the early days of electric Delta blues.

With his gravel-voiced delivery Jones sounds like a man who you don't want to piss off. Telling tales about having lots of whiskey, riding trains in the middle of the night and trying to walk with 16 tons of mud in his shoes, he plays up a storm that full bands will have a hard time to replicate.

The Bullfight: "Some Divine Gift" release date + more tour dates

Rotterdam based folk noir band The Bullfight will release their new spoken word album, Some Divine Gift, on November 11 via Brandy Alexander Recordings (vinyl, CD). The album features contributions from Barry Hay (Golden Earring), Spinvis, David Boulter (Tindersticks), Alex Roeka, Daisy Cools, Henry Rollins, Mark Ritsema, and Nick Verhoeven.

Like they did for their previous studio album Eggs & Marrowbone they invited visual artists to provide the artwork for the songs. Confirmed so far: James Johnston, Henk Schiffmacher, Bianca van der Werf, Jaco Putker, and Bastiaan Mol. The art will be displayed in Rotterdam. Some Divine Gift pays tribute to the films, posters and books of the 1940s and 1950s about murky detectives, corrupt cops, femmes fatale, sex, violence and betrayal.

Live dates:

• 10/30 Egmond @ Hoeve Overslot
• 11/03 Rotterdam @ Worm (late night)
• 11/12 Rotterdam @ Studio de Bakkerij (album release show)
• 11/17 Haarlem @ Patronaat
• 11/18 Leiden @ Galerie De Leidse Lente
• 11/20 Rotterdam @ Worm (Frontaal)
• 11/26 Amsterdam @ De Nieuwe Anita
• 11/27 Den Haag @ Paard (w/ Alex Roeka)
• 12/02 Delft @ Rietveld Theater
• 01/08 Gorinchem @ Het Zevende Huis

» thebullfight.nl
» L'étranger Noir on Facebook

HCTF review of Eggs & Marrowbone.

Peach Face: Grocery Store Flowers

Baltimore based singer Alison Ramirez created a slice of upbeat, lo-fi Summer pop with Grocery Store Flowers, the new single by her Peach Face project. She has a way with words that is pretty rare in her chosen genre: "I’ve got // A plastic skeleton in my room // Crying porcelain babies // Holding a bracelet that was turning me blue // Somebody else’s teeth inside a nesting doll // Photo booth pictures // From a time when my hair was blonde".

Donna Blue: Dark Roses

photo: Philine van den Hul

Dutch retro-pop duo Donna Blue have been working towards the release of their first full-length Dark Roses since 2018. After three EPs the time was right to go for the full album format, a medium that has room for all their influences and allowing them to let their signature sound do most of the talking.

Danique van Kesteren and Bart van Dalen are old school story tellers, or more accurately sketch artists, using words to provide snapsots of dreams, love, loss and loneliness. By taking turns at the microphone as the lead vocalist as well in English and French they can choice for a different mood for each song.

War Honey: Last Woman Left At The Market

Brooklyn quartet War Honey mix art pop with a bit of opera and psychedelic rock on their new Last Woman Left At The Market EP. The impressive vocal range Gabrielle Dana can't be ignored, but it is the free-flowing yet carefully composed music that raises them far above the thousands of indie hopefuls. Aloofness and passion are playing catch. The ace melodies - imagine Weill and Brecht teaming up with the Jefferson Airplane - are grounded by a tight but loose rhythm section.

Taking into account that Dana and guitarist Ben Fitts basically had to start all over when their previous bassist and drummer called it quits during the pandemic, Last Woman Left At The Market finds them rejuvenated and eager to let the world hear their very special blend of influences. Play loud and repeat.

HCTF premiere - Matt Saxton: It's Alright

English singer Matt Saxton embraces the sound of the early '70s piano songs on his new single It's Alright. Finding love can be overwhelming and he can't believe his luck that he is no longer lonely and a little bit lost. He doesn't go for the grand gesture, carefully sidestepping all the pitfalls of the dreaded "power ballad". By showing some restraint, the intimacy of sharing a life with a partner truly comes to the fore.

» mattsaxton.co.uk

HCTF review of It's Only Now That I Know.

Deleyaman: "De Roses Vermeilles" live video + The Abbey Project

French actress Fanny Ardant and dark wave band Deleyaman performed together for a night of poetry and music @ Le Trianon Transatlantique in Sotteville-lès-Rouen. Watch the band performing De Roses Vermeilles, based on the poem Caligula by Gérard de Nerval. The studio version can be found on their Sentinel album.

