The now 48-year-old electric folk star KURT VILE was born in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania,
and lives now in Philly. He’s so happy about his state that he made an album about it, named 10th LP PHILADELPHIA’S BEEN GOOD TO ME.
The album was largely recorded in Vile‘s home studio, OKV Central, located in Mount Airy, Philadelphia. He describes the album as his “bringing it all back home to Philly record“, and that he treated the recording process like it was his last album.
The Guardian (English newspaper) says: “Indie rock’s most easygoing dude gets existential. Sounding characteristically virtuosic but unbothered, Vile is more forward-thinking than ever
on a record that surveys the bliss and bumps of life in his mid-40s.”
TUTV: Nothing but feel-good tunes creating the lazy, relaxing, dreamy atmosphere
that Vile is so good at. His stress-free, tranquilizing sound, his sparkling guitar play, and
his knack for writing tunes that ease your mind in a luring way combine once again to make for a great companion for restful moments. Kurt Vile’s been good to us.
Thus far, Kentucky rockersMY MORNING JACKET have released 10 albums
between 1999 and today, with last year’s LP ‘is’ as their most recent one.
Today, they celebrate their 6th full-length, titled CIRCUITAL‘s 15th anniversary. It was released on 31 May 2011.
It peaked at #5 in the US, selling more than 55,000 copies
in the first week. It got stuck at #60 in the UK.
The album cover is a close-up shot of a magic eye tube fitted onto vintage radio receivers from the 1930s. The purpose of tuning eyes in these radio sets was to help tune a station in at its strongest point on the dial. So when the perfect frequency was found, the magic tuning eye would be lit up all the way, like the album cover’s.
AllMusic said: “This isn’t a conventional rock album by any means, and My Morning Jacket
rarely waste an opportunity to dive down the creative rabbit hole and see what exists on the other side.
‘70s rock epics, trippy pop waltzes, piano ballads, Motown metal fusions, and orchestral folk songs are what they come up with, and the album rarely explores the same sound twice, bouncing between amalgamated genres with purpose and a sly grin.”
Imperishable melody genius PAUL MCCARTNEY (83 now) and, arguably, the best pop songwriter ever, released his 19th solo LP, baptized THE BOYS OF DUNGEON LANE.
Press info: “The new album is a collection of rare and revealing glimpses into memories never-before shared, along with some newly inspired love songs, from one of the most culturally significant figures of our time.
These extraordinary new songs find Paul writing with rare openness about his childhood
in post-war Liverpool, the resilience of his parents, and early adventures shared with George Harrison and John Lennon long before the world had ever heard of Beatlemania.”
NME says: “Pop’s twinkly eyed granddad gets nostalgic on an album that also finds him pushing forward musically. It’s a guided tour of the long and winding road. McCartney co-produced the album with 35-year-old hot-shot Andrew Watt, the pair squeezed in sessions
over a four-year period whenever the octogenarian’s hectic schedule allowed.
Against all odds, given that this album arrives some 63 years after the Beatles’ debut ‘Please Please Me’, Macca actually makes history on ‘The Boys Of Dungeon Lane’. Remarkably, the jaunty ‘Home To Us’ is his first-ever duet with Ringo Starr, who assists him in celebrating their rough-and-tumble hometown.
Despite the absence of any real bombshells, it’s a pleasure to accompany McCartney as he gets back to where he once belonged.”
TUTV: Yep, I’m a Macca fan(atic). What he did with The Beatles was/is phenomenal.
His unique gift for writing simple, yet cleverly layered, and inventively orchestrated,
pop-ular tunes is truly exceptional in music history. And he did it countless times, over
and over again, in his almost 70-year (!!!) career. His oeuvre is massive.
Of course, his immensely productive/inspiring partnership with JohnLennon in
the Fab Four was instrumental and monumental for their worldwide, lasting success.
Then he did some sublime stuff with his band on the run, Wings, and with his
solo debut in 1971, he started a formidable solo journey, with LPs ranging from
good to unforgettable and, yes, with a couple of stinkers in between.
