On the seventh day – almost 3 years ago – TOYAH WILLCOX
and her beloved husband ROBERT FRIPP (King Crimson) started
their Sunday Lunch Sessions as a fun pastime while being locked
up in their kitchen due to that shit virus.
Three years later, they still have a party in their kitchen.
Last Sunday then went for a take on Radar Love (released in 1973),
the biggest hit (more than 135 million views on Spotify) of legendary
Dutch rock legends Golden Earring.
Here we go.
I’ve been drivin’ all night, my hands wet on the wheel
There’s a voice in my head that drives my heel
It’s my baby callin’, sayin’, “I need you here”
And it’s a half past four and I’m shiftin’ gear
When she is lonely and the longing gets too much
She sends a cable, coming in from above
Don’t need no phone at all
We’ve got a thing that’s called radar love
We’ve got a wave in the air
Radar love
These feminist girls in a band unleashed their A.W.E.S.O.M.E
6-track EP last week. Buy/stream here.
And opener Boys In A Band is a motherrockin’ standout. A ferocious punk sucker-punch
to crush male machos with. Vocalist/songwriter Phoebe Lunny has 4 lungs and uses them mercilessly and bassist Lilly Macieira-Boşgelmez plays her 4-string louder than war.
2. ‘This Just Ain’t My Year‘ by 32 TENS (Warrington, England)
This vigorous trio of young gunslingers speed full tilt ahead from the get-go.
No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes and creeping under your skin faster than you
can say ripsnorter. A whirlwind of scorching guitars, pounding drumming, a revolving
bass line somewhere in the middle, go-getting vocals, and a dynamite chorus. This is gonna be the year for 32 TENS.
“It’s a liberating, drum-backed anthem that allows the band to
break free from any stress or obligations in pursuit of a good night.”
Good times or bad times, it’s always (in)sane to lose your marbles while diving
into a hot let’s have a ball night, now and then, and go berserk. This manic master
blaster doubles your adrenalin production an make you feel flying eight
miles high while you jump from bar to bar, from club to club.
The Strokes‘ frontman Julian Casablancasand his hobby band are back with this flabbergasting metallic stunner. It goes forth and back, left and right, slow and fast as if Casablancas and his misfits put several snippets of several songs together and puzzled them into one stupendous stroke of a belter.
The UK wasn’t so divided as it is now following Brex-shit, charlatan Boris Johnson
and the ongoing suffocating acts of the Tories. Like so many (young) Brits Drella
hate what they have to endure every single day. And they let it hear loud and clear
on this new stiff-necked wallop.
The Swedish punk clowns are finally back with new stuff.
Their new LP The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons, their first
in 11 years, lands on 11 August.
The first single Bogus Operandi starts slowly with some drum hits and some distorted guitars. But after 45 seconds the wait is over. From there on it’s full steam ahead with frontman Pele howling as we know for a long time now.
The pumpkins released their three-part rock opera Atum in Three Acts
a couple of weeks ago. A total of 36 songs. I picked the 12 best, deleted
the rest, and guess what? I have a splendid new SM album.
This two-piece alt-rock act – Kristen Goetz (vocals) and Nolan Jodes (guitar/bass/vocals)
took their name from David Bowie‘s 1974 track Diamond Dogs: “…just another future
song, lonely little kitsch.”
Monster is the duo’s 2nd single. A monstrous cannonball going everywhere fast.
A post-punk eruption that resonates like L.A.’s celebrated AmazonsL7 on speed.
A Nick Drake tribute album is coming up. Parish and Harding are part of it.
The duo picked Drake’s 1969 composition THREE HOURS from his Five Leaves
Left LP.
Their take is a Krautrock-like-spinning masterstroke. It moves and grooves along
a hypnotic bass riff and a steady drum beat with doomy synths working their way to
the front. Mesmerizing and intoxicating while duet vocals float all over it, alluring and affecting. Special, really special
Depression Breakfast follows the first cranked-up single Tension and is the title
track from their upcoming 5-track EP which will see a digital and 12″ vinyl release
next June.
