Band: SMALLTOWN TIGERS Who: Three Italian punkettes. They started producing noisy waves
with their 2020 album Five Things and have canned a second one.
New single: SMALLTOWN TIGERS
The title track of their new, upcoming
full length, out in February.
TUTV: Last year, the fiery riot grrls toured with punk icons The Damned.
I guess that’s why Crush On You has that flaming and turbulent drive of the
early Damned tumult. No brakes, no breaks, always fast-forward. No arty-farty
production for the tigers.
Amps up and all cylinders on is their motto, on record and on stage. Guitars
go crazy, the drum/bass brawniness is hefty, the vocals cut like a Swiss knife,
the chorus is crushing, and this fervent firecracker lasts no longer than an
average Ramones blast. Bingo!
Three new roses in town.
Right here, right now.
Belgium 2023 as support act for The Damned.
Photos by Turn Up The Volume.
The girls play some dates in the UK next month.
Sat 10 Feb – Prince Albert, Brighton Sun 11 Feb – Lady Luck, Canterbury Wed 14 Feb – Twenty-One, Southend-on-Sea Thurs 15 Feb – Bird’s Nest, Deptford, London Fri 16 Feb – Spinning Top, Stockport Sat 17 Feb – The Hive, Rotherham Sun 18 Feb –The Vaults, York (matinee 3pm)
The late great TINA TURNER who passed away last year, aged 83, played an open-air show at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio De Janeiro on this day in 1988. She performed for a massive crowd of 182,000 people. The largest audience ever for a single artist.
If you’re looking for an up-and-coming singer-songwriter
to start 2024, I have a notable one for you.
Belgian artist SIMON LE MA, blessed with a bewitching voice, who released his
excellent debut album THE HOUSEWARMING LP last November should get your
aural attention if you’re a fan of captivating musings.
Le Ma‘s musical taste is pretty eclectic. Funky songs, jazzy songs, poppy songs, even
some flamenco vibes here and there. Expect echoes of Father John Misty, and the
acoustic beauty of Bonnie Prince Billy. Cool, right? You betcha (my trained ears never
fail me, except on a hangover off-day).
All that said I’ll give the word to Simon. But first, as usual
with a TUTV interview, a slice of music to warm up.
Hello Simon,
What or who influenced you to pick up a guitar and start to play music?
“Without my friends in high school, I would have never picked up the guitar. My friends have all been brought up on classic rock bands such as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin and the Pixies, whereas I come from a household of almost total musical silence. I remember a ‘Radio 2 Greatest Hits’ CD in the car with some Robbie Williams and Tina Turner, but that was about as far as it went in terms of musical upbringing.
As a result, I never took an interest in music, until my friends introduced me to bands
like QOTSA, Arctic Monkeys and the Black Keys at the age of 16. Being the insecure teenager I was, I wanted to be able to follow their conversations at school, so I absolutely CONSUMED those artists’ albums.
My friends convinced me to play the bass and form a band, which we did. Unfortunately, we had different musical ambitions so we don’t play together anymore, but I cherish those memories and I will be forever grateful to them for introducing me to music.”
Which track would you play to the people who never heard of you?
“I would play ‘Decision Making‘, the first song on my album. I think the song leaves enough space in the beginning to focus on the lyrics, which introduce the story of the album quite well. Musically, it builds nicely to a climax which is one of my favourite moments. It always makes me happy, especially when people sing along when I play it live.”
Your debut album is out. It’s titled ‘THE HOUSE WARMING LP’.
What is it that you want to express with the title?
“‘The Housewarming LP’ is a chronological concept album about a housewarming party that goes from bad to worse. If you listen closely to the lyrics, you’ll hear evening turn into night as the awkward initial conversations make way for desperate monologues.”
What’s the story behind the cover image?
“Last summer, I played a wedding gig somewhere in West-Vlaanderen with Anly Lippens,
a friend and terrific singer. After soundcheck, we had a lot of time left and I stumbled upon a large room with a dance floor and some weird-looking mirror balls. I asked Anly if she could take some pictures for “online content”.
She has a great vision and feeling for aesthetics and placed a white balloon next to me
on the floor. I really like that detail because it adds to the underlying idea of the album.”
Do you write the music and the lyrics yourself, Simon?