And now we have #19 on our earphones. Melancholia, storytelling reflection, and
euphonically spot-on, fitting songs are all over this nostalgic, never-look-back-in-anger record. It misses some glorious moments, as there are a lot on Egypt Station
from 2018 (my all-time fav McCartney solo album).
Still, its charming, entertaining, and, again, of course, its melodic and vocal (his voice
hasn’t aged whatsoever, and shines as ever before) beatitude is far better than what
some contemporary singer-songwriters have to offer. His yesterday memories sound velvety today.
Ahead of the release, Macca gave us two 2 singles.
“Irish History is something we are all still learning about. It reflects in all of our songs
as we delve into it. Each one includes a snippet of Ireland’s history, past to recent.”
The track is accompanied by a friend-made video clip. It’s a jumble footage
of bombings, funerals, marches, and military presence depicts the chaos on
the streets at a time of overbearing tension.
TUTV: Time to go loco, all you madcap misfits on two wheels out there in the streets. When I tell you that the clamorous Motorman chorus made Beastie Boys’ Fight For Your
Right chant, pop up instantly and strongly on my head’s inner-stereo, you’d better brace yourself, fasten your seatbelts, and be ready for some loud and clear Getner-punk action.
Artists: UNTER STRØM Who: Seasoned electronic musical duo – Alex Gonzales and John Kunkel – forged in the shadows of Los Angeles and San Diego, blending raw industrial grit with melodic finesse.
“A piece that moves between tension and release, pairing
driving rhythmic energy with cinematic depth.”
TUTV: Back to the heydays of techno rave mania. Think British intoxicating
synth legends Chemical Brothers and Underworld. E-tastic dance extravaganza
from start to finish. Be ready for an untrammeled rollercoaster made for
24-hour party people.
TUTV: Mancunian Brit-rock-pop bravura is plastered all over this anthemic debut. Obviously influenced by those two world-famous mad for it brothers, but also that
early Stone Roses swagger.
These hungry young wolves have confidence,
attitude and an appetite for cocksure tunes.
Surviving is necessary to live forever.
That’s exactly what Park Haus strives for.
TUTV: Sultry trip-Tricky-hop echoes dominate this mesmerising.
Its slo-mo groove and spellbinding vocals have a trance-inducing
impact. Way to enter the scene. A triumph.
i wait, i sink, i wait i sink
i wait, flash forward to u,
just a moment in yr devilish arms
im in love with it, so many arrows in the base of it but i am talking to u
im in love with it, so many tiny sparrows came and went when i was talking to u
Band: THALADELA Who: Young Scottish indies from Glasgow. Their sound blends distorted and
dreamy elements, drawing influence from Wolf Alice, Radiohead and Slowdive.
The song explores the complicated relationship we have with modern media
and how overconsumption affects our daily lives. The lyrics reflect the bittersweet
nature, the verse discussing how it feels in the moment while the choruses
consider it’s overall impact.
TUTV: This starry-eyed, shoegazy, and passional pondering is arranged with
bewitching vocals, and absorbing orchestration. Think Cocteau Twins‘s crystalline scintillation. Thaladela create an instantly absorbing reverberation.
The cliché goes that you can only make a alluring first impression once, which
these debuting Scots do spot-on. For once social media overload led to something
valuable like this beauty.
THE BEATLES released one of their countless hit singles today 60 years ago, on May 30th, with PAPERBACK WRITER.
It was #1 in the UK, the US, Australia, Canada,
New Zealand and severel European countries.
The song was largely written by Paul McCartney, who based the lyrics on a challenge made to him by his Aunt Lil. Macca in 1966: “Years ago, my Auntie Lil said to me, ‘Why do you always write songs about love all the time? Can’t you ever write about a horse or the summit conference or something interesting?’ So, I thought, ‘All right, Auntie Lil.’” So he wrote a song about a book.
“Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It’s based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer
Paperback writer”
“It’s a song about impossible tasks. It’s about trying to do everything you have been told to do in life, and never achieving what was promised. The goalposts have shifted, no, that isn’t how you do it.”
TUTV: Really Good Time are manic motherrockers, racing and rushing with puissance and roasting power. They develop a kind of Gilla Band disturbance, but less chaotic, way more movin’ and groovin’. Whether you want it or not, your head goes 360. Blimey.
Band: FARVEBLIND Who: Electro dance-pop-rock trio from Copenhagen, Denmark that fabricates
sonic touchstones ranging from Battles and The Chemical Brothers to Underworld
and Viagra Boys.
TUTV: A cocksure, motorik-feverish dancefloor filler for sweaty nightclubs. A tsunami of synth extravaganza hits you straight in the face, while rollicking vocals add a jaunty feel.
Artists: ARAB STRAP Who: Trippy Scottish electro-pop vets, Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton (1995–2006, 2011, 2016–present).
Track: YOU YOU YOU
First single from their new full-length Half-Told Tales,
their 9th, out on September 4th. Tracklist here.
AS: “A disco-metal sound and lyrics that explore
overcoming troubles and tumultuous times”.
TUTV: Trip Trip Trip! Hip Hip Hip! We We We!
“I’ve got a portly paunch I just can’t shift/I feel undesired, dismissed, adrift/
My get-up-and-go is long gone/ and the days keep dragging on/ But I’ve got
you, you, you”
Okereke wrote the record in the wake of a more than decade-long relationship.
“Every lyric you’re hearing on this record was something that actually happened to me.
I had to tell the story, from start to finish.”
TUTV: Damn. Time flies with supersonic speed. BC are entertaining our eager eardrums since 1999. Well Okereke took time, now and then, for solo work, but it’s always a sonic pleasure to hear them coming up, again and again with firm, dance-spiked singles.
TUTV: Soft Cell on adrenaline. Erasure on amphetamine. Enriching electro pop nirvana
at its most beautiful. Ignore the outside bedlam for about 6 minutes on repeat. The beat goes on and on and on. Twirl yourself dizzy.
Track: WHAT FUTURE
The title song of his new album.
Carr: “I’ve been putting together these sounds for many years but this
is the first time where I thought ‘this doesn’t really sound like anything else
and decided to put it out.”
TUTV: Techno daft-punk on the run. Electro rock shock. Winding mix of paranoic synths, bass booms, and some helium-infused Carr interventions. Good grief. What a brainfucker.
TUTV: This is a sassy, kind of fuck you stunner, that speeds all over your
trembling stereo with Rønnenfelt throwing sneers around. Vicious sucker
punch all the way.
Band: THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA Who: London-based DIY duo – Daphne Ang (Singapore) and Andrea Papi (Italy)
that fills a gap in music by bringing literature, art, and history together into a
space where rock and metal meet electronica.
Track: GIROTONDO
Single from their forthcoming 4th album, named Misantropi.
Out June 22nd. Tracklist and pre-order info here.
TUTV: This Metallica-echoing shocker thunders unstoppably and peaks every time its fistpumping chorus kicks in. TCOMAS rock here as never before. They kick ass with this striking uppercut.
Band:SOCIAL DISTORTION Who: The robust, generational Californian rockers fronted by the only
original member, voice/guitarist/songwriter Mike Ness, who beat tonsil
cancer a few years ago, are one of the most notorious and celebrated
American punk bands ever.
Band: CASSIUS WOLF & DAS ABS Who: The musical project of Cassius Wolf and Don Watson. Formed in Liverpool during the original wave of post-punk and new wave. Now, decades later, that same spirit is driving the band’s long-awaited return.
Track: LOSING SLEEP
Single from their brand new full-length, An Afternoon in Bedlam. Stream here.
TUTV: When I say that this avid anthem has an epic Echo & Bunnymen sonority,
you should pay attention instantly. The flamboyant flair, the whirling drive, the
euphoric vocals. I see Ian McCulloch standing around the corner, with a big smile
on his face.