The tone is poignant and disturbing in an intriguing way. As we know, artists can do great things in case of a distressed state of mind. Despite the dark lyrical context Depression Breakfast‘s guitars cut like a Swiss knife just as troubled soul Lou Barlow (Sebadoh/Dinosaur Jr.) does with flaming force when he rocks out to expel his demons. Japanese Jesus can work cathartically too for all of us who haven’t a pink view on reality these days. As we know too, sad music can work deliberating.
Spinning Plates is a piece from this British songstress’ upcoming debut album.
Carpenter:“There’s a lot to unpack in this song. From societal pressures on the roles you are meant to fulfill as a woman, alongside the struggle of keeping up a relentless positivity to being a musician – and how impossible it is to ever get the balance between the two. Our anger is justified and our stories worth sharing. ”
It’s 2023 and still a lot of male machos and sexist pigs operate in the music
industry, and not only there. Horrible. Carpenter seems to try and fight these
awful demons with this emotive power-pop stroke gem. Spinning Plates is an
infectious guitar/drum-energized stomper with her room-filling voice standing
out upfront. At one point she slows down, only to restart the magnetic groove.
When I heard this earworm for the first time, I could swear that this pop pearl
is a previously unreleased track from U2’s recording sessions for their 1987 masterpiece LP The Joshua Tree. Stand For Something has that majestic grandeur of the Irish heroes’ idiosyncratic sound with The Edge‘s magical guitar play lifting their hits to epic heights.
No, I’m not kidding. What Infinite Sonic does here is what rhapsodic pop is about. I just looked outside, it’s a beautiful day, and if you still haven’t found the tune you’re looking
for this might be the One.
“A song about not accepting the harsh truths we all need to face sometimes.
Getting lost in some other distraction to ignore the hard task of acceptance.”
Following previous punchy single From The Start these Canadian Londoners nail it again with this new avid crackerjack that turns up the ardency every time when the catching chorus crashes in after the tension is built up in the verses. Firm guitars, a fired-up rhythm section, and fiery vocals. All ingredients you need to make your ears happy.
This Belgian unit was founded in 2017 by singer-songwriter Jacob Vermeire
who needed a way to express his feelings and found it in his music.
Bricks is their debut single.
It’s an emotive introspection wrapped in a glorious melody that strikes your ears
from the kick-off. An arousing gem that resonates like a vibrant Americana song of
veteran songsmith John Mellencamp and the poppy moments of Violent Femmes. Strumming guitars, infectious flow, impassioned vocals and an uplifting chorus.
A top-notch pop thrill that elevates restless minds, by far.
Rango is the band’s debut single. A dashing slice of music. It combines a toe-tapping reggae groove with a bluesy chorus and somewhere along the way, an Eric Clapton-like guitar solo cranking up the vibe. Cool, right? Unquestionable. This is the kind of full of pep tunes that get you through the day while shaking your hips. The singer sings at one point “There’s No Space For Happines“. Don’t worry be happy, you scored a notable debut.
“The Lender‘ is a song about surviving in the city. And these days, as any urban
dweller will attest, there’s much to overcome. Armstrong‘s new song is a deceptively
joyful reflection on the struggles of living in a concrete jungle. Evocative of Springsteen’s chronicling of life on the fringes of society, “The Lender” is a track hiding hope in desperation.”
This is captivating Americana the Canadian way. Great voice, great melody, great musicality, and the vocal resonance and swagger of the late great Tom Petty. Amstrong strums his acoustic guitar the way the Eagles did it endlessly and The Lender‘s bluesy-country feel has both a melancholic and yearning sensitivity. These are tunes that stick instantly, the ones you play for a while.
19. ‘You Don’t Have A Choice’ by EASTER ISLAND (Athens, GA)
“You Don’t Have a Choice’ is an indie rock song that evokes an ethereal and moody atmosphere through its intricate instrumentation and emotive vocals. The introspective nature of the lyrics is matched perfectly with the melancholic and contemplative instrumentation, resulting in a dreamy and haunting soundscape that encapsulates the overall mood of the song.”
This a moony and radiant beauty, an amplified musing with crystal guitar sparks
reminding me of NYC darlings Interpol‘s 6-string galvanism. A gripping heart-and-soul touching reflection with mesmeric vocals for tranquilizing moments. Magic.
