Nick Cave: European Solo tour expanded with two more shows in Zurich and Bergen

Nick Cave has added extra shows in Zurich (June 12) and Bergen (August 8). He will be accompanied by Colin Greenwood. Still quite a few holes in his itinerary, so the announcement of more shows at a later date is highly likely.

Kristóf Hajós: Future

photo: Len Leo Vincent

Hungarian indie crooner Kristóf Hajós has released another single from his forthcoming album 6:00PM. With Future he tries to come to terms with getting older. His beard is turning grey and he has attended his fair share of funerals. Is the party over?. Is the party over? The music, written by Stefan Breuer (The World of Dust), is set to a slow disco beat. Who would have thought that the sound of a theremin could be so melancholic?

I am Oak: Dreamt of You

Dutch indie folk artist Thijs Kuijken, who goes by the stage name I am Oak, mixes things that are real and imaginary on Dreamt of You, a love song wherein anything is possible. Singer-songwriter Clasine Haringsma helped him out with the vocals, giving an extra shine to the lyrics.

Phish 2025 Mexico run SBD + torrents: Cancun 2025/01/30

Official Mexico 2025 poster by Max Löffler

Phish
2025/01/30
Moon Palace, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Set 1:

1. Blaze On
2. Plasma
3. Halfway to the Moon
4. 46 Days
5. Back on the Train
6. Gumbo >
7. Funky Bitch
8. Roggae
9. Halley's Comet >
10. Runaway Jim >
11. Cavern

Marianne Faithfull: 1946-2025

photo: Yann Orhan

Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull has died at the age of 78 in London. She had one of the greatest voices in modern music, overcame terrible odds, at one time being a homeless junkie in Soho, and became an icon in her own right, not just Mick Jagger's girlfriend.

She was a peerless interpreter of the works of Weill and Brecht. In her later years she worked with Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, and PJ Harvey. And Keith Richards is adamant that it is was her, who wrote the lyrics for Sister Morphine, although she never got a writing credit for it.

» mariannefaithfull.org.uk

William William Rodgers: tour dates

After announcing a show in Birmingham English singer-songwriter William William Rodgers has unveiled the dates of a proper tour. He will be performing solo, as a duo, and with a full band to promote his latest album Pond Life: "An ode to the countryside where life does not flash you by, but where you have an opportunity to stare into the distance, wondering what is that makes a particular animal tick. It is a landscape where he can get away with murder (Turning the Plough), the next best thing to paradise (Eden) and a safe spot for floating in the water without a care in the world (In the Swim)."

Jan Hovers: Switch

It may seem that Dutch artist Jan Hovers is spreading himself thin by doing visual arts, podcasts and music, but if anything it enables to give him a bird's eye when he takes on a new project. To call his second solo Switch album eclectic, would be a huge understatement. He calls it a road trip set to music, with various stops and chance meetings along the way. The latter enabled him to set up a conversation with long deceased heroes like Marlene Dietrich and Lotte Lenya - he pulled their voices he from his collection of 78 rpm records.

With short spoken word and field recorded interludes called En route - Henk Hofstede reads a bit of Nescio's Dichtertje (his band The Nits had a hit with a song named after the writer) in one of them - the tracks are tied together to create a musical maze, with Hovers acting as a pied piper directing his singers and fellow musicians in a gentle but firm way. Melodic pop and vaudeville are having a friendly tug of war.

Phish 2025 Mexico run SBD + torrents: Cancun 2025/01/29

Official Mexico 2025 poster by Max Löffler

Phish
2025/01/29
Moon Palace, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Set 1:

1. Sand
2. Theme From the Bottom
3. Free
4. Mull
5. Kill Devil Falls
6. Ghost
7. Evolve
8. Run Like an Antelope

Templo Diez & Labasheeda: show in Amsterdam

Dutch-French-Italian gothic Americana band Templo Diez and art noise rock band Labasheeda will playing at De Nieuwe Anita in Amsterdam on February 14, as part of a showcase of their label Presto Chango Records. Tickets are available here.

» labasheeda.nl
» templodiez.com

HCTF review of Blueprints (Labasheeda)
HCTF review of Sunland (Templo Diez)

Icarus Phoenix: Pedantic Myopia

Experimental folk band Icarus Phoenix make a stand for people that nobody bothers to give a second glance on their new single Pedantic Myopia. Alternating between anger and grief, the song is captured in a quiet intensity that is on the break of fully erupting.

By holding back there is no relief, which is good choice for a description of a person who keeps running into walls again and again. As per usual the solo acoustic demo, recorded by the band's songwriter Drew Danburry, is also available as part of the download.

