Month: June 2018

Compelling Singer/Songwriter WILLIAM CARLOS WHITTEN Impresses With Brand New LP ‘BURN MY LETTERS’…

Posted on by JL

Sonic splendor that good you play it…

6 June 2018

I never ever heard of artist WILLIAM CARLOS WHITTEN before, until a week ago, when Boston based digital label I Heart Noise send me a Bandcamp-link with the named artist’s brand new album, entitled BURN MY LETTERS. I gave it a listen as I know, by experience, that I Heart Noise releases fascinating stuff frequently. Now, after several spins in only 48 hours I know one thing about Whitten and one thing about his fresh longplayer. Firstly: he’s a haunting songwriter with a striking voice and mixed emotions songs that touch disturbed hearts and desperate souls with heavy-hearted songs. Secondly (after I was blown away by the record I wanted to know a bit more about the man): he’s based in New York City and has been around for a long time. He played with NYC band St. Johnny (1989-195) and is still part of Grand Mal. Also when I noticed that Dave Fridman, known for his work with psychedelic daydreamers Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips and Sparklehorse, mastered this longplayer I felt immediately why he got involved. Burn My Letters is a special piece
of work. High-quality songwriting. Gripping arrangements. Affecting instrumentation
(with an omnipresent, touching piano). Different moods, different musings, different timbres, different tunes. Discover the desolate, human beauty right here.

TODAY’S YESTERDAY ALBUM – ‘The Perfect Prescription’ – Dope LP By SPACEMEN 3

Posted on by JL

Remarkable albums from the past…

‘The Perfect Prescription‘
by SPACEMEN 3
Released: September 1987
Second longplayer

ALL MUSIC wrote: “Drawing together some earlier material and a slew of new songs, Spacemen 3 tied everything together on the brilliant Perfect Prescription, the clear point
of departure from tribute to psych inspirations and finding its own unique voice. Planned
as a concept album, this LP works where so many other similar efforts failed due to the
strength of the individual songs, as well as the smart focus of the concept in question,
a vision of a drug trip from inception to its blasted conclusion, highs and lows fully intact.”
Score: 4.5/5 – Full review here.

TURN UP THE VOLUME says: Psychedelic gloominess at its mind-pleasing best.
The British Velvet Underground. Addictive classic.

Album in full…

SPACEMEN 3: Biography – Discography

Bristol’s Furious Punks IDLES Drop New Jump Around Slam ‘DANNY NEDELKO’…

Posted on by JL

Bristol’s punk turbo IDLES will release the follow-up to their stupendous wall-breaking debut ‘Brutalism‘ with new longplayer, entitled ‘JOY AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE’ later in the year. And today they dropped brand new single ‘DANNY NEDELKO‘ as the first taster.
A scream along and jump around uppercut with a manic chorus made to start moshpits around the fucking globe. Hell Yeeahhhhhhhhhhh! Go bananas to the boiling firecracker right here…

IDLES: Website – Facebook – All Tour Dates


Artwork new album JOY AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE – out 31 August

BODY/HEAD Featuring KIM GORDON And BILL NACE Share New Obscure Single ‘YOU DON’T NEED’…

Posted on by JL

Brand new sonic impulses…

BODY/HEAD, the musical project featuring ex-Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and experimental guitarist Bill Nace will launch new, second, full length THE SWITCH on 13 July via Matador records. More info here. Ahead of its release here’s first, dark single ‘YOU DON’T NEED’. An extended, monotone and repetitive slow-mo guitar stroll going on like forever with Gordon bemoaning voice all over it. Ominous and bizarre. Here’s the obscure trip…

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BODY/HEAD: Website


New album THE SWITCH out 13 July via Matador.

Belgian Daydreamers UMA CHINE Glisten On Wondrous Debut Single ‘SCREENS’…

Posted on by JL

Daily fuel to load your sonic batteries…

5 June 2018


(photo: Shervin Sheikh Rezaei)

UMA CHINE (hUMAn MaCHINE) is a Belgian band formed around guitarist/keyboardist Nele De Gussem who was/is being part of several other outfits and varied projects. She’s surrounded by a team of experienced and eclectic musicians. Together they just released their debut single, titled SCREENS. A pure pop pearl that triggers your fantasy instantly. A wonderous rainbow colored with heavenly harmonies wrapped in electronic atmospherics touching your senses. A truly lustrous debut that will put a blissful smile on your face. Find out why right here. Music, maestro, please. Time to dance and sing…

UMA CHINE: Facebook / Label: Starman Records

TODAY’S YESTERDAY ALBUM – ‘Things Fall Apart’ – Fourth LP By… THE ROOTS

Posted on by JL

Remarkable albums from the past…

‘Things Fall Apart’
THE ROOTS
Released: 23 February 1999
Fourth longplayer

PITCHFORK wrote: ” ‘Things Fall Apart’ was a turning point for the Roots, the record
where they figured out what kind of band they could be. Both its themes and its eclectic
mix of sounds resonate in the current moment. As the Roots teetered between fame and purgatory, virtue and failure, the album captured the intensity of a group with everything
to lose and the world to gain. The band was pushing the limits of their sound. By building a musical community and mastering the art of collaboration, they figured out how to cross over and keep their soul intact. ‘Things Fall Apart’ was The Roots’ most successful record, and after years in the shadows, they were finally getting radio airplay and touring as headliners.”
Score: 9.4/10 – Full review here

TURN UP THE VOLUME says: “Unfortunately this album is highly relevant again today, as so many things falling apart again – most of all the equality among humans, regardless race, religion and sexual orientation – the past few years with macho world leaders dividing the people for their greedy benefit.

