In the UK, hope for live music (outdoors) from August on is huge.
Several festival organisers already confirmed the good news. And
not small festivals only, also huge ones like Reading/Leeds and the
legendary Isle Of Wight festival. Also, great one-day events (such as
a big The Specials show) are announced.
– READING/LEEDS –
– ISLE OF WIGHT –
-THE SPECIALS –
30 March 2021
Band: MECH_NIMAL
Who: A modular band from Athens – Greece, an industrial project, a
unique collective of musicians and video artists, recording in various
permutations and staying true to the original roots of post-punk
melancholy.
Album: Θόρυβος (Noise)
Released: 12 March 2021
Info: “The eight tracks – with the words of Angelica Vrettou, for a long time in the
Mechanimal universe as creator of their album covers and curator of the videos
of their live performances, performed by the electric voice of Thekla Tselepi, sound
like timeless, irrelevant, precious fragments of their hitherto sound-worldview.
Turn Up The Volume: After last year’s drone ‘n’ roll LP Crux this Greek act
surprises again with a new thrilling adventure featuring two artists-ladies,
Angelica Vrettou (words) and Thekla Tselepi (voice).
What you get is spoken word poetry over cinematic synth layers, from ambient
to industrial. The lyrics are in Greek, I hear you say. So what? Music is a universal
language. The enigmatic, mysterious, ghostly and hypnotic sound of the words
trigger your imagination in a most peculiar way. Yes, the way you love it when
the clock strikes midnight. Put on your headphones, close your eyes and enter
the noise universe of Mech_nimal, an exciting sonic place to be. Synth-tastic!
Single/clip…
– Κοιτάζω τις Σκιές στους Τοίχους
Stream/buy full album…
.
MECH_NIMAL: Facebook
Daily electricity to load your batteries…
30 March 2021
Band: PASTEL
Who: 5 British ‘mad for it‘ rockers
alive and kicking since 2017
Pick: DEEPER THAN HOLY – single from their
upcoming summer debut EP via Manchester
label Spirit Of Spike Island.
Score: Imagine the bittersweet symphony swagger of Richard Ashcroft and
The Verve and the natural born coolness of Liam tonight I’m a rock ‘n’ roll star
Gallagher. Supersonic, right? And when your label celebrates the spirit of the
legendary Spike Island show of The Stone Roses back in 1990 – resulting in tons
of bored lads starting a band (hello Oasis) – you know that rock ‘n’ roll hedonism
is back in town. And not a day too late. In these freedom-and-pleasure limited
lockdown times bands like these – go away, Radiohead – sound and feel like the
second coming. Hope to see you soon somewhere on an island, guys.
Be adored right here …
PASTEL: Facebook
BOY ON FIRE
The Young Nick Cave
A new autobiographical 432-page book about Nick Cave as
a young man (‘the Dark Lord’ as one of his friends called him).
From growing up in Wangaratta to joining the music scene in
Melbourne, Australia.
Author: Mark Mordue.
Australian writer, journalist, and editor.
Louder Than War (Melanie Smith) writes: ‘Although it is primarily about the younger
Nick, we still get a flavour of how the Nick of today thinks and feels about the world around him. Nick has had no easy ride in life as he’s been hard on himself, pushing himself to achieve greater things. I’d say he was a perfectionist, constantly driven to create, whether it be music, art, screenplays, or books. It’s taken a considerable time for him to emerge and be accepted as one of the greatest songwriters and live performers of our generation; experiencing him live is like a religious experience. Colin Cave (his father) would be proud of the good son he turned out to be.” Full review here.
Available via Amazon
Every pop/rock junkie knows the glamtatsic exploits of ROXY MUSIC
but she/he also knows the sexy album artwork of several of their LPs.
Let’s have another look at foxy ladies on most of the roxy albums.
– ROXY MUSIC – 1972
– FOR YOUR PLEASURE – 1973
– STRANDED – 1973
– COUNTRY LIFE – 1974
– SIREN – 1975
– MANIFESTO – 1979
– THE BEST OF ROXY MUSIC – 2001
29 March 2021
Band: BEAMS
Who: A psychedelic folk-rock band formed in 2011 in Toronto.
Their beguiling sound pairs the stunning harmonization of female
voices with the shimmering textures of banjo and vibraphone.
Influences: Wilco, Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, Big Thief,
Waxahatchee, and Kevin Morby.
(photo by Brendan George Ko)
Album: EGO DEATH
Info: ‘Ego Death’ works as a narrative cycle chronicling songwriter,
Anna Mernieks-Duffield’s challenges with mental health & her journey
towards self-acceptance. With fuzzy, swirling guitars, gorgeous vocal
harmonies, intense melodies, and some perfectly placed vibraphone.
Released: 26 March 2021
The band says: Three years ago we decided that we weren’t done.
We agreed to link arms, embrace new sounds and ideas, and this
is what we created!
Turn Up The Volume: If you switch from jangly pop to metal Nightwish
fragments (Born To Win), from Sharon Van Etten elegance to Lenny Kravitz
guitars and back (Find Me), from musing lullabies (Til The Morning Comes /
To See The Light / Thee Star System) to amplified folk with banjo riffs (Sweet Tea)
and classic rock (Break Glass) and spice it all up with sparkling vocals/harmonies,
you have my aural attention for a long on repeat time. Follow in my earsteps,
you won’t be sorry.
Single/clip: Sweat Tea
– SWEET TEA –
Stream/buy EGO DEATH here…
.
BEAMS: Facebook
(Images/info via Wolfievibes Publicity)
1978 was the year of Grease, Superman, The UK Winter of Discontent… STOP!
Forget all that. 1978 was a new punk wave year of alternative razzmatazz,
sonic turmoil and timeless killer tracks by Patti Smith, Buzzcocks, The Clash,
Blondie, PIL, Talking Heads and, yes, The Stones & The Boss and many more.
Also the year of teenage kicks and the year we
learned that Jesus was a rock ‘n’ roll nigger…
Here come Turn Up The Volume‘s
25 ear-picked killer tracks of 1978…
.
Also the year the world
turned DayGlo…
(Image: Cover of the book of The Creative Life of Poly Styrene)
Daily electricity to load your batteries…
29 March 2021
Band: THE ROTANAS
Who: Gritpop gang from Cardiff, Wales.
Pick: MANIC – brand new single
About: “The song is built on a personal experience where I could
clearly see a close friend had mental and anger issues, and despite
my best efforts to intervene, I watched on and saw those issues effect
and seep into their personal relationships” says the band’s songwriter
James Wilson.
Score: From the get-go, it feels like Liverpool legends The La’s came
back from the dead. The Rotanas produce a similar twist and turn pop
magnetism and their vocalist sounds like if LA chief Lee Mavers is
family. The difference is that these mad for it Welshmen turn up the
decibels to the max, let their guitars go frantic and trigger like sons
of a gun. Bingo!
Stream/buy the cracker here…
.
THE ROTANAS: Facebook
(info & pic via Disobedient Records)
Get lost, paper boys…
29 March 2021
Canadian noise turbo METZ plays live at Lee’s Palace
in Toronto on Saturday, 24 April 2021. Info about tickets
for this online live show here.
A Metz concert feels like an out-of-body experience.
Trust me, I saw this big bang trio going mental several
times. My ears still remember their wall-of-blistering
sound as if it happened only yesterday.
Expect metallic explosions like this…
Let’s not forget they made one
of the best 2020 albums with
their 4th LP Atlas Vending.
Test your speakers here…
.
METZ: Facebook
My setlist souvenir from their 2015 gig in Brussels…