“I do. In the final week of 2021, I isolated myself in an apartment in Oostend and recorded nine demos. I usually start with a general story for each song, which fits the theme of the album. Once I have a clear direction, I start writing some vague lyrical ideas, mostly just some sentences that flash through my head or that I picked up somewhere.
I then start making grooves and progressions to match those lyrics and keep building until I’m ready to make songs and record demos. The demos for the album were later refined and mixed by Xavier De Clercq at Poolside Studio, so he had a great impact on the music.
Jan Joos and Freddie Webber also created some epic guitar solos for ‘Socrates‘ and ‘Distance‘ respectively. They also sang backing vocals for several songs together with Anly Lippens, Christoph Goossens and Siebe Puynen.”
Were you listening to other records/artists while writing the album?
“I listened a lot to my ‘Discover Weekly‘ playlist, a weekly algorithmic list made by Spotify with 30 new songs based on your listening habits. I like to hear fresh ideas
when I’m in the writing phase to keep me inspired.
I had also just discovered José González’ classic album ‘Veneer‘. He certainly inspired me to aim for a warm and acoustic vibe. Finally, I was also listening heavily to Yong Yello‘s album ‘Marcel en het Magnetisme van de Goot’. He inspired me to make a concept album.”
Are all songs in some way connected or do they all stand on their own?
“All songs are connected. The album is a musical translation of the feeling you get when you had a rough week at work, your social batteries are depleted and you realise that you should have stayed at home. The housewarming party is just too much to handle. As a result, you get irritable, jealous and cold. You act weird and out of sync and you eventually end up hurting the people you love the most.”
Suppose the album would be the soundtrack for a movie,
which one would it be, Simon?
“Good question! I’m sure there are some movies out there about home parties going wrong, but I don’t have anything in mind. I’m a big fan of animation though, so I guess
it would be funny to see Shrek or Monsters Inc. with some of my music in it.”
You did an album launch show recently. Which artist/band
would you love to tour with?
“I’m a big fan of Warhaus. His latest album ‘Ha Ha Heartbreak’ is one of my all-time favourites. I broke down in tears when he played ‘Time Bomb‘ during his show at AB
last year. His musical vision, style and lyrics really speak to me.
Also, I’m sort of in love with Tamino and his music. I think you could say that he’s
my male crush. However, I don’t know if it would be a good idea if I was to tour with
him, since I probably would just be in awe around him all the time.”
Warhaus, Ghent – Pic by Turn Up the Volume
What are your musical ambitions for the future?
“I dream of playing a few support gigs in a really cool venue such as ‘De Vooruit in Genth or ‘Trix‘ in Antwerp. Besides that, I just want to continue to make concept albums, funny music videos and have people sing along to my songs when I perform them live. I really like that feeling.”
Playing the blues in Ghent, 2023 – photo by Turn Up The Volume
Your favorite track and album of 2023?
Track: ‘Há-de sarar’ by ‘MARO’.
Album: ‘Hortelã’
Why? I don’t understand a word of what she’s singing
in Portugese, but the woman touches my soul.
. What may we expect in 2024, Simon?
“Musically, my goal is to release a follow-up album after the summer. I already
finished nine demos and booked some time at Poolside Studio in the coming months.
In the meantime, I’m going to keep promoting ‘The Housewarming LP’.
Personally, even though I feel like I’ve already come a long way, I would like to keep learning how to be a better listener, how to stop judging others and how to love myself
a little better at times when that seems difficult.”
Another Ma quality: a great sense of humour
Thank you Simon for this interview. May the road rise with you in 2024
Artist: DANCING PLAGUE Who: The moniker of Portland-based dark-electro artist Conor Knowles.
So far he released 4 albums. Check them out onSpotify. Number 5 is
coming up.
New single: FADING FORMS
From his new, forthcoming longplayer, named Elogium, out on March 22. Pre-order info here.
TUTV: Fading Forms is a grand orchestral piece of dark-Goth-wave work. A sky-scraping symphonic earworm with Knowles‘s baritone voice taking it to a sky-scraping level. Majestic sounding synths build a wall-of-irresistible sonority that impacts your limbs’ movements.
The song has the pop grandeur of British electro heroes Erasure and Depeche Mode (both with exquisite composer Vince Clarke), but also the melodramatic bombast of German legends D.A.F (Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft). Formidable.