Shawna Virago: "Bright Green Ideas" video

Shawna Virago has a made a video for Bright Green Ideas, a track from her Blood In Her Dreams album: a mix of broad strokes and intricate details, a musical quilt that fits her like a glove."

» shawnavirago.com

HCTF review of Blood In Her Dreams.

JPW & Dad Weed: It's Happening

Phoenix, AZ based musicians Jason P. Woodbury and Zachary Toporek have released It's Happening, a new single by JPW & Dad Weed project, serving as a taste from their forthcoming Amassed Like a Rat King album. It's a scuzzy sounding exploration of left-field indie rock, as if the instruments have been gathering dust for a couple of decades.

Somehow everything still works, which comes as a surprise for the musicians themselves. The bass and drums only interlude is a 101 for less is more, before giving way to a Tom Verlaine inspired guitar leading the way to a 60s Sci-Fi psych coda.

Jim Knable & The Randy Bandits: American Antihero

Jim Knable & The Randy Bandits have made a video for American Antihero, the lead single for their new album Pale Fire. It is a slice of vintage Americana, following the blueprint that was drawn up by The Band. It is a plea for taking it easy and not fall for the hysterical right-wing patriotism that is all the rage (pun intended) right now. The clip was filmed at the The Brooklyn Firefly in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Pale Fire will be released via Soul Kebab Records. Release date: March 7.

» jimknable.com

HCTF review of Blue Reunion

Nick Cave: European Solo tour

Nick Cave will be on tour in Europe, accompanied by Colin Greenwood. Quite a few holes in his itinerary, so the announcement of more shows at a later date is highly likely.

Steven Wilson: North American tour dates

Steven Wilson has announced the North American leg of The Overview tour. His new album will be released on March 14th.

This will be the first full-band solo headline run in over 7 years. Pre-sales begin tomorrow (28th January) at 10am local and tickets go on general sale this Friday.

Oh Hazar: "Behind The Scenes" show in Nijmegen

Dutch art rock band Oh Hazar have announced a "behind the scenes" show in their hometown Nijmegen @ De Basis on January 30. They will shed some light on the recording sessions for their debut EP Clair Obscur: "They have the hooks, the words, the breaks and the ability to string it altogether to create something very special indeed. They play with light and darkness, making it personal or political and - as a whole - pretty intense. They shun the easy routes, sprinkling dissonants, feedback and unexpected rhythmic shifts in each track."

Rosapolvere: Dungeons & Drones

Italian avant-garde artist Pietro Citteri, who goes by thes stage name Rosapolvere, is in full on nerd mode on his debut EP Dungeons & Drones, inspired by role-playing games and gothic fantasy novels. The four tracks explore the outer limits of harsh ambient electronics by way of old school synth wanderings.

Jim White & Trey Blake: "Precious Bane" European tour dates

American country noir musician Jim White and UK singer and photographer Trey Blake have joined forces for a new album, Precious Bane, due for release on January 31. They will be on tour in The Netherlands, Belgium and the UK to promote it, with Belgian musicians Geert Hellings (guitar) and Nicolas Rombouts (bass).

Words about music (771): Ian Gillan

I sang 'Nessun Dorma' twice with Pavarotti, and he told me he'd heard 'Smoke' about five or six times, and every time was different. He was so jealous because if he deviated one jot from the traditional interpretation of the famous arias, he'd be crucified. We have the freedom.

Ian Gillan

The The: in-studio performance @ KEXP radio

Watch the video of the November 1, 2024 in-studio performance by English band The The on The Afternoon Show @ KEXP radio in Seattle. They played two songs from their new album Ensoulment and three tracks from their back catalog.

William William Rodgers: show in Birmingham

English singer-songwriter William William Rodgers will perform @ Hare & Hounds in Birmingham on February 27. Expect lots of songs from his latest album Pond Life: "An ode to the countryside where life does not flash you by, but where you have an opportunity to stare into the distance, wondering what is that makes a particular animal tick. It is a landscape where he can get away with murder (Turning the Plough), the next best thing to paradise (Eden) and a safe spot for floating in the water without a care in the world (In the Swim)."

» William William Rodgers on Facebook

HCTF review of Pond Life.

Mike Gordon's "Outside Out" is on YouTube

Mike Gordon's weird film Outside Out, starring Col. Bruce Hampton, popped up on YouTube. Don't try to make sense of it. That's not the point. Nobody knows what the point is.

