The Nashville rockers KINGS OF LEON announced the release of their 9th LP
a couple of weeks s ago. They titled it Can We Please Have Fun and will land
on planet Earth on May 10.
Following the red-hot-roasting lead single Mustang and the more laidback
follow upSplit Screen the Kings make some ablaze amok on the third
taster, named NOTHING TO DO. A vicious motherrocker of a haymaker.
Wake up, people
and have fucking fun
like KOL have.
Singer-songwriter/guitarist FORREST RICHARD ‘DICKEY’ BETTS has passed away at 80. He’s best known as co-founder along with Gregg and Duane Allman, back in 1969, of the legendary Florida group ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND.
The news came in a couple of hours ago via his Instagram account.
DROWN is one of the best songs Billy Corgan ever wrote for/with THE SMASHING PUMPKINS. It happened after their 1991 Gish LP
came out, and featured on the soundtrack of 1992 romantic comedy
film Singles by Cameron Crowe.
It should have been a huge hit.
Billy Corgan:“We wanted it to be a single, we were pushing for it. I was even willing
to make it a video. Radio stations were playing it. And when it came time for the third
single (off the soundtrack) , they said, ‘Screaming Trees.’ And I was like, ‘Screaming Trees??’
But what label is Alice in Chains on and what label are the Screaming Trees on? ‘Epic‘,
which is the label that put out the soundtrack. And that’s what killed the song.”
Afterward, in 2001, SP included the song on their Greatests Hits compilation Rotten Apples, although they cut it, incredibly, in half, killing the flabbergasting
guitar solo in the process.
Here’s the full movie soundtrack version.
I almost forgot why I started this post in the first place. So here we go. Canadian artist ALICE GLASS, former vocalist of EBM trash duo Chrystal Castles just shared her version of the song.
Glass: “I believe in the power of art to transcend betrayal and disappointment. “Drown” is not just a cover; it’s a testament to resilience and artistic integrity. This track was created after we were asked to be a part of an exciting compilation that ultimately didn’t end up happening. But I didn’t want that to stop us from sharing our interpretation of this iconic Smashing Pumpkins track. This release is a declaration of autonomy and a reminder that true artistry cannot be stifled by broken promises.”
Glass really turned it upside down. Check it out.
(Image Alice Glass: cover of her solo debut LP ‘PREY//IV)
CAN LIVE IN ASTON 1977 is the latest in an ongoing series of album releases
focusing on the band’s live performances, is set for release on vinyl, CD and
digitally on 31 May 2024 via Mute and Future Days.
Live in Aston 1977 is a whole new lens through which we can view a unique band
with seemingly inexhaustible energy for live performance. It came at a difficult period
for the German band. Their eighth studio album, Saw Delight, had been badly received
and although posterity has been kinder, the reviews on release were savage.
It might be expected that the live performances from this time would reflect some of the criticisms of the album, that they were slowing down, perhaps even feeling a little jaded, but it cements the notion that Can live, at any period, was mercurial.
Within the Can Live series, this is the first to feature bassist Rosko Gee(Traffic) who
had joined Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, and Holger Czukay (who, relieved
of bass duties is credited with “waveform radio and spec. sounds” on the album), and
would perform with them until the band’s split in 1979.
You can already enjoy the closing track VIER below.
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.
ALL TOGETHER
. TRACK BY TRACK
Band: GUIDED BY VOICES (Dayton, Ohio)
Probably the most productive band ever in
rock history (40 albums in 41 years!)
It’s the first single from GBV’s new, upcoming, 40th (!!) album (since 1983), named Strut Of Kings and slated for release on June 28. Firm familiar indie rock, as we know it.
Artist: SPIELMANN (Leeds, UK) Ben Lewis aka Spielmann has been around the block, as a songwriter, producer, band member, DJ, promoter and now, after a good decade and varying degrees of success,
as a front person and songwriter in his own right.
“In this one we follow our narrator through breakdowns at parties, potential book deals, writing letters to his MP and anxiety attacks. It’s an anthem for the modern person who wants to have it all, but is probably realising something has to give.”
It’ll feature on his debut EP, titled ‘Fifteen Minutes With Spielmann’, and landing on 31 May.
This is glorious, full-orchestrated pop, that transfers you in an eye/ear blink to a sonic dreamland with its affecting melodiousness, riveting chorus and warm-hearted vocals. Three minutes and twenty seconds with Spielmann sounding not like everybody else.