New music - for a special occasion - coming soon:

Aret Madilian of Deleyaman has been invited to compose the music for the Cultural week "Étonnantes Abbayes de Normandie" which will take place in October 2022 in abbeys throughout Normandy in France.

Scattered across the north-western region of Normandy, the historic monuments are all part of the architectural and cultural heritage of France.

The music composed by Aret Madilian will be broadcasted in all participating abbeys during the cultural week from October 26 to November 1, 2022.

» deleyaman.com
» Fanny Ardant on Wikipedia

HCTF review of Sentinel.

Lande Hekt: Romantic

English singer Lande Hekt sings about the need for companionship on her new single, Romantic. Quite the opposite of a sappy love song she describes the need to connect with a fellow outsider. She went for a DIY lo-fi sound, using a riff that comes close to Cornershop's Brimful of Asha.

The B-side is a cover of Octopussy, a track from the seminal Seamonsters album by The Wedding Present, which got a thumbs up from that band's main man David Gedge. The video was filmed by Lucy Suddaby.

John Lydon on Word In Your Ear podcast

John Lydon talks about Public Image, the Sex Pistols, Cliff Richard, Arsenal, Alzheimer's, and much, much more on the Word In Your Ear podcast, hosted by English music journalists Mark Ellen and David Hepworth.

» wiyelondon.com

mtf8: Visions

NYC Gothic rock act mtf8 is getting closer to the end of the tunnel on the new album, Visions. Moving slowly he has created slightly wavering soundscapes that come close to ambient to post-rock. The sound of the '80s synth-driven post-punk boom - most notably early Depeche Mode, the Sisters of Mercy and New Order - has always been a huge influence. Tragedy is a better source for writing memorable lyrics than happiness and asking questions -"Why am I talking to strangers?" (Burning Visions) without a "right" answer is far more interesting.

His vocals are more upfront on this release, as a sign of growing confidence, and the use of shifting rhythms and off-kilter beats make the listening experience more adventurous. Even when a relationship has gone South, he looks back on it with fond memories, stating that he mostly longs for the ritual dance of attraction and seduction (The Game).

I Am Snow Angel: Lost World

photo: Carl Timpone

Musician and sound designer Julie Kathryn is just outside the mainstream music parameters on Lost World, the new album by her I Am Snow Angel project. As a seasoned producer it would have made sense if she would have created this mix of ambient-tinged synth-pop on her own, but she reached out to producer Charles Newman (The Magnetic Fields) and musician/composer JJ Appleton to have a listen and found that a true collaboration would help to get out of her comfort zone.

Loneliness and dealing with a bad breakup are the main themes on Lost World - the anxiety on the title track is almost palpable, but it also serves as a means of escape from the horrors outside. It is slow moving experimental pop song, with both harsh and gentle electronics, with her crystal clear vocals hovering on top.

Words about music (637): Elton John

I've always wanted to smash a guitar over someone's head. You just can't do that with a piano.

Elton John

Saloon Dion: Pressure b/w Hey Hey

photo: Seren Carys

Bristol based garage punk quintet Saloon Dion are filled with righteous anger on their debut single. Pressure deals with the economic mess the UK is in right now and the hectic B-side Hey Hey is about a guy who find himself cornered by the fuzz and contemplates resolving to violence. Shards of The Clash and The Buzzcocks have found their way into their music, honouring the adage that if you gotta knick, steal from the best.

The Fierce & The Dead: "Wonderful" video

English prog experimentalists The Fierce & The Dead have unveiled a video for their new single, Wonderful, their first track to feature vocals. The animation was made by band member Kev Feazey, using a background created by comic book artist Mark Buckingham.

Wonderful is released via Spencer Park Music. Buy it from their website.

» fierceandthedead.com

HCTF review of Wonderful

Johnny Dowd: Where Is My Mother

Johnny Dowd celebrates Mother's Day in his inimitable way with a new single, Where Is My Mother. Drenched in electronics it is not a happy tune by any definition, but the emotion and love for the woman who gave him life is very real indeed.

Nate Navarro & Randy McStine join the Porcupine Tree touring line-up

With Colin Edwin being out of the picture for the reformed Porcupine Tree tour in the Fall, there was a vacancy for a bass player and also the need for an extra guitarist. Enter Nate Navarro and Randy McStine, who will join Steven Wilson, Richard Barbieri and Gavin Harrison on stage. They are currently in the midsts of rehearsals.