» mike-gordon.com

The Bullfight: The Storm behind Our Smiles - An Introduction to The Bullfight

When a band does a "best of" or "introduction" to their music, the track listing is limited back to the highlights most of the time. Dutch folk noir band The Bullfight may have labeled their lavish The Storm behind Our Smiles 3CD set as an introduction, but this collection, that ties in with their 20th anniversary, is much, much more than that. While the first disc contains a carefully curated sequenced collection of studio tracks - including the rarity Another Man that was released on a split 7" in 2007, the real treats can be found on CD2 and CD3, with great sounding demos and outtakes, and live recordings - including ones from the intimate Whisper In The Dark For Me album and recent ones from a show at De Roode Bioscoop in Amsterdam.

They are a band who are always giving their all as soon as the "recording" light up, the people at house concert have settled down or the lights in a club are dimmed. Fronted by lyricist Nick Verhoeven, who is blessed with a voice that can whisper and holler with equal power, The Bullfight bring the music of resident multi-instrumentalist Thomas van der Vliet to life. The band found their sound early on, incorporating elements from folk, post-punk, jazz and blues that will be recognized by Tom Waits and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, with Esther Vroegindeweij's violin acting like an extra vocalist if the song needs it. Every song is a short story of sorts - spoiler: happy endings are quite rare.

Dez Dare: Brutalised Robotics

Darren Smallman might well be one of the most intense musicians right now. Brutalised Robotics, the new single by his one-man trash punk band Dez Dare, is an in-your-face dystopian skewed rocker, with mussy keyboards riding shotgun.

He has some serious issues with mankind not being to be kind to animals and the rise of technology is not going to help to make ammends. Take note of the backing vocals that will sound familiar to fans of Bananarama.

English Teacher: in-studio performance @ KEXP radio

Watch the video of the September 27, 2024 in-studio performance by indie band English Teacher on The Afternoon Show @ KEXP radio in Seattle. They played six songs from their This Could Be Texas album.

Still Traffico: Who’s a Fraud?

London trio Still Traffico peddle the tried-and-true insecurities that are part of being a young adult on their new single Who’s a Fraud? With a jangling guitars that sound halfway The Smiths and Echo & the Bunnymen, they feel their way through mixed emotions, not sure if its them or the other party who is fucking things up. It is very relatable for their peers and quite endearing for people who have been knocked around by life for a little longer.

ISLE: "Equilibrium" previews in Hilversum & Düsseldorf

photo: Stefanie de Beurs

Dutch dream pop duo ISLE have a couple of shows lined up, showcasing the material from their forthcoming new album Equilibrium. They are playing in sync with some pretty nifty visuals.

Live dates:

• 01/31 @AllArt, Hilversum, Netherlands
• 02/13 Kultus, Düsseldorf, Germany

» aboutisle.com

Phish: Spring tour dates

Phish have announced a short Spring tour. The jam band veterans will play shows in four cities: Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The latter is a 3-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl:

This April, Phish will return to the west coast for a short run of dates including two-night stands at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena and San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium as well the band’s first show in Portland, OR in over 25 years. The run concludes with three nights at the historic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

In conjunction with their return to the Hollywood Bowl, Phish will donate $300,000 to support relief and rebuilding efforts for communities affected by the devastating Southern California wildfires through the band’s non-profit The WaterWheel Foundation.

Glyn Bailey: "This Man" video

English musician Glyn Bailey has made a stylish B&W video for This Man, a track from his new album Oran's World: "a treat for the ears and a reminder that people can be kind against all odds."

» glynbailey.com

HCTF review of Oran's World

Y: Why

photo: Lou Smith

London quintet Y put all the genres they liked in a blender. The result: Why, a fast as fuck banger that could bring back pogoing as the dance style of choice. The band started more or less as a joke, when Adam Brennan and Sophie Coppin were bored beyond belief during the pandemic and dreamed up this project to be unleashed when things would be back to normal.

With members of Fat White Family, Meatraffle and Pregoblin they know what it takes to get a rise out of people and since the lyrics consist of just one word - yes, that one - everybody can sing along.

Eric van Dijsseldonk: Half-Time

Dutch singer and guitarist Eric van Dijsseldonk has a very good ear for melody, which comes in handy for his fluid style of playing. On his Half-Time album the huge influence of the Beatles and Badfinger is fairly obvious, but there are quite a few nods to the sound of late 60s Laurel Canyon crowd and early 70s American singer-songwriters as well.

He is never in a rush, going for mid-tempo most of the time, and when he decides to go a little faster like he does in the rockers Do You Feel and Blackberry he is still very much in control. Van Dijsseldonk is an old school songsmith who gives as much care to his words as his music, fully aware that the sum is greater than its parts when it is done right. Exhibit A: Charlie's Coming Home, an on point tribute to Charlie Watts, "who was always in time" and "let others steal the show".