Bristol punks IDLES became a top act after 4 splendid albums since 2018. And they’re
not done yet. Longplayer #5 Tangk is waiting in the pipeline for release on 16 February.
Ahead of it you can go apeshit to new, third single and fierce haymaker GIFT HORSE.
Joe Talbot (frontman): “Look at us go! Music and movement for
you and yours. Be bold and ride us like the disco donkeys we are.”
Even after almost 30 years since their farewell, Scottish ethereal dream-pop heroes COCTEAU TWINS, with key members Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) and Robin Guthrie (musical architect), still have a huge following (more than 270,000 followers on FB).
Great news for all these fans. The band’s final two LPs, FOUR-CALENDER CAFE (1993)
and MILK & KISSES (1996) were reissued on vinyl last week.
It’s their seventh LP. It was originally released on 18 October 1993 on Fontana. The album distinguished itself from the rest of the Twins’ catalogue in two major areas: The sound was much more pop-oriented and less ambient than previous works, and Liz Fraser’s lyrics were much more intelligible than usual. It peaked at #13 on the UK charts.
Original LP
. MILK & KISSES (1996)
Although not intended so at the time, Milk and Kisses, released in March 1996, became
the final album issued by the group. The trio worked separately but effectively – Raymonde would work in the daytime, Guthrie at night, leaving Fraser to add her vocals. Because of the aftershocks of her split with Guthrie, lyrics came easy to her. Although work had begun on a follow-up album the band split up in 1997.
The track is released under the GABWorx label. This song represents a bold stride
forward for the pair of musicians. Recorded at Sun Mountain Studios with the esteemed producer David Baron, the track boasts an impressive line-up featuring Mark Gemini Thwaite (of Peter Murphy and The Mission fame) on guitars and Emilio Zef China (known
for his work with Peter Murphy and Jonathan Davis) on bass. It’s the harbinger for their
new album ‘Pins & Needles’.
Bryndon B: “Creating the Cyborg Amok version of this song was really exciting for me. When I wrote this song, I envisioned releasing a solo single, but working in the context of Cyborg Amok added a new dimension to the song overall. We took the song down a darker, heavier rock path than my original idea. The full band concept really pulls this version together.”
Greg B on working with David Baron: “It was a brilliant experience working with David.
His body of work speaks for itself, but being able to fiddle with an array of vintage synthesizers during our sessions was amazing. Several of these instruments can typically only be seen in museums. The layering and FX we were able to employ makes this song truly unique.”
TUTV: The dynamic heartbeat of Why Not! is actually a terrifically infectious pop
melody that goes sky-high on the zealous chorus. By embedding the vibrating tune
in a fully-fledged guitar/electronics bath, the duo turn this track into a darkwavish,
super-duper Cyborg Amok thrill that starts off with an Guns ‘n’ Roses-like Slash riff.
If I didn’t know better, I would swear that former Joy Division/New Order‘s legend Peter Hook on bass.
The ardent vocals and pumping drum beat complete the Goth-Pop picture.
The seamless musical blend at work here makes you reach for the repeat
button.
In order to not miss a beat Turn Up The Volume scans the musical
horizon daily (doing it for years now, actually) to stay in touch with
all new things sonically great and shares the results on a weekly
basis.
Check the 10 new rad cuts just
added to this rad 2024 playlist.
Who: Italian act started by Paolo Mioni, former member of Jennifer Gentle,
spearhead of the Italian psych scene. They released their debut album Painkillers And Wine last year.
“It’s about an antidote to anxiety. Sometimes the complexity of life leads us to feel all
of the weight of the world on our shoulders, like the mythological character that gives
the song its title. But you can drop that weight, or you can at least try.”
Monoscopes draw you into their psychedelic world where surrender and hope are the only options to handle life. Hey Atlas sends shivers down your spine. It’s both a melancholic and harrowing jam bringing the mellow moments of Interpol to mind. It touches and moves heart and soul. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. That comforting given should inspire all of us who are confused and fidgety these days.
New single: PEACE SIGN
Their 7th LP, named Interplay, their first since 2019,
is set to be released on March 29.
Potent drums/bass determine the upbeat pace and whirling vibe of the track all the way. Peace Sign is a sickly sticky pop earworm with an orgasmic chorus. Welcome back.