TOP TRACK: The Next Movement

Album in full…

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THE ROOTS: Facebook – Twitter – All Albums

Live Moment Of The Year (So Far) – PERE UBU Kicked Out The Jams In Belgium

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PERE UBU – 4AD Club, Diksmuide, Belgium – 1 June 2018

Last Friday legendary Cleveland singer/songwriter/underground/rocker/poet/storyteller David Thomas and his PERE UBU band hit Belgium as part of an European tour following
the band’s release of the excellent 20 Years In A Montana Missile Silo LP last summer.
A flamboyant album showing (again) that Thomas still has the sound and vision – after almost 45 years – to inspire, to enrapture and to excite with verbal sharpness, cracking tales and kick-ass songs.

Also live the 6-headed combo still knows how to get a hungry crowd of old and less older fans (not to forget some lifelong-super-devoted fans named one by one by chief Thomas) in a state of joyous agitation. Experienced musicians led by a natural-born entertainer with a voice that whispers, sings, howls, screams and tells us stories about monkeys and about his burden: people very close to him beg on repeat to be… charming. Hilarious stuff. The roller coaster set featured several tracks from the new LP and some imperishable classics.

Despite some physical problems nailing him to his chair the whole time Thomas rattled
on and on with every single nerve he has in his body. After the last song, and a deserved ovation many, including myself, headed towards the bar, not expecting an encore. Oh my! Pere Ubu came back faster than we could order a drink and how! KICK-OUT-THE-JAMS-MOTHERFUCKERS! The biting and clamorous way Thomas spit that timeless line out, word by word, was nothing less than gobsmacking!

So was actually the whole smashing rendition of that MC5 classic. Thomas was playing guitar on his walking stick! Suddenly a splendid gig turned into one with an unforgettable moment of sheer euphoria. Hail hail! Fabulous!


Kick Out The Jams, Motherfuckers!

20 Years in a Montana Missile Silo


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PERE UBU: Website – Albums Discography – Facebook – Twitter

(Concert pics by Turn Up The Volume!)

SEVEN IN THE MIX! 7 Crackers For Week 23…

Posted on by JL

A brand new SEVEN IN THE MIX for a brand new week!
Seven stirring kicks I played on repeat these past days
Seven lively tracks to feed body and soul all week long
Turn up the volume! Music is the dope! Here’s the stuff!

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1/ ‘Yes Men’ by ED THE DOG (High Wycombe, UK)
Here’s some tremendously pumped-up electricity. A striking pop punk fireball in overdrive. This blazing ripper will make your head turn 360° non-stop. What a smoking outburst! Top!

ED THE DOG: Website – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

2/ ‘I’m Ready’ by COLOGNE (Philadelphia, PA, US)
After a promising 2017 debut EP this swirling Philly engine hits bullseye with their new electrifying stroke. Multi-layered guitar firework, an overall catchy flow and intens vocals.

COLOGNE: Debut EP ‘New World’ on Bandcamp – Website – Facebook – Twitter

3/ ‘Dark Surf’ by CURIOUS HOUR (London, UK)
Impossible to resist this dazzling whirlwind. A truly red-hot tsunami with singer Emily Grazebrook‘s ardent soul vox on top of the storm. After a bluesy intermezzo midway the band reloads and finishes thunderously. From their ‘Explore‘ EP – stream on Bandcamp.

CURIOUS HOUR: Facebook –  Twitter

4/ ‘I’ve’ Been Broken’ by HOUSEHATS (Melbourne, Australia)
This groovy banger’s funky swagger will have an impact on your hips, feet and head from start to finish while you’ll scream along to the sticky chorus in between. Shaking score!

HOUSEHATS: Band info – Facebook – Twitter

5/ ‘1000 Ways To Die’ by DISH PIT (Liverpool UK)
Here’s some rough, barbed wire garage havoc to annoy your whole neighborhood with. Fuzzing and buzzing, roaring and droning. A rowdy, tumultuous hammer and chisel slam!

DISH PIT: Facebook – Instagram

6/ ‘She Don’t Say Goodbye’ by GOOSEBUMP (Toronto, Canada)
This colorful and multi-instrumental orchestrated soul pop vibration twists and swings gloriously. This is the moment to get out of your lazy couch and shake your booty, folks!
GOOSEBUMP: Facebook – Bandcamp

7/ ‘Meaningless Thoughts In Dark Times’ by SOMEHOW (Paris, France)
This fuse of lo-fi electronica, vivid bass, peculiar tunefulness and distinctive vox leads to exciting pop waywardness. More of it on this artist’s ‘Hidden Memories’ LP on Bandcamp.

SOMEHOW: Facebook – Twitter

See/hear you next week, music junkies…