Various artists: In the Bath

Every act starts out as a cover act, trying to come to grasps with a song that touched a nerve. And almost every artist will sooner or later come back to it, adding a track to their live shows or record a full-blown all covers album. Record labels love them, because the material is already familiar and it can serve as a stopgap release when one of their acts is going through a dry spell. And then, of course, there are the compilation albums with a wide variety of musicians tackling one song each. Slap a theme upon it, and you are good to go. Whether it is worthy release or not, is up to the people who picked the songs and gave some serious thought to the running order. The sprawling 3LP In the Bath gets it right, with only a handful of clunkers. Compiled by Lush co-founder Mark Constantine it features reworkings of indie songs (and ... gasp ... the Spice Girls, Enya and Céline Dion) recorded between 1991 to 2001. His company peddles Spa products, but his love for music is real, and not only skin deep.

A good cover either replicates the original, which could be boring and superfluous, or it could take the song apart and put it together again in a brand new way. On In the Bath the latter is preferred, which makes for a grand collection of familiar songs sporting a new look. Kicking off with Marry Waterson's folkified reinterpretion of Say You'll Be There (Spice Girls) the album hits the ground running. Other highlights are strings meet quirky pop Reindeer (The Knife) fun ride courtesy of singer Piney Gir, an AI Willem Burroughs retelling I Feel You (Depeche Mode), the dream pop version by Rosie Doonan of What Sound (Lamb) and the subtle sitar applied to Street Spirit (Radiohead) by Sheema Mukherjee.

Shawna Virago: "Climb To The Bottom" video

Shawna Virago has a made a video for Climb To The Bottom, a track from her Blood In Her Dreams album: a mix of broad strokes and intricate details, a musical quilt that fits her like a glove."

» shawnavirago.com

HCTF review of Blood In Her Dreams.

OK Go: A Stone Only Rolls Downhill

American power pop quartet OK Go have announced a new album, And the Adjacent Possible, their first since the release of Hungry Ghosts in 2014. It looks that they are sticking to their guns, with the deceptively sunny side up sounding lead single A Stone Only Rolls Downhill proclaiming " Oh how I wish that I could tell you it would be all right". The video ties footage of 64 smartphones together, which takes product placement to another level.

Words about music (770): Bob Mould

Beyond my personal reasons for not looking back, a Hüsker Dü reunion would surely tarnish the history of the band. It's the rare occasion when a reunion tour is close or equal to what a band looked, sounded, and felt like "back in the day." ...I've left Hüsker Dü in the past. I'm not interested in diminishing whatever legacy exists just so people can say, "I saw Husker Du." If you have an original ticket stub dated 1979-1987, you saw Hüsker Dü. If not, you missed out.

Bob Mould

Jumble Hole Clough: Potpourri or Popery?

English avant-garde musician Colin Robinson takes a look at - among other things - religion, Greek mythology, superstition, food and old school means of communication on Potpourri or Popery?, the new album by his Jumble Hole Clough project. His love for acts like King Crimson, Captain Beefheart, free jazz and Krautrock in general is mixed with beeps and purrs..

He plays quite a lot of guitar on this one, but the percolating keyboards get their place in the spotlights as well, sometimes within the same track. Occasionally Mordred is a mashup of a pirate's drinking ditty and an off-kilter prog rock song - it also mentions John Travolta's vest. He gets funky with Scylla Black Mass and Semaphore Signal a manual for the art of stop-and-start chopped notes.

Hotgirl: On The Brink

photo: Niamh Barry

Irish quartet Hotgirl take a little warming up on their new single On The Brink. After a soft bedroom pop start the track explodes into Pixies-esque mayhem, with lead singer Ashley Abbedeen shouting at the heavens.

Emotions run high as she tries to come to terms with being lonely, as the onlookers are having a laugh at her expense. Sophie Boxwell's gnarly lead guitar will get a thumbs up for noise and metal fans.

Juan y la Hormiga: After The War

Juan Pablo Mazzola and Muchas Hormigas have teamed up for an album that was inspired by Spanish city Valencia, their currrent place of residence. Lead single After The War serves as a first taste. It is a hybrid of power pop and Americana that came out quite well, with optimism getting the better of pessimism in the end. Their voices fit together seamlessly, so getting the harmonies right was easy.

» Juan y la Hormiga on Facebook

Chalk: Afraid

Belfast based trio Chalk have successfully captured the middle ground between post-punk and dense electronics on their new single Afraid, a dance floor banger that rockers can relate too. It is a track from their forthcoming new EP Conditions III, due for release on February 21st via Nice Swan Records. The video was directed by Benedict Goddard & Colin Peppard. It will change one's view of enjoying an olive forever.

