New Music for July - Part 1
We take a look at some new music recently added to our catalogue.
The Hard Quartet - Hard Quartet
Mark says: The Hard Quartet is an indie rock supergroup featuring Stephen Malkmus (Pavement), Matt Sweeney (Chavez), Jim White (Dirty Three), and Emmett Kelly (Cairo Gang). Malkmus, Sweeney, and Kelly share vocals, guitar, and bass, while White is the group's drummer. This is the kind of fun album where artists stretch out in looser, more sprawling, musical directions than their respective solo or band settings. It's a testament to those involved that they are able to play up this vibe, while at the same time managing to create a distinct & cohesive sound and statement so it seems like a proper album, rather than a few good songs and some filler jams. Similar to some of the more polished later Golden Smog albums by Jeff Tweedy and co.
William Tyler - Time indefinite
Sam says: Nashville native William Tyler has been a continuous creative force within the American indie folk scene for close to thirty years, initially as a member of both Lambchop and Silver Jews before launching his solo career in 2010. Time Indefinite stands as his seventh full-length album released under his own name. Stylistically, Tyler’s music has previously been described as ‘cosmic country’, and this latest effort sees him push this aesthetic into more experimental realms than ever before. His signature folk stylings are still recognisable here, but they are deeply abstracted, eschewing traditional song structures for heavily textured instrumental sound collages. Time Indefinite is a compelling and atmospheric listen.
Neil says: Pete Shelley is better known as the lead singer of the pioneering punk band the Buzzcocks. However, his first album Sky Yen recorded in 1974 (but not released until 1980) was an early experimental electronic work, inspired by German Kosmische Musik. In a strange way the electro pop of the 'Homosapien album' welds these two musical threads together -- namely the strong lyrical content present in the best Buzzcock songs which, is in turn embedded into eighties synth pop electronic settings, creating an eighties-tastic New Wave pop music album. The album did well on its initial release, and the attendant single "Homosapien" is now regarded as a classic “out-and-out electro LGBT anthem" of the 80’s, and was banned by the BBC at the time for its supposedly risky lyrical content.
Cunningham Bird : reimagines the classic '70s gem, Buckingham Nicks
Mark says: Singer/guitarist Madison Cunningham and singer/violinist Andrew Bird have created this 'tribute' to the 1973 LP Buckingham Nicks, which Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks recorded as a duo three years before they would join Fleetwood Mac. Supposedly the masters are owned by Nicks & Buckingham, but the album has never been officially re-released or remastered since its original vinyl release. Cunningham & Bird don't follow the sonic template of the original - which hues close to the AOR radio friendly soft-rock sound that they would soon bring to Fleetwood Mac, but instead recast the tracks with more gentle acoustic/baroque-folk stylings. It's all very charming, and they manage to retain a lot of the wistful emotion & tension of the original songs.
Humanist - On the Edge of a Lost and Lonely World
Sam says: Possibly most well-known as a frequent collaborator of the late Mark Lanegan, Rob Marshall has led an illustrious career in the realms of alternative rock and post-punk. On the Edge of a Lost and Lonely World is the second full-length album released under his current moniker Humanist. As with the previous self-titled effort, On the Edge of a Lost and Lonely World features an array of guest vocalists across the entire record, with returning features from Dave Gahan (of Depeche Mode fame) and Carl Hancock Rux, among many new contributors. As before, the music here is grounded in dark post-punk aesthetics, with subtle electronic touches providing a more nuanced sense of dynamics. Those who are fans of Marshall’s previous releases will find much to enjoy here.
Life, death and Dennis Hopper – Waterboys
Neil says: 'Life, Death and Dennis Hopper' is the sixteenth studio album by Scottish folk-rock group the Waterboys. However, this album is a million miles away from the Celtic mysticism they are best known for. This is a concept album about the American Hollywood rebel-icon Dennis Hopper, and has more in common with the John Cale and Lou Reed album Songs for Drella - a concept album about their friend and mentor the artist Andy Warhol. As such, it is fabulous, brilliant if eccentric work. Each song takes various moments from Hopper’s colourful and eventful life, and uses them as a kind of lightning rod to explore the golden age of pop culture he was such a key part of. Even the aforementioned Andy Warhol makes a guest appearance.
Lighthouse - Francis of Delirium
Mark says: Francis of Delirum is the project of Canadian-Luxembourg based indie rock musician Jana Bahrich. Having toured with Soccer Mommy & Horsegirl, her music has been compared to Weyes Blood & Phoebe Bridgers. Debut album Lighthouse, following some critically acclaimed EPs, is a super melodic, crunchy catchy shoegazey indie guitar album. While this doesn't necessarily claim any new ground musically, it's the kind of warm melodic alt-rock that is full of euphoric choruses and tenderly observed moments. The lyrics mostly detail past and present relationships, but the focus is on universal themes and feelings, and the consistency of the writing and her lovely crystalline vocals elevate this to a classic piece of indie pop-rock. A really impressive album.
Sam says: Willie Watson has enjoyed an illustrious career within the American folk and bluegrass scenes for some decades now. Starting off as a founding member of the highly successful Old Crow Medicine Show, he left the group in 2011 to embark on a solo career. His self-titled third album is the first to focus largely on original material, and as such nicely showcases his skills as a songwriter as well as a performer. There is a genuinely potent sense of Americana across the album’s nine tracks, with Watson’s heartfelt vocals sitting atop the deeply sentimental musical arrangements. Overall, a compelling listen that will appeal greatly to fans of Watson’s previous works.