The Fierce & The Dead: Wonderful

For the first time in their career English prog experimentalists The Fierce & The Dead have added vocals to their music. Kev Feazey's delivery on the new hard-hitting single Wonderful is almost buried entirely in effects, but this extension of their musical palette and the addition of a choice saxophone and trumpet parts courtesy of Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey/Spiritualized/Faust) is a sneak peak of what they have in store for their upcoming new album News From The Invisible World. It their first new studio material since the release of their The Euphoric album. Two remixes - a "purist" instrumental one and a "Vek Noir" reinterpration - are up on their Bandcamp page.

Donna Blue: The Beginning

photo: Philine van den Hul

Dutch retro-pop duo Donna Blue love to sound mysterious. Their new single The Beginning is a sof-spoken invitation to pay attention to the possible meaningof dream. Danique van Kesteren and Bart van Dalen inserted elements from the gentler songs of The Velvet Underground into this one and added layers of psychedelic rock to create a musical maze that keeps the listener on his toes all the way through.

Johnny Dowd: Poetry, Music, Zines & Art in Ithaca

On May 7th Johnny Dowd will take over The Downstairs in his hometown Ithaca, NY, for Johnny Dowd's Epic Night of Poetry, Music, Zines & Art as part of the Zine Fest extravaganza:

Johnny was a poet before he was a musician, and you are invited to see whether he made the right choice, as after a poetry reading the band will join him on the stage. His first of likely many zines will be available for sale, and the last night of his gallery show will be on display.

HCTF premiere - Red Spot Rhythm Section: Tainted Love b/w Boys Don't Cry

Chicago based Red Spot Rhythm Section have been reimagining well-known songs as a side dish for their own material. Led by musician and arranger Joshua Siegal their offer a blend of roots, reggae, soul and ska which is very danceable. On their new single they cover two tracks that were big in the '80s: Soft Cell's Tainted Love (in itself a cover of the 1964 single sung by Gloria Jones) and The Cure's Boys Don't Cry.

For Tainted Love Siegal opted for an organ-driven, fast-paced delivery, with Claire Liparulo on vocals. It works quite well, although it lacks the anger and frustration that made Soft Cell's version the definitive one. Boys Don't Cry is slow and soulful. It's easy to picture singer Erthe St. James dressed in a sharp suit, fronting the band on TV shows like Soul Train or American Bandstand.

Cover Me: Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Watch The Black Crowes tackle The Temptations' classic Papa Was A Rolling Stone on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The studio version can be found on their new EP 1972, their first new recordings since Croweology in 2010. On the EP they cover six tracks from an important year in rock 'n' roll, including the Rolling Stones’ Rocks Off, T-Rex’s The Slider, Rod Stewart’s You Wear It Well, Little Feat’s Easy to Slip, and David Bowie’s Moonage Daydream.

» theblackcrowes.com

Wings of Desire: A Million Other Suns

Dreampop duo Wings of Desire try to remember what went down during the night on their new single A Million Other Suns. Chloe Little and James Taylor take turns at making observations about the revellers, but there is also the lingering feeling that it some of it never actually happened. One thing is for sure: day time troubles are forgotten when there is booze and entertainment.

The Living Sky: Maia Song

Watch The Living Sky perform the all improvised Maia Song. Gnarly as the branches that surrounded them Jason Millard and Matthew Himes locked a groove and let their instruments to the talking. Their debut album Enter the Sky is released via Home & Garden (limited cassette, digital) and a follow-up is pretty much in the can.

HCTF review of Enter the Sky

The Megatallica Sisters: "Master of the Neutron Dance of Destruction", a Megadeth / Pointer Sisters / Metallica / Blue Öyster Cult mashup

Bill McClintock made a mashup of Megadeth (Symphony of Destruction, Tornado of Souls), The Pointer Sisters (Neutron Dance), Metallica (Master of Puppets) and Blue Öyster Cult (Godzilla). Want more? His YouTube channel has lots of them.

Colin Robinson: Mixcloud of his 4th "Answers On A Postcard" show on Otto Radio

English avant-garde musician Colin Robinson (Jumble Hole Clough, Churn Milk Joan, Big Block 454) broadcasted the 4th episode of his monthly Answers On A Postcard show on Otto Radio on May 1st. Missed it? It is now on Mixcloud:

I will be proving that 1970 was Year Zero for popular music by playing Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come, Amon Düül II and Hawkwind... Have fun.

Geiger von Müller: Space Digger #1

London based acoustic slide guitarist Geiger von Müller has released the gentle Space Digger #1, a study in rhythm and feel, straddling the fence between jazz and Americana. His signature touch is all over this one, combined with his unrelenting fascination for space travel. Red Ey built the Lego parts used in the video that was directed by A. Riegler. The track serves as taste for his upcoming new album Slide Sonatas I.