The Gentle Spring: "Looking Back At The World" video

Anglo-French trio The Gentle Spring have made a video for Looking Back At The World, the title track from their debut album: "A bit of daydreaming never hurt anybody. Cherishing the little things in life enables people to cope and humming along to these carefully crafted indie pop songs is surely near the top of the list."

Ellur: God Help Me Now

photo: Sarah Oglesby

Leeds based indie singer Ellur tries to come to terms with troubles she ran into in her relationships on her new EP God Help Me Now. Despite refering to an imaginary higher power, she realizes that she to do it herself.

Not repeating the same mistakes is a good idea (Yellow Light). When the best thing about a partner is a pet (Your Dog), it is best to move on. It is OK to be down for a bit (Mourning Song), but self-pity can only be part of the equation fo a limited time.

HCTF premiere - Kate Fagan: Go Faster

Punk rocker Kate Fagan is not afraid to take a stand. On her new single Go Faster she makes a plea for not playing it safe. It is much more fun to be loud and abrasive, with all the impending doom hanging heavily over the world. When billionaires want you to shut up and do their bidding, it is high time to plug in and turn it up to 11.

The song was co-written with NOLA artist Jeremy Joyce, who played a mean and crunchy lead guitar. Fagan has been making noise since the 80s, when she was fronting ska band Heavy Manners. And she shows no signs of slowing down or ageing gracefully.

The Primitives: UK tour dates

English indie pop band The Primitives take their special kind of upbeat New Wave on the road again. Last year's single I Won't Care and it's B-side Everybody Needs Somebody to Hate will surely get an outing.

Live dates:

• 03/27 St. Albans @ The Horn
• 03/28 Skegness @ Shiiine On 10th Anniversary Weekender
• 03/29 Hull @ The New Adelphi Club
• 07/05 Guildford @ Guilfest
• 07/31 Inverness @ Belladrum Festival
• 08/01 Newcastle Upon Tyne @ The Common Room of the Great North
• 08/03 Liverpool @ Cavern Club

» The Primitives on Facebook

Yuval Ron Trio: tour dates

German progressive guitarist Yuval Ron will be playing shows with his trio in Germany, the Faroe Islands and the UK this year. Thanks to the support of the Goethe Institute, the rare opportunity to be part of the Vetrarjazz Festival became financially feasible.

Ben Hemming: London Fog

London based singer-songwriter Ben Hemming steps away from his blues comfort zone on his new single London Fog, an ode to his current place of residence. He is still trying to fit in - frequenting his favourite pub serves as home away from home. The big city can be a lonely place, especially when it is raining.

Ruby Dawn: "Blood on Water" album release show in Reading

English progressive rock quartet Ruby Dawn will celebrate the release of their Blood on Water album with a show @ The Butler in Reading on January 31: "Guitarist Dave Salesbury is carrying around a huge bag of licks and solos, handing them out with a confidence that is both bold and gentle. Keyboardist and singer Carola Baer can whisper, but also highjack the spotlights with a bluesy growl to rip apart the tapestry of sounds. Add the fluid bass lines of Ian Turner and the tight but loose fills of drummer Adam Perry to the mix and you have a collection of songs that will be embraced by fans of Porcupine Tree and Marillion, had those bands opted for a singer who can channel Kim Karnes and Stevie Nicks."

The Gentle Spring: Looking Back At The World

photo: Philipp Dufour

English musician Michael Hiscock once was a member of the much loved indie band The Field Mice, a group that gave cult label Sarah Records some well-deserved notoriety. In one of those rare occassions when lightning strikes twice, he once again teamed up like minded musicians, in Paris this time, for a new melancholic pop outfit, The Gentle Spring.

On their debut album Looking Back At The World, an introspective perspective is key. Reminiscing about love affairs that did not last, doesn't hurt as much anymore (The Girl Who Ran Away) and it is alright to escape from everyday's troubles by following a cricket match between England and Australia (The Ashes).

They know perfectly well that there is no fine and dandy place like Sugartown, but a bit of daydreaming never hurt anybody. Cherishing the little things in life enables people to cope and humming along to these carefully crafted indie pop songs is surely near the top of the list.

Pothamus: "Ykavus" video

Belgian sludge/post-rock trio Pothamus have made a video for Ykavus, a track from their forthcoming new album Abur. The track moves at a glacier pace, with elongated notes and dreamy, chanted vocals on top. If they had electricity in the Middle Ages it might have sounded likes this.