Band: DELFOI ROAD Who: A Finnish alternative rock act, formed at the turn of the millennium.
The four-piece blends artistic sensitivity, strong melodic songwriting, and
atmospheric depth with an energetic and dynamic edge.
Track: TAKE ME AWAY
New piece from their upcoming debut full-length, planned to come out in the fall. “It’s one of the catchiest and most radio-friendly tracks on the album.”
Artwork single
TUTV: Think Mumford and Sons‘ arousing passion and vocal eagerness. Take Me Away draws you into its stirring spirits, its intensifying orchestration,
and its exhilarating euphoniousness. Towering tour de force.
BZ: “I’ve spent a long time thinking about where to take my musical journey next & Real Problems, ironically, has become an unexpected solution. I wrote this track off the cuff a while back, as an outlet for feeling disconnected from the so called “real world”. For my entire life I’ve been told “that’s just how the world is” but all I’ve learnt in my 23 years alive is that it seems the world was never meant to be like this.
Humans have this disturbing desire to disconnect themselves from the natural world & forget that we’re in fact all a part of it. Real Problems is my attempt to reconnect to that part of myself that I feel has been hidden away due to societal noise. I’ve never met ‘these people’ & they’ve never met me, so why am I expected to uphold their ideas of who I was meant to be!”
TUTV: Industrial slam-bang EBM for all dance-addicted misfits out there.
You need to be in top shape to catch up with Bizarre Fae. She zooms with
steamy swiftness throughout this boomtastic missile. Face your problems
and sway them into oblivion. Trust me, it’s unquestionably worth a try.
Artist: KAT FIVE Who: EBM songstress from London. She fuses together a raw
punk energy with a dark pop magic, she consistently creates
indefinable, politically-engaged glitched-up anthems.
FIVE: “This is a call out to all kinds of creators, and also a shout out
for some simple moves you can make against techno-feudalism.”
TUTV: Kat Five offers a both luring and foreboding-sounding EBM tune for
shadow-dancing fans. Despite the hazardous times worldwide, she suggests,
rightly so, that togetherness is the only way to get out of the intolerant chaos
we have to go through right now.
Artist: SOUTHPAW GRAMMAR Who: British garage musician and producer. He has toured extensively with some
of the biggest names in popular music. His music speaks directly to the realities of working-class life while delivering dancefloor-ready grooves.
“It captures the evolution of a generation raised on late nights and pirate radio, now navigating mortgages, energy bills, and nursery pickups. With his signature dry wit and unmistakably British storytelling, Southpaw Grammar delivers a relatable anthem for anyone who’s swapped the rave for responsibility but still hears the bassline in everyday life.”
TUTV: This is cheer fun. Its ska-esque beat and jumpy flow kick-start hectic body movements. Bouncy piano touches and frolicsome rappin’ piggyback the feel-good tone. Ideal to play when workin’ out, although I fear that many of us (certainly me) will fall over our feet when trying to follow the pace. Fervid ambiance.
LV: “At least four or five of the songs on the record speak to a life lived being in bands, the bonds forged, and the life of a musician and performer, with themes of loss, addiction, death and redemption woven through. All the cliches about spending your time in bars, being on the road, being ‘out’ and not at home, are real.”
TUTV: Overall, this is a warm, hearty, and nostalgic energizer, spiced with classic textbook riffs and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed vocals. A stimulating upper for moody moments. It’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but we’ll never stop liking it.
He also stated that the band wanted to record a soul album. In the same liner notes, bassist Les Pattinson said that the band was often lazy and hence had hired rehearsal space at the Ministry in Liverpool.
He said this made them work harder and develop “language” in the rhythm. McCulloch considers Heaven Up Here to be guitarist Will Sergeant‘s album because he was bossy
and a control freak during the recording.
NME wrote: “One of the most superior articulations of ‘rock’ form in living memory.”
TUTV: One of the (many) flabbergasting albums from one of my
all-time favorite bands (on record and on stage). Masterpiece.