From the band’s brand-new self-titled 9-song strong debut album.
Drawing inspiration from iconic bands like The Clean, Teenage Fanclub, The Pixies,
and The Replacements, this band deliver a captivating musical experience that will resonate with fans of diverse tastes. Continuing their DIY approach, this remarkable debut album effortlessly introduces new sonic dimensions and emotional depth to their ever-expanding musical repertoire, showcasing the band’s innate ability to craft mesmerizing melodies.
“I wrote “Close Enough” in the midst of the pandemic, a period where I didn’t see some of
the people who mattered most to me for weeks at a time. On a subconscious level I think that inspired the lyrics in the chorus about being “close enough” to someone, but the other half was me thinking about the process of falling in love, and how you can be so wrapped up in another person that, no matter how physically and emotionally close you are to them (“even if you were a part of me/ even if you were alive in me”), it doesn’t feel like enough to express how you feel.”
Another top guitar pop piece from the Buffalo singer-songwriter.
Tantalizing tunefulness, glistening guitar sparks, and gratifying vocals.
Moss: “Black Dahlia, for me symbolises an evolution from being a bedroom musician, estranged to the music world, to now playing on stage & finding my place & family in Hull’s vibrant music scene over a six-year period. The record’s almost a diary entry into my life, as I got fed up with people taking me for granted & so I kept telling myself I need to ‘do it for YOU’”.
The feverish, mood swings vocality and mixed emotionalism
of Jeff Buckley came to mind almost instantly. Say no more.
Band: JENNY DON’T AND THE SPURS (Portland, Oregon)
Outfit known for their high energy Country Western style and captivating stage
presence, they’ve garnered a global following with their infectious enthusiasm,
and extensive discography, featuring three albums, an EP, and nine singles.
From the band’s new forthcoming LP, titled Broken Hearted Blue,
out on June 14. Pre-order info here.
Photo by Jen Noel
Jenny: “I was listening to a lot of Lee Hazlewood while writing this song. I have always been captivated by his songwriting and how he weaves feelings of nostalgia, despair and hope into his songs. His blend of self-deprecation and romanticism strikes a chord, particularly the universal experience of loving someone who loves another. Despite this reality, we still find ourselves lost in daydreams about them. If these were transformed into a song, this is how I would envision it.”
Country Americana at its romantic and heavy-hearted best. Heart-and-soul vocals and easy-going, lovey-dovey vibes for the midnight hours. Wurlitzer jukeboxes were invited
to play this kind of lullabies in bars where the lonely gather for some companion.
Irish indie stars FONTAINES D.C. already have 3 top-drawer albums on their résumé. And number four is bagged now. They named it ROMANCE and will share it with the world on August 23rd. Pre-order info here.
Conor Deegan (bassist) “We’ve always had this sense of idealism and romance.
Each album gets further away from observing that through the lens of Ireland, as
directly as Dogrel. The second album is about that detachment, and the third is
about Irishness dislocated in the diaspora. Now we look to where and what else
there is to be romantic about.”
The first single STARBURSTER is a tense jam, rollin’ on with a bone-chilling flow and frontman Grian Chatten rapping all over it with his characteristic uptight parlando.
New look, new single, new vibe, new video, new feat.
Who: The musical project of Belgian singer-songwriter, Ilayda Cicek. Her music is characterized with a unique voice and unadulterated emotions which unmask the inconsistencies of life.
New single: BEN ANLAMAM
The 3rd shared piece, sung in her mother language, from the
trio’s debut album, baptized ANYA, out next week, on 26 April.
Turn Up The Volume: Over the years Belgian songstress, with Turkish roots, Ilayda Cicek evolved from an acoustic-playing solo artist to an electric trio band with the assistance of
a flamboyant guitarist and a hammering drummer, and released the top-notch 7-track EP Felt in 2021.
And here we are now, a week and a half away from the long-awaited debut LP, with
another splendid taster. On Ben Anlamam, Cicek expresses, with all her heart and her
soul, the painful aftermath surrounding the recent earthquake that destroyed her father’s birth village. Her sky-scraping vocal discharge indicates tension and threat, while a titanic wall-of-sound grabs you by the throat. Breathtaking stroke. The accompanying video is equally spectacular.