Abur will be released on February 14 via Pelagic Records (vinyl, CD). They will perform the album in full @ Roadburn in Tilburg on April 20.

Curtis Eller's American Circus: "Another Nice Mess" video

Neo-vaudeville folk outfit Curtis Eller's American Circus have made a video for Another Nice Mess, the title track from their latest album. The clip features footage from the pie fight in Laurel & Hardy's 1927 silent short film, The Battle of the Century.

20/20: Back To California

Power poppers 20/20 released a few critically acclaimed in the late 70s and early 80s. Since then core members Steve Allen and Ron Flynt put the band back together a couple of times when they needed to scratch the itch, but it now it seems that things are getting really serious again with a new album, Back To California.

With the aid of Ray Flynt on drums, the pair rekindled their seamless shared vocals as the focal point for a bunch of jangling melancholic songs about love that dig a little deeper than per usual. Sure, there is plenty of longing for days gone by with tracks like Laurel Canyon and The End Of The Summer, but as wisdom comes with age, they avoided cliché rhymes or superficial self-pity. The guitar solo in Long Distance Call wrapped ina wash of keyboards should get them plenty of airplay on rock radio stations who don't rely on the same old same old when putting together a playlist.

Words about music (769): Johnny Thunders

Rock and roll is all about attitude and energy. It's about being true to yourself.

Johnny Thunders

Black Sabbath / Britney Spears: Sabbath Toxic Sabbath

Bill McClintock made a mashup of Black Sabbath and Britney Spears: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath + Toxic = Sabbath Toxic Sabbath. Plus a bit from Mötley Crüe's Girls, Girls, Girls for the middle eight. Want more? His YouTube channel has lots of them.

The Waterboys: Hopper's On Top (Genius)

American actor and photographer Dennis Hopper was one of those rare bigger-than-life characters, so it makes sense that Mike Scott went a bit over the top, albeit in a good way, when he wrote Hopper's On Top(Genius), the lead single for Life, Death And Dennis Hopper, the new concept album by The Waterboys.

The word "genius" is far too often used gratuitously for people who are not that special, but it in Hopper's case it is well deserved. Scott's knack for wall-to-wall keyboards driven rock anthems hasn't let him down for a couple decades and he will likely be rocking out for many more years to come.

Deleyaman: "Another Evening" video

French-American dark wave band Deleyaman have made a video for Another Evening, a track from their The Sudbury Inn album: "By cherry-picking from the classic texts Deleyaman has given them as new lease on life. If only a small percentage of the listeners will hit the bookshops after hearing the album, it is mission accomplished for a band that is not afraid to offer a challenge as a means of showing the beauty of literature by means of carefully crafted music".

The Illness feat. David Pajo: Speedway Star

The Illness, a loose collective consisting of musicians signed to Leeds based niche label Sea Records, enlisted David Pajo (Slint / Tortoise / Papa M) to add his signature hoarse voice to Speedway Star, a murky lo-fi rocker. It is almost as dirty and dangerous as the sport itself. The video was made by Jenny Collins Films.

Kevin the Persian: solo acoustic show in Arabi, Louisiana

Kevin the Persian will perform a solo acoustic show @Old Arabi Lighthouse Records and Books in Arabi, Louisiana on January 12 18:00, playing a bunch of his recent singles and tracks from his debut album Southern Dissonance: "Rock is a universal language. America has always needed outsiders to point the way, even if it is looking back to its own heritage."

» kevinthepersian.com

HCTF review of Southern Dissonance.

Steven Wilson: "The Overview" available for pre-order

The new Steven Wilson album The Overview is available for pre-order in a wealth of formats: deluxe 3-disc Earbook, red vinyl LP with poster included, Blu-Ray, CD and black vinyl. The album features two side-long progressive rock tracks, each made up of distinctive musical sections.

Side A. OBJECTS OUTLIVE US (23.17)

• No Monkey’s Paw
• The Buddha Of The Modern Age
• Objects: Meanwhile
• The Cicerones
• Ark
• Cosmic Sons Of Toil
• No Ghost On The Moor
• Heat Death Of The Universe

Side B. THE OVERVIEW (18.27)

• Perspective
• A Beautiful Infinity I
• Borrowed Atoms
• A Beautiful Infinity II
• Infinity Measured In Moments
• Permanence

The Overview will be released on March 14th.