Neil says: The songs on Derya Yildirim’s third album 'Yarin Yoksa' draw on the multi-instrumentalists and lead singers own personal life experiences, as well as delving deeply into her rich and diverse cultural heritage and background. The album integrates a whole host of different musical influences such as traditional Anatolian folk ballads, funk and soul and, especially notably, the Turkish psychedelic tradition that dates back to the late 1960s. With so many creative sources to draw on the album unsurprisingly works on many levels, luxuriating in these influences to create a unique musical listening experience.
Mark says: Anxious is the posthumous studio album by English-Canadian singer Nell Smith, released UK-based label Bella Union, after she died at the age of 17 after being involved in a car crash. This is actually her second album. Nell was a huge fan of the band The Flaming Lips, and at a young age had an opportunity to meet Wayne Coyne at one of their shows. They kept in contact and a collaborative album materialised, a Nick Cave covers album, Where The Viaduct Looms, recorded when she was 14. 'Anxious' is however all her own work, bright, bubbly, quirky indie pop from a actual teenager navigating adolescence with all its entailing highs, lows and uncertain feelings and direction. There is a remarkable musical maturity here, a nexus of instrumentation & ambition that was far greater than her lived years. Musically & lyrically far from the music created by other young female singers.
Sam says: Over the years, Colombian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Ela Minus has enjoyed a varied career over a diverse set of musical fields. From stints as a drummer in hardcore bands to nightclub DJing to studying jazz at Berkeley, Minus is a truly multifaceted artist and performer. As a solo artist, Minus fully embraces her electronic production instincts to create exciting and enigmatic music which is irresistibly danceable with a striking sense of sonic detail. Following her highly acclaimed debut album Acts of Rebellion in 2020, sophomore effort Dia sees her further exploring her already adventurous musical identity to great effect. The music here feels more confident and refined than before, with her distinctively mysterious vocals adding a strong sense of aesthetic beauty. Dia is as imaginative as it is accessible, making for an engagingly satisfying listen.
Daffodils & dirt - Samantha Morton
Neil says: Samantha Morton is known as a Multi Award winning actor whose films often have a dark undercurrent or plays leading roles in period drama films such as (1997’s) Jane Eyre. 'Daffodils & dirt' is her debut album and has its lyrical roots in her extremely troubled childhood. She has talked in several interviews about her years in the foster care system, sleeping rough and being abused physically and emotionally as a child. Samantha finds something beyond the raw darkness of this source material, transforming the bleakness into an eerie, mysterious inner dreamscape where her childhood emotions and reality intersect, forcing light into the darkness. The glitchy, dusty, reverb heavy, trip-hop music suits the words perfectly. Trace DNA elements of mid period Radiohead album’s such as Kid A or Amnesiac can be heard in this music. A powerful, brave, dark dream of a release.
The future is our way out - Brigitte Calls Me Baby
Mark says: Debut album from this Chicago five-piece harks back to the UK music of the late 80s & 90s. After Baz Luhrmann saw him portray Elvis Presley in a touring production of the musical Million Dollar Quartet, singer Wes Leavins was enlisted to help with the Elvis biopic soundtrack, and passed on a demo tape of his band to Luhrmann. The resulting 5 track 2023 EP, This House Is Made of Corners, has now been expanded with 6 new songs for this debut full length. Leavins channels a remarkable Morrisey like retro-style with his vocals and the huge catchy songs, with their big melodies and hooks, hark back to the lush new-romantics/new wave singers of the 80's, who themselves were reimaging 50s & 60s crooners like Elvis and Orbison. On paper it come across as a huge nostalgic art-rock grab, but the songs, lyrics, mix and production are all so on point it really does feel fresh and exciting. Music with a mystique as well as a strong feeling.
Lambrini Girls - Who let the dogs out : party music for gay angry sluts
Sam says: The south of England has seen a notable surge in experimentally driven punk-rock and post-punk in recent years. With their aptly titled debut album Who Let the Dogs Out: Party Music for Gay Angry Sluts, Brighton-based duo Lambrini Girls prove themselves as a thrilling addition to a wildly eclectic and exciting scene. Relentlessly fast, noisy, discordant and highly aggressive instrumentals are topped with menacing vocals and politically potent lyrics, making for some of the most provocative punk music to emerge from Britain in recent years. Featuring ten tracks within the space of half an hour, Who Let the Dogs Out: Party Misic for Gay Angry Sluts is a powerful and immediate listen from a promising young band.
The Room - Fabiano do Nascimento & Sam Gendel
Neil says: Brazilian guitarist Fabiano do Nascimento and L.A. based saxophonist Sam Gendel team up for this percussion-free, mellow, chilled outing. Sam Gendel is known in the American jazz scene for his experimental approach to his playing, however this album is a big departure from his usual modus operandi. 'The Room' is a stripped down, back to bare essentials, minimal components work, resulting in a charming and intimate jazz release. At first the tender tracks might appear, whilst lovely, a bit light, but as you get into the album the easy rapport between the musicians reveals layer upon layer of intricate complexity, as each musician in turn lets the others music drift in and out of the various pieces.