A breakup song that searches for hope in separation. The song narrates the difficult journey
of deciding to end a relationship, from the initial realization to the actual conversation.”
This heart-rending, glowing pop piece confirms once again the cathartic power of music.
It’s a story of relationship problems embedded in a titillating tune. Enchanting.
Who: Noir Deux Peace, Jon Othello and Elle Flores,
from the Scilly Isles, England
The duo is inspired by Mary Shelley, Whitby Abbey, Pipe Organs, Flowers, Polka Dot Cats,
Dark Punk, Gothic Novels and Rock n Roll Autobiographies, Castles, Abstract Painting,
Euphoria, Mist, Autumn, Halloween, Optical Illusions, Edgar Allan Poe and Andy Warhol.
Expect a darkwavish, drum/bass carried meditation with glinstening Curesque guitar
play and Television echoes, and the gloomy vocals creating a chilling atmosphere.
Magnetic stuff. I’m Sparking Cyanide is an intoxicating psych feat.
“The song is a case in point, a would-be moving ballad if it were stripped of its dancey drum-plus-drum machine beat. It’s pre-chorus reminiscent of a 90s sitcom opening tune
or romcom closing credits song (in the best possible way), with the chorus’ bright synth chords and electric guitar notes giving a summer vibe, albeit a slightly poignant one, with Kim’s lyrics a confession to longing to be wanted in someone’s life.”
This bouncy and breey, uplifting pop piece transfers your thoughts to a utopian world where love, peace and friendship rule. Kim Janssen‘s longing and crystalline vocals have a mesmeric impact. This kind of wishing well tunes are always welcome on my headphones in these times of intolerance, war and bigotry.
Who: A coven of humanoid meat sacks forged in the Vats of Creation by Dr. Gorp. Their mission: to Rock. However, they are also permitted to Roll. Human terminology might define them as a “band,” however they would be more accurately described as Biological Property of M’Graskorp Unlimited Enterprises and Subsidiaries of the GlanGlan Group. I have no clue what this all means.
“An amorous and trippy song that pays homage to the twin pillars of human joy: a kiss,
the sweet interlocking of souls, and the goij, the herb that unravels the mind’s knotty woes. Imagine the harmonic convergence of lips meeting ‘twixt loving gazes and the effervescent dance of goij smoke waltzing through the air. Its intoxicating groove offers a kaleidoscopic sound, accompanied by a phantasmagoria of color and love.”
Freak Le Chic disco dynamics, Bee Gees like vocals and Saturday Nigh Fever vibrations combine for a get high experience. Effervescent tune that triggers your best dance moves.
Who: An artist whose melodious tales paint vivid landscapes of raw emotions and unconventional perspectives. She weaves a mesmerizing tapestry of sound, drawing listeners into her realm of introspection and self-discovery.
“White Glove” is an invitation to set aside the rational world and enter a space where emotions are raw and unfiltered, offering a rare opportunity to engage with music on a profoundly personal level and allowing it to become a part of your own emotional and sensory tapestry.”
The heroine of this rapturous ballad is Noanne‘s stirring voice that draws your aural attention all the way through. White Glove is a bittersweet symphony colored with subtle piano touches, soothing strings and some spooky backing vocals. Grand composition.
Band: SLIGHTEST CLUE (Canada) Who: Vancouver-based four-piece, like the secret after-school project of four kids who would have passed each other without a glance in the hallway at school, but once they’re plugged in and ready to play their distinct blend of post-punk, alternative rock, and dark pop, all bets are off.
The third and last track from their 2nd EP titled Carousel which will be released
officially on February 9th. It’s inspired by songwriter McLaren’s crush on a person
he couldn’t pursue.
TUTV: The tight tandem of drum and bass at work here determine the scorching
mid-tempo rhythm of this besotted piece from the kick-off. Why Can’t I Call You is
a mixed emotions-loaded crackerjack going forth and back. Fervid, wondering and yearning.
Torrid guitars augment the spellbound ardency and the feverish vocals of Malcolm
McLaren reflect the song’s lovesick sentiments loud and clear just like Elias Bender Rønnenfelt, frontman of Danish Iceage does so intensely great. Top-tier stuff.