Live dates:

• 05/01 Cirkus, Stockholm, Sweden
• 05/02 Konserthaus, Oslo, Norway
• 05/04 KB Hallen, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 05/06 Mitsubishi Electric Halle, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 05/07 Cirque Royale, Brussels, Belgium
• 05/09 Symphony Hall, Birmingham, UK
• 05/10 The Beacon, Bristol, UK
• 05/12 The London Palladium, London, UK
• 05/13 The London Palladium, London, UK
• 05/15 O2 City Hall Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
• 05/16 Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, UK
• 05/18 The Lowry, Manchester, UK
• 05/19 The London Palladium, London, UK
• 05/22 AFAS Live, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 05/24 Salle Pleyel, Paris, France
• 05/25 Salle Pleyel, Paris, France
• 05/28 Bourse du Travail, Lyon, France
• 05/30 Porsche Arena, Stuttgart, Germany
• 05/31 Zenith, Munich, Germany
• 06/02 Friedrichspalast, Berlin, Germany
• 06/03 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
• 06/04 Arena COS Torwar, Warsaw, Poland
• 06/05 Prezero, Gliwice, Poland
• 06/07 Teatro Degli Archimboldi, Milan, Italy
• 06/08 Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome, Italy
• 06/10 The Hall, Zürich, Switzerland
• 06/11 Cepac Silo, Marseille, France
• 06/12 Para-Lel 62, Barcelona, Spain
• 06/13 Sala La Riviera, Madrid, Spain

» stevenwilsonhq.com

JPW: Tiny Desert Concert

Jason P. Woodbury leads his American band JPW through an appearance for a Tiny Desert Concert hosted by the Phoenix, AZ radio station KJZZ. Woodbury has been in a lot of bands, but this is the first one wherein he is the lead singer.

» jasonpwoodbury.com

Record Store Day 2025: April 12

Record Store Day will be celebrating its 18th anniversary on April 12. Prices will be even more insane than last year. Mark your calendars and start saving for the interesting stuff, not the major label reissues of albums that can be found without too much trouble on the secondary market. O, and picture discs tend to sound like shit. Frame them, don't play them.

» recordstoreday.com

Pothamus: "Abur" Studio Documentary

Belgian sludge/post-rock trio Pothamus have posted a short documentary about the recording of their new album Abur. They did not go for the easy route to create the additional sounds they needed, because they felt that using samples won't feel natural. They brought extra instruments to add to their sonic palet.

Abur will be released on February 14 via Pelagic Records (vinyl, CD). They will perform the album in full @ Roadburn in Tilburg on April 20.

Abul Mogard & Rafael Anton Irisarri: Live at Le Guess Who?

Nobody could predict what Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri would come up with for their performance at the Le Guess Who? festival at the Jacobikerk in Utrecht, The Netherlands on November 9, 2024. Amidst an array of synthesizers the duo offered an immersive experience, putting the acoustics of the building to good use as their drones and soundscapes seemed to fly around in a gentle dance.

Thankfully the show was recorded professionally and the four tracks are now available as a seamless one track on the Live at Le Guess Who? album. Choral elements interact with ambient to create a sonic maze wherein both performers and audience had to find their way out. All things must end sometime, but changes are listeners will press play again, hoping to keep the musical magic alive a little longer.

StipsGoulding: Love Is All You Need

Robert Jan Stips and Jane Goulding have teamed up for an album, mixing dream pop with pastoral progressive rock. Lead single Love Is All You Need shows their hope for a better, more caring world is in fine fettle, never mind that it is highly unfashionable right now.

Stips is a seasoned keyboards player and singer (Nits, Supersister, Golden Earring) who is still reinventing himself and love a challenge. Upcoming singer Goulding considers herself very luycky to be working with him, but she should not have worried: her vocal chops are top notch. The album will be released in the Spring.

» stipsgoulding.nl

Tony Levin: interview in Vulture

Bass maestro Tony Levin has worked with a lot of the big guns. He looks back on some of those sessions in an interview with Vulture. On recording The Next Day with David Bowie:

I had to be working on a Sunday, which was the wedding day of a close friend of mine. I was to be the best man at that wedding. This close friend was a David Bowie fan. Here was my conundrum: What do I tell him? Do I turn down the session to be there for the wedding or do I do the opposite? Should I tell him at all? I was sworn to secrecy by the production team, so it was tricky. The compromise I came up with was I did say no to the Sunday session, but I did the Saturday session, which meant I wasn’t there for the rehearsals of the wedding. And I didn’t tell my friend. I had to be like, “I’m sorry, I can’t be your best man. I can only be there at the wedding.” So how’s that for a cryptic compromise? About a year later, I had, frankly, forgotten about this secret session and the album coming out. But the producer, Tony Visconti, emailed me at midnight of the day it could be spoken about. Immediately, I called my friend and said, “Remember when I couldn’t make the rehearsal dinner? I was doing a David Bowie session. I hope you appreciate that and forgive me for not telling you about it.” He did, thank God.