On 18th August these cult post-punks, led by Craig Dyer
launch release their new full length, called Nostalgia Class.
This is the first single. Pure UY. A moony meditation embedded in a gripping,
melancholic melody that rings in your yearning ears from the first spin. There’s
a sparkling rotating riff that invades your head and stays there. Magical melancholia
with, of course, frontman Dyer‘s shadowy vocals completing the darksome sonic
picture as we know it.
In its new issue Mojo looks forward to the 50th birthday of JONI MITCHELL‘s
sixth longplayer, titled COURT AND SPARK released in January 1974.
Mojo #356 also features, Nick Drake, Generation Sex, a piratical supergroup; Paul Simon’s stunning new album; Dylan’s Shadow Kingdom; the truth about Love, Queen, The Zombies, Harry Belafonte, Willy DeVille, WITCH, Prince, The Teardrop Explodes, Sparks, Gang Of Four, Calexico, Keith Jarrett and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
The Covermount CD named Ramblers & Gamblers, is a compilation of 15 ace artists of 2023. Stars Sunny War, Lankum, Lisa O’Neill, Jim Ghedi, Meg Baird, Angeline Morrison, Julie Byrne, Angel Bat Dawid and more.
You can purchase a copy and let it be sent to your home. Info HERE.
Female-fronted metal unit WITHIN TEMPTATION is one of
the biggest bands ever in the rock history of The Netherlands
released their 8th LP, named WIRELESS, a week ago.
The striking album artwork
Along the new album came a video-clip for the title track.
A bombastic burst, a burning torch, a vintage WT haymaker
accentuating again the vocal vociferousness of metal Diva Sharon den Adel.
Sharon den Adel : “Wireless” is a song about a soldier who goes to war
convinced that he is going for a good cause. He’s indoctrinated by government
controlled media and thinks he’s going to be welcomed back as a saviour, only
to find out he has been used. This has resulted in people seeing him as a brutal
conqueror instead, and now he finds himself on the wrong side. His life and the
lives of many are deceived and destroyed.”
The clip is an AI-generated one. A stunning visual spectacle telling the story
of a soldier who becomes the victim of ruthless war propaganda. Without
a shadow of a doubt Turn Up The Volume‘s BEST VIDEO OF THE MONTH MAY.
JOHN BONHAM, the Herculean drummer of legendary hard blues-rock emperors
LED ZEPPELIN was born 31 May 1948 in Redditch, Worcestershire, England. He would
have celebrated his 75th birthday today.
He passed away, at only 32, following a hard-drinking day
that knocked him out. He fell asleep and choked on his vomit.
Robert Plant: “He was an incredible character and so encouraging for me despite the fact
he was always taking the mickey out of me and I loved him desperately. We really were kids
and we grew up not having a clue about anything at all, just the two of us, loud, confident and mostly wrong and it was really good. We covered most of the squares on the board as time went by, I do miss him.”
TUTV: You can file The Get Arounds somewhere between The Pretenders and Joan Jett.
They produce riff-rousing rock ‘n’ roll to get you going through the day, the night and
in between. Their motto is “Don’t bore us get to the chorus”. That’s what happens on I Want Something More too with it’s sickly sticky refrain, its steady solid rhythm section,
its textbook guitar fireworks and its vivid vocals by rock chick Lana Ryma. The track is
from their red-hot flaming album. Check it out here.
Get up, stand up and fight for you right to
ignore our anxious reality and freak out.
Best known as the guitarist of rap-metal turbine RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
(1991–2000,2007–2011, 2019–present / 4 albums). He also played with Audioslave (featuring the late Chris Cornell), The Nightwatchman and with several other artists.
As a solo artist, he has 3 longplayers on his résumé.
Born, named Nicholas Bowen Headon on
30 May 1955 in Bromley, England.
Happy 68!
Topper is best known as the drummer of the last punk band in town, The Clash.
He played with them from 1977 to 1982. He also drummed in Mick Jones‘ own
group Big Audio Dynamite. He was/is a multi-instrumentalist who also loved/played jazz, soul, R&B, and reggae. He recorded/released one solo LP, Waking Up in 1986.