His new solo album Bringing It Down to the Bass is available here.

» tonylevin.com

Slumbercloud: Eurosonic/Noorderslag shows

Hard-hitting Dutch post-rockers Slumbercloud will be playing three hometown shows during the Eurosonic/Noorderslag festival in Groningen, promoting their new SLC album: "a step up from an already impressive debut. It will be hard for them to top this one, but with their love for adventurous risk taking they will figure it out."

Live dates:

• 01/15 Groningen @ De Drie Gezusters 20:30
• 01/17 Groningen @ Nachtcafé Warhol 21:00
• 01/18 Groningen @ Café De Graanrepubliek 22:00

All shows are free.

» slumberclouders.com

HCTF review of SLC.

Tugboat Captain: Marmalade Making

English baroque-pop band Tugboat Captain are aware that the world is a shitty place right now, so they resorted to a classic activity to take their minds of things. Marmalade Making has plenty of singalong potential as well. Best enjoyed with your friends and a beverage of your choice: "This city is fucked // And the rent is a joke // The air tastes like shit // And my flat’s filled with smoke // So i’ll buy myself fruit // Even though I am broke // And I’ll make myself jam // To remind me of home"

Nick Frater: "One Minute" video

English multi-instrumentalist Nick Frater has made an AI-enhanced video for One Minute, the lead single from his forthcoming new album Oh Contraire!, keeping power pop alive and well in the 21st century.

Oh Contraire! is available for preorder here (CD, digital).

» nickfrater.com

Words about music (768): Peter Gabriel

Happy music that is genuinely joyful is probably the hardest music to write. I think miserable stuff is more natural to the human condition and maybe more cathartic.

Peter Gabriel

Glyn Bailey: Oran's World

Glyn Bailey is an optimist, with a sharp to find beauty in a world that is quite dark right now. His new album Oran's World is filled to the rafters with carefully orchestrated, baroque pop. He plays with light and shade, with the latter coming out on top, even when melancholy comes up with a half-hearted attempt to gain dominance.

If anything, this collection of songs is a plea for being gentle by way of luscious musical arrangements that were all the rage in the late 60s. Jazz and big band licks were part of the mainstream back then, and Bailey puts this old school to good use in tracks like Birdsong, This Man (inspired by the TV series) and Honeypot.

Geiger von Müller: Alien Fig Yogurt Incident

London based acoustic slide guitarist Geiger von Müller renamed one of the tracks of his Slide Sonatas II. album. Alien Fig Yogurt Incident sounds far more interesting than Blue Moon Frequency #4 and it is more in sync with the main theme of the album, contemplating the possibilities of other life forms in the universe. The video was directed by Janka Bacsi.

A Place To Bury Strangers: "Have You Ever Been In Love" video

NYC noise rockers A Place To Bury Strangers have unveiled a video for Have You Ever Been In Love, a serious contender for the loudest love song ever. The clip was directed by John Fedowitz.

"Live in De Groeverij" double album in February

Five years ago the folks of indie record store De Groeverij in Houten, The Netherlands, started hosting small scale live performances. They selected 26 tracks for a double album Live in De Groeverij, which will be released on February 1st. A bunch of artists that feature on the album will be playing live again on Feb 1 (20:00) and Feb 2 (15:00). Audio fragments form the album can be found on the shop's Instagram.

Live in De Groeverij is available for preorder here.

» groeverij.nl

HCTF review of A Parallel Universe Inside - Live at De Groeverij (The World of Dust).

Innerviews on YouTube

Music journalist Anil Prasad has started a channel on YouTube with highlights from his Innerviews interviews and documentaries.

» innerviews.org

The Happy Somethings: Felt

English twee trio The Happy Somethings are in a melancholy mood on their Felt EP. Breakups seems unavoidable, never mind trying to make amends when it is a lost cause to the other party.

All that is left are memories of the good times - of which there were plenty. The sea could not care less about human misfortune, so that offers a bit of solace when one's is staring it from a window on a grey day.

Phish 2024 NYE run SBD + torrents: New York 2024/12/31

Official MSG 2024 NYE poster by Kampground Designs

Phish
2024/12/31
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Set 1:

1. Mike's Song >
2. Bouncing Around the Room >
3. Weekapaug Groove
4. Stash
5. Evolve
6. Llama
7. Split Open and Melt
8. Backwards Down the Number Line >
9. Carini
10. The Squirming